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Today at the solo II autocross event at Gateway International with the Manta the powers to be were not quite sure about what class the Manta should be in. They were leaning (pushing) to E modified. I was hoping for a lesser preped class. Much squawking about the dual Webers. They will decide at next weeks race on Sunday
While I really don’t car what class I run in at this point because of my inexperience I thought that it might be something to look at down the road in the very slim off chance I was ever competitive. The only EM cars out there were big very modified Chevy V-8 Impala’s and Monte Carlo’s while I did not complain I thought that this seemed to be an unfair grouping.
All I did was drive up and said I have a 1973 Opel Manta what class am I?
I did not even mention anything about engines but when they heard the car idling they went into conniptions and immediately went to poking and prodding it unmercifully. They did not seem to care if I ran street tires (in my case Sumo’s) or DOT Firestone race tires that came off a GT4 Manta “that car goes in the modified class”.
It seems some of the tech people were ex pro rally drivers. There was one who used to drive a rally Manta and he was sympathetic and tired to convince the others that it “might be just a bit more than borderline stock” and that prepared might be fair. From the other officials there was some talk of the Manta reeking of “being full tricky of C&R Small car parts” (they brought that up I never said a word) and if that car was anything less than fully modified that the official was also Santa Claus.
Do Opel’s have a reputation for stretching the rules?
From a technical standpoint if I am even at best an average driver how bad will I get pounded by the big v-8’s. I am just going to go have fun but if I ever did get serious should the manta really be in E modified with the big monster V-8??!!!
While I really don’t car what class I run in at this point because of my inexperience I thought that it might be something to look at down the road in the very slim off chance I was ever competitive. The only EM cars out there were big very modified Chevy V-8 Impala’s and Monte Carlo’s while I did not complain I thought that this seemed to be an unfair grouping.
All I did was drive up and said I have a 1973 Opel Manta what class am I?
I did not even mention anything about engines but when they heard the car idling they went into conniptions and immediately went to poking and prodding it unmercifully. They did not seem to care if I ran street tires (in my case Sumo’s) or DOT Firestone race tires that came off a GT4 Manta “that car goes in the modified class”.
It seems some of the tech people were ex pro rally drivers. There was one who used to drive a rally Manta and he was sympathetic and tired to convince the others that it “might be just a bit more than borderline stock” and that prepared might be fair. From the other officials there was some talk of the Manta reeking of “being full tricky of C&R Small car parts” (they brought that up I never said a word) and if that car was anything less than fully modified that the official was also Santa Claus.
Do Opel’s have a reputation for stretching the rules?
From a technical standpoint if I am even at best an average driver how bad will I get pounded by the big v-8’s. I am just going to go have fun but if I ever did get serious should the manta really be in E modified with the big monster V-8??!!!
