[rothwem]

Get ready guys and girls, I'm about to ask a stupid question:

I'm totally stock, with the exception of a set of Bilstein B6s, and a set of rear Style 161s with 245's on them all around.

Does the 17x8.5" wheel on the front mean that I'm out of the stock class, even though that's an OEM wheel size for the back?

[vasillalov]

Yes. In most BMW CCA clubs, coilovers are 5 - 7 points. Switch tires and you are in the next class.

[david in germany]

B6 are the equivalent of stock dampers. They are used as a direct replacement and not considered an upgrade.

[rothwem]

Originally Posted by david in germany

B6 are the equivalent of stock dampers. They are used as a direct replacement and not considered an upgrade.

But what about the wheels? Does running a "rear wheel" all around mean my front wheels are too wide?

[rothwem]

Originally Posted by vasillalov

Yes. In most BMW CCA clubs, coilovers are 5 - 7 points. Switch tires and you are in the next class.

I don't have coilovers?

[david in germany]

Originally Posted by rothwem

But what about the wheels? Does running a "rear wheel" all around mean my front wheels are too wide?

I doubt they will bust out a wheel caliper and the cars specs to compare.

[CSBM5]

Originally Posted by rothwem

But what about the wheels? Does running a "rear wheel" all around mean my front wheels are too wide?

For SCCA street class (stock), you are required to run the OEM wheel widths, front and rear, but are allowed a +/- 1" in diameter and +/- 7mm offset.

If you have a sport package car, it probably came with 8" front and 8.5" rear widths (and likely ET34 front and ET37 rear), so to remain eligible for street class, you'd have to run these widths. If your car was a non-sport pacakge, it likely came with 7" wheel width all around with ET34. In which case, you'd be required to stick to 7" wheels. You can "upgrade" a package and remain legal, but you actually have to change every single thing on the car for that package (i.e. sport package change would required OE ZSP springs, shocks, sway bars, seats, steering wheel, etc, etc).

It's common when running required staggered widths to still run square tire setups in street class.

So, the answer to original question is yes, no stock/street class for SCCA events or those run under SCCA rules. If it's our local club (THSCC), I've run THSCC autocrosses since the 1970s, and most everyone is pretty easy going on something like your situation *unless* you're going to place high, either in class against others or PAX overall -- then it makes sense to not be "that guy" and put people on the spot. However, talking with one of the autocross VPs ahead of time makes sense.

Regards,
Chuck

[r4dr]

I agree with Chuck's last point. Are you trying to compete regionally or even nationally? If you're just going to autox as a matter of fun and competing with yourself, then for the most part people aren't going to fuss about the classing unless it's blatantly out of class.

If you want to seriously compete, then I would go read the SCCA rules very carefully and find out the answers to your questions as well as exactly what you can do within the class you want to be in.

[E30_335i]

If its local, nobody will care. Beat class all the time, maybe someone might bitch.

[rothwem]

Originally Posted by CSBM5

For SCCA street class (stock), you are required to run the OEM wheel widths, front and rear, but are allowed a +/- 1" in diameter and +/- 7mm offset.

If you have a sport package car, it probably came with 8" front and 8.5" rear widths (and likely ET34 front and ET37 rear), so to remain eligible for street class, you'd have to run these widths. If your car was a non-sport pacakge, it likely came with 7" wheel width all around with ET34. In which case, you'd be required to stick to 7" wheels. You can "upgrade" a package and remain legal, but you actually have to change every single thing on the car for that package (i.e. sport package change would required OE ZSP springs, shocks, sway bars, seats, steering wheel, etc, etc).

It's common when running required staggered widths to still run square tire setups in street class.

So, the answer to original question is yes, no stock/street class for SCCA events or those run under SCCA rules. If it's our local club (THSCC), I've run THSCC autocrosses since the 1970s, and most everyone is pretty easy going on something like your situation *unless* you're going to place high, either in class against others or PAX overall -- then it makes sense to not be "that guy" and put people on the spot. However, talking with one of the autocross VPs ahead of time makes sense.

Regards,
Chuck

Dang, I had no idea that it was package specific. The car had itty bitty 16x7's on it, and since I had 4 sport package rears from my last E90 just sitting around, I slapped them on. Glad I didn't buy the 17x8's (standard for the value package) that I saw on craigslist.

As for whether I'm competing or not, I think that I'm not going to be very competitive seeing as this would be my first autocross, but it is a race, right? I wouldn't go to a 5k and walk it, so I'm going to try my best at this one. I just don't want to piss anyone off by cheating.

[CSBM5]

Originally Posted by rothwem

Dang, I had no idea that it was package specific. The car had itty bitty 16x7's on it, and since I had 4 sport package rears from my last E90 just sitting around, I slapped them on. Glad I didn't buy the 17x8's (standard for the value package) that I saw on craigslist.

As for whether I'm competing or not, I think that I'm not going to be very competitive seeing as this would be my first autocross, but it is a race, right? I wouldn't go to a 5k and walk it, so I'm going to try my best at this one. I just don't want to piss anyone off by cheating.

You can run whatever was available as a stand-alone option also. I think at some point (LCI?) the E91 had 17" wheels, square setup, (maybe 8x17s you mentioned) available as an option by themselves. Hence it should be legal to run wheels that meet those width specs also. Since the SCCA allows +/- 1" in diameter, this would mean you are running a wheel that is 1/2" wider than spec.

As a novice, you'll be placed in novice class and PAX'd against all other novices. It's up to the event GM and/or Autox VPs how to class you and whether to say that 0.5" means bumping a novice into street prepared or not. Different clubs will handle this differently. Hence why I mentioned contacting one the Autox VPs if the club you're thinking about is THSCC. Novice school is May 6th. We usually have an excellent school with good feedback from students.

I've autocrossed for over 40 years and instructed for 35+, autox and track. Ages, and I mean ages ago, when I was autox chairman for a large chapter of the CCA, I would usually side with the first time driver on something like this (i.e. tell you to run stock class) with such a minor issue, but point out that you would need to line up with the class rules for future events.

[CSBM5]

Sorry, forgot to post link to contacts at THSCC: http://www.thscc.com/index.php/club/contact-us

[rothwem]

Originally Posted by CSBM5

Sorry, forgot to post link to contacts at THSCC: http://www.thscc.com/index.php/club/contact-us

Awesome, thanks for the contact list.

I was going to try to do the autocross next weekend at Cary Towne Center next weekend. You going to be there?

[CSBM5]

Originally Posted by rothwem

Awesome, thanks for the contact list.

I was going to try to do the autocross next weekend at Cary Towne Center next weekend. You going to be there?

Nope, haven't run any local events in a couple of years now. From what I've heard, that's a very tight course with slow speeds, so patience is the key. The events at Danville airport are much more open/higher speed. Here's a video when I ran the M3 there a few years ago. Also, events run at NCCAR are usually pretty nice also.