A fresh look...

[Andy Bettencourt]

What would everyone build if they couldn't do a FWD HondAcura or a Miata? I am looking for something different.

I think the chassis limits (other than year) are gone other than the Lotii. So who has some fresh ideas?

FD RX-7 with Mazda 1.8?
NSX with 2.0L Acura?
240SX with 2.0L Nissan?

[tyler raatz]

The FD would be interesting and pretty cool.

How would an NSX work with little class legal brakes, skinny tires and 7" wide wheels? Might work well, could be teh suk.

If i were doing a 240sx, I would lobby for the non us-spec SR16ve or find a way to make power with a ca18de. The motor seems to have potential, do a good set of custom cams, solid shim under bucket lifters etc. I think either engine has much better power to weight potential than a 2.0, the weigh is just too damn high for 2.0L RWD.

Jeff Young has tossed around the idea of a 90's era Lotus Elan. FWD, and Strut front end on a tiny car would make for a killer light weight package if the engine could make decent power.

I think a VW Corrado with a 1.8 5 valve may have potential, but my VW knowledge ends with A1 chassis cars and 2 valve 1.8's

[Robbie]

The FD would be interesting and pretty cool.

How would an NSX work with little class legal brakes, skinny tires and 7" wide wheels? Might work well, could be teh suk.

If i were doing a 240sx, I would lobby for the non us-spec SR16ve or find a way to make power with a ca18de. The motor seems to have potential, do a good set of custom cams, solid shim under bucket lifters etc. I think either engine has much better power to weight potential than a 2.0, the weigh is just too damn high for 2.0L RWD.

Jeff Young has tossed around the idea of a 90's era Lotus Elan. FWD, and Strut front end on a tiny car would make for a killer light weight package if the engine could make decent power.

I think a VW Corrado with a 1.8 5 valve may have potential, but my VW knowledge ends with A1 chassis cars and 2 valve 1.8's

That Élan has double wishbones all around.

I'd think long and hard About a Mk2 MR2 with a 3S-GTE or getting a 3S-GE made legal.

[Chip42]

That Élan has double wishbones all around.

I'd think long and hard About a Mk2 MR2 with a 3S-GTE or getting a 3S-GE made legal.

yup - 97ish JDM Gen 3 3SGE from the MR2 G Limited would be my choice. though a de-truboed GTE migt do very well too.

either way, at 2800 #s, that's a lot of MR2 to haul about.

[Xian]

Hmmmm... K20 powered S2000 an option? What about an MX3 with one of the hottish engine options thrown out above? 1st Gen MR2 with the 2ZZ? Isn't there a 20v JDM engine that will bolt in (if it were legal)? Maybe the 90/91 Corolla GTS?

[Dano77]

MZR in the late eighties protege 323 GTX. Thats a pretty cool idea. Or Even the later Protege AWD with a New MZR

[Chip42]

Hmmmm... K20 powered S2000 an option? What about an MX3 with one of the hottish engine options thrown out above? 1st Gen MR2 with the 2ZZ? Isn't there a 20v JDM engine that will bolt in (if it were legal)? Maybe the 90/91 Corolla GTS?

the S2000 is excluded from STL, so no dice there.

Christian hit on an oldy but goldy in 1st gen MR2 with a 20V. it is the easiest option on that chassis, and with the most recent round of OMG RWD!!!!!11 adder changes, it's now 2236# (RWD 1600cc). previously, it was too much car for the motor, now it's an option. (I have my fat ass in the ITB car at 2335 with over 25# in ballast and no etreme lightening efforts). Not worth the effort for the 2ZZ/AW11 combo, IMHO. the 20V 4AGE has a way better head than the 16v, not just because of the extra valves, making it on par with the B16 in specific output.

hell - a 20V 4AGE in the MR2 spyder chassis sounds pretty compelling now. ZERO issues with weight, that's for sure.

[CRallo]

STL, I'm assuming? I'm all for the latter. But a VE if I can get it!!

[CRallo]

Crappy to disallow Lotus cars I must say

[Chip42]

the FWD elan with a "Lotus" 2ZZ-GE. unf. if you can keep oil pressure in it and tires under it...

Was dreaming of a MR2 Spyder with the 2ZZ but that's 2515#s now - and that's a lot of lead in a ZZW, I don't care if I CAN put it anywhere I want.

So I'm all about an MZR LF Protege or early 6 or 3. 2633 lbs (which yeah, is F'ing heavy), easy 200 whp, mazda, modern, mazda, plentiful engine cores, mazda, everywhere you look cars, did I mention mazda?, good support for the 'gay and the 6 in AWR and cork and from the teams from the WC Touring heyday, mazda, good handling, known chassis, mazda...

[Andy Bettencourt]

the FWD elan with a "Lotus" 2ZZ-GE. unf. if you can keep oil pressure in it and tires under it...

Was dreaming of a MR2 Spyder with the 2ZZ but that's 2515#s now - and that's a lot of lead in a ZZW, I don't care if I CAN put it anywhere I want.

So I'm all about an MZR LF Protege or early 6 or 3. 2633 lbs (which yeah, is F'ing heavy), easy 200 whp, mazda, modern, mazda, plentiful engine cores, mazda, everywhere you look cars, did I mention mazda?, good support for the 'gay and the 6 in AWR and cork and from the teams from the WC Touring heyday, mazda, good handling, known chassis, mazda...

So I forgot about the brake number, will have to look into that. 290mm. Just throwing this out there, does it make sense to have the same limits for the same weights? I still wonder if having a limit in size tied to cc's is more fair. Cars with over 1000lbs difference can use the same size brakes.

I was never a fan of that 'Lotus'... What MZR are you talking about?

[Chip42]

MZR LF is the 2.0L, biggest thing you can drop in to STL. in a protege (strut front) or 3 (strut front I think) it's a 2633# car, in a 6 it's 2700# (SLA front).

yeah, brakes are possibly an issue for the heavy cars, relatively speaking, but frankly maxed brakes on a light car with DOT tires of a max 225 section means you probobly have more brake than you can use - so there's likely a middle ground.