Amateur Race Car Interior Preparation - Acura Integra

One of the most important factors that make a competitive race car in the race track is the weight of the racecar. The typical race car, however, used in amateur racing is a tram that goes through the change. And one of the amendments is the elimination of many interior regions, which can reduce 10 to 15% of the tare of the vehicle. Where material from inside the car are removed, the authority is free to add speed. But speed is not the only basis for the preparation inside a race car. In this article I will describe the preparation of the interior of the Acura Integra to compete in the Honda Challenge 2.

The Acura Integra has been involved in SSB (Showroom Stock B) in the category (Sports Car Club of America) SCCA. SSB standards requires that most of the interior to be intact, some concessions for the installation of the roll cage and racing seat. Honda Challenge rules allow the elimination of almost everything except the scoreboard. This means that all the carpets, the front passenger seat, trim, and mounting brackets may be removed. The HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) which is below the dashboard can also be withdrawn. This adds a lot of weight loss.

I talked to guys who like to get out of these systems to keep intact the clear windows, but the potential savings in weight was too tempting and I had good success keeping my windows clear anti-fog. The roof resembles a sports car, but useless in a race car. The roof can be removed with a substantial weight gain. The rules allow the opening to be covered with a metal panel.

The sound deadening material under the carpet can be removed to reduce weight and more, for a look inside. Even without the need to reduce weight, the soundproofing material has to be done because there is a danger in case of fire. Remove the soundproofing material can be simplified by using dry ice. My tried in the past with little success, but the alternative is not viable. The idea of sitting in the car for hours with a knife and a flashlight, exposure to fire and toxic fumes, led me to try dry ice again.

I also tried wire wheels and chemical strippers. None of these methods were as effective or as fast as the dry ice. The key seems to be the application of liberal amounts of dry ice in a large area and leaving at least 4-5 minutes to work its magic.

I made some cardboard dams to try to keep the ice in contact with vertical surfaces through the tunnel. It seems to work pretty well, but can not be absolutely necessary. Once the isolation is initiated pop and crack a few strikes with a sharp hammer should be sufficient to dislodge the material. Be gentle with the hammer on the floor is probably less than 1 mm thick and can be easily damaged. The residue is easily removed with a grinder with sandpaper or a wire brush. This process also helps to prepare the surface for paint application.