racing and safety Got A Car Finally - Questions On Fsp Autox Build.

[sam1904]

So after my initial purchase disaster documented elsewhere on the forum I finally have found a solid 75 2002 and want to go racing! (in a parking lot)

 

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/topic/154958-bad-purchase-horror-story-and-other-questions/

 

I have read as many posts as I can but have some questions...

 

My plan is to start on suspension and then just go drive. I am looking at the Ireland Stage 2 spring / sway kit and 'Sport' springs. Any strong feedback one way or the other on this package?

 

I will research tires but as an all rounder love the Dunlop's on my other car.

 

Ok, lets talk seats. As I am tall I like to add a full bucket or classic bucket (Corbeau, BF Nurbergring etc). These are non reclining but upholstered with some padding. I assume this is OK in FSP given the spec of "Any fully padded and upholstered front seat"

 

Next bumpers. I love the naked front look and saw a FSP 2002 running this way recently. The rules would suggest otherwise and that the bumpers must stay. Did I interpret wrong or just witness some lax scrutineeirng? My car already has the Euro, smaller bumpers and apparently the earlier, lighter doors. Will I get thrown in jail, or worse a faster class for this if word gets out?

 

All for now, much more to come,

Thanks

Sam

[mo02]

Nice recovery....true auto enthusiast move...

Good luck with your project....

MF

[jrkoupe]

seats?...

 

go period cool, which I know u like a la jezebel:

 

go for a fixed bucket!

 

try classiccarseats.com

 

tires?....r u going 13's or ????.....stay 13's..they look great.

 

sprgs?...

 

stg 2 are nice..but they may sit higher than u hope for. many cut them......... Rates on them are about as firm as avail for oe style( ie: not coilovers)

 

I assume youll be limited on some upgrades as per FSP regs...

 

PS   seeing the white car at the junkyard just killed me...crazy story.

Edited July 2, 2014 by jrkoupe

[2joejoe2]

I went with corbeau gt4 seats. Had to special order them from the uk. They hold you in very well

[steve k.]

To start, welcome the the FSP world.  It's a fun class that requires good driving and some engineering. The rules are limiting and will require some ingenuity to tune things right.  In a competitive region, it will be hard to have a competitive car that is still street driven. But if you are in this to have fun, you will with all cars.

 

Sorry, no feedback on the IE set up. I've used their stage 3 stuff for a while but then had to go a bit more advanced.

 

Yes, any race seat is allowed. Read some specifics in the rules on mounting.  The wording for padding is there to prevent people from using seats from go carts.x

 

You must keep the bumpers, but i think most of the trim can be removed. That rule has changed in the last 3 years.

 

You can use any doors. Those are within the rules.  There is an update/backdate rule.  You are allowed to use parts from any cars listed on the same line in the rule book. "Units" have to be used as a unit. So if you want a transmission from a gear from a transmission from a certain year, you will actually need to use the full transmission.

 

Tires will be important, eventually. Learn to drive on street tires. They are slower but a lot more forgiving and they will tell you a lot more about what you are doing wrong.

 

When i started racing, i spent first two years on street tires with bilstein shocks, IE sway bars and IE springs.  It was fun. Once you get faster and learn the car and the sport, you'll figure out the things that you will need to fix. And that is exactly how you will start modifying things. It will be fixing certain flaws with the set up.

 

let me know if you have more questions.

good luck,

steve k.

[sam1904]

The car is coming with 195/60R14 bottlecaps on it but I also have the 13's from the white car.... I just assumed bigger = better?

I will probably pull the cheaper, period seats out of Jezebel - that way I can upgrade those which any buyer would expect as/when I sell...

 

I will search but any guidance on how much to cut the Ireland Stage 2's would be good. I have also never cut springs and assumed the ends would be closed and ground?

 

Steve - thanks. Great suggestion. 

JoeJoe - I will likely try the GT8's as I am 6'6"

Edited July 2, 2014 by sam1904

[steve k.]

yes, bigger is better, no matter what people say. I am now at at 275/35R15. it is faster then then any other tire i have ran in the past.

[sam1904]

Steve - thanks. Great suggestion.

JoeJoe - I will likely try the GT8's as i am 6'6"

Steve - thanks. Great suggestion.

JoeJoe - I will likely try the GT8's as i am 6'6"

Steve - thanks. Great suggestion.

JoeJoe - I will likely try the GT8's as i am 6'6"

[2joejoe2]

Yeah I am a big fan of the gt8 seats also. I actually got a quote from corbeau USA for the gt8 it was like 500each and 200 for shipping (both seats)

[AceAndrew]

I’d highly suggest getting a hold of Steve Kupper (our benevolent dictator) and/or Jamie Yost, both are FSP national championship winners (driving their respective 2002’s).

 

The swaybars are a given.  The stg 2 springs will work great initially, but if you’re looking to get more competitive then you will need to run a coilover setup in the front and either an adjustable rear or 5” race springs. 

 

Fuel injection (either ITB’s or 318i manifold) is a must to be nationally competitive.

 

Bumpers, you will need to run bumpers if you get competitive, but maybe they’ll be lax initially.

 

For reference here’s Steve’s car

 

 

And Jamie’s car

 

 

 

EDIT: in the course of writing this it looks like Steve's already posted.  Before you cut any springs, let them settle for a bit.  IE's stg.2's have changed in recent years, so old advice may not still apply.

Edited July 2, 2014 by AceAndrew

[steve k.]

@@AceAndrew,thanks fro the nice words, but i have not the Nationals yet. Came very close one, but blew out the transmission, have a couple trophies and a few Tour wins, but not Nationals jacket just yet.  

 

I think i will going to Lincoln next summer again for another try.  No time this year.

 

steve k.

[sam1904]

Thanks, glad to be in a fast and friendly crowd.

 

Prior to the last disaster I had an ITB route all planned and ready to go and a route to my perfect car in 3 months.

I say this every time but now I am going to try and NOT do that again but rather tweak, drive, tweak, drive, tweak, drive....

 

This will be achieved through legendary willpower...

 

OK, that is a lie. This will be achieved because my wife will kill me if I disappear into the garage for 3 months again with a bag of cash. I don't know why, it's not like I have done it several times and once come out and put the product of my labors into a wall within 10 laps....

 

Oh, wait a minute.....

[Mike Self]

If the rules allow them, someone on the board has made (or at least discussed) fiberglass replicas of 2002 chrome bumpers; that'll save you some pounds...

 

Glad you found a nice car after your previous, uh, disaster!

 

Cheers, and good luck

 

mike

[76ohtwo]

So after my initial purchase disaster documented elsewhere on the forum I finally have found a solid 75 2002 and want to go racing! (in a parking lot)

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/topic/154958-bad-purchase-horror-story-and-other-questions/

I have read as many posts as I can but have some questions...

My plan is to start on suspension and then just go drive. I am looking at the Ireland Stage 2 spring / sway kit and 'Sport' springs. Any strong feedback one way or the other on this package?

I will research tires but as an all rounder love the Dunlop's on my other car.

Ok, lets talk seats. As I am tall I like to add a full bucket or classic bucket (Corbeau, BF Nurbergring etc). These are non reclining but upholstered with some padding. I assume this is OK in FSP given the spec of "Any fully padded and upholstered front seat"

Next bumpers. I love the naked front look and saw a FSP 2002 running this way recently. The rules would suggest otherwise and that the bumpers must stay. Did I interpret wrong or just witness some lax scrutineeirng? My car already has the Euro, smaller bumpers and apparently the earlier, lighter doors. Will I get thrown in jail, or worse a faster class for this if word gets out?

All for now, much more to come,

Thanks

Sam

Congrats on the purchase. I've heard nothing but great things about IE's spring and swaybar kit and plan on installing one on my car at some point in the near future. But my car is a street car, not an AutoX/track car. They lower a stock car 1.25" from what I understand. Looks good for street with 15" wheels. Might want to cut them, or consider coilovers if it's a track only car. I'd pair the kit with the suggested shocks in the description on their website. The guys over there are really nice and Ive emailed them with questions several times and always received a great response. For seats, I like the look of vintage-racing style buckets. Can't go wrong with that. Edited July 4, 2014 by mattio523

[76ohtwo]

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1404333322.304575.jpg

I went with corbeau gt4 seats. Had to special order them from the uk. They hold you in very well

I love those. I'd love to get a set if I could find them stateside.