7 replies to this topic

[Seitz]

I joined this forum because I've started to gain an interest in B-Spec racing. So much so that I'm considering buying a Mazda 2 and giving it the full treatment. 

I've got a few questions though, first off, since I'm not strapped with cash at the moment, how feasable is it to use the Mazda 2 as a street car and race car? 

​Another question I've got is how much money does the Mazda 2 need before it's competitive? I know there is the B-Spec Kit through Mazdaspeed that costs around $2,500, but is that it? do I need insanely expensive tires? how much does a roll-cage and harness cost?

Most importantly, where are the events held? I'm in Southwest Ohio, are there many events near me?

Any help would be awesome, I'm a huge fan of both B-Spec and Mazda. 

[Mike Asselta]

Hey Seitz - sorry so long in responding.  Been off the boards for a few days and missed your post.

 

PM me for the scoop, but here are some answers for you (we are campaigning two B-Specs this year in both club and WC):

 

Street car:  technically, its illegal to put your B-Spec on the street without the airbags in, but I know a guy that does exactly that with his M2.  He goes up and down the road, no problem.

 

Cost:  beyond the cost of your donor and kit, figure $1500 for the roll cage bits, not including labor (try Miatacage.com), another $300-$1000 for your seat and harness (Saferacer.com); wheels and brake pads ($800) and $600 for a set of sticky tires (one set per weekend).  So before labor, figure about $6500 including the kit.

 

There a plenty of other items you might want (camera, data system, cool suit, etc...) but they are optional.

 

If you are coming to World Challenge, you'll have another $3000 in data, in-car caution lights, and bits that the series wants you to have on hand.

 

Events are everywhere that SCCA Club runs national races...they are all around you but check-out the SCCA Saferacer National Series.  World Challenge is coming to MidOhio at first of August.

[Tom Hampton]

Is it really illegal in Ohio to drive without airbags?

In Texas, it's illegal for a paid mechanic to disable the airbag system. But, the owner is allowed to do this. Second there is no safety inspection for the airbags, but the dash warning light must not be illuminated.

I've had several safety inspections for my sm, and drive it on the street regularly. But, I know this varies a lot from state to state.

[AW33COM]

I've had several safety inspections for my sm, and drive it on the
street regularly. But, I know this varies a lot from state to state.

 

Texas is not a communist state comparing to the some of the states we live in. 

[Mike Asselta]

Airbag Deactivation

In response to concerns about children -- and others, especially smaller people -- being killed or seriously injured by malfunctioning or overly powerful airbags, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration(NHTSA) in 1997 issued a final rule to allow auto manufacturers to use lower-powered airbags. This rule permits airbags to be depowered by 20 to 35 percent. In addition, starting in 1998, repair shops and dealers were allowed to install on/off switches that allow airbags to be deactivated. Vehicle owners could now be authorized (by the NHTSA) to get on/off switches installed for one or both airbags in their car if they (or other users of their car) fell into one or more of these specific risk groups:

• For both driver and passenger sides - Individuals with medical conditions in which the risks of deploying the airbag exceed the risk of impact in the absence of an airbag
• For the driver side (in addition to medical conditions) - Those who cannot position themselves to properly operate their cars at least 10 inches (25.4 cm) back from the center of the driver airbag cover
• For the passenger side (in addition to medical conditions) - Individuals who need to transport a baby in a rear-facing child restraint in the front seat because the car has no rear seat, the rear seat is too small to accommodate a rear-facing child seat or because it's necessary to constantly monitor a child's medical condition
• For the passenger side (in addition to medical conditions) - Individuals who need to carry children between one and 12 years old in the front seat because (a) the car has no rear seat, ( the vehicle owner must carry more children than can fit into the back seat or © because it's necessary to constantly monitor a child's health

If you would like to get an on-off switch installed in your car, you need a copy of NHTSA's brochure, "airbags and On-Off Switches: Information for an Informed Decision," and the accompanying form, Request for airbag On-Off Switch. You can find these on the NHTSA Web site, as well as at AAA clubs, new-car dealers and state motor vehicle departments. The NHTSA will send you a letter of authorization that you can take to a repair shop. (Before you bother with all this, you should check with your auto dealer or repair shop to see if an on-off switch is available for your car.) Some retrofit on-off switches can be found and used if federal requirements are met -- switches must be operated by a key and equipped with warning lights to indicate whether the bags are turned off or on.

Obviously, even you have the option of turning it off, the airbag should be left on for drivers who can sit at least 10 inches back. For those who can't (even with the suggestions listed above), the bag can be turned off. A group of doctors at the National Conference on Medical Indications for airbag Deactivation considered the medical conditions commonly reported in letters to the NHTSA as possible justification for turning off airbags. They did not, however, recommend turning off airbags for relatively common conditions, such as:

• pacemakers
• eyeglasses
• angina
• emphysema
• asthma
• mastectomy
• previous back or neck surgery
• advanced age
• osteoporosis
• arthritis
• pregnancy

Generally speaking, you can't deactivate your airbag without installing a retrofit on-off switch. However, if a retrofit on-off switch is not yet available (from the vehicle manufacturer) for your car, the NHTSA will authorize airbag deactivation on a case-by-case basis under appropriate conditions.

[Derrick Ambrose]

I drive our B-Spec Mazda 2 on the street from time to time.  The local officers haven't given us any grief about the car or the airbags, they usually smile and wave.

 

The only annoying thing on our car is the seat is fixed and not on a slider so you have to pull the steering wheel when you climb in to make it easy.  Everything else is good to go, we run the OEM tires or some other performance street rubber when it goes out on public roads.  We setup our cage to be able to accept a passenger seat but we do not have one installed.

 

With our local track being close we can load in 2 sets of tires (slicks and rains), all of the needed equipment, fuel, and drive the car to the track for the day.  At the end of the day put the street tires back on and drive home.

 

You can shoot me a PM or call me at the shop and I can let you know what we spent to get the car going on a budget. 

 

-Derrick

[Tom Hampton]

Mike-

 

That rule applies to dealers, manufactures, and motovehicle repair businesses...there is no federal prohibition to disable safety devices by individual owners. 

[Mike Asselta]

Mike-

 

That rule applies to dealers, manufactures, and motovehicle repair businesses...there is no federal prohibition to disable safety devices by individual owners. 

I agree, not suggesting anything beyond the posted info....  I don't know about individual states.