For those interested in Historic Class rallying, here is a summary of where things stand now. I was invited to present the proposal to PRB last night, and did so. And participated in the resulting discussion. What follows first is is a rehash of my post in the previous topic, then the results of last night's discussion. For those of you looking for the formal proposal, since it is a formal proposal, it will be going through official channels. Please check the next FasTrack, and if you are interested in contributing to the discussion, read it carefully and respond.
***rehash....***
The underlying idea of Historic Class is one in which a car such as an Escort TwinCam or twostroke SAAB can be competitive. There is no way to give an uncontroversial one year for a cutoff because of the way different cars evolved. The alternative, a list of eligible cars, regardless of year, would be at this point way to cumbersome (maybe somebody else wants to pursue that).
The obvious answer seemed twofold, first eliminate non-atmospheric induction and AWD, since both represented quantum leaps in speed technology. Second, look to established and successful vintage rally classes....for example, the FIA (via Appy K) and MSA (formerly RAC) in the UK. Appy K is a long and complex document, and too complicated for a class being built. MSA's section K paragraphs 36-28 are simpler. And they divide their vintage rally cars into two groups, Historic (pre'68) and PostHistoric (68-74). Manifold comments regarding cars like 510s and 911s and Escorts here convinced me that too many appropriate cars are excluded by the '71 cutoff. A successful precedent exists for '74, so that's what I proposed....So underlying eligibility was proposed as 2wd carb'ed cars of 1974 and earlier model year. The question of mechanical fuel injection has been raised and I don't have a good answer for that.
Second, prep rules. There is no way an SCCA class cannot abide by Articles 5 and 6 of the rulebook (safety-related
specs). Regarding mods, again looking to successful programs, it seems ludicrous to not make Appy K and MSA - compliant cars eligible. But while either or both of those might make nice long-term goals, both will probably be regarded as too restrictive to get the H Class going. So I proposed Article 10 (g2/5) but restricted to materials, methods and technology contemporary to the car.
Third, enforcement - really, only people actually rallying these things should have any say in what's considered legal for the class at any rally, since they put their money and time into supporting the class; it's a supplemental class anyway. So tech lines should enforce basic Art 5,6,10 compliance and let H Class competitors at each event figure it out among themselves whether or not some modification is OK for H Class. Arbitrary, sure. But unless there are some hard restriction points as made by FIA and MSA, there will always be judgement calls. And that shouldn't be just one person's job.
Finally, long term goals. Vintage rallying is hugely popular in some parts of the world. To not have our Historic Class at least potentially compliant with those venues is to self-fulfill the prophecy of the same kind of SCCA/WRC mismatch we now have for nonvintage cars. Our national vintage class should be one that encourages international use of the car, not something that gets in the way of it...really, another argument for FIA or MSA compliance.
***
Comments/corrections from last night: The only substantive change to the above is eligibility is open to 2wd normally aspirated cars.
Defining the age limits/cars allowed remains perhaps as the major point of contention.
I would ask you to consider, how much more lenient can the rules be regarding preparations than to allow g2/g5 type modifications using period materials and methods? My argument to PRB was that allowing modernizations (with few exceptions) defeats the purpose of an Historic Class.
Interested parties are encouraged to respond to the formal proposal as it will appear in FasTrack.
***rehash....***
The underlying idea of Historic Class is one in which a car such as an Escort TwinCam or twostroke SAAB can be competitive. There is no way to give an uncontroversial one year for a cutoff because of the way different cars evolved. The alternative, a list of eligible cars, regardless of year, would be at this point way to cumbersome (maybe somebody else wants to pursue that).
The obvious answer seemed twofold, first eliminate non-atmospheric induction and AWD, since both represented quantum leaps in speed technology. Second, look to established and successful vintage rally classes....for example, the FIA (via Appy K) and MSA (formerly RAC) in the UK. Appy K is a long and complex document, and too complicated for a class being built. MSA's section K paragraphs 36-28 are simpler. And they divide their vintage rally cars into two groups, Historic (pre'68) and PostHistoric (68-74). Manifold comments regarding cars like 510s and 911s and Escorts here convinced me that too many appropriate cars are excluded by the '71 cutoff. A successful precedent exists for '74, so that's what I proposed....So underlying eligibility was proposed as 2wd carb'ed cars of 1974 and earlier model year. The question of mechanical fuel injection has been raised and I don't have a good answer for that.
Second, prep rules. There is no way an SCCA class cannot abide by Articles 5 and 6 of the rulebook (safety-related
specs). Regarding mods, again looking to successful programs, it seems ludicrous to not make Appy K and MSA - compliant cars eligible. But while either or both of those might make nice long-term goals, both will probably be regarded as too restrictive to get the H Class going. So I proposed Article 10 (g2/5) but restricted to materials, methods and technology contemporary to the car.
Third, enforcement - really, only people actually rallying these things should have any say in what's considered legal for the class at any rally, since they put their money and time into supporting the class; it's a supplemental class anyway. So tech lines should enforce basic Art 5,6,10 compliance and let H Class competitors at each event figure it out among themselves whether or not some modification is OK for H Class. Arbitrary, sure. But unless there are some hard restriction points as made by FIA and MSA, there will always be judgement calls. And that shouldn't be just one person's job.
Finally, long term goals. Vintage rallying is hugely popular in some parts of the world. To not have our Historic Class at least potentially compliant with those venues is to self-fulfill the prophecy of the same kind of SCCA/WRC mismatch we now have for nonvintage cars. Our national vintage class should be one that encourages international use of the car, not something that gets in the way of it...really, another argument for FIA or MSA compliance.
***
Comments/corrections from last night: The only substantive change to the above is eligibility is open to 2wd normally aspirated cars.
Defining the age limits/cars allowed remains perhaps as the major point of contention.
I would ask you to consider, how much more lenient can the rules be regarding preparations than to allow g2/g5 type modifications using period materials and methods? My argument to PRB was that allowing modernizations (with few exceptions) defeats the purpose of an Historic Class.
Interested parties are encouraged to respond to the formal proposal as it will appear in FasTrack.