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It's time to get this discussion started. I want to get some feedback for the ideal rallycross car for our series. Now I know that we can read on various other "car expert" forums what makes a great rally car.. but our needs are different. Most of us already support and feed an autocross car, and sometimes a track car, or a car that does double duty. So this is a discussion for the low budget, have fun, maybe not as fast as possible, but still fun kind of car.

There are several approaches and philosophies on this:
1) Dedicated beater car- not registered or titled- trailer or tow to events.
This is proably a sub $1000 car.

pros- don't have to pay insurance, pass inspection, etc. Probably the cheapest way to go if you can get it to the event. Worst case scenario if it breaks or gets totally mashed, you haven't lost much. You could probably rent it out to other club rallycrossers.

cons- you have to tow it or trailer it, then there's storage.. and covenants in some neighborhoods don't like unregistered vehicles in the open, especially ugly beat up ones.

Likely candidates could be CRX, "Toyota Dirtmaster or similar", or most anything since you don't have to haul kids, wife, etc. Just drive in dirt!


2) Licensed street legal car beater-
Pros- Use it as a 2nd car for other purposes. This could require you to have a car that is practical as a grocery getter, kid hauler etc., but it might work for some family situations.

I actually thought about a 4 door awd car for such a role.

Cons- Now it cost more to keep up, maintain, pay insurance, taxes, pass inspection, etc. It might hurt a little more if you roll it, too, but we won't dwell on that.


3) Really cool rallyx, autox, daily driver non-beater car. If you like Subys, you could go this way. Obviously, some folks that already have one like this approach.

But.. let's dwell on approach 1 or 2. Cheap and dedicated beater, or street legal beater "plus" version.

The older subarus imprezas (the body style I have, 93-2001) can be had pretty cheaply. I just looked on cars.com, there is a 93 awd for $1000. Use caution though, not until 96 were all subies AWD. There are plenty of FWD in 93,94,95.

But, not of them will be near here. They're all up north.

So that will mostly leave you with 2wd. I'd probably go with three conditions:

1 not stupid heavy
2 something you can put some "heavy duty" bilstiens on, so simple suspension
3 an extra half inch of ground clearance (compared to what we're used to liking )

Anders

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Lina Racing: As Seen On Radio

Old RWD Corolla or Celica would be my vote. Not too heavy, and fun to drive. Weld the spider gears for more traction...

Simple solid axle design, so *cheap* suspension.

Maybe you could find a Mazda 323 GTX (AWD turbo).

Scott

They only brought something like 1800 of those into the country. I can only imagine that it would be very rare to find one, especially with all the folks that have "grander schemes" (actual rally car) in mind for them. Would be fun though... I've driven one once.

Anders

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Lina Racing: As Seen On Radio

I know most people don't want to here this reply....

I'm pretty happy with my gti.
Plusses:
- I originally paid 500 for the car and have put some money into, but most of it wasnt necessary at all
- It makes for a GREAT (read cheap on gas) daily driver. Even better once I fix the A/C.
- It can haul a bunch of stuff, seriously! It's made to carry a change of tires
- Seats four reasonably well, especially if the back seat passengers arent to big.
- EVERYTHING is cheap for it.
- It's LIGHT

Had I known I was going to rallyx it also I would have gone with Koni Yellows instead of reds so I could change my dampening between street/autox/rallyx. Right now its always on autox and works reasonably well for the other 2, the reds have to be off the car to adjust.

CRX.

Or if you want something that could OWN at rallycrosses, autocrosses and track days, and carry plenty of stuff - or 4 adults - comfortably...

Ess. Teee... i

Methinks Miles has gotten bit by the bug.

Tell you what Miles, you can drive my car all you want if you can find another rallycross site that won't get torn up so quickly. Seriously. I'd gladly let you co-drive all you want. WRX's are made for this and the dirt doesn't hurt anything.

--Kevin H.

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2003 WRX (again!)

I'll second Jake's comments- GTIs are cheap, good-handling cars, with good parts availability (both replacement and rally parts). They're very popular in both ProRally and rallycross. You'd be hard-pressed to find a better choice.

Unless you've already got a Neon, that is...

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Carl Fisher

Be Cool to the Pizza Dude:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... Id=4651531

Someone else's car

Whatever it is

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91 Jetta GLI STS/DSP 111
85 Porsche 944 ASP 11
http://www.blackforestindustries.com

Now there's an example of why I think we're having getting people to come out to rallycrosses. Everyone thinks it's too tough on the equipment. Well, we've had ~30 folks at each of our 4 events so far, and the vast majority have been bringing their own, regular personal cars and doing just fine.

No one accuses Neons of being particularly durable or dependable, and I haven't had any problems with mine (daily driven, 224k miles) that are traceable to rallycross use (that corner of my front facia's been loose for a year... ) And if I hadn't hit 3 cones I would've been 3rd overall last weekend. Matthew Johnson won SU2 in his daily driver (a GTI), and I think most of the 4WD cars were daily drivers as well.

Just FYI.

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Carl Fisher

Be Cool to the Pizza Dude:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... Id=4651531

Yeah there is this fallacy that rallycross is hugely destructive to a car. If you autocross at Sanford the grit damages your car every bit as much if not more than any possible rallycross at Kevin's field.

If we used a gravel site or somewhere with big bumps things might be a bit different -- I'd consider some removable mudflaps (real rally mudflaps) in gravel.

If I owned a Miata or the like I would not hesitate to rallycross it. Dirt washes off easily.

--Kevin H.

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2003 WRX (again!)

Whatever you decide on, just make sure it has more than 48 horsepower.

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Mike Whitney
whit32@gmail.com, 919-454-5445
V10, V8, V8t, I6, I6, V6, F4t, I4, I4, I4, I4, I2, 1, 1

Take this with a grain of salt as I have not participated or watched (other than posted videos) and throw in a bit of "devils advocate" but ....

If you want to know why more people don't try it, well, we hear stories of rolled cars, multiple cars with tires that have the bead broken on the tires from hitting ruts hard, damage to CV joint boots, people renting cars vs. driving there own, etc.

So for me I see rallycross as having all of the risks of autocross plus the fact that you are more likely to damage your car on-course than you are with autocross.

I think if you want converts, you need to not downplay the risks to your car. What you rou really need to play up why it is fun and be honest with respects to the risks. I know that this has got to be great fun and will give it a try as soon as I can. But not in my current daily driver/autocross car.

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Richard Casto
1972 Porsche 914
2013 Honda Fit Sport
2015 Honda Fit EX
http://motorsport.zyyz.com
Money can't buy happiness, but somehow it's more comfortable to cry in a Porsche than a Kia.

The chance of damage to your car is directly proportional to how hard you drive it.

That is, I suppose, different than autocross, where the chance of damage remains low regardless of how hard you drive. (More knowledgeable autocrossers, please correct me. I'll admit to little direct experience of autocross vehicle failure rates.)

Anders

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Lina Racing: As Seen On Radio