#TBT | In autocrossing, sometimes different is really good

I can’t find it now but the previous owner of my old g20 van had a pic of it autocrossing years ago. 

The 'least appropriate' vehicle I've ever run with was an 86 F150. 2wd, 300 I6, 3 speed manual, stock suspension and rolling on L/T tires. It was every bit as slow as you would expect, but hilarious to watch.

Some dude had a track prepped Juke at Carlisle a few weeks ago. I'm embarassed to admit he actually beat me, but it was stripped, caged, well-prepared, and well driven.

There's also an SRT8 Grand Cherokee that showed up a couple of times and actually embarassed a lot of quick cars. 

I've autocrossed some strange things.

Now I'm thinking I've got to autocross my Town Car at least once. Preferably while the air ride suspension still works. 

In reply to slowbird :

I highly recommend it. 

Akron Sports Car Club guest artist

4500lb pickup truck seems pretty oddball 

I don't typically upvote five year old posts, but I've got a weakness for Fairmonts. Cool topic, hoping to see some more submissions today.

 I'll submit my 04 Ralliart wagon, second in class (due to horrible weather conditions and luck) at the state championship in 2021. 

I know you guys are pretty busy but I'd love to see more of these old articles posted. 

Clearly we are a competive bunch here, who in VA or NC remembers my old 74 Nova running in B street prepared? avacado green on trans am snowflake aluminum 15x7 wheels and an automatic transmission running to a gm 12 bolt rearend with 3.08 gears, GoodRear Gatorbacks for tires back when you could buy half tread shaved tires for $75 a piece. Never in all my years with motorsports did I ever see another 74 Nova autocrossed. I miss that old car, but divorce wrecks its revenge on you.

May I present you Porky. The fattest STS car with the softest suspension:

That was Porky's (and mine) very first autox ever. April 2007. I'd found some steelies off of one of the old Elantra forums cheap ($50) and some Kumho 711 tires in 205/55/15. By autox #2 I was ready for something nicer:

Konig 16x7 with 225/45R16 Hankook RS2's

My second car was just as odd:

In reference to the beginning of this thread and the guy who auto-x'd an E21, I was all set to get mine out there, but a couple parts broke.  Pretty sure it's the fuel pump relay on the car, and the wife's herniated disk pushing on the nerve in her back is the other.  

April, if I'm lucky.

wrenchklutz said:

Back in the mid-70's, I used to autocross my '66 VW Van.  Never turned it over, either.  And one time, I even beat a guy.  True, he was driving a '63 Corvair van, but hey, a win is a win.

I also had a 66 van, a camper, although I am embarrassed to admit that I did once roll it over onto its side.  Fortunately nobody was hurt as there weren't any passengers inside it at the time, or even a driver.  I was towing it with my parent's 71 Plymouth Valiant with a bumper hitch and made a left turn only to look up into the mirror and see it swerve out of view when it kept going straight.    It rolled into an empty parking lot, put two wheels up onto a high grassy curb, and gently tipped over onto its driver's side at about the pace of a brisk walk.  And yes your win against the Greenbrier definitely still counts.