New ITA Protege Build

[team-gpracing]

Always good to see a Solo car become a Club Racing car. Good luck with the build!

[XelderX]

Always good to see a Solo car become a Club Racing car. Good luck with the build!

The problem is, I still have a nationally prepped Solo car. I swapped all the fast stuff from the Protege to a 2 door 323 hatch. I barely have the budget to keep tires on that thing so this may be the slowest progressing build thread in the history of the forums.

[team-gpracing]

I doubt that. Progress is progress.

[XelderX]

I've got most of the interior gutted out and I'm working through some of the wiring now. I'm still getting used to the way the GCR is written as it's a little different than the Solo rule book. With regards to the wiring I have a few questions.

9.3.32 states having two brake lights which is easy enough. It goes on to say

Turn signals, front parking lights, backup lamps,
and side marker lights may be taped or painted

, but it doesn't require them to work.

9.1.3 10a states

Wiring specific to any component permitted to be removed,
or disabled, may be removed

.

9.1.3 9c...

Switches to activate the ignition, the lights, the windshield
wipers, the starter and other accessories located within the
passenger compartment may be replaced and their location
changed

.

I'm trying really hard not to read into this too hard. I can't see an allowance for removing wiring going to "auxiliary" lights because there is no allowance to "remove" the switches for those lights...only replace and change location.

Am I missing something here. I don't want to spend a lot of time sorting through wiring and end up removing something I'm not allowed to.

I also have a rear window defroster circuit that isn't specifically addressed although it may be in an UD/BD.

[team-gpracing]

Technically speaking, painting over them is disabling them. So, by that logic, you can remove the wires. With regard to switches, I assume all your lights function on one switch. Therefore, if you need to keep your headlights, then you'll need to keep your light switch.

Defroster wiring should be safe to remove. I thought I remembered seeing something about that somewhere.

[XelderX]

Technically speaking, painting over them is disabling them. So, by that logic, you can remove the wires. With regard to switches, I assume all your lights function on one switch. Therefore, if you need to keep your headlights, then you'll need to keep your light switch.

Defroster wiring should be safe to remove. I thought I remembered seeing something about that somewhere.

Thanks. That does make sense. I've had my wrist slapped over some gray areas in the Solo rule book before so I'm making sure I don't cause more work for myself later. Now off to finish pulling the harness out of the car and find some dry ice for the sound deadening.

[Greg Amy]

Technically speaking, painting over them is disabling them. So, by that logic, you can remove the wires.

Um, no.

Not being able to see that they illuminate, does not mean they don't illuminate. "Tree falls in the forest" and all that.

[XelderX]

Um, no.

Not being able to see that they illuminate, does not mean they don't illuminate. "Tree falls in the forest" and all that.

I haven't looked in a lot of IT cars, but I don't recall seeing any switches to activate turn signals. If everything holds true then those would be required as well.

[jumbojimbo]

but it doesn't require them to work

And there is your answer. It doesn't say you have to have rear quarterpanels, but you do. That's the point, if it doesn't say you can, then you can't.

With that said, I'm one of the few cars in my group with working headlights. Hell, my backup lights work. I think on the spare car I just bought, the rear defroster works. Nobody is going to give you grief if your turn signals don't work, but that doesn't make it "legal".

The difference is, if your lights don't work because you've had the fenders off 5-6 times and you got tired of the wires and cut them, nobody's going to complain. If you're building a car and looking for excuses to remove things, just don't unless it says you can. Again, you're unlikely to be protested, but it's still not cool.

[jimbbski]

I have a question about the car. Since the early 90's Ford Escorts were very similar cars I am wondering what your thoughts are on what the C/O spring rates should be? You see I am helping out a Lemons team that races one of these and they are thinking about going with adjustable C/O mounts and matching springs.

Does anyone have any suggestions for spring rates? Free spring heights?