East Tennessee Region SCCA

Hey everyone,

I'm working on "building" (fixing) a 1978 Celica for competition and I have a few questions concerning a non-performance enhancing modification and classification. I'd like to enter it in Stock Rear, but i'm concerned about my only non-stock part. I had to replace the original in-tank electric fuel pump with a generic inline electric fuel pump, and the only place to put it was in the trunk. So, the fuel lines run in and out of the trunk. I was wondering if that pump would put me in a different class as it isn't performance enhancing at all? Everything else about the car is as it was on the lot in 77.

Thanks everyone

-Dave

Is it technically against the rules? Yes, probably. You'd be hard pressed to find someone who would protest you for that alone though. Heck, most of the cars out there running probably have at least a few things going on that are not class legal (except mine, of course). It's the performance boosters that people get upset about. Sway bars, turbos, cranking boost, flashing ECUs, etc.

I don't think anyone would have an issue with the performance aspect, but from a safety standpoint the pump must be isolated from the driver by a metal bulkhead.
IIRC, neither the Liftback or Coupe MAxx Celicas have metal bulkhead. You may need to completely skin the X-brace behind the rear seat in a coupe, or build a sealed box for a liftback.

Thanks Adam. I thought there may be something like that. It's not a liftback, but I like the box idea.

Yup, technically it is against the rules for stock class. I would have to look at the rules for Prepared, but I know it is legal for Modified if you put a metal bulkhead around it. It could be a simple as the shape of a metal lunch box (depending how large a fuel pump it is) that completely covers the fuel pump and lines. Preferably sealed with some drains of some sort that if the fuel outlet breaks, or gets chaifed, fuel will not flow out of the box and into the cabin area. If fuel lines go thru sheetmetal please have some chaifing protection on the metal. The tech inspectors can fail to pass a car if they feel something is not safe.

It sucks when one one mod boots you out of a class. I know the agrivation of trying to substitute parts no longer manufactured. SCCA has shown some leaway for older cars substituting parts that are no longer available as long as there is no performance gain.

Unfortunately, a lot of things have happened this week that are going to stop me from coming to the rallyx this weekend.. Thank you for helping with my questions everyone, and I hope to be at the event in July.