From: Greg Amy [grega-at-pobox.com]

Sent: Sunday, December 09, 2001 8:57 PM

To: SPruett@scca.org

Subject: Rules Clarification Request

Mr. Pruett,

I want to thank you for your patience as I request rules requests and clarifications. With this email I should have the majority of my questions asked for the time being.

Since you are the Technical Manager, I am directing this particular email to you; if you are not the proper person to ask these questions, I would appreciate it if you would pass this on to that person and let me know who that is.

I have questions in regards to rollcage construction for Improved Touring. The GCR appears to be quite clear on the matter, but before I spend time and money based on my interpretations I need to know SCCA's interpretation and intent, thereby avoiding a debate during Technical Inspection.

I have a 1992 Nissan NX2000 which I used to race in Showroom Stock B in 1992 and 1993. That car was prepared to the GCR of 1992 and I have the original logbook for the car.

The car has installed in it an Autopower rollcage made of mild steel of 1.50x.095, legal for Showroom Stock in 1992. According to 2001 GCR 18.1.6.B, this tubing size is currently legal for cars "registered prior to June 1, 1994" that weigh less than 2500 pounds (my car will have an IT-legal weight of 2490; 2310 for the purposes of rollcage construction).

First question: if a car/chassis has been registered for any SCCA class and is subsequently prepared to a different class, is the car still considered to be registered on the original date? In other words, is my ex-SSB, now-ITS car still considered to be "registered prior to June 1, 1994"? If so, then is it safe to assume that the rollcage that is now in the car is still legal for this car in ITS as long as it meets all other rollcage requirements? I'm working on the assumption that a car/chassis is registered when it receives its original logbook from the SCCA, regardless of any subsequent class it may participate. If this is true then any chassis will always hold the same logbook, regardless rollcage structure the car has.

However, my next question is in regards to the logbook number that the SCCA stamps onto each rollcage.

Second question: does that logbook, and the car's SCCA definition of "registration", go with the car or rollcage structure? In other words, if I were to completely remove the current Autopower rollcage, along with its stamped logbook numbers, and install a completely new rollcage will the logbook stay with the car? At that point, will the car with a new rollcage still be considered registered on its original date with the original logbook?

Third question: If the answer to the above is yes, how do I go about proving to Tech Inspection during its next inspection presentation that this car truly is the same car and should have the old numbers stamped into the new rollcage?

Fourth question, if all of the above is true, would I therefore be legal to construct a completely new rollcage to the older, smaller tubing specs of a car registered prior to June 1994?

Please note that I'm asking for a legal interpretation, not an opinion of safety. We can agree that the later specs of using the larger tubing is safer. However my intent here is to clarify the minimum requirements to satisfy the GCR.

As a side note, I intend to build the "required roll cage elements" out of the newer-spec tubing sizes, but I wish to reserve the right to build the "optional or additional" tubes to the older spec (see GCR 17.1.4.D.10.a.5 (ITCS D.10.a.5), "Any number of additional reinforcing bars are permitted within the structure of the cage, provided they meet the minimum tubing size per GCR 18.1.6.C".) If it is legal for me to construct a new rollcage to the older tubing spec, then it would be legal for me to construct the optional bars to this smaller tubing spec as well.

If, however, the car is considered to be registered prior to June 1994, yet I'm required to build to entire cage to the larger tubing specification, please explain to me how this is addressed in the GCR.

Finally, GCR 17.1.4.D.10.a.1.A.2 (ITCS D.10.a.1.A.2), in describing the requirements for welded mounting plates, states "Cars registered prior to 10/1/95 are exempt from this rule." Can you please explain this to me? Does this mean that there are neither any minimum nor maximum plate sizes for these cars? If we agree that the car is actually considered to be registered in 1992, to what limit must I construct the welded mounting plates, if any? The 1995 GCR makes no mention of limitations on the sizes of the welded plates, only that "the load be distributed over as large an area as possible."

Sven, I appreciate your taking the time to answer my questions, and if you have any further questions or comments, please feel free to contact me at the below telephone numbers or via email. I would appreciate your notifying me that you have received this email, and if you would prefer to get a copy of my request in writing I would be glad to provide it.

Sincerely,

Greg Amy

SCCA 287196

Milford CT