350sbc + 350th+ ????= competent rwd rallyx car

I have in my possession a low mile 350/350 2wd combo with driveshaft. I thought I could combine that with my big block tbi setup to make a stout, fun, reliable drivetrain for something, but I don't know what. We had talking about making the switch to rwd for rallycross, so I thought that would be a good starting point, but I can't decide what would be a good choice for a chassis. I would love a "bolt in" chassis, but I can't think of anything that originally came with sbc that would be a good car for rallycross. The closest I can think of is a third gen fbody, but the guy that runs one in our region seems to fight the thing around the course. If I recall he was running street rubber, and I don't know if he has posi, and if he does if it actually works anymore, so that may be the problem. So what would be my best bet here? Iam thinking I may be required to go with another make and do some welding to make it happen. It needs to be small, light, and available for cheap. Also a decent diff that will handle 300 hp and 300 ft lbs reliably, preferably independent rear suspension with posi without blowing up the bank. I was thinking possibly bmw, or rx7, or vovlo, or I don't know what. Or would a f or g-body gm be made to be fast around the track? What would be the best way to accomplish what I'm going for?

Volvo 240!!

E36?

In reply to gearheadmb :

How rough are your courses? A C4 Vette should work well, early cars have decent(read - too much) ground clearance, and removing weight helps you gain even more.

80s S10?

I looked into a G body before, as have much better and more experienced rallyists than I. Nonack couldn't seem to find a way to make it work competitively(from an old thread not a direct quote), but there are lots of circle track parts available. If you just want to have fun that may be A way to go though.

G-body?  My first answer, 240, was taken.  Since the g-body cars came with sbc's from the factory, it should be a pretty simple affair.

Gutted SN95?  That should annoy the right people, and a V6 car should be nearly free if found right.  Eventually the rear axle will probably need an upgrade, of course.

Race in style. I have a 79 Cadillac Brougham shell that I'll need to get rid of soon. 350 should bolt in with later style motor mounts. 

In reply to RevRico :

My attempt at V8 RallyX was a Foxbody- the rear suspension was a bit of an issue, and mine had terrible weight distribution along with a beefed up motor, all of which combined to make it a serious handful.  I did look at doing a G-Body, and I don't think they're a terrible option but they're heavy and some of the running gear looks pretty flimsy considering their weight.  On a smooth, relatively grippy course I could see them being reasonably competitive, and they'd be fun no matter what.

Pete Gossett said:

In reply to gearheadmb :

How rough are your courses? A C4 Vette should work well, early cars have decent(read - too much) ground clearance, and removing weight helps you gain even more.

 

They are fairly rough. In my area I haven't seen the cheap c4 trend catching on like i have heard rumors of. The ones that are cheap are such complete garbage that getting one into fighting shape would be more trouble than it would be worth. Plus I've kind of hated every c4 I've ever sat in, which is weird because when I was kid I was in love with them.

dculberson said:

Volvo 240!!

This interests me. I know nothing about Volvo first hand, but I've only ever heard good things about them. Especially their "tank-like" durability, which is important to me because I want something that I count on to still be in one piece at the end of the day. Are they nimble enough to get around the track without too much fuss? Any certain years or options to look for?

Something with IRS.  What are the other requirements for this car?  If it's a single-purpose rallycross car, I'd go with a Cadillac Caterrible

Lightened c4...2300.lbs, 96 inch wheelbase, Lsd, irs, 4 wheel discs, 55/45 weight distribution (stock placement front of Engine is 6" behind front axle centerline) , 1.9 turns lock to lock rack and pinion, some tall narrow dirt tires...FTW

GOD KNOWS WHAT CLASS IT WOULD RUN IN.

I'm just going to leave this right here   

square body S10

Square body s10, disco era 75-78 nova. Neither are irs but pretty basic chassis with a solid aftermarket aside from body panels.

RevRico said:

80s S10?

I looked into a G body before, as have much better and more experienced rallyists than I. Nonack couldn't seem to find a way to make it work competitively(from an old thread not a direct quote), but there are lots of circle track parts available. If you just want to have fun that may be A way to go though.

Maybe I'm wrong, but the weight imbalance of a v8 s10 would be fun, but not at all fast when trying to corner on dirt. 

I like gbodies, and it would be close to the top of the list if I were building a street strip car, but again I think it would be the wrong tool for the job in rallycross.

I doubt I will have anything as fast as a couple miatas that run MR in our region, but I do want something that feels competent.

gearheadmb said:

dculberson said:

Volvo 240!!

This interests me. I know nothing about Volvo first hand, but I've only ever heard good things about them. Especially their "tank-like" durability, which is important to me because I want something that I count on to still be in one piece at the end of the day. Are they nimble enough to get around the track without too much fuss? Any certain years or options to look for?

Some people make them work well for rallycross, they aren't going to be a nimble as a Miata but not bad. After 88 or so they were galvanized so less prone to rust (supposedly, I have a fairly rusty 93). Someday I'll try one of mine for rallycross for fun. 

https://jagsthatrun.com/collections/volvo/products/volvo-200-series-v8-motor-mount

Maybe an 80's Jag of some flavor? IRS, lots of ground clearance and easy to add more with subframe spacers, which would make the well documented engine swap even easier. They also come with surprisingly large tires, so you should be able to get decent rubber underneath.

Or I could get you an Opel Kadett for cheap....

Most of the gm h bodies that are driven on street now probably this combination. Lots of opel gts have probably had this swap aswell.

I would go with a G Body but if the course was overly bumpy I'd think about modifying the rear suspension for more travel and less bind.

In reply to MotorsportsGordon :

Ah, yes, the H body. One of those could possibly work, but I can't remember the last time I saw one in the wild. I'm honestly thinking hard and I can't remember ever seeing one on the road. I see the occasional ford maverick, but never a vega or monza.

Nearly any RWD American coupe with a v6 and v8 trim? The v6 trim would be next to nothing in cost, in most cases.

E36 318i's are usually dirt cheap. Maybe even cheaper than dirt.

gearheadmb said:

In reply to MotorsportsGordon :

Ah, yes, the H body. One of those could possibly work, but I can't remember the last time I saw one in the wild. I'm honestly thinking hard and I can't remember ever seeing one on the road. I see the occasional ford maverick, but never a vega or monza.

Most I’ve seen in person street car wise have been tubbed out etc. But occasionally you can find a h body mini stock for sale online or on Facebook etc.

AngryCorvair said:

Something with IRS. 

I agree for only one reason. With a solid axle, for best handling you will want something like 4.56 gears at a minimum.  Circle track guys run gears in the low 6s for a reason.  Gearing that steep will be impossible on the street if you have no overdrive.

If you have IRS, driveshaft torque is decoupled from suspension motion so final drive doesn't matter.  On the downside, torque is decoupled from suspension motion so you will have no grip 

I'd love to rallycross a C4 but the lack of headroom is a dealbreaker.  I'd want to put a 2.8 in it tho... You need revs to adjust the car with the throttle, so you need to be like minimum 4000rpm when on course so you get immediate engine braking if you need to hike the back end up if you entered a corner to conservative and you start to go wide mid corner, but that much RPM with a big engine is too much for rough dirt when it is time to exit.