Any swapped cars competitive in autocross?

[matthugie]

Is anyone doing well competitively with a swapped e30? This is my first season running, and I'm turning good times (at the last autox I was 13th in raw time behind 1 kart, 5 pro's, had the fastest run on street tires, and was faster than a C6 vette on slicks). The problem is with the swap makes it an SM car and I'm getting killed in PAX. Is anyone running a competitive swapped car, and if so what have you done to compensate? Thanks.

[Nsquared97]

Jean would be the one to talk to about this. IIRC he has an M30(?) swap, and has been campaigning it for a while. What are the details on the setup your running?

[matthugie]

Jean would be the one to talk to about this. IIRC he has an M30(?) swap, and has been campaigning it for a while. What are the details on the setup your running?

Highlights are: For go - OBD-I S52, all bolt-ons, raceland headers, full 3" exhaust (no cat), AA LTW flywheel, stage 1 unsprung clutch, using g260 with UUC evo3 and DSSR, 3.73 LSD

For turn - IE3's, Billie sports, e36 m3 control arms with urethane offset bushings, urethane subframe bushings, trailing arm bushings, and diff mount, kmac camber plates, 95 m3 rack, larger sways (21 and 19 IIRC)

For stop - UUC/Wilwood BBK, 25mm MC, Hawk AutoX pads

And the car is on 17x7 BBS RX with Star Specs (215 front, 235 rear).

I still have full interior and sport seats, but I really don't want to strip it out unless absolutely necessary. I'd like to keep it streetable, and the woman already doesn't particularly like riding in it due to the harshness. I know I can go to R-comps to get some time, and strip it if need be, but I don't know if that is enough to make it competitive.

[Nsquared97]

Some wide R-comps will definitely gain you some serious time, but then it becomes a matter of making them fit.

[Jaxx_]

you'd probably move into SM or some other similar class, where in order to be competitive you have do go pretty damn wild.

Get yourself some good R-Comps and you can usually turn laps 2-4 seconds (per min) faster than a regular tire. (in my experience anyway) I don't think SM has limits on tire width or wheel size, but I would check if you haven't already. I will reinforce that you should only get R-compounds once you're confident that you have reached your limit as a driver(be realistic). Stickier tires will only result in blurred mistakes if you can't drive the car at full-tilt-boogie on street tires. Also, tune the suspension to it's limit and your liking.


I didn't get to ride with you to see if you were quick, but it sounds like you did alright. It was nice meeting you. Eventually, you'll face the facts that PAX is shit. :)

[matthugie]

Hey, it was nice to meet you too. I was running pretty consistently in the high 46's, with a best of 46.309. I'm sure the car was capable of 45's though. I know I haven't maxed myself out yet, and got some good advice from some OG's to help me to continue to improve from where I am. I agree about not moving to R-comps too early, and did the first half of the season on hard all seasons for the same reason. What I've wanted to know you answered with your first line though, and I don't think I want to go that wild with this car. I guess I'll just have to settle with having fun but not being competitive. Thanks.

[Wh33lhop]

You can be competitive if you are a good driver and your car is set up well, also you will want some A6s/Goodyear slicks/etc if you want to run SM--you will want 15x10s and 275/35s if you really want to be competitive (also consider investing in coilovers). Otherwise you can run SM-T2 if you want to run street tires (buying 2 sets of slicks each season gets old fast).

With worn-out 225 R888s I was about 3 seconds behind the fastest SM cars (built evos on 285 or 315 A6s) and that's a full weight car with an M50. I am a pretty seasoned driver so YMMV, but I think with an S52, a built diff and 275 slicks I would be on the same playing field. Of course, I'm not buying those tires so we may never know. :p

[matthugie]

I've heard what I needed to hear: to be competitive I would have to go full racetard, and that isn't a step I'm prepared to take with a clean, vin matching, rust free car. Thanks guys.

[L8 apexr]

To be honest there isn't really a clas that the e30 can be competitive in regardless of cash invested(within reason).Either get a different car,max the line of credit out or be happy with the car as is and have fun.
I've been running in the mod classes for years but recently sold my A-mod car to hopefully go road racing,I'll autox my M52 e30 next year but it'll be on streets as I don't want to spend money for,drag around,change to race tires.
I've set FTD at every event I've been at in over 2 years so it'll be a little hard to get used to running the e30 but I'll try and have fun.;)

[Lof8]

To be honest there isn't really a clas that the e30 can be competitive in regardless of cash invested(within reason).Either get a different car,max the line of credit out or be happy with the car as is and have fun.

Unfortunately, this is pretty true. In most clubs, engine swaps bump you into a pretty gnarley class. You may be competitive at a local level, but not with the big boys. Just get out there and drive and have fun!

[TobyB]

there isn't really a clas that the e30 can be competitive in

thus, Pro3....

(hijack)

t

[Jean]

To be honest there isn't really a clas that the e30 can be competitive in regardless of cash invested(within reason).Either get a different car,max the line of credit out or be happy with the car as is and have fun.
I've been running in the mod classes for years but recently sold my A-mod car to hopefully go road racing,I'll autox my M52 e30 next year but it'll be on streets as I don't want to spend money for,drag around,change to race tires.
I've set FTD at every event I've been at in over 2 years so it'll be a little hard to get used to running the e30 but I'll try and have fun.;)

Zing.....

op- you can still have lots of fun in SM with a swap and sticky tires :) It feels great when you post faster times than the competition in Corvettes, Mustangs, S2000s, STI's etc... but you'll always run into someone who is faster.

Just go out and have fun.

[evandael]

..Otherwise you can run SM-T2 if you want to run street tires..

are the SP/SM street tire classes specific to the Bay Area of California? if it is that's a shame because it seems like an ideal class for a swapped car without an unlimited tire budget.. not to win, but to at least be somewhat competitive and have fun!

[Nsquared97]

are the SP/SM street tire classes specific to the Bay Area of California? if it is that's a shame because it seems like an ideal class for a swapped car without an unlimited tire budget.. not to win, but to at least be somewhat competitive and have fun!

I've never been at an event that runs a street tire class for SP/SM, but that is usually up to the discretion of the local region if they want to run something like that.

[matthugie]

Zing.....

op- you can still have lots of fun in SM with a swap and sticky tires :) It feels great when you post faster times than the competition in Corvettes, Mustangs, S2000s, STI's etc... but you'll always run into someone who is faster.

Just go out and have fun.

Oh, don't worry, I have a blast driving it and will continue to do so. I'm just a competitive person and like to have a bar to measure progress by.

are the SP/SM street tire classes specific to the Bay Area of California? if it is that's a shame because it seems like an ideal class for a swapped car without an unlimited tire budget.. not to win, but to at least be somewhat competitive and have fun!

My local club has a tire class that I'll be running next year.