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Re: chassis stiffener - Series 4 Spider



Hutson:

Your comments make me wonder what penalty if any various sanctioning bodies including AROC USA award for adding a chassis stiffener to the spider? Just jumped to the USA AROC web site http://aroc-usa.org/comp1.html where making a quick reading of the code I conclude it ignores the effect chassis stiffening might have.

Whilst searching for Russ Neely's address to ask him about the Competition Code I came across this posted very recently


My personal, not at all humble, opinion is that chassis stiffeners are not legal in SCCA autocross nor in Improved Touring. For that reason, I have never bought one. My 84 ITB spider race car has a very nice chassis stiffener that goes from the top of the firewall over my head into the trunk behind the shock towers. I normally call it a roll cage rather than a chassis stiffener...

As you can see, the Competition Director of AROC USA did not mention the stiffener's legality in that venue.



 With the
chassis stiffener though, the difference in character on the track was
rather more dramatic than the difference on the road.  I found the handling
still to be completely neutral, but with noticeably higher limits on what I
could both carry into turns and how soon I could dial back in the power.  I
experienced something akin to a tangible feel of the tires and the adhesion
limits right there the whole time.  I honestly found myself contemplating a
set of track wheels and stickier tires for next time, since I think I could
finally take some advantage of more grip, because the behavior at and beyond
the limit was so predictable and solid as to instill real confidence.  A
complete blast was had by all!
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