We started to look into getting FIA certification for Luigi so that I could take him back to Europe and do some races at SPA, Monza, Classic Le Mans, etc. But we are running into some issues as noted below in an email from Racecraft's Jim Froula:
Steve,
So I think I have a good handle on these FIA rules now. Essentially, they changed the rules from 1975 to 1976 and the car is sort of caught in the middle. In 1975 they listed a max of 210cm for overall width with no restriction on amount of fender extension or style as long as they were homologated and under the 210cm total max width. Your car currently measures 180cm so it's well within those limits for 1975, BUT has the wrong style flare for 1975. The correct homologated flares are the full length style flares that the car had when we got it.
In 1976 the rules changed to say that any extensions were required to be a max of 5cm additional width (per side) and a max of 10cm tall for shape over the stock width. They canceled the full length homologated flare and these new limits and that's how the later style flare shape came to be. The stock width of a CSL including the fender trim extensions is listed at 143cm in front and 146cm in the rear which makes for a max width of 153 front and 156 rear to meet 1976 specs.
When you look at this link which is CSL's thru the 70's you can see all of them 1975 and earlier have the full length flares and then sure enough they all changed in 1976 to the rounded style flares.
https://www.racingsportscars.com/type/photo/BMW/3.0 CSL.html?cat=4&page=2
So here's how we got to where we currently are. The car came to us basically in pre-1976 spec in both wheel and fender width. We updated the car to the post 1976 style flare but fit them to the existing pre-1976 wheels which made them wider than they really should be for 1976 spec. To get the car to where it needs to be for FIA homologation there are two roads possible:
1. First option is to narrow up the existing flares to meet the 1976 rules as well as narrow up the wheels to fit them. The wheels can be fixed with new wheel halfs from BBS, obviously the body works would need to be done first so we know exactly how wide they can be. Technically for 1976 they also took away the dry sump oil system and 5 speed transmission options, among other things. While we may be able to sneak both of those details through and get certified, I would hate to get all the way to France and have them turn us away because there is a 5 speed in the car instead of a 4 speed or a dry sump oil system instead of wet sump. So I guess both a transmission and removing the dry sump system are technically required on top of the bodywork and wheel changes.
2. Second option is to put the full length style flares back on it and re-submit it as a 1975 spec car. Everything else about the car would stay the same (wheels, transmission, dry sump, etc.).
In either case 1 or 2 we would need to update the cage to current FIA specs which is a full re-do. Sort of an odd caught in the middle sort of conundrum on what to do. Obviously its most significant point in time would probably be 1976 when it won the ETCC champiosnhip, but making it 100% correct will take significant changes. We would need to get started right away and it will take a few months to complete so we would need to take it off the schedule until at least Portland in July.
My desire is to keep the car as original as possible which includes the roll cage that is in the car (factory motorsport), the 5 speed trans, and the dry-sump system.
Would love to hear from the community on this.
Steve,
So I think I have a good handle on these FIA rules now. Essentially, they changed the rules from 1975 to 1976 and the car is sort of caught in the middle. In 1975 they listed a max of 210cm for overall width with no restriction on amount of fender extension or style as long as they were homologated and under the 210cm total max width. Your car currently measures 180cm so it's well within those limits for 1975, BUT has the wrong style flare for 1975. The correct homologated flares are the full length style flares that the car had when we got it.
In 1976 the rules changed to say that any extensions were required to be a max of 5cm additional width (per side) and a max of 10cm tall for shape over the stock width. They canceled the full length homologated flare and these new limits and that's how the later style flare shape came to be. The stock width of a CSL including the fender trim extensions is listed at 143cm in front and 146cm in the rear which makes for a max width of 153 front and 156 rear to meet 1976 specs.
When you look at this link which is CSL's thru the 70's you can see all of them 1975 and earlier have the full length flares and then sure enough they all changed in 1976 to the rounded style flares.
https://www.racingsportscars.com/type/photo/BMW/3.0 CSL.html?cat=4&page=2
So here's how we got to where we currently are. The car came to us basically in pre-1976 spec in both wheel and fender width. We updated the car to the post 1976 style flare but fit them to the existing pre-1976 wheels which made them wider than they really should be for 1976 spec. To get the car to where it needs to be for FIA homologation there are two roads possible:
1. First option is to narrow up the existing flares to meet the 1976 rules as well as narrow up the wheels to fit them. The wheels can be fixed with new wheel halfs from BBS, obviously the body works would need to be done first so we know exactly how wide they can be. Technically for 1976 they also took away the dry sump oil system and 5 speed transmission options, among other things. While we may be able to sneak both of those details through and get certified, I would hate to get all the way to France and have them turn us away because there is a 5 speed in the car instead of a 4 speed or a dry sump oil system instead of wet sump. So I guess both a transmission and removing the dry sump system are technically required on top of the bodywork and wheel changes.
2. Second option is to put the full length style flares back on it and re-submit it as a 1975 spec car. Everything else about the car would stay the same (wheels, transmission, dry sump, etc.).
In either case 1 or 2 we would need to update the cage to current FIA specs which is a full re-do. Sort of an odd caught in the middle sort of conundrum on what to do. Obviously its most significant point in time would probably be 1976 when it won the ETCC champiosnhip, but making it 100% correct will take significant changes. We would need to get started right away and it will take a few months to complete so we would need to take it off the schedule until at least Portland in July.
My desire is to keep the car as original as possible which includes the roll cage that is in the car (factory motorsport), the 5 speed trans, and the dry-sump system.
Would love to hear from the community on this.
