Best First Rallycross Car?

In reply to Jerry:

Can you give a link to more pics? I'd like to know any other details you feel like sharing. Mister Two's have always seemed cool to me but I know less than nothing about them. I'm assuming the car would run in MR - would that be awkward for a complete noob? My old SCCA membership lapsed years ago so I know nothing about the Michigan regions or how things work now. I'm planning to get to a couple events in the spring , volunteer to work, and ask a bunch of questions, but until then I'm really ignorant...

mazdeuce wrote: In Michigan I'd be looking for a Neon, Focus, ZX2, bunch of Saturn's, Cavalier. I was just driving around up there and the roads are flooded with cheap domestic econo cars.

So are the fields at Detroit Rallycross events. There was only ONE Blue Subaru at last weekend's event. Cavaliers, Neons, ZX2s, Civics, Miatas, lots of stuff.

Stock Front had a Protege5 (blazing quick, too. GOOD chassis/engine!), Scion xB (new one, not the mini-box), early 90s Accord... Stock Rear had a few Miatas and an IS300 in regulation Bright Yellow.

kylini wrote: Cheap Ford Escort: Most expensive thing on the car (including the car) is the windshield. I'm sure you can find one which still has some interior, windows, and lights for cheap. It's also an automatic, not that it matters much. It placed 2nd, 3rd, and 4th at our last event with old free all-seasons. Fifth was this Subaru on rally tires piloted by a very good driver:

As one of the drivers of this car, I can definitely say the Escort GT is a very valid, cheap option. The BP engine revs high so on most courses, you can shift once (manual trans) or just leave it in first on the auto & then left foot brake through the course. The Hardy family from Colorado has won SF at nationals more than once in one as well.

Parts are cheap as well. We had to replace every last bit of brake hardware on the rear axle & spent just over $200.

If you want RWD (which I suggest as the most fun), e30, e36, Miata (with hardtop), Volvo 240 - all are good choices and can take the beating. If you like rotary, obviously any RX7 will do well also. And any of these can be found in running condition for a couple grand.

Sleeper pick (the one that is leading our Mod RWD points currently): e28 528 or 535 bmw. Can be found dirt cheap (no e30/e36 "tax") and can be competitive. Or Porsche 944 seem to do well also.

For FWD, you have a million choices.

For AWD, cheap impreza or forester if cheap is the goal. GC 2.5 or WRX won't be cheap.

In reply to Sanchinguy:

I entered MR before I ever did a single thing to the car. I figured I could do anything I wanted and not bump classes, and around here no one was running SR anyway. Search my threads and you might still find the build thread and assorted photos over time.

Here's a Facebook album with assorted stuff: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2439167176118.2121361.1159944372&type=1&l=72a6c83b81

One of the most talented Michigan Rallycrossers was a guy in a Panther Body.

(I don't think this is him but similar car)

In Michigan should be cheap to find and upgrade and maintain.

Other options:

• Porsche 944
• Any late 90's sport compact car. Oddly the Toyota Corolla's of the 1990-2000 age are MIA despite the independent suspensions and willingness to rotate on trail braking.
• First Gen Dodge/Chrysler Cloud cars. Bolt in SRT4 Turbo powertrain and go. Sold as Turbo in other markets. Plus SLA suspension.

Sanchinguy wrote: In reply to Jerry: Can you give a link to more pics? I'd like to know any other details you feel like sharing. Mister Two's have always seemed cool to me but I know less than nothing about them. I'm assuming the car would run in MR - would that be awkward for a complete noob? My old SCCA membership lapsed years ago so I know nothing about the Michigan regions or how things work now. I'm planning to get to a couple events in the spring , volunteer to work, and ask a bunch of questions, but until then I'm really ignorant...

I'll just leave this here...

http://detroit-scca.org/e107/page.php?12

http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/cto/4767013209.html

I'll leave this here as well, $850 of triangled rallyx potential

Subaru anything. I'll be in my cheap black Forester.
Bring a spare air fileter or two for the ride home. Some of the courses can get real dusty.

-1 on the Subaru thing. It seems that there's a near parity between Subarus rallycrossed and Subarus with oil starvation engine failure. Need to check the oil after every run. Period. Almost nobody does this.

The best time I had in a SSCA Rallycross was in a 93 Volvo 940 Turbo with Bilsteins. Wish I did not get rid of it.

Has anyone mentioned rental car yet? If your not out for the season title, why not a Hyundai or Charger rental? Try a few different types and see what sort of layout you like on the cheap.

Even if you are going for the season, maybe buy a set of tires for a car you know you can get every time?

The Zetec in my ZX2SR had enough torque, power and revability that second gear was all that was needed.

anybody have some links to class info and locations of events?

Thanks!

Rob R.

How about this one?

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/200x-classifieds/my-stalled-project-98-ford-escort-zx-2-dayton-oh-/92310/page1/

wvumtnbkr wrote: anybody have some links to class info and locations of events? Thanks! Rob R.

In Canada - based out of Bancroft ON.

Our classes are different and this is the 2014 website:

http://www.mlrc.ca/rallycross/

Knurled wrote: -1 on the Subaru thing. It seems that there's a near parity between Subarus rallycrossed and Subarus with oil starvation engine failure. Need to check the oil after every run. Period. Almost nobody does this.

Maybe the nature of the course I have ran on is different, but I have NEVER seen a single case of what you are describing. I ran an Outback for 2 partial seasons and never had any issues.

Driving Miles' (now Jerry's) Subaru, we noted that it would randomly be a half quart low after a run.

I'm thinking, sometimes the conditions are just right and oil hangs up in one side long enough to get sucked through the PCV system. Maybe. Dunno. Just keep checking the oil! I cannot count the number of Subarus that I've seen ended a rallycross with a rod knock, because it's over five and it's too cold to take my socks off to count any higher.

A Moroso oil pan solves Subaru oil starvation problems.

AWD DSM. They are a lot of fun in the dirt, and very fast. A little smaller and lighter then a WRX, with a much stronger drive train. Nice DSM's are hard to come by, but ratty ones that are as fast as they are ugly are not difficult to find. Perfect for rallycross.

Just bear in mind that AWD DSMs don't have very good sightlines, and they are geared tall. This might be a benefit if your region has small little courses that mean you can leave it in 1st gear, mind you.

Yes, I always think of things in terms of perfection and how far away it is from that point. OTOH, I rallycrossed my Volvo a few days after I got it, and found that it is almost exactly the wrong car to run in SF. It's huge, heavy, slow, can't turn, and you can't see out of it... But I was on course with a helmet on my head and numbers on the side of the car.

Which is the ultimate point: Best first car is something that isn't completely scrody and will be reliable enough that you can easily keep making it to events. AWD DSM? Sure, if you can find one and keep it held together. Cavaliers are cheaper and easier to find, though. They look like they handle better, too.

wvumtnbkr wrote: anybody have some links to class info and locations of events? Thanks! Rob R.

Wdcr runs at frostburg, MD. Might not be too far for you. Most of us drive 2-3 hours from the dc metro to get there.

I thought WDCR was looking for another potential venue again (I could be wrong on that, maybe an additional venue would be better wording)

I wouldn't be surprised at the latter. It's a pretty good venue, just far.

WDCR is continuing to look for additional potential venues.