Strut/shock upper mounts (pillowballs/camber plates/hats) & SF bushings

[wosneski]

I'm going to be building a dual purpose SP/IT car. So I don't want to go beyond IT prep allowances where SP allows you to. However, the wording for upper shock mounts is almost non existent while SP goes in depth. The way I read it, in IT, pillowball upper shock mounts (e.g. mounting to a coil over threaded sleeve body) are not specifically allowed, but the wording doesn't say one way or the other.
Basically I'm building a project budget list, part of which includes removing all allowable slop from the chassis... and I want to know if:
(a) I can use a coilover system which incorporates new pillowball mounts (not that I found one from a manufacturer I know/trust), or at least get some pillowball MOUNTS/plates like this

and try to make them work with the coilover setup I want (GC/Koni)
or
(b) I have to get new crappy OE style "cushion mounts"
somehow make them mate to the threaded collar coil over setup I want (GC/Koni) & "merge" it with the Tein plate?

HELP this is driving me nuts. The rear is different - I don't even know how the aftermarket upper mounts/hats are different than OE (can't get a pic). I would assume the rubber parts are replaced with metal. These are some of the OE parts (minus the metal "hats")



Finally, can I use subframe spacers in addition to subframe bushings? 9.1.3.D.5.d.6 says
"6. Bushing material, including that used to mount a suspension

subframe to the chassis, is unrestricted. This includes
the use of spherical bearings, so long as no suspension
component is modified to facilitate their installation. Retention
of spherical bearings by use of tack welds is allowed,

as long as the welds serve no other purpose."
that's it.

I'd like to install solid bushings + hard urethane spacers to tune out NVH & adjust anti-squat. Whiteline even sells a "Sub-frame align & lock kit: 6 parts - allows diff angle change & subframe lock." I sent an email to Whiteline product support, after weeks of THAT link being down, but obviously hadn't heard back yet. guess the main Q here is .... are you allowed to change geometry with SF bushings?

Damn, this at first build seemed so simple, but IT and SP rules differ in so many annoying ways. Wish they'd just be equal and just add the safety stuff for IT.

FWIW, I sent a detailed email to [email protected] weeks ago, and posted on www.sccaforums.com over a month ago, each with no response. Can't imagine this hasn't come up before. The 2009 ITCS doesn't clarify this section one bit. This would be the relevant excerpts from the ITCS.

"b. Springs and Shock Absorbers

1. Shock absorbers may be replaced provided

that the replacements

(a) attach to the original mounting points, and (b)

are of a non-remote-reservoir design."

and

"2. MacPherson strut equipped cars may substitute struts,

and /or may use alternate inserts. Spring seat ride height

location may be altered from stock."

and

"d. Suspension Mounting Points

1. Cars equipped with MacPherson strut suspension may
decamber wheels by the use of eccentric bushings at
control arm pivot points, by the use of eccentric bushings
at the strut-to-bearing-carrier joint, and/or by use
of slotted adjusting plates at the top mounting point. If
slotted plates are used, they shall be located on existing
chassis structure and may not serve as a reinforcement for
that structure. Material may be added or removed from the
top of the strut tower to facilitate installation of adjuster

plate."

Is a pillowball upper mount with an integral camber plate a "strut-to-bearing carrier joint" with "eccentric bushings" ? I don't know. Are the "original mounting points" where the strut attachs to the OE CUSHION or the holes in the strut tower? For the rear... again, is the material BETWEEN the shock and the shock tower free, as long at the same hole in the body is used??

Again, these are areas that it would serve LOGIC by just copying the Solo Street Prepared wording verbatim into the ITCS.... but no, it's left open and vague, and the SCCA itself won't respond to me!