Why would you want to race a Sentra rather than your 240 Earl? Not for nothing, but your car is a proven front runner, while there are no Sentras built, and who knows how much $$ and development it would take to make one a front runner? MARRS aint weak in ITB!
Jake Gulick
CarriageHouse Motorsports
for sale: 2003 Audi A4 Quattro, clean, serviced, dark green, auto, sunroof, tan leather with 75K miles.
IT-7 #57 RX-7 race car
Porsche 1973 911E street/fun car
BMW 2003 M3 cab, sun car.
GMC Sierra Tow Vehicle
New England Region
lateapex911(at)gmail(dot)com
Jake - not to start a big debate, but (and I know there are those who disagree) I'm 100% convinced the 240SX is done in ITA. Back when Stretch was winning at Atlanta, with a full-tilt, custom-everything, 100 lb lighter 240SX, he was winning with 1:43+ times. I know tracks change over the years, but I just don't see anyone getting one of these to run 41s at that track. Neal Harrison has one of the best built & driven 240s I've seen in the past few years, and he's still a couple of seconds off the ITA record at VIR on his best day.
And yeah, I know ITB is a very competitive class right now; that's why I'm looking there. I wouldn't want to run in a 'lame' class; hell I can go race with EMRA if I just want to collect a bunch of trophies. I know there have been some pretty fast Sentras in ITA (Crazy Joe's comes to mind immediately), so I think one of these - at the correct weight - could do pretty well in ITB. And like I said, I'm just daydreaming right now; but when I came across that listing I just thought it looked funny.
Earl R.
240SX
ITA/ST5
Why not one of the Civics?
Actually...why not just buy a fast ITB car instead of building one? Save yourself a ton of time and money. You've already been doing it the hard way with the 240, no?
Last edited by gran racing; 11-15-2011 at 04:43 PM.
Dave Gran
Real Roads, Real Car Guys – Real World Road Tests
Go Ahead - Take the Wheel's Free Guide to Racing
Dave - I don't speak Honda; if I were going to go with a known quantity I would take the Golf.
And I know conventional wisdom says buy rather than build, but I dont' think this works for everyone. In my case there are a number of reasons:
1. I'm one of those guys who likes to know every little modification that has been done to the car, and if it was done right. The only way I would ever buy a built car would be if it were a pro build directly from a place like FM or Brimtek, and unfortunately something like that is waaaaay outside my budget.
2. I've seen (and heard about) some of the shit guys have done, even on the fast cars, and I don't want to have to worry about whether my car is legal or not, or if it is going to blow up the next time I go on track.
3. I like the idea of building something different - as long as I think it has a shot at being competitive. Ok, so I'm a little weird that way.
4. I really, really like the idea of being competitive in a car that I built with my own hands. I can't imagine anything more satisfying.
Earl R.
240SX
ITA/ST5
We SHOULD debate this. What times did Serra win with? Alex? Ya know Ruck ran in the 41's this year right? How do you explain that? Do you think that if Stretch built a car now, and developd it, he wouldn't be any faster?
Tracks change, tires get better, people develop. Look at how much faster Moser has gone in just the last 2 years under intense pressure. NOBODY thought there was anything left in that car - but guess what? It NEVER STOPS.
The B13 Sentra has a ton of power being robbed by its crappy exhaust manifold. I think you'll easily be able to make process power on one. Sport Compact Car did a project on one back in 2001 and even without ECU tuning and a street tuned header, it made some large gains. I'll see if I can dig up the issue.
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You know you want it...
Houston Region
STU Nissan 240SX
EProd RX7
Andy, you're probably right; given your background & experience your opinion is certainly worth about 1k times what mine is. I can only go by what I've seen for myself. My belief is Bob had already figured out how to get everything he could out of that car when he was winning with it. He had one of the best builders in the country doing his engines; and still he was blowing up engines that are generally thought of as pretty indestructible. He had the best suspension (Ohlins shocks IIRC), was running a custom header back before they were the norm, had spherical bearings everywhere, and the budget to make it all work. I doubt you'll ever see another 240SX as fast as his was. I would love for someone to prove me wrong, but until that happens I'm sticking with my opinion.Originally Posted by Andy Bettencourt
BTW - you're a pretty savy guy, and from what I hear a pretty ok driver (), why do you run a Miata in ITA and not a 240SX or Intega?
Earl R.
240SX
ITA/ST5
Those up here know I have a 240SX coupe 'thing'. Always wanted one. I have seen the dyno sheets on built motors with a Wolf ECU and 'Stretch' header, and the power is class-leading. People who have driven them and SM's tell me they are the best handling cars they have ever driven (with spherical suspension).
When I sold my ITS RX-7, I built an SM for business reasons. Turned it into an ITA car for business reasons. I didn't go with the 240 because nobody could keep them together, not because they can't be fast. Teg? FWD sucks.
If I could buld and own any IT cars in class they would be:
ITR: E46 325 Coupe
ITS: 240Z
ITA: 240SX Coupe
ITB: Corolla GTS
ITC: Datsun 510
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