2008 Acura TL Base Auto,

[AtlM5]

I am currently prepping my first car, a 2008 Acura TL 3.2l base autotragic, for H1 Restricted Honda Challenge and after spending hours going through all of the rules I have a few questions.

 

 

1) Is the car even eligible? I the May 11 Version 18.3 rules for H1 Restricted I only see the 2004-2006 3.2l Acura TL or the 2007 Acura TL 3.5l Type S models listed. The 2007-2008 cars are basically the same as the 04-06 cars so I'm not sure what the deal is here.

 

 

2) Additionally, is the automatic transmission (open differential ) acceptable for the time being? The car will eventually be manual swapped but for the time being money is tight.

 

 

3) Seciton 9.2.g states the following:

 

 

g)  Acura TL and TLX are allowed any brake system as permitted in 9.3.

 

9.3 H1 Hybrid Vehicles Only

In addition to any unmodified part from any Honda or Acura model, market, or generation, the following components are unrestricted:

  Brake Systems, however rotors (rotor hats excluded) must be made entirely of a ferrous metal

 

 

Does this along with section 9.4.b and 9.4.c allow for more brake cooling ducts than stated in 7.9.5

 

 

 

. b)  Headlights and any associated attaching hardware may be replaced, substituted with any material, or removed. Location may be used to pickup air for brake cooling, engine cooling, or air intake only.

 

. c)  Hood, trunk, rear hatchback, bumper supports, and the front bumper cover may have material removed or replaced with a substitute of unrestricted material. (Composite materials are allowed for those items.)

 

1. Two (2) openings may be cut in the front valence to allow up to a three (3) inch diameter

duct leading to the front brakes only. Factory fog lights may be removed and holes used for

brake ducts or left open.

 

 

4) This one is not a rules based question. Does anyone know of any coilover manufacturers that will custom make coilovers for vehicles that they don't already manufacture a coilover for. I'd love to find some good 3 way adjustable coilovers. I'm tying to stay away from remote reservoir shocks (none currently available anyways) and the associated weight penalty. The best three coilovers I can find for 3g TL's are D2 Circuit Series (36 way compression and rebound, 52mm shock body) , Ksport Version RR (36 way compression and rebound), or XLR8 ISC with Race/Track Springs (32 way Rebound only). If anybody has any input on these coilovers or any others it would be greatly appreciated.

 

 

I may have a few more questions along the way or some that I might have forgotten. I really appreciate any help you can give me. I'm excited to get racing! Thanks!

[AZELISE]

The chassis is technically eligible for a "hybrid" engine, but the current engine is not listed in the rules. I am not sure how different the 2008 is compared to the 2006, but it might be easier to get the 2008 listed than swapping in a legal motor. Seems like your best bet is to start with a different car or get a 2008 TL added to the rules.

 

You are probably best off getting a built HC car. Otherwise you will need to either get the car listed in the Restricted Prep category and swap the transmission or do an engine and transmission swap.

 

As for the brake question:

 

9.1 Introductory Notes

b) Rules listed within section 9 may be in contradiction with those listed in section 7 and 8. In these cases, the Allowed Modifications (H1 Only) in section 9 supersede those in sections pertaining to Allowed Modifications in section 7 and 8 (H1, H2, H4).

[Linfield]

Regarding your first question, "the deal" is that some obscure cars just aren't listed unless someone makes a request for classification. Team Honda Research built a TL in 2004 (3.2L) for the 25 Hours of Thunderhill. That car was classified in H1 for Honda Challenge. In 2007, when the Type-S (3.5L) was launched, THR had it classified so the car could be converted and raced in the new specification. So those two classifications exist.

 

As far as I know, no one but THR has ever built and raced an H1 TL, so no classification is technically on the books for a 2008 3.2L. That's not to say it couldn't be requested, as the previous poster suggested.

[AtlM5]

I appreciate both replies. I will say that I have seen two or three other 3rd generation Acura TL's competing in H1 while browsing through HC race videos on youtube. This particular car has a sort of sentimental value to me so I'd really like to stick with it. As far as the difference from 2006 to 2008, they are the exact same car mechanically. The only minor differences were cosmetic. Does anybody know who I could contact about this or how I could make a request for the car to be added?