ITB CGT FAQs

[Scott Fisher]

For those who don't speak SCCA-ese, I'm starting to
set up my '83 Coupe for Sports Car Club of America's
Improved Touring competition, in class B, and I have
some questions.

I'm still reading the rulebook, but the short version
of the ITB rules: you can use any springs, shocks,
bushings and swaybars you want, but you can't move the
suspension pickup points; you can use any exhaust
system you want as long as it meets the sound
restrictions; and the only internal engine mods
permitted are basic port matching (no more than 1"
from the gasket surface), and minimal overbore/head
milling (e.g., first-oversize pistons are OK so you
don't have to throw the engine block away).  The idea
is to give you a few tweaks to make the car more fun,
but not set the bar too high (or expensive) just to
get on track.

So the questions I have for now are:

1 - I'm pretty sure a few people here run CGTs as
track cars, if not in ITB then in some other venue
(marque club track days, etc.)  What kinds of things
have you found to work for you, and what was a waste
of time and/or money?

2 - Since suspension seems to be the main area of
modification, what brands of spring and shock are
available for the CGT, and what kind of experience
have listers had with them?  I know this car isn't
quite as popular as a watercooled VW, where there are
dozens of brands from scores of vendors, but BTDTs
with specific vendors will be very much appreciated.

3 - I've got the manifold and downpipe from a later
4kq ready to be installed in the car for a modest
improvement from the stock CGT manifold, but does
anybody make tubular headers that might be more
effective?  (Again, this is for a naturally-aspirated
car with essentially no internal mods, accoring to the
rules.)

4 - I've got Mintex Red Box brake pads in the garage
waiting to be installed (they're on the shelf next to
some new rotors and calipers).  What's the word on
good brake pads for track use?

A lot of what I'll be going through will be standard
rebuild stuff -- for example, in addition to replacing
the brakes, the right-front wheel bearing is loose and
I'll probably replace both at the same time (since
Portland International Raceway has mostly right-hand
corners, meaning the left one will come under most of
the stress).

My schedule sounds pretty loose but is going to get
really tight if I'm not careful -- I'll take this car
through SCCA driver's school in the spring of 2004,
but I'll be driving it in other track events (marque
club days, mainly) between now and then, to get it
sorted and to get used to it as I bring its major
subsystems up to spec for the track one by one.  (I've
got all the "other" stuff to do as well before then:
racing seat, harness, roll cage, fire bottle, driver's
suit... all the stuff you hope you never have to use.)

I'll take lots of pictures and document everything I
can think of as we undergo the process.  I hope it'll
provide some amusement for the folks on the Q-list,
and I'm really looking forward to it.

Best,

--Scott Fisher
  Tualatin, Oregon



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