Rule Change Requests for 2024 season

[RichardP]

I’m curious about changing the cost limit for struts and would like to understand if there is a benchmark being looked at regularly. Except for basic single adj Koni or worse options, nothing is really available in the required budget these days. If I tear up one of my ASTs I don’t think I can get anything similar in performance for the required budget. I’m not trying to spend a ton of money but with recent inflation it seems this rule may need to be adjusted. I recently bought some koni DA inserts alone without a strut housing and they were $500 each.

The issue with discontinued parts probably needs to be discussed. What is the value of AST shock/struts if you can't actually purchase them? For reference, Dan's Camaro has them and I don't want them to go away but I'm not sure it's fair to run them. I also don't think it's fair to require people to throw away good parts because they aren't available anymore. Awkward...

Richard P.

[michaelmosty]

The rule was originally set with the 4th gen Koni DA as the standard for the price limit. You can get Mustang Koni DA’s for about $450 each but not sure what the current pricing is for the GM’s.

The AST’s were made back around 2007 specifically for CMC with the price cap in line as you could buy them for $400 each which was the limit back then.
I know you can’t buy them new anymore but I got my AST’s rebuilt last year for $950 for all 4.

If you have any other suggestions for dampers you are looking at please let us know so we can consider them for a rule change. Thanks!!

[RichardP]

"6.33.6 Any non-remote reservoir shock absorbers, of any origin, that are readily available to the public from a retail source for less than $1,000 a pair may be used provided they attach to the OEM stock unmodified mounting points and do not alter the stock geometry, with the exceptions outlined in section6.33.10 below."


Ast's are not readily available to the public from a retail source. Period. They haven't been for a long time. It's great for the people that have them but if you wanted them, you are out of luck.


Richard P.

[Gerno]

Thanks for the context. I’m not trying to outlaw the older shocks, just trying to get an idea on the background. As of now the Koni DA option has increased and I know others are using the QA1s that are also outside budgets now too even though they are a pretty basic shock. I’ll put a rule change request in later this week. My goal is only to align to market inflation.

[michaelmosty]

I guess the term "readily available" is not the best choice of words and I will submit a RCR to see what the other directors feel about updating this wording. If anyone feels the AST's are not legal per the intent of CMC then that can be discussed as well.

Thank you for bringing the topic up Steve. These are the exact things we need to look to update as inflation has been crazy lately and impacts some parts more than others.

[Sook]

For what it's worth, here are my $0.02. I've been wanting a set of ASTs since I joined to sport back in 2018 and haven't been able to get a set in all these years. It's a strange situation with them going out of production, and some competitors being able to purchase them when they were legal by the rules. By the current reading of the rules, they do not appear legal to me. A bit of a complicated situation, I don't necessarily want the rules to change causing a bunch of folks to have to swap dampers but I do think the ASTs are an advantage.

For a Mustang, there aren't many damper options for factory geometry at all even if the cost cap was increased.

Josh

[BryanL]

Is there anything in the rules about parts that were "Readily Available" but stopped? AST's aren't the first part people have used which the manufacturer quit making and there are tons of items which aren't readily available anymore. My understanding is from campfire talk that parts which were once available will always be legal. Doubt that is in the rules though. I do know the rules say something like if there is a grey area then the racer needs to have documentation of approval. Personally I think that is BS. If there is something that requires specific documentation and approval by a director then all of those items should be listed in the rulebook for everyone to see.

Shocks-As Richard posted the ruled don't say you are allowed to do anything to the shock. Which is interesting since people have them modified with different inserts like a JRI which could be better than an AST. People have also changed the valving/shim stacks or whatever. "If not specifically allowed, any modifications are prohibited." Seems to me like you aren't allowed to modify the shock at all so maybe there needs to be some language as to what is legal and what isn't? Remember Spec Iron and the shock dyno.

How about finding a readily available shock for both platforms like a Bilstein HD. It would decrease series cost, promote growth with a cheaper alternative than trying to find an obsolete part or modifying an available part and eliminate testing of different valve settings, which should improve competition making everyone on a more level playing field.

[BryanL]

Check the Brake Caliper price limit as well as those appear to be way over the current limit.

As for parts that aren't readily available that can get way down a rabbit hole quick. Spoilers come to mind as I'm not aware that there is a single available spoiler anyone is running that's "Readily Available from a retail source for less than $700. Wheels.

Then where do you stop for things not readily available?