Quote Originally Posted by shwah View Post
The myth is that just because the FSM specs are not all encompasing, that you have the freedom to do whatever you like in those areas. I don't care what number is stamped on those cams, if they are not the same as a stock from the showroom floor car, they are not legal .period. There is no rule that states cams must match FSM specs (edit - well actually there is, does that shoot a hole in this whole argument? It hinges on definition of factory specifications, and whether that is manufacturing specs or FSM specs), there is more importantly no rule that allows use of a cam other than stock - you put one of those 'magic cams' in a cam doctor next to a cam purchased from the local dealership parts counter and they don't match - in any measurable way within the capability of the measuring equipment - then it ain't legal.
here's the problem you guys need to address. keep in mind i don't like it, and i wish it wasn't this way, but it is what it is......

Joe Bob wants to go ITB racing for a National Championship in a 1983 Italian Thingamajig. This wasn't exactly a mass produced car, they weren't particularly well taken care of cars, and being from Michigan, there really isn't one Joe Bob can find in very good shape. He does however find a car sitting in a barn in Texas that hasn't run in 10years, but has a decent chassis to start with, so he buys it.

Since Joe wants to contend for the National Championship, he needs to have a stout motor built. Problem is, they don't sell crate motors for 1983 Italian Thingamajigs like they do Miatas, and after taking the head off the motor in his car, he realizes that the timing chain broke, broke valves, and ran lots of little metal bits through the whole thing, so it's all trash. Joe now has two options, he can scour junkyards throughout the entire country, hoping somebody has a decent set of cams, but after having a couple sent to his house in Michigan from Florida at $400 each (gotta pay someone to go remove them for you), he sees evidence of bent rockers wearing on the lobes, and isn't confident putting them in his car.

so now what? well, Joe Bob's brother Billy Bob owns "Billy Bob's Dirt Track Motor Shop" out on country road FF. Billy can get a hold of some blanks and grind them to whatever specs Joe wants. Joe hands over the specs he has sourced from an OEM service manual, and since this is a race car, and Joe is trying to win the big show, Billy grinds them for max performance within the rules.

how do you plan to protest this guy? how do you expect tech to rule on this part if it meets every spec they are presented with? bring a stock cam of a 1983 Italian Thingamajig yourself to compare to on the cam doctor? go ahead, it says right in the GCR piece you quoted the club may establish an acceptable tolerance.

don't get caught up in the details of my poor example, just understand that not everyone shares the same views as you on the interpretation of the rules, and you can call those people names all you want, but unless there's a way to tech it, there's not much you can do. you can also expect more people showing up in the class who have the "tech shed legal" viewpoint as they influx from other national classes.

don't shoot the messenger, it is what it is.