STX National Champion car page

[Dean]

Want to know how the national champion STX WRX Wagon is configured...

Check this out...

http://www.rallydecals.com/rallydecals/kccar/mods.html

What's interesting is comparing to his 2002 config from here:

http://www.soloracer.com/kcasey.html

He went from DMS to TEIN on the coil overs, and

Dumped the STI front brakes for stockers.

[ArthurS]

His setup is awsome! Close to what I wanted to achieve with my wagon.

[sperry]

Wow, I never realize I'm running just about the exact same setup as the Nat'l Champ! I just need my JIC's installed.

Maybe I should stick to STX and make a run at this guy! Okay, not likely. I'm pretty sure driver ability has something to do with his success too.

[Dean]

Go for it Art...

I'm contemplating running the Red Rex in STX this year....

I really like how that sounds...

Could be very fun...

Hey Scott, did you keep track of the where the Cat belongs discussion for STX? I notice his is in the downpipe...

[MattR]

I think Dean, Scott, Tyson, and Art in STX would be sick.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by Dean

Go for it Art...

I'm contemplating running the Red Rex in STX this year....

I really like how that sounds...

Could be very fun...

Hey Scott, did you keep track of the where the Cat belongs discussion for STX? I notice his is in the downpipe...

The consensus was that it has to be "within 6 inches of the primary cat", but since the *entire* downpipe is the cat according to SCCA rules (cat begins and ends with the nearest flange) you could get away with a cat in the midpipe only like I have.

The consensus was also that the consensus was still up for interpretation. I haven't kept up with that issue for the last few months, so I don't know if anything definate's been decided.

The safest bet is if you plan to have a single cat, have it in the downpipe.

The other unfinished issue that still hasn't been cleared up is ECU piggybacks and reflashes. So far the only setup that seems legal for sure is the UniChip w/o a boost controler add on, since there's no way it can modify boost. All other options are too open for cheating. Yes you should be able to run a ECUTek remap as long as you don't change the boost map from stock, but it's friggen impossible to prove, especially now since ECUTek's allow multiple maps in the ECU.

Again, the only way to be safe for sure is to leave it stock, or go with the blazingly mediocre UniChip.

SCCA was nice enough to clear up the IC Hoses thing (they're illegal) and the camber bolt thing (they're legal).

Frankly, my car is a very competative STX car, with nearly every allowable mod done (once I get the coilovers on there my mods list is almost identical to KC's). The problem is that I really want to take it to another level for my own enjoyment, and this deal w/ taking parts off to race sucks, so I think I'm still going to end up in N/SM. That way I can run more boost, run the IC hoses, run a full set of group-n mounts and steering rack bushings, eventually get pillow ball lateral links, etc, etc, etc. I'm even thinking about getting rediculous and going bigger turbo and IC... just for fun.

The problem is that on a national level I'm up against cars like Cobb's "conebasher" in SM. I don't know how my driving stacks up (it prolly doesn't), but it looks like I've got a nationally competative STX car.

[ArthurS]

I don't know how much more will be done to my car by then. By season, I am hoping to just have:

New front endlinks, front sway, front strut, hd-mounts, tein s-techs, brake pads/lines/rotors, and uppipe.

I did want the cusco type-II lower control arms and the ALK, but htose bump me up class. Attempting to stay away from major mods, since I am 90% sure I am going for the new legacy spec-B (test-drive dependant).

[Dean]

Not that it is a full replacement for the ALK and control arms, but a set of camber plates, and the right sway bars can help. Did you do coilovers, or just springs?

The problem I have is that it will take a significant investment to make the Stealth more competitive in SM. Primarily, I would need to get the HP up from 350 or so to about 450-500. This means fuel pump, injectors, turbos, FMIC, and ECU. Oh, and only if the bottom end can take it which at 140K+ miles is questionable.

And even with that I am still stuck with the damn highly geared touring car transmission that will do 75Mph in 2nd! The other problem is the limited number of options for the stealth and their cost due to lack of competition.

Thus the possible move to the Rex and STX. Lots of suppliers, and less investment to be competitive.

My concern is the used BPM exhaust I have sitting in the garage has the CAT under the car in spot #3, not the downpipe, spot #2. I guess I have to go in search of the ultimate answer on this. I really need an answer so I can trade exhausts if necessary before I put it on along with the headers and up-pipe lying in my entry hall.

the other thing I noticed is he is running 225/45s instead of 245/40s...

Anybody got any idea why on that?

[AtomicLabMonkey]

I'll take those stock twin turbos off the Stealth if you're not doing anything with them... :wink:

[tysonK]

Great Links thanks Dean!

[sperry]

Originally Posted by Dean

the other thing I noticed is he is running 225/45s instead of 245/40s...

Falken doesn't make an Azenis Sport in 225/40s.

[dknv]

And, doesn't that help with gearing ratio, 1st to 2nd gear on most autox courses?

[sperry]

Originally Posted by dknv

And, doesn't that help with gearing ratio, 1st to 2nd gear on most autox courses?

Actually the lower profile 40 series tires would be better for gearing, allowing faster acceleration at the cost of top speed, not that we ever max out 5th gear at an autocross !

I guess you could argue that a top speed of 55mph in 2nd (or whatever it would be) might mean an extra shift over the 45 series 2nd gear top speed of 65mph which would slow you down, but over all the smaller tires should be advantagous.

[Dean]

Actually, 225/45-17, and 245/40-17 have almost the same circumfrence. OK, there is about an inch difference which corelates to less than 1% difference in speed.

Here is a really great tire calculator for this stuff.

http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

And actually, it is the 245/40-17 that Falken doesn't make. I think you have to go to the Kumho to get a 245/40-17.

The big tire/gearing advantage is in the 16" race tires for the WRX. If I am not mistaken Hoosier makes those 215/40-16s which have a diameter that is almost a full two inches smaller than the stockers or the 17"s above.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by Dean

Actually, 225/45-17, and 245/40-17 have almost the same circumfrence. OK, there is about an inch difference which corelates to less than 1% difference in speed.

Here is a really great tire calculator for this stuff.

http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

And actually, it is the 245/40-17 that Falken doesn't make. I think you have to go to the Kumho to get a 245/40-17.

The big tire/gearing advantage is in the 16" race tires for the WRX. If I am not mistaken Hoosier makes those 215/40-16s which have a diameter that is almost a full two inches smaller than the stockers or the 17"s above.

Woops, I read over your post too fast, I thought you were looking for 225/40's, not 245/40's.... 'Course Falken makes neither of them.

I think the reason KC didn't go with a 240/45 is that the wagon doesn't have the fender flares the sedan has. On a lowered wagon a 225 is already close to, if not occationally, rubbing. Plus, the Falken Azenis Sports are the best STX tire IMO, they're stickier than tires costing 2 and 3 times as much, but there's only like 3 sizes IIRC, and have a 9" width even tho they're technically a 225 width tire. You could go with a Kuhmo in a 245/40, but you'd pay more, have a less sticky compound, barely more footprint width, no gearing advantage over 225/45, and would rub on a wagon, and almost rub on a sedan unless you roll the fenders and/or run very stiff struts.

Phew!

[Kevin M]

A theory on the narrower tires- I think wider isn't always better for autocross, especially tight courses where rotation is more important than outright grip. I think ConeBasher would be more competitive without the flares and 245s, but maybe I'm just a n00b.


Either that or he didn't want to rol the fenders on his $24,000 car.

[sybir]

Hey, what else is a bat good for?



I like the way my car drives on narrower tires more than wide tires, as it's more controllable. Wide tires stick, but the grip is more on/off, so I can push more on narrower tires.

[Dean]

Well, and if I read the rules right, Rolling the fenders is a very ticky issue in STX.

You are allowed to roll the fender lip up for clearance but not allowed to change the shape of the external fender itself.

Or at least that is the way I read the 2003 rules over the weekend.

I really want the 04 riules so I can make an exhaust decision...

I'm hopping they fixed the verbage so it allows for basically anything including dual turbo exits as long as the CAT is no further rearward than the last stock CAT.

Otherwise I have to EBAY my BPM and get something else.