Beater Rallycross car: what the heck am I doing here?

I'm late to this thread and only read the 1st page so far. I bought a '94 e36 as my beater rallycross car for $1100 last winter. If I was going to do it again, I'd get a miata in a heartbeat. Better chassis, much more competive, and Mazda pays contingency!

Here's my beater e36;

btw, ice racing and rallycross are best motorsports I've found. I feel burnt out wrenching on my racecar, but somehow find the energy to get ready for the dirt/ice.

loudes13 wrote: If I was going to do it again, I'd get a miata in a heartbeat. Better chassis, much more competive, and Mazda pays contingency!

I hear it is always the answer.

In reply to EvanB: That is an awesome picture

EvanB wrote:

loudes13 wrote: If I was going to do it again, I'd get a miata in a heartbeat. Better chassis, much more competive, and Mazda pays contingency!

I hear it is always the answer.

Not always

(and yes, that is a stellar picture)!

smallprintdisclaimer:themiatarunningwasaretiredspecmiatanowalemonscarandwasondirtstocktiresnotrallytires.

Yea I know all to well what a bmw can do.

EvanB wrote: Yea I know all to well what a bmw can do.

touche' - though that wasn't really the point of the screen capture, since an RX7 won our MR season, NOT a BMW

J/K anyhow. The Miata in question highlighted in the standings there was this one:

My wife practiced her starts a bit in the Forester this weekend, but after further discussion tonight, I really think getting an automatic car is the way to go. She can get in and have fun and not worry about shifting or stalling on the start.

Yes, I advised her just to drop the clutch and spin the wheels. Trust me on this, auto will be easier to get here there in the first place. We can work on the driving afterwards.

This is now also on the list, because slushbox:

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/4143752104.html

I want a Miata, but I can't buy an automatic. They suck that way.

you can find e30s with slushboxes all day long for nothing on CL, since nobody (ok well at least no enthusiasts) wants old auto e30s. Closer to a Miata than a Fozzy. And you still get RWD goodness. Just sayin'

boom. perfect, depending on your budget (for some reason, Raleigh has a bunch of e30 verts for sale but not many hardtops...odd)

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/4178791764.html

Just found this, too, but 5 speed. Still, very, very tempting.

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/4182711941.html

Irish, I owned 4 E30s. They are great cars, but that one is about $1000 more than I want to spend. Convertibles are common because our winter is a joke.

Brett_Murphy wrote: Just found this, too, but 5 speed. Still, very, very tempting. http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/4182711941.html Irish, I owned 4 E30s. They are great cars, but that one is about $1000 more than I want to spend. Convertibles are common because our winter is a joke.

yeah, I didn't spend much time looking around NC. About 2 minutes, to be precise. Up this way slushbox e30s seem to be all over CL, and cheap. Especially when I'm looking for a manual one

ex:

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/cto/4182335990.html

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/cto/4186193961.html

Dang. I would buy the hell out of that 2 door if it was closer and not rusty.

I think all of the manuals and convertibles are in NC.

Great, now that plastic bumper E30 is HAUNTING ME.

At 163k it is just a baby.

Ive got some ls1 goodness for you......

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/4147734307.html

'87 Corolla Turbo?

http://fayetteville.craigslist.org/cto/4183721861.html

$1000 Porsche 944

http://greensboro.craigslist.org/cto/4182240662.html

Brett_Murphy wrote: Ok. This is a shocker. My wife was watching my videos from my last run and she said *she wants to try it!* I've been trying to get her to an event for years now........

I never thought about it until I saw your post, so I asked my wife and she want to try it also! I'm kinda shocked.

Now what to build? It has to be an automatic also. I have a Ecotec turbo motor, a Powerglide to Ecotec adapter, a Powerglide, and a 1964 Triumph Spitfire. Might be my best bet to just build this out of parts/cars I already have.

As a couple, we will try to make a Raleigh event or two.

Gasoline wrote:

Brett_Murphy wrote: Ok. This is a shocker. My wife was watching my videos from my last run and she said *she wants to try it!* I've been trying to get her to an event for years now........

I never thought about it until I saw your post, so I asked my wife and she want to try it also! I'm kinda shocked. Now what to build? It has to be an automatic also. I have a Ecotec turbo motor, a Powerglide to Ecotec adapter, a Powerglide, and a 1964 Triumph Spitfire. Might be my best bet to just build this out of parts/cars I already have. As a couple, we will try to make a Raleigh event or two.

A turbo Ecotech powered Spitfire

The V8/automatic combo might be really nice for Rallycross. I like this idea.

Here is a dumb question (I gots lots): Wondering if the Modified catagory is a "anything goes" catagory?

My Q? Could you use 2 engines in 1 car in the Modified catagory? Like a Ford Focus fwd and stick another fwd motor in the back? I know where 2 are rotting. The Modified rule says: 5. Any engine may be used but must be internal combustion.

In reply to Gasoline:

To hell with the rules, you should build this regardless.

Gasoline wrote: Here is a dumb question (I gots lots): Wondering if the Modified catagory is a "anything goes" catagory? My Q? Could you use 2 engines in 1 car in the Modified catagory? Like a Ford Focus fwd and stick another fwd motor in the back? I know where 2 are rotting. The Modified rule says: 5. Any engine may be used but must be internal combustion.

Durocco, anyone?

I would note, though, that looking at rallycross the lightest cars tend to be the fastest in most cases. 2 engines/transmissions adds up to a pretty heavy car. Would be fun but would be probably terrible on any kind of tight courses. Plus all the beating it takes, you're doubling the possibility of breakage.

irish44j wrote: I would note, though, that looking at rallycross the lightest cars tend to be the fastest in most cases.

My observations on the matter tend toward the exact opposite.

On the other hand, I'm used to courses where you test all eight bump stops many times per run.

We have a subie with a 2.5 and an auto that runs locally and is brutally fast. I don't think an auto is as big of a disadvantage as some think especially on faster courses.

Knurled wrote:

irish44j wrote: I would note, though, that looking at rallycross the lightest cars tend to be the fastest in most cases.

My observations on the matter tend toward the exact opposite. On the other hand, I'm used to courses where you test all eight bump stops many times per run.

I thought you ran a 1st gen RX-7? That qualifies as a "light car" in my book.

What cars that would be considered "heavy" would you say are dominating in rally-x?

Evo's in all the AWD classes at nationals.