Quote Originally Posted by Chip42 View Post
steve - of course no one is doubting you, this discussion is less than 3 days old...

are the 09+ injectors a higher rating? could those be installed into an -08 intake to create more fuel volume capability? etc... you say you can VIN rule the -08 to an -09. OK, what's stopping you? then you get the trans you want and you already have the chassis, and the raced weight is the same. I'm not trying to be snarky, I realize that's probably an expensive proposition, but I think that fact also supports our position here.

I could care less that the body looks different, that happens. tail lights and tweaked body contours are common. if the car only had sheet metal changes, or just the beefed up suspension components, or just the electronics changes, or just the transmission, or just.... it would have been an easy "yup, add that to the specline" but it's all of that. we decided that there was enough difference to deserve its own line.

as far as other speclines already having a lot of changes on them: so what? 2 wrongs and all that.

I have some questions for everyone here:

what defines the model for a specline? when are there enough changes to warrant a new specline?

why is the RX8 S1/S2 split NOT a model change, but the same year and all relevant mechanical parts Honda civic DX coupe and DX hatch on separate lines? (AFAIK, it's power steering - but the effect of that is not captured in the spec line weight.)

Where do we as a community draw the line over "what matters" and "doesn't matter" in IT prep? - and I'll offer that "being the same under the process" is NOT the same thing as being the same for the purposes of classification. if it were, I could theoretically stuff some kias and mazdas with the same valve sizes, bore, stroke, engine architecture, rated power, gear ratios, brake sizes, and suspension architecture on the same line, despite a decade of age and completely different manufacturers, because mazda sold engine designs to kia and everyone makes their small cars with a strut front.
09 injectors are higher volume, 2 now do the work of 4. Rules require update and backdate as entire assembly so not a performance difference , besides we are usually over fueled in these. I run 50% or less duty cycle.

If you want us to buy an 09 just to strip for everything to build an 04 you really have to see how stupid that arguement is. We changed the vin rule to allow drivers to build ITB cars out of ITC cars (Honda) that are similar, but much more different than the RX8 tub differences. Do you not see the complete failure in your logic that now drives our RX8 shell cost out the roof now that the early cars are getting as cheap as the RX7 was?

Your list of changes is a little lame. Bumpers do not make a model change. Electronics are free with ECU rule anyway. Do you even have a clue what is different in the rear suspension or are you chasing the same unicorn that got this car over 3000# originally? Not being snarky either, but lets use facts, not myth. Trans, yes, and plenty of cars in IT have 2 or 3 seperate ones listed on their spec line, different lights, bumpers, etc. Two wrongs don't make it right is fine, unless we have to race against them, then it is just wrong to set a different bar to meet half way through the game. Sometimes you guys over think all this to solve what???? A perceived problem you have yet to identify of any car that is an overdog because of update/backdate. All it does is give us options to build cheaper cars.

DX coupe and hatch, not really a valid comparison. Can you bolt the hatch to a coupe??

The Kia/Ford, etc is not even worth answering, really???

I respect you Chip, but your arguements do not really hold water with what has been accepted practice in IT for many years, and now gets changed for one car.

Agree to disagree.