Magical thinking: 2023 autocross recap, contemplating CAM and offseason upgrades

Not actual size.

My 2023 autocross season was completed without much incident. I did have an issue with the car at an SCCA-Susquehanna autocross that after going through a whole bunch of stuff (swapping injectors, spark plugs and wires, even fuses) turned out to be nothing more than a loose ground in the back of the driver's-side head.

During the season, I completed eight autocrosses and got about 50 runs total. There were two events where I left without making a run -- the Susquehanna autocross mentioned above, and an SCCA D.C. Region event where it was pouring rain, and I didn't feel like hydroplaning my way around the course.

Considering all the issues I had the past couple of years, I'd have to chalk 2023 as a major success. You know:

- Hydramax throwout bearing (twice)
- Fuel pump
- No. 1 rocker arm stud
- No. 6 valve spring
- Cylinder No. 7 on original block (piston ring gap not set) and needing a new short block

The only problem is that there really wasn't much competition during the season. Not as in nobody in C Prepared could touch my car, just there was really nobody else in CP! I only ran against a real CP car one time -- Eric Bonnett in his Mustang at my last event of the season, the Tidewater Sports Car Club autocross at VMP.

It has me contemplating CAMT.

A little.

It wouldn't be that hard to make the car CAM legal. The rules are fairly open, basically CP light with an interior and street tires. I still have all the interior plastic pieces and would just need a new carpet and door panels. But I already bought a set of new Hoosiers, so I'm not leaning toward CAM that hard. "Big" Mike Snyder should have his Mustang (the same one I drove at one event in 2021, although it will be a lot different) together, and I'm guessing Sam Strano will make an appearance in it, too. So there's that.

I'm also thinking of doing the UMI autocrosses at their site in Pennsylvania. This year they had an Autocross Challenge, Muscle on the Mountain, and their premier event, King of the Mountain. These events require tires 200 treadwear and higher, i.e., no Hoosiers. They have minimum weight requirements for cars but they are weighed with driver, so it shouldn't be an issue running my CP car with its "stripped" interior. I'd just have to figure out what to do for wheels since there really aren't good tire choices to fit the 17-inch CCWs I already have. Maybe score a set of cheap 18s -- like OEM Corvette wheels -- and figure out the tire du jour?

The car won't be a top contender, but the UMI events sound like fun competing against other pony cars.

New 12:1 steering box from Sweet Manufacturing.

Regardless whether I run CP or CAM or the UMI events, there are always some minor offseason upgrades, most of which are already done. The first one was replacing the steering box -- not that there was anything wrong with the old one; I just figured the one in there is of unknown origin so I might as well upgrade.

Score! Used UMI camber/caster plates!

I scored a used pair of UMI camber/caster plates to swap with the old ones. I think the old camber plates were made by a company I don't want to mention, and they didn't have any adjustment for caster anyway. After installing and doing a DIY alignment, it looks like the UMI plates allow for an even greater camber adjustment. Karen got me a fancy camber/caster gauge for Christmas so I can get more precise measurements with the new UMI plates.

Karen got me a camber/caster gauge for Christmas!

Also replaced was the OEM 1998-2002 F-Body power steering pump with a unit from Turn One. This pump looks a lot like the OEM pump but has upgraded internals so hopefully solves cavitation issues. It's a direct-fit replacement for a 1998-2002 F-Body power steering pump, and because of the slots in the pulley, the pump can be installed without removing the pulley (which comes pre-pressed on the pump).

Turn One upgraded LS power steering pump, hopefully to eliminate cavitation.

The biggest offseason project, and one I haven't addressed, is constructing a front splitter. There really isn't an easy solution like the rear spoiler, so unless I get some bright idea or a magic YouTube video pops up, I may wait until later in the year and see how other people have constructed theirs and mounted them.

So the car is a work in progress, I guess as any CP car is. My goals for the upcoming season is to finish top 10 in PAX at least once. Back in the ESP days, I'd finish in the top 10 about a third of the time, so with the CP PAX, it's going to take some effort.

For your viewing enjoyment, I'll leave you with a short video of outtakes from last year: