SC_Highlander

According to Jim@tirerack, the tires for the '04 will be: "Potenza RE050 in 215/45R17 front and 245/40R17 rear. I do not have any specs on the tires yet but that is the next sizes." Unfortunately, I don't see a either of those sizes on tirerack's site, so it's probably another OEM'ed tire.

Penforhire

An extra inch of wheel would be a really big deal. That's the big reason V6 Camaros were top runners in their class. More torque is also a bigger benefit than peak RPM. I know which model I'd rather auto-x in the same class, seeing as shocks are always an allowed mod anyway.

The SEB pissed me off back when my GSR had to compete in the same class as the new ITR (G-stock back then). The ITR's LSD was a bigger deal than than the HP gain and the slight extras chassis stiffness. Seems to me you can't predict what will happen in new car classing with any accuracy.

ultimate lurker

So the question then becomes, "if the 04 is classed with the 03, can you update your 03 to 04 wheels?"

Rules experts?

UL

payneinthe

Not in stock class. The only update/backdate allowances in stock are switching between trim levels of the same year.

krazik

Yes you can. There is a backdate rule.

Or is it that you can use earlier parts on newer models?

I'm pretty sure it goes both ways.

krazik

Or not

payneinthe

Yes, you can use the new wheels in SP, but it doesn't matter, since you can use any wheels in SP.

krazik

Yeah I thought the stock backdating rules went across multiple years.

I'm not a auto-x rule junkie tho.

Where's Mr. McKee?

jzr

Nope, has to be part of an available option package on that car for that year, and the option package has to be swapped in its entirety. For instance, let's say the '03 Widgetmobile had an R package with a better limited slip, but that package also only came with a 40lb. shifter knob. In order to be legal you have to swap the heavy knob in to use the limited slip. No picking and choosing the best pieces from different option packages. A real-life example would be using the "Track" model 350Z's big wheels on the lighter base model Z.

Of course this doesn't apply to things that are "free" - front swaybars, cat-back exhaust, and stock sized shocks and wheels.

I'm not certain you can go across years. Even if you could, it would be a huge PITA. Say you want to run an '03 S2000's rear swaybar on your stock-class '00 car. In order to be legal you'd have to make your car identical to a regular '03, with the glass window'd top, revised trunklid, interior, springs, oil bolts etc. Andy could elaborate.

In SP you can swap any part between cars on the same line. An extreme example might be Derek Butts' DSP Lexus IS300; he cut the whole roof off his car and welded in one from a rare non-sunroof'd car, for that little extra bit of lightness and rigidity.

s2k2fast4me

As Jason said, in Stock class you can change wheels only if they were available as an option on the year of your car. Since S2K's don't really come with any options, this discussion doesn't really apply. However, if you decide to change a car to a different package (like take a Miata base to a Miata R) you have to change *everything* that is different, not just the performance pieces you are after. The only items you might not have to change would be if they are covered elsewhere in the rules as comfort and convenience, etc.

If a manufacturer makes all their options line items (like Porsche) and not comprehensive packages (like many Japanaese co.'s) it make your life a little easier. For example, on our 2000 Boxster 16", 17", and 18" wheels were all available as factory options, independent of other options. So, a BS Boxster can run with any of those wheel options and not have to change anything. On the 350Z, where the 18" wider wheels are on the Track Model, you can only run them on another Z model if you totally convert it to a Track model (probably not a smart $$ move).

I'm not sure how you would convert your car to another year model specs. For example, if Honda did a 17" wheel upgrade in '03 and you wanted to run the '03 wheels on your '02. You'd have to go through everything that is different on the '03 (ECU, wiring, suspension, etc.). Considering the difficulty of verifying all of the changes, I'm not sure it is even legal to start with (I'd need to check the rule book). Regardless, you're probably better off just selling your current car and getting the other model year.

Also as Jason said, if the two models ('04 S2K and all earlier years) are on the same line of the rule book in SP, you are free to interchange parts as you see fit, whether they are part of an option package or not.

-Andy