Many of the attempts to define the car classes (Stock, Personalized, and Modified) were based on the Concours. Instead, car classification should also be based on the Autocross.
Back in the early 70s, there was an organization which produced a set of standards for autocrossing in Southern California. The Southern California Council of Sports Car Clubs (SCCSCC) held an annual autocross at the old airfield at Lone Pine, CA. Every car was put into a group. As I recall, Tigers were put in the same group as the solid axle Corvettes, Mustangs, and similar cars. Even then there were two classes – Stock and Modified. Any changes to the car that increased its performance on the track would put it into the Modified class. SCCSCC did not care what color you painted your car, what kind of seats you had, what style of wheels you ran (as long as they were not wider than stock). These changes would not require your car to run in the Modified class.
This makes sense for the track. But what about the Concours? An owner might like an orange Tiger with 5-1/2" Panasport wheels and Recaro seats. These changes do not improve the car’s performance on the track, so it would not be fair to have such a car run an autocross in the Modified class, competing a Tiger with fuel injection, quick rack, 8” wide wheels, and ultra sticky, track-only tires. This is where the Personalized class comes in. Personalized class should be used for cars that have been changed from stock, but without any modifications that improves its track performance.
So here are my suggestions for car classifications:
STOCK – No performance enhancements (other than LAT options) have been made to the car which would improve its times in the Autocross. The car is basically the way it came from the factory. The only changes allowed without losing points in the Concours are the LAT options.
PERSONALIZED – No performance enhancements have been made to the car to run in the Autocross, except the LAT options or items similar to the LAT options (such as an Weiand intake instead of the LAT Edelbrock). Otherwise, the car can be changed in any way (that suits the owner). Such changes are too numerous or obvious to enter the car in the Concours as STOCK.
MODIFIED – Performance enhancements can be made to improve run times in the Autocross. Any changes may be made for the car in the Concours, although those changes should be tastefully done or risk losing points in the Concours.
This is pretty simple way to classify cars. Some might contend that some performance modifications should be allowed in the PERSONALIZED class, but that is like being a little pregnant. It would be very difficult to decide how many and what performance enhancements are allowed while the car can remain in the PERSONALIZED class.
Also, using this system would better balance the number of vehicles in each of the three classes, as some of the cars that have run in the PERSONALIZED class would now run in the much less crowded MODIFIED class.
