Type 65 Coupe R Safety Requirements

[cgundermann]

My son really wants to do some racing with me beyond autocross events and I'm curious from Coupe-R builders how much more difficult it is getting in out of the Type R considering the twin side door bolster tubing? I understand that the Gen 3's space frame design really increased rigidity over the Gen 2...

Do most racing venues require the additional reinforcements of the Gen 3's Coupe-R's frame? We are interested in autocross as well as the annual Silver State Classic Challenge road race in Nevada and I'm trying to assess if the Coupe-R is truly required to meet racing safety standards.

Thought & opinions are greatly appreciated!

Chris

[Ltngdrvr]

My son really wants to do some racing with me beyond autocross events and I'm curious from Coupe-R builders how much more difficult it is getting in out of the Type R considering the twin side door bolster tubing? I understand that the Gen 3's space frame design really increased rigidity over the Gen 2...

Do most racing venues require the additional reinforcements of the Gen 3's Coupe-R's frame? We are interested in autocross as well as the annual Silver State Classic Challenge road race in Nevada and I'm trying to assess if the Coupe-R is truly required to meet racing safety standards.

Thought & opinions are greatly appreciated!

Chris

The racing venues will supply you with guidelines for the safety requirements depending on what class they put you in.
Most times an autocross will go by SCCA safety rules and classifications, no idea what Silver State challenge uses, but I'm sure the website for the event will have or refer you to where you can view the requirements.

[ProJoe]

Here's the rulebook for the Silver State Classic.

https://sscc.us/rulebook.aspx


my personal opinion? the car is more than adequate from a safety standpoint. the Challenge coupes are designed for road racing in mind. I would check the rulebook and go over it with a fine toothed comb tho, because the SSCC is a whole different ballgame in terms of speed

[Logan]

For the rules and requirements, I agree with what has been said above.... it is pretty black and white (usually). Figure out what organization/series you plan to run with, and check their rulebook for specific technical requirements.

That said, the Coupe-R chassis was designed to cover the more popular requirements such as side intrusion and harness mount tube diameter and wall thickness. There's a good chance it will satisfy the requirements for any major race organization in the USA. For example, John George built the first Coupe-R alongside FFR, and raced it with NASA in the ST2 and STU classes with no chassis alterations. The last time I skimmed the rulebook, the Coupe-R met the requirements for the comparable SCCA classes too. The Coupe-S chassis is good, and very stiff in its own right (Gen3 Coupe-S is 7.5x stiffer than Gen2, and Gen3 Coupe-R is 14x stiffer than Gen2).

I don't have doors on my Coupe-R yet, but it is most definitely harder to get in and out of than a Coupe-S. Thankfully I'm small as a horse jockey and have no trouble clambering over the jungle-gym, but most people who ride with me have to be very methodical about how they get in and out. It's a puzzle that can only be solved one way, and it's usually not exactly quick or elegant looking.


TL;DR:
For autocross, the standard Coupe-S is MORE than enough. For higher levels of racing, check the rulebook(s).

[NAZ]

Absolutely, study the sanctioning body's rule book for the class you want to run BEFORE BUILDING THE CAR. Don't assume you'll be OK. From the looks of the chassis design, I suspect the "R" is a very sturdy design. But assuming it will comply with any sanctioning body's rules would be a mistake. If that chassis is fabricated with 1.5" tubing, you may be OK with NASA or SCCA but depending on the ET you run, NHRA will ask you to leave if you even make it past tech on a run what you brung open to the public Friday night test & tune. That's just one example of why it's important to read the rulebook for the sanctioning body and class you want to run. It's way easier to make the necessary changes to comply with the rules during the early stages of the build than when the car is complete.

[cgundermann]

Thank you everyone for all the input; greatly appreciated!

Just trying to balance ease of getting in/out to different racing scenarios.

Chris

[Dave Tabor]

Dude, you can autocross and do the SSCC in Mom's Camry.

Dave
Gen III #17

[cgundermann]

Dude, you can autocross and do the SSCC in Mom's Camry.

Dave
Gen III #17

LOL

Chris

[Jim1855]

A friend ran her rental car at Gingerman for a SVT Mustang HPDE event. This was early 2000's, it was a Taurus or something similar.

Another friend is building a Gen 3 Coupe, not the "R". Lots more safety and cage than even my modified Challenge Car chassis. Sanctioned racing is one thing, HPDE is much more relaxed, but many cars are still running near 150.

Jim

[cgundermann]

Thanks Jim,

Chris