Autocross tips and hints for a new boy

[Bathtub Tom]

I'm doing an autosolo in the Kia Pride ('93, carb, 5-door) here in the UK.

It seems to be a bit like your autocross, but on a shorter course.

We do what we call autotests, on grass and tarmac, over here which are very tight. Autosolo (tarmac surface) is a relatively new sport to us. The cars must be road legal and driven to the event.

I've found a couple of 13" wheels fitted with 145/70s - I know, but I haven't had time to get say 175s fitted - that I'll put on the front for the event. Finding 13" rims that fit here in the UK ain't easy. It should make it, erm, interesting. I don't want to use the front wheels and tyres that are on it because I'll need to drive it home on legal rubber. I'm expecting to scrub quite a lot off.

I'd appreciate any tips and hints that could help me please.

[juryrigger007]

I believe that freshtiva found some 13" rims off of a late 80' Toyota that bolted right on. Try using the search function, and you should stumble across it.

I've been to Edinburgh once. Lovely city. The UK rocks!

Good luck on your quest.

Cheers,

Scott

[FestYboy]

if you can manage, swap on a pair of 15"s in a sticky compound (they can be road legal). don't expect to see too much wear from your tires since you'll only be topping 50 mph at best. i've seen what your autotests consist of and recomend you put heavier springs in the REAR. this will help the rear turn especially in the grass.

[Bathtub Tom]

Well! I didn't come last - not quite.

There were some very special cars there. I was in a class 'up to 1400cc. The class leaders were some special Minis (twenty year old jobs) with 1400cc engines, one had a straight cut gearbox and would do nearly 50MPH in first. They all had very wide, near slick tyres.

I also discovered Daihatsu sold a Sirion in the UK with a 1400cc engine that pushed out over 100BHP.

They were a friendly bunch, I suppose they recognised I presented no threat. They said the courses were tighter than they were used to and they didn't like the presence of kerbs. One retired with bent suspension after clobbering them and a few wheels got damaged. I 'kissed' one and was congratulated on a near perfect line (only a couple of millimetres out) that scuffed the paint on a wheel.

I tried using second gear on a couple of the longer bits but my times showed it wasn't worth it. I did glance at the rev counter once and seeing something over 7000RPM decided not to bother any more.

You know that hot smell you get from a new exhaust? Well mine's been on for over two years and it smelt hot!

I don't think I'll do any more. I'd need some pretty special wheels and rubber, stiffer suspension, get rid of excess weight and find about another forty BHP. I'll stick to grass autotests, the Kia seems well suited for them.

I did enjoy it though!