autocross setup?

[tigeraid]

hey guys, more a motivational question here than anything. Just bought an '87 LX carbureted for my daily beater (just in time for winter-whew), almost no rust, runs great, very few problems at all with it. I know the motor is stupidly weak, but I have my summer car ('69 Firebird) and race car (Thundercar class Monte Carlo) to keep my busy in all out performance :cool:

... So, if I do anything to the motor at all it'll be cheap/easy stuff, like a weber swap, custom cold air kit and some exhaust work. What I want to know is what kinda potential the "bigger" 4 door Accords have in auto-x? Anyone seen them run successfully? Almost all the aftermarket I can find is for stupid body kits with big gay wings, tho I did find the odd coilover kit and swaybars. Anyone got an opinion on how well this car could do at a regional level?

[dXsquared]

they are big but they do good. there is alot of aftermarket suspension. i am too tired to say now but wait for jim to answer you... he is the suspension god.
Travis

[Jims 86LXI HB]

Originally posted by tigeraid
hey guys, more a motivational question here than anything. Just bought an '87 LX carbureted for my daily beater (just in time for winter-whew), almost no rust, runs great, very few problems at all with it. I know the motor is stupidly weak, but I have my summer car ('69 Firebird) and race car (Thundercar class Monte Carlo) to keep my busy in all out performance :cool:

... So, if I do anything to the motor at all it'll be cheap/easy stuff, like a weber swap, custom cold air kit and some exhaust work. What I want to know is what kinda potential the "bigger" 4 door Accords have in auto-x? Anyone seen them run successfully? Almost all the aftermarket I can find is for stupid body kits with big gay wings, tho I did find the odd coilover kit and swaybars. Anyone got an opinion on how well this car could do at a regional level?

Interesting question, I don't see them placing on the list of winners for autocrossing events. However I don't read the results of ever single event. Generaly it's the tega, crx's, miata's, vw golf's ect that get placement. But that doesn't mean you can't give it a go and have a blast doing it. Get the lightest 15" rims you can, a set of 205/50-15 Bf-Goodrich KDW or Falken Azenis sports ground-control coilovers with custom spring rates 400lbs front 300lbs rear (go stiffer if you like, I think those rates are streetable) and revalved Bilstein H.D. struts to handle the springs.
And have sanner prefab bend custom larger copies of the stock front bar and linkage and a larger copy of the stock LXI rear bar.
You might want to post a simular question at
www.sccaforums.com

[anchovies]

Didn't someone posted quite some time ago about an accord in auto-x. I think it's ran by OPM motorsports.
Found it, but the pic is gone. Sorry
http://3geez.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=332&highlight=sticker

[Jims 86LXI HB]

Originally posted by anchovies
Didn't someone posted quite some time ago about an accord in auto-x. I think it's ran by OPM motorsports.
Found it, but the pic is gone. Sorry
http://3geez.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=332&highlight=sticker

I know the car and who your talking about. It wasn't campained in autocrossing. It was run in a ITR type road race. OpmMotorsports was a sponcer of the car. Also I understand that he's not compeating with the car because it's no longer competitive. He's waiting and hoping for a rules change.

Jim C.

[Grant2k]

what about the Openloop cars?

[Jims 86LXI HB]

Originally posted by Grant2k
what about the Openloop cars?

Oh boy, from previous conversations, we and anyone in the know, do not share go fast recipe's when it concern's the topic I moderate. They show their talents extreamly well everywhere, but suspension tuning. Now I say this, even thinking to myself that I will use them to do a engine swap into a 5th gen accord. No other shop comes to mind for that.

[Grant2k]

Originally posted by Jims 86LXI HB


Oh boy, from previous conversations, we and anyone in the know, do not share go fast recipe's when it concern's the topic I moderate. They show their talents extreamly well everywhere, but suspension tuning. Now I say this, even thinking to myself that I will use them to do a engine swap into a 5th gen accord. No other shop comes to mind for that.

oops.

[Justanothermike]

Originally posted by Jims 86LXI HB


Oh boy, from previous conversations, we and anyone in the know, do not share go fast recipe's when it concern's the topic I moderate. They show their talents extreamly well everywhere, but suspension tuning. Now I say this, even thinking to myself that I will use them to do a engine swap into a 5th gen accord. No other shop comes to mind for that.

We haven't spent all our energy on suspension setups yet. After all this market is mostly geared towards going in straight lines really FAST. But if we could have it our way, we'd focus more on road racing and its suspension requirements. but as of right now we're focusing on clean, quality swaps, that look really good, pass smog, and perform good.

[Jims 86LXI HB]

Originally posted by Justanothermike


We haven't spent all our energy on suspension setups yet. After all this market is mostly geared towards going in straight lines really FAST. But if we could have it our way, we'd focus more on road racing and its suspension requirements. but as of right now we're focusing on clean, quality swaps, that look really good, pass smog, and perform good.

Your a good man mike. I'm glad you could see that we had a simple differance of opinion. And that I wanted convey a respect for openloop that went outside that differance of opinion. What you said above makes a whole lot of sense to me.:werd:

[DarknessRS]

Well, for those of you who haven't picked up on it already ;), I'm also a big fan of handling. Nothing would make me happier than to see autocross and track racing become as popular as drag racing when it comes to the import scene.

That way, we can see what cars were meant to do: freely zig zag around corners in the least amount of time possible. If I want to go in a straight line, I'll take the train.
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/images/smilies/dogpile.gif

EDIT: PS - Don't even get me started on drifting ;).

[Justanothermike]

drifting is bad!!!:devil: one of our friends, on his way to our shop, thought he could drift this corner that leads on to our street. well he was WRONG.

http://openloopmotorsports.com/NOtoDRIFTING.jpg

he ended up half way on the sidewalk, luckily didn't hit anyother cars and stuff. he straight up broke the knuckle, busted the cv joint, bent both front subframes, bent the front sway bar, and almost snapped the radius rod. also messed up a set of GSR rims. fram had to be stretched about 1 inch.

So remember to "SAY NO TO DRIFTING" unless u really know wut ur doing!!

[Grant2k]

OUCH!!!!!!!!!

[rogueaccord]

Damn..I guess that's what happens when "drifting" FF

What about a cheaper option to coilevers - Nuespeed + Tockico combo - is that a good combo for auto-x? Does anyone here have any experience auto-x (with or without the 3rd gens) - I want to try it out next spring so I think I have plenty of time to get ready this winter.
how about the Yoko Avid T4 tires? Will those hold up to a few auto-x sessions?

[markmdz89hatch]

hell yeah rogue, another CT Autocrosser.... ...yeah, last year was the first year I actually started going to the auto-x's. There are 2 clubs here in CT during the summer. Both run on certain Sundays. They usually try not to overlap events, and try to get at least one in per month. I never auto-x'd my 3G, but I did with my 300ZX and let me tell you... ...there's nothing that compares to that much fun in the car.

I have now built up my 3G for auto-x in anticipation of next year's events. I (with Jim's helpfull suggestions) decided to go with Koni's all around, and B&G springs. You definitly sacrifice comfort for performance with this setup, but it makes it all worth while when you can corner at rediculous speeds and maintain control of the vehicle. Hopefully, before the season begins, I'll have a set of sway bars, and rear disc, along with revalved Koni's. That should do the trick rather nicely.

Another good suggestion would be g/c coilovers with revalved Billsteins (Actually that was Jim's suggestion to another member, I can't take credit for that combo, although I'd like to.)

[markmdz89hatch]

Originally posted by Justanothermike
drifting is bad!!!:devil: one of our friends, on his way to our shop, thought he could drift this corner that leads on to our street. well he was WRONG.

So remember to "SAY NO TO DRIFTING" unless u really know wut ur doing!!

Holy shit Mike! I've never seen someone snap a knuckle like a twig like that just from drifting. Guess now it's time for him to upgrade those fronts to the 88-89 LX-i brakes from his nasty 'ol, 86-87 or 88-89 DX/LX.

PS... what kind of Shocks are those? Are those springs Progress?

[88LXi68]

Mark, the guy you bought those AutoX tires from didnt he have a 4dr and do real well in his class?

[markmdz89hatch]

actually he had 88 LXi hatch... ...yeah he did pretty good with his setup. He was running Koni's up front, w/KYB GR-2's in back. Other then that DEAD stock. He held his own pretty well in the stock class.

**edit** nevermind, there's no way he had a 88 lxi, not if he was running on 13" steelies. It must have been an LX. Whatever... ..yeah it was some year/model 3G hatch.

[Grant2k]

Originally posted by rogueaccord
Damn..I guess that's what happens when "drifting" FF

What about a cheaper option to coilevers - Nuespeed + Tockico combo - is that a good combo for auto-x? Does anyone here have any experience auto-x (with or without the 3rd gens) - I want to try it out next spring so I think I have plenty of time to get ready this winter.
how about the Yoko Avid T4 tires? Will those hold up to a few auto-x sessions?

i have neuspeeds and i have never pushed them really hard, but since they are the softest dropped springs you might find them too soft for hard core autocrossing. and Jim will tell you no Tokicos. (even though i have them in front with GR-2s out back. shhhhh.)

[rogueaccord]

thanks guys.

mark i'm actually not too far from ansonia - i live in orange. maybe when i'm home from school we can meet up and talk 3geez - maybe I can get a ride so I can feel how much ride is "sacrificed" heh. I definately don't want to spend the money on springs that'll be too soft. screw comfort - my car's slow so it might as well handle better right?

I'm assuming you're talking about the Bristol events in CT? that's the only scca solo 2 I know of - or are these non-scca events?

[markmdz89hatch]

Yeah, Bristol is one, but that's CART, they do follow SCCA rules (kinda), but there's another one in Waterbury at Naugatuck Vally Comm. Tech., that's SCCA in heart, and although it's a smaller club, some of the members have been known to go to Bristol and pull FTD numerous times. LOL! Sure, your prolly only about 15 from me at the most, so yeah, when ur around, just PM me or somethin' and I'll let you drive the beast to see how it is. Just no drifting.

[Roar]

I won my very first autocross in my accord!! hehe I was pretty much up against a bunch of mid eighties Audi 4000 Quattros... The biggest problem I had (besides my horrible tires at the time and WAY too much body roll) was with torque steer. I don't know if there is any way to reduce that... I think it's pretty much set in the chassis/drivetrain design.

[Grant2k]

check out that thread about the Integra axles.