New ITA Protege Build

[XelderX]

I recently retired my 1st Gen Protege from autocross duty and I'm now in the process of turning it into an ITA car. Here she is in AutoX trim...



I'm sure I will have plenty of questions as I progress through the build. I've almost finished striping the interior to get ready for the cage install. I'm going to take a very minimalist approach to the build at first as getting the car safe and on track quickly is more important to me right now than building a 100% car. I don't think minimum weight (2325#) is going to be an issue. She was 2230# in autoX Street Prepared trim which requires most of the interior. I do think it will be tough to make competitive HP, but that isn't costing me any sleep at the moment.

If there are any ITA Protege or Escort GT builders/racers here I would love to pick your brain about a few things.

[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.

[Greg Amy]

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.

You are correct.

[XelderX]

Cool. Less work.

[team-gpracing]

Greg, I'm not trying to pick a fight, especially since I don't know the IT rules as well as most around here, but that doesn't make sense to me.

disable

— vb
1. to make ineffective, unfit, or incapable, as by crippling
2. to make or pronounce legally incapable
3. to switch off (an electronic device)

By painting over the lights, they are rendered ineffective, and are thereby disabled. At least that's my understanding.


With regard to the light switches/turn signal indicator/wipers, it says that you may replace or relocate them, it doesn't say anything about removing them entirely.

I don't need any of that crap in my car!

[Greg Amy]

By painting over the lights, they are rendered ineffective, and are thereby disabled.

$25 and a lengthy debate with an SCCA technical scrutineer in the tech shed should verify your thesis...

[Dano77]

All exposed lites shall be taped over. Duct tape of any color is legal and asked for. How does this not render the lite Disabled, Ineffective by your definition.


Tree falls in the woods and all.


Just race the car,

[Greg Amy]

Duct tape of any color is legal and asked for. How does this not render the lite Disabled, Ineffective by your definition.

Was this for me, Dan?

Note that tape is not required ("may be taped or painted"). Nor, if you choose to use it, does it require opaque tape. Ergo, if the definition of "disabled" mean you can't actually see them illuminate, then we've created a different set of scrutineering standards for cars that neither need, nor choose to, cover their lamps with opaque tape.

Further, what happens if said opaque tape were to become dislodged during the course of the event? Does the prep allowance/requirement suddenly change in the middle of the race?

Covering illuminating lamps does not "disable" them, it simply moots their purpose. They still illuminate.

And this is how we get rules intorturated...and why we can't have nice things.

"Just race the car".

- GA

[Dano77]

Wasent for you Greg. Wasent really directed at anyone, Just a statement that we are over thinking everything way to f..ing much lately. Its just supposed to be fun. Isnt it?

Dan Sheppard
77 IT7

We have cars available for anyone looking to enjoy a race weekend without rules intorturation.

[CRallo]

welcome and good luck!!

IT is a fun, good place to be... I tried to leave once and came right back

[XelderX]

welcome and good luck!!

IT is a fun, good place to be... I tried to leave once and came right back

Thanks. The car is currently at the fab shop to start getting the cage installed/interior painted, so not much to update. I'll post some pictures as soon as they get some progress made there.

[UNCbigM]

I didn't realize that this was the fate of the purple people eater (or, if I did, then I had forgotten)! Can't wait to have you in ITA Justin. ITA is growing with the addition of several NC autocrossers!

[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.