James's EP Civic

[JamesTCallaghan]

Alright guys time for me to start over as a novice again! I need to class my car for this season. It's a 1997 Honda Civic Hatch with a K20A2 engine from a Acura RSX Type S. It has a 6 speed transmission out of an Accord Euro R with a shortened final drive and Wavetrac LSD. Full adjustable suspension/arm upgrades, mix match of ITR/S2000/EP3 brakes, 15x8 wheels with 205-225 R Compound tires.

I believe the car sits somewhere in a prep class?

Also any tips for someone who has never competitively driven a FWD car before?

[MurrayPeterson]

Also any tips for someone who has never competitively driven a FWD car before?

You are a good driver, so you will figure it out in a hurry.  At best, you can enter a corner a little bit hot and use the throttle to keep your front end "in front" through the corner.  At worst, make sure you have braked enough to prevent throttle-off spin-out because you went into a corner too hot.  It's a fine balance, but a lot of fun.  And if you don't have an LSD, then all of your mental energy (and throttle control) goes towards keeping the inside front wheel from spinning like a jet engine.  No LSD usually means slower corner entry. An LSD allows you to hammer through a corner.

[Reijo]

Alright guys time for me to start over as a novice again! I need to class my car for this season. It's a 1997 Honda Civic Hatch with a K20A2 engine from a Acura RSX Type S. It has a 6 speed transmission out of an Accord Euro R with a shortened final drive and Wavetrac LSD. Full adjustable suspension/arm upgrades, mix match of ITR/S2000/EP3 brakes, 15x8 wheels with 205-225 R Compound tires.

I believe the car sits somewhere in a prep class?

Also any tips for someone who has never competitively driven a FWD car before?

sounds like most, if not all of those mods may be considered to be SM legal?  Is Acura considered a Honda equivalent?  Look into that.

FWD?  If the rear steps out, step on the gas to pull you straight ...

R

[JamesTCallaghan]

Also any tips for someone who has never competitively driven a FWD car before?

You are a good driver, so you will figure it out in a hurry.  At best, you can enter a corner a little bit hot and use the throttle to keep your front end "in front" through the corner.  At worst, make sure you have braked enough to prevent throttle-off spin-out because you went into a corner too hot.  It's a fine balance, but a lot of fun.  And if you don't have an LSD, then all of your mental energy (and throttle control) goes towards keeping the inside front wheel from spinning like a jet engine.  No LSD usually means slower corner entry. An LSD allows you to hammer through a corner.

Lucky for me the car does have a proper LSD and it's aggressive because it would be fairly useless without one with how stiff it is and how short the final drive ratio is currently.

[JamesTCallaghan]

Alright guys time for me to start over as a novice again! I need to class my car for this season. It's a 1997 Honda Civic Hatch with a K20A2 engine from a Acura RSX Type S. It has a 6 speed transmission out of an Accord Euro R with a shortened final drive and Wavetrac LSD. Full adjustable suspension/arm upgrades, mix match of ITR/S2000/EP3 brakes, 15x8 wheels with 205-225 R Compound tires.

I believe the car sits somewhere in a prep class?

Also any tips for someone who has never competitively driven a FWD car before?

sounds like most, if not all of those mods may be considered to be SM legal?  Is Acura considered a Honda equivalent?  Look into that.

FWD?  If the rear steps out, step on the gas to pull you straight ...

R

The car doesn't have much interior left so I think that pushes it past SM and into EP from what I see?

[Reijo]

Ah, right .... you need a full interior in SM.  Off to Prepared you go!

[Apex Carver]

That car should rotate quite nicely.

If it s anything like my old RSX-S, a bit of trail braking gets the rear to come around nicely.

[JamesTCallaghan]

That car should rotate quite nicely.

If it s anything like my old RSX-S, a bit of trail braking gets the rear to come around nicely.

I hope so, the LSD is really going to help putting power down on corner exit too. This car is probably the closets thing I've driven to a Caterham in terms of feel. I just can't decide if I want to run standard 225/45/15 Nitto NT-01 or get a proper Hoosier or something for it.

[Reijo]

In Prepared you can run an actual race slick (get the A25/softest compound) ... huge grip and they are much, much lighter than even the Hoosier R's ... (no steel belts).  They can also be cheaper and last as long .... just get some light weight wheels for them ... maybe even go to 13" ... even lighter, lowers the car, ... more power/gearing.   Lots to consider there.

[JamesTCallaghan]

In Prepared you can run an actual race slick (get the A25/softest compound) ... huge grip and they are much, much lighter than even the Hoosier R's ... (no steel belts).  They can also be cheaper and last as long .... just get some light weight wheels for them ... maybe even go to 13" ... even lighter, lowers the car, ... more power/gearing.   Lots to consider there.

15s are the smallest I can fit over my brakes currently I think. I would like to try some really sticky tires but not sure where to buy them from in Canada. The car certainly isn't short on power to weight ratio right now (2150lbs before fuel/driver) and close to 240 crank HP and the short 4.7 final drive really helps.

[Stuart]

15s are the smallest I can fit over my brakes currently I think. I would like to try some really sticky tires but not sure where to buy them from in Canada. The car certainly isn't short on power to weight ratio right now (2150lbs before fuel/driver) and close to 240 crank HP and the short 4.7 final drive really helps.

Any Hoosiers can be ordered from Gee & Gee in Leduc, they bring in all the different compounds and tread patterns (for the dirt oval guys) that are offered.

[Reijo]

Any number of places, Tire Rack, what Stuart mentioned, any Hoosier dealer, directly from Hoosier, Mid-Atlantic Motorsports, Talon Tire etc.

R

[nnywg]

In Prepared you can run an actual race slick (get the A25/softest compound) ... huge grip and they are much, much lighter than even the Hoosier R's ... (no steel belts).  They can also be cheaper and last as long .... just get some light weight wheels for them ... maybe even go to 13" ... even lighter, lowers the car, ... more power/gearing.   Lots to consider there.

15s are the smallest I can fit over my brakes currently I think. I would like to try some really sticky tires but not sure where to buy them from in Canada. The car certainly isn't short on power to weight ratio right now (2150lbs before fuel/driver) and close to 240 crank HP and the short 4.7 final drive really helps.

That sounds like good times 

There's a thread just down the side bar about special pricing for tires from Tirecraft on 32nd Ave. 

[Reijo]

Get the slicks.  They'll be a blast ... and very, very fast.   

R

[JamesTCallaghan]

Get the slicks.  They'll be a blast ... and very, very fast.   

R

I'm hoping to, I need to find a second set of wheels first though and that's proving somewhat difficult.