Help with the rules???

[GB]

I have a good friend whose dad owns a dealership for one of the big three. I have my friend hooked on rallying and he is now got the itch to go rallying. His dad is willing to help out with some expenses but only if he rallies one of the models he sells.

Anyway my question is that the car he is interested in running would be a FWD turbo car, and he wants to run it in P4 class, even though I told him that he would be at a disadvantage against the 4WD cars. He wants to know if he can increase the size of the turbo as the production unit is smaller than the 32mm restrictor requirement or would this put him into open. The rule book is not very clear on this. Also can he install a LSD differential as the production car will not have one, and also can it be any make or does it have to be built by the car manufacturer.

Your help is appreciated on this even though he has a bit of time as the first cars will not be here until early to mid spring.

[PAddy]

Everything must be exactly as it comes from the factory. No substitutions allowed. Hence the Production monicker.

[robin]

If he runs P4, he can go to an aftermarket LSD. Not sure about the turbo - I suspect the answer would be no.

Robin

[PAddy]

Right, I forgot that P4 allows diff's. The rules read "The use of limited slip differentials is prohibited in P1, P2 and P3 vehicles unless offered and installed by the manufacturer as OEM equipment. Limited slip or 'locked' differentials may be installed in P4 vehicles." So, he would be allowed to install any brand of LSD, doesn't have to be from the same manufacturer.


But, it does have this to say also:

"Turbocharger and supercharger units must remain as supplied by the vehicle manufacturer on that model".

[AlanO]

Furthermore, the rules in Production forbid modifications that increase the volume of air entering the engine. See NRR.II.G.8(c)

[GB]

Thanks for the quick reply guys I'll pass the information on to my friend. He will be ordering the '03 rulebook this coming week from CARS so this should help.

I assume that turbo boost is still free and can be turned up, but can it be controlled with a in car knob that a driver could control or is it only allowed to be done through the computer.

Thanks again for your help.

[PAddy]

Now there's a question i don't know offhand. It says boost is free, and says nothing about how it is to be made free. I would assume a boost control know would be ok, but you'd want that in the engine bay anyways. And insofar as the messing with the computer goes, you have to be careful. Some of the rules seem open to interpretation about that......i'm sure someone with more experience will chime in.

[Pou]

Doesn't P4 allow complete computer management systems now?? I think I heard that somewhere..

With an aftermarket computer managaement, that could do the trick as far as boost is concerned.

Am I right on this??

Pou

[Rich W]

Rule was changed this year. Computer can be modified but not replaced . How you interpret that is the question.