POC/PCA Classification & Build Help Please
 

Hey guys, long time since I started a new thread around here. All is well and I’m hopefully going to be around at more track events and runs soon.

My Dad, brother, and I are starting to prep a ’81 SC w/ 3.2 for STS, A/X, & DE; possibly TT in the future and who knows what else is on that slope. Mods other than the 3.2 are SSIs, Wong chip, LSD, ’86 sway bars, so right off the bat I have it in POC-JI & PCA-IP, but I’m afraid that the SSIs bump it to POC-KI. If that’s the case, does it make sense to just go to POC-JP and enjoy the other 11 prepared points for other mods we would like to do and still fall in PCA-IP?

The car will have seats, harnesses, and roll bar. I would like to take the suspension to all poly bronze and monoballs, T-bars, and maybe upgrade the sways from the ‘86s. The car will be a street legalish track car that will only see the street on the way to the track and weekend runs.

I’m open to your advice and opinions, is there a better way to go about this other than buying a car that is already complete (I’m not that smart and I like to build things). I’m taking the engine and trans to TRE by the end of the month to let Dave and the crew perform their magic.

And here is Team Williams; the red car is the car in question. Thanks Guys!


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1176837802.jpg

I don't know a darn thing about POC classification. But it's good to see you posting, Ryan. :)

You should go to the POC website and look at event results for both classes (JI & JP) to see how fast these classes are and where you want to be, you don't want one mod to put you into a class where you won't be competitive without spending a ton of money.

There are some very well prepared cars and drivers in JP (JP class record at Willow Springs is 1:30). The winners usually have short gears, LSD, fresh dyno tuned engines with all the legal mods (springs, ti retainers, etc), tuned headers, glass bumpers, 8/9-9.5 race wheels running 245/275 hoosiers, full spherical suspensions, quality adjustable sways, bigger torsion bars, etc... If I were in your shoes I'd build it for JI and get a lot of seat time in before I made the jump to JP.

You could also post this question on the POC forum.

JI competes in my race class (R7), as I'm IP. I can say that there is a big jump between JI and JP. JP is actually a pretty competitive class, as that is an intermediate point towards V3, which is usually the biggest class.

I was driving the car very hard in II class, and when I went to IP with the suspension and wheel upgrades, I had to totally relearn the car. And also was in a different league of cars and drivers. If you want to be competitive in JP, you'll need a lot of seat time and enough money to use up all your points (I've only used a couple). But if you don't really care about being first, the suspension mods for prepared make for a much "racier" car.

Thanks Cory, good idea. I checked on some results but I don’t have much to compare to, time wise. The only two times I ran SOW was w/ my 3.6 and fairly built suspension. It was also three years ago so I don’t know how the times compare due to any track changes. My best times then were CCW 1.22.76 and CW 1.24.19. I never timed on WSIR, but I guaranty I never even got close to being under the mid forties judging by the other cars I had to compare to.

Todd, I thought, through my lurking, that you had become quite the track whore, that’s awesome and I hope to join you soon. Are you doing any STS instructing?

Just to put it on paper, here is where the car is now.

3.2 puts it in JS (27.2)
SSI heat exchangers bump it to KI (26.2.2.6)
I can run any anti-sway bar in JI/KI (26.2.3.1)

Here is where I can put the stock exhaust on and run JI, stay in KI until we’re ready to jump to JP, or just go two feet in and run JP now.

How do Elephant Racing’s ploly-bronze and monoballs effect class. In the improved class menu it allows for aftermarket bushings (26.2.3.11) but I'm unclear if ER’s conform to identical in “design and concept”. It looks as though they are on the Prepared points list at 0 points, which makes me think not.

I was planning on giving it a narrow IROC look w/ IROC/Carrera tail eventually, it can’t tell if it’s legal in Improved or not.

The car will be shared, so Todd you are right on about not caring to be first, there will be plenty on competition between the car’s drivers and just wanting to get better. But I know I’ve heard that before, slippery slope. What have you done to your car so far?

Thanks guys!

I would go back to stock exhaust and run in JI. Drive the crap out of it with street tires, then at some point go to RA-1s or other R-compound tire, then when you're feeling like you've got the hang of the car, you can ponder upgrading the suspension and going to JP, or at that point maybe selling and buying a prepped car. Depends on your interest and budget.

For the tail, you can stay in improved as long as you run a tail that was offered stock for the class/years. My f/g ducktail was NOT improved legal as you couldn't get an SC from the factory with it...I got dinged for that and bumped to IP.

I've been instructing in STS for awhile now. Great fun. Will be up at the big track this weekend lapping on Saturday and doing the cup race on Sunday. Tribute is Saturday evening but I need to be back in LA Sat night so just practice laps that day.

As for my car, engine is still stock. I have a lightweight flywheel...that is the only mod to the engine or drivetrain. Still stock exchangers and exhaust. Dropped some weight by gutting various bits (still about 50 lbs heavy for class), and have totally redone the suspension, runing 23/31 t-bars, monoballs front, wevo integrated strut brace, polybronze bushings, etc. Also switched to Fikse 17/8 and 17/9.5 wheels running 235/45/17 and 255/40/17 RA-1s. Other than that, just safety stuff. I'll go to a full cage this summer probably.

I agree with Todd. JP prepared car is a bit much for starting out.

The best money spent initially is in a really well-fit and comfortable race bucket, 5 or 6-point belts, all the other safety equipment you can afford, and some really good instruction.

WELCOME BACK RYAN!!!

Hope all is well and its good to see you back. I look forward to seeing you out and about again.

Thanks for the advice, I knew I could count on you guys. I will put the stock exhaust back on and try my hardest to keep it in JI.

I hope to see you at the track or canyon soon!