Pulling engine and hair , Where do we fall into..Classic Alt Question

[besserspat]

Hi everyone,
like many people here, I have multiple racings projects at various levels of completion sitting in my shop. I though this little one would be ready for next year but we recently had a little set back due to my inability to read the rulebook correctly.

We have this little mid 60s European car that was originally powered by a 490cc carbed engine. Having glossed over the engine classes, I was just going to replace the engine with a more modern one, still under  500cc tunning it's stock EFI running fuel and Electronic ignition. Now lets go race in CFALT K- displacement... WRONG!!!

After a conversation with someone at the SCTA  over a couple emails, I was schooled that there's NO K engine category for Classic smallest allowed is J and NO EFI end of conversation....

This week I am pulling the engine out, selling it to finance a new engine, going to find a larger one to compete in J- displacement , run carbs and redesign the subframe around the new engine...It was my mistake...

So now, Can someone help me and tell me in what category my car falls into ?

1965 European car RWD  (Sold in the US)
Stock body panels except for a panel covering the canvas sunroof hole.
I may add a wing and front air dam if I end up in a class where its allowed

Engine swap for modern 690cc engine, carbed, running fuel
Electronic ignition (stock  motor)
Chain drive RWD

After carefully re-reading a couple time the rulebook I understand that I would be in Classic Fuel Altered J displacement.

But If you think Id fall into another class I just trying to avoid building and tearing down again like Lego blocks...

Thanks
Peter

[slowalex]

Disclaimer:

1) I'm more familiar with DLRA rules than SCTA and there might be some subtle differences.
2) I probably have more questions than answers

While there might be several grey areas, from my understanding when they talk about OEM Electronic Fuel Injection, they are talking about OEM for the car, not the engine in the case of an engine swap. What this means is that if you run a late 1970s or up to 1981 car originally fitted with Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection, you aren't forced to convert to carbs. Of course this also means you should use the original flap style air-flow meter and the original analog electronics.

For ignition systems you might need to be careful there too. I don't think the purely analog electronic ignition systems of inductive discharge or capacitor discharge type are the problem. Motor racing has been using them since at least as far back as 1961.
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/april-1961/16/electronic-ignition-for-racing-engines

What they absolutely don't want to see is any sort of microcontroller or digital control of the ignition timing map.
If you want to control your timing - that's what springs and weights in your distributor are for.

If you turn up with a sealed ignition unit from a modern engine, how do the scrutineers know what goes on inside the box?

You are probably better off getting clarification from SCTA again.

If you can run in J/CFALT with your modern engine, someone will turn up with a Mini which has just the right bore spacing to accept a BMW K series motorcycle cylinder head. This has been done before by the Project 64 team, but they didn't run in the classic classes. From my understanding they ran in I/BGCC and also I/BGALT where they still hold the record.
https://web.archive.org/web/20170414034358/https://project64mini.com/specifications/



How about a BMW S1000 RR superbike engine in I/CFALT or I/CGALT - does this also belong in the classic class?

>>> 1965 European car RWD  (Sold in the US)

Is this an actual rule?
There were a lot of mass produced coupe/sedans made in Europe, Australia and Japan and in some cases exported all around the world except the US.

[Stainless1]

OK guys... open the rule book... again...
Classic requires period technology... Your superbike engine would require carbs, or pre 1981 factory electronic FI or mechanical FI.  It relies on that ECU for a lot of it's power.   
Drop the C and you are there...
Cars and bikes available around the world compete at Bonneville, it does not have to be available in the US, just has to have the production numbers listed to qualify.  Bring documentation.  Our Abarth headlight covers were deemed illegal until we showed the factory picture with with covers.

My disclaimer... I hang out in Special Construction, because the rules are easier to understand and not subject to personal interpretation... wheels in or wheels out.... So don't rely on anything anyone tells you here.... contact the SCTA or whatever org you are racing with for the actual answer. 

[will6er]

For starters - What make and model is the car?

This could put it in Grand Touring or Modified Sports.

Will Willis
6302 XO/GC

[jacksoni]

Rule 2.A under the engine class break paragraph which lists the displacements and classes the following sentence says" In classes where not all engine braks are available, the smallest displacement class allowed is open to all engine displacements that fall within it and below it." This means your K class engine can run in the J class. This applies to all categories and classes.