Lightest 160hp SOHC you can think of?

What was the re-badged Corolla, the Geo Prism? Or some other "captive import" like that to skirt the SOHC/4-door restrictions. Think FWD 2.0 Eagle Talon ESi, Dodge Stealth 3.0, Geo Spectrum, etc. Or another domestic V6 coupe, like the Dodge Shadow.

I only read the first page and this thread is very hard to read without laughing out loud. It is funny beyond words. I think with all the suggestions that essentially ignore the restrictions in the rules pretty soon, by process of elimination there will only be the cars left that comply. All the OP has to do is to look at any car that has not been mentioned and that is probably the class ringer.

Javelin wrote: What was the re-badged Corolla, the Geo Prism? Or some other "captive import" like that to skirt the SOHC/4-door restrictions. Think FWD 2.0 Eagle Talon ESi, Dodge Stealth 3.0, Geo Spectrum, etc. Or another domestic V6 coupe, like the Dodge Shadow.

that is a very good question..

berkeley this..just go to the track with $1800 and buy the car that wins. If you don't want to be 'that guy' then take some of these suggestions from this thread and buy a 2 door DOHC import with AWD and a turbo with a manual transmission and see how that goes.

SlickDizzy wrote: After looking at the specs again, I very much think you need a '03-04 Focus with the 2.3 Duratec. Domestic, 151hp, 154lb ft, back seats, good handling out of the box (with excellent rear suspension for a front-driver), lightweight, common. Might be a little more expensive than a Saturn or similar, but it seems like the PERFECT car for their (heavily skewed towards domestic vehicles) rule set.

Might even be able to find a high Mile st sedan, to start with better options

Probe with GT motor.

nepa03focus wrote:

SlickDizzy wrote: After looking at the specs again, I very much think you need a '03-04 Focus with the 2.3 Duratec. Domestic, 151hp, 154lb ft, back seats, good handling out of the box (with excellent rear suspension for a front-driver), lightweight, common. Might be a little more expensive than a Saturn or similar, but it seems like the PERFECT car for their (heavily skewed towards domestic vehicles) rule set.

Might even be able to find a high Mile st sedan, to start with better options

derp, never mind I forgot about auto only

I thought I was on to something...An Acura Vigor with the I5. Its SOHC and doesn't have VTEC. It's a 2.5L. But it makes too much power! (~176)

Other off-the wall options: Tempo/Topaz V6 (3.0L pushrod 140 hp, awful suspension). Shadow/Sundance V6 (3.0L SOHC V6, 142 hp, decent suspension) Daytona V6 (3.0L SOHC V6, 142 hp, decent suspension) Eagle Premier/Dodge Monaco ('88-'92) (3.0L SOHC V6, 150 hp, decent suspension, unicorns)

Having NOT read the rules, just what is posted about them: 2 door auto fwd domestic is legal. As long as it's 160 hp or under. What about 80's fwd v8 caddy? Tourqey as berk, no one wants them so they should be dang near free, and should take a hit like a Sherman tank.

In more reality, what abiut a 3100 grand am? Gut it and should be close to 2400 lbs.

Having thought about it a while, I bet this class is dominated by whatever the lightest L82 (exactly 160hp) 3.1 powered 90s GM product was.

Espartan wrote: Only the imports need to have 4 doors.

What the actual berkeley.

I'm bowing out of this. Arbitrary and retarded ruleset is arbitrary and retarded.

And my reading skills are sucking bad.

Ok, so a 1995 Accord has 130hp in a DX 4 cyl model. And shows 170 HP out of a V6 model. Has better front suspension. And was built in Ohio. But does "made in Ohio" mean it is a domestic?

Turbo!

Just kidding; it's amazing how few actually read the first post...

Every time I see threads like this it makes me glad I stick to trackday events... build and run what you want.

it's in texas.. of course they are going to skew the rules against the imports (I kid, I kid)

I feel like these rules aren't skewed and arbitrary as much as they're just updated (perhaps a bit heavy handed) every time one of us shows up with some oddball car they've never heard of and starts lapping people. It's circle track, if it isn't close racing it gets boring quick.

I think the 6th gen Accord (98-02) fits the bill pretty well. I DD'd one for near a decade and did a few local autox before I slid on black ice and totaled it. 150HP stock. Might be a bit heavy (a hair under 3000), but IMO it always carried its weight well. I, personally, dug the double wishbone, but I know others on here prefer Mac struts.

The 150 hp version of the accord is SOHC VTEC. I don't know if the rules stating no vtec just means no dohc vtec or no vtec at all.

I didn't read the rules, but how do they discern a "domestic" from an "import"? Is it by manufacturer or VIN?

If it was me, I'd show up in a Canadian built Dodge Caravan (one that's old enough to have a single sliding door... two front doors, a sliding door, and the hatch) and tell them it's an import, since it comes from Canada. Stupid rules are meant to be flaunted.

I vote grand am with the 3.1...seems like the win here