View single post by Ron Earp
 Posted: 04-27-2006 07:45 pm
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Ron Earp



Joined: 03-12-2005
Location: Cary, North Carolina USA
Posts: 339
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I've spoken with him before,  I think he has moulds etc. too to do fender work etc.

One thing that is interesting to ponder regarding Production (Prod) and Improved Touring (IT) - mod and prep level in IT is now ahead of where Prod was back in the 70s.  IT has really become a wide open test bed of ideas with anything that doesn't involve the motor per say.  Prod has liberal rules on the motor that IT doesn't, so, folks can run their 14:1 compression Spridget and blow it up every third weekend. 

IT doesn't allow the crazy motor mods, but is free on suspension/chassis - so spherical bearings are used extensively, lots of shock/spring tricks, etc - but the motor is relatively stock with only minor porting, 0.5 compression hike, free exhaust, etc. That being said, there are a lot of tricks and attention to detail on cars - who would have thought a legal 240z could put 180 hp to the wheels when the car was only rated at 150hp at the flywheel? 180 rwhp happens in IT, and it is legal.

What I'm trying to say is if the Prod car he is selling is old, then it has little chance to be competitive today in Prod or IT.  Similar to my comment about Huffakers car, it did come out and win in the mid-90s, but, coming out today would be a different ball game.

If you have a lot of cash and want to race with the same five guys every weekend, go Prod.  If you have similar or less cash, but want to have heavy competition and large fields to race against, go IT.  Prod is cool, but Prod cars and numbers have taken a heavy hit because they appeal to a limited crowd - not everyone thinks a British 1970 Whatsamafloozit is the pinicle of racing.  As IT got popular, and now Spec Miata (don't laugh until you've raced one, and then you won't laugh) Prod really has a low subscription group these days and each group, D, E, F, etc. generally has less than five members at a track on a weekend.  Not exactly a big field.

But, no matter what, getting some seat time in something is what counts!

Now, the JH is the lightest car in ITS, where it races, but we're going to need about 160 rwhp to really be in the hunt. I hope we can get it, but I've yet to see any solid real world data from a Dynojet on a Jensen motor.  Anyone else seen any?

Ron

 

Last edited on 04-27-2006 08:00 pm by Ron Earp