Longterm Spec Focus build question.

[recar]

I'm in the planning stage of building my car this winter. I have already run into a little rule change issue: 2 door bars with the auto-power bolt in cage. I'm building a 00' ZX3. I was planning on building the car to be track safe and legal to participate in HPDE's to aquire my competition license for this spring. Are there certain items I am safe in purchasing/installing and other items that I should wait on for the 2008 rules (anyone have a crystal ball) ? I hate to waste money on items that I cannot use because they are not legal. I do have another Focus set up for time-trials, so I will be able to participate in HPDE's regardless. Thanks for any help in advance.

[Ted7rns]

Originally Posted by recar

I'm in the planning stage of building my car this winter. I have already run into a little rule change issue: 2 door bars with the auto-power bolt in cage. I'm building a 00' ZX3. I was planning on building the car to be track safe and legal to participate in HPDE's to aquire my competition license for this spring. Are there certain items I am safe in purchasing/installing and other items that I should wait on for the 2008 rules (anyone have a crystal ball) ? I hate to waste money on items that I cannot use because they are not legal. I do have another Focus set up for time-trials, so I will be able to participate in HPDE's regardless. Thanks for any help in advance.

That's a good question. I don't think we would make any major changes for 2008. One thing I would do is weld a cage in your car. Bolt on cages are not allowed in NASA Racing (The are okay for HPDE). But, most all the Spec Parts should be the same in 2008.

[recar]

Ted what am I missing? I spoke to Autopower about a "NASA spec Focus legal bolt in cage" they said it was legal. This is how I found out the first cages will be supplied with a door bar to be welded in by the end user until they have a car to R&D the second bar for production.

In the the NASA 2007 CCR's,

rule15.6.3 "The cage may be removable"
rule 15.6.14.A title Mounting Plates- Bolt in Cage

This is a major structural step in my build, I can't afford an error. Have i mis-interpreted the rules?

[Ted7rns]

Originally Posted by recar

Ted what am I missing? I spoke to Autopower about a "NASA spec Focus legal bolt in cage" they said it was legal. This is how I found out the first cages will be supplied with a door bar to be welded in by the end user until they have a car to R&D the second bar for production.

In the the NASA 2007 CCR's,

rule15.6.3 "The cage may be removable"
rule 15.6.14.A title Mounting Plates- Bolt in Cage

This is a major structural step in my build, I can't afford an error. Have i mis-interpreted the rules?

Yes, you're correct. You can use a bolt in cage (15.6.14.A).