Prepping Miata for STL, few questions

[smbstyle]

I'm currently in the process of building an STL Miata, 1990 chasis with a 99 motor, and was planning on running my first race in STL at the end of the month, but I have a few questions about a few ST specific rules.

The previous owner cut a piece of the transmission tunnel out and welded in place an "L" shaped piece of steel to make room for the driver's seat, which I know a lot of SM guys are doing. Is this in violation of ST rule E.5 below? This will probably be my biggest concern, as this is pretty much irreversable.

9.1.4.E.5. The chassis shall not be modified to make additional clearance for the driver’s seat.

Also, I currently have the OEM cooling system routing on the Miata, which has the heater core on the interior side of the firewall, but all hoses running to the core are in the engine compartment, and they meet the heater core AT the firewall. Would this be in violation of ST rule I.3?

I.3. No line containing engine coolant may pass through the cockpit.

[Greg Amy]

The previous owner cut a piece of the transmission tunnel out and welded in place an "L" shaped piece of steel to make room for the driver's seat, which I know a lot of SM guys are doing. Is this in violation of ST rule E.5 below?

Yes, it is.

This rule came from World Challenge; I'm inferring the intent was to keep fabricators from advantageous weight shift of the driver. Within SCCA Club Racing we tend to look the other way, using the allowance of unspecified mods to install safety equipment, but other classes generally do not have that explicit restriction. Since the STCS trumps the GCR, modifying the tunnel for the seat is explicitly not allowed.

My only recommendation is to send a request to the CRB to rescind that rule, or request that it be changed to allow "reasonable" mods for the installation of safety equipment.

I currently have the OEM cooling system routing on the Miata, which has the heater core on the interior side of the firewall, but all hoses running to the core are in the engine compartment, and they meet the heater core AT the firewall. Would this be in violation of ST rule I.3?

That has been discussed in committee, and a suggested rule change was published in the March Fastrack:

Change 9.1.4.I.4: 4. All fluid hoses, lines, reservoirs, and tanks that are in the cockpit, or cargo area that is open to the driver (excluding heater core/defroster installations), shall be separated from the driver by rigid metallic and/or non-metallic enclosures and/or deflection shields to prevent fluid from spraying on the driver in case of a leak. It is highly recommended that heater core/defroster installations also be shielded from the driver.

Keep in mind that even if the rubber hoses are outside the firewall, there's still some tubing and the heater core inside the cockpit (cockpit side of the firewall). The intent of the rule, as it came over from World Challenge, was to keep fluid lines on rear-engine/radiator cars from going through the cockpit. I don't see it as ever intending to apply to installations of stock defroster/defogger equipment, thus the change request.

Is it technically illegal for 2012? Yeah, I'd suggest it probably is. But it doesn't bother me personally, and I don't think anybody gives a squat. And the rule will be changed for 2013. But if it bothers you, then loop your hoses for 2012 and leave the heater box in, and you can re-plumb it back in for 2013. That's what I'll be doing.

GA

[Rabbit07]

Letter in the system now.......

[coreyehcx]

smb, where are you racing this month? Are you running the double at Roebling at the end of April?

Im in Orlando, see that you are in Lakeland. Im running STL as well.

[smbstyle]

smb, where are you racing this month? Are you running the double at Roebling at the end of April?

Im in Orlando, see that you are in Lakeland. Im running STL as well.

Hey, sorry I just saw this post. I raced on Sunday's SARRC race at PBIR. It was my first wheel to wheel experience and I had a blast!

When are you racing next?

[coreyehcx]

Im running the Stark Double in a couple of weeks and the Regional at Daytona May 5th.

Daytona has 2 other STL cars that look like double dippers, just me at RRR with another double dipper. Its interesting that only Miatas are running in STL at these 2 events outside of me and my Civic.