Going to be building a car this winter for Colorado events

Hello to everyone.

I am going to be building a car this winter to run rallyx events and CHCA events here in Colorado. I have a choice of two vehicles that I am thinking of doing. I will list them bellow and the reasons why. I am looking for a little bit more insight to help push me one way or the other.

I have been on an openwheel team in the past for the CHCA. I was on the 98 car team with Paul Dalenbach and sometimes Wally driving. I have helped build everything from the carbon fiber wings to programing the fuel injection. I have not been part of the team for a couple years now as work has not allowed me the time to participate. This is just to let you have a bit of background of what experience I have. Not much with rally cars and some with openwheel cars.

You will laugh at the first choice of car but I have a long history and great experience with it. I have built 4 of them for various different things and even one for a rally car which I sadly had to sell before being able to use. I have built even more for other people.

1992 Toyota MR2. This is the 2nd generation MR2 that has the 3sgte. I have a V6 that is ready to go into it though. Begin the jeering now.

Reasons:

Pros:
Already own one that is stripped.
Intimate knowledge of the MR2 either first gen or 2nd.
Car is half prepared.
Car is very strong.
Good brakes.
Tons of aftermarket support.
Mid engine.
Rear wheel drive.
Makes big power if wanted.
Light weight. Mine is right around 2000 pounds. Yes it really did loose about 700 pounds.
Parts are easy to find and mostly cheap.
You can swap parts between all sorts of Toyota models making the easy and cheap to get.
Decent wheel travel

Cons:
I have to bribe John into making proper suspenders as no one else makes suspension worthy of the dirt for it.
Unknown competitiveness.
I will end up having to fabricate some things I am sure.

On to car two which most of you will say is the hands down winner.

Xratty

Pros:
Known to be very competitive.
Lots of support.
Light.
Cheap.
Normal drive line configuration.
Reliability.
John makes suspenders for it.

Cons:
I have to go buy one.
It will be another car to find a spot for at the house.
Have to start from scratch.
Wife will be pissed I bought another car.
Not as familiar with it.
Probably have to get rid of the current MR2.

This is going to be done completely for fun. I just want to go out and have a good time with people that like rally. I am not looking to set the world on fire with either of these cars. I just want to get out and enjoy myself. If I do well then I will think about going the next step up.

Let the debate begin.

Build the MR2. Because I want to be the only XR at the hill climbs.

But really. What kind of power can you make with the MR2. I think it'd be cool provided you can get 250-300 horsepower.

Xratty you have the benefit of the fact that I am building one. I know where a stripped and deglued one is sitting in a field that could be had for cheap. No engine, but it's a roller. I got a pic of me chipping all the sound deadening out of it from last summer (2005).

There is also the big benefit of the fact that I am building a XR so there are options for spare parts as well as shared knowledge.

There are things being made that will make the car a hands down winner. But of course it all comes down to money. I've spent over $10K trying to get this car going, and will probably hit around $15 when done. That's not including the cost of car ($600) but does include things like wheels and gravel tires ($1500) and a few things that people will say were a waste of money. Well, actually quite a few things that people will say were a waste of money. But I wanted them and money is just an object to me. Speaking of which, I need to go buy some shit.

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Grant Hughes

Hey Grant,

Thanks for the reply.

With the 4cly in there it is easy to get between 300 to 400 horsepower. Many people are getting as high as 700 horsepower. These are people who do nothing but drag race though.

With the V6 I can hit 300 without even sneezing. People are getting ridiculous amounts of power out of them like breaking out of triple digits ridiculous.

I want to focus on the suspension first this time around. All my other projects started off with the engine work and the suspension always suffered for it. I figure 300HP in the car should be plenty for now and be reliable.

The existing car I built for the GRM $2006 challenge so now that the challenge is over I have the car just sitting around.

The one thing about the XR idea though is that the hillclimb team I was on has a bunch of Cosie engines still in crates that Ford sent us. It was for the Indycar we converted for PikesPeak. It would be fun to see an XR with one in there.

Well then, just send me a Cossie engine and it will be done. It could be my codriver award for PPO win in 2005. I got a set of 17" Compomotive TH2s for winning, why not a Cossie engine too?

The MR2 could be fine for hill climbs. I'm sure many will pipe up with why not and that you shouldn't, but being a former CHCA and Dallenbach crew member, you're likely not afraid of some fabrication and you probably know the car well.

Here's the main question. Is there good drivetrain options? Like close ratios, good final drive, and a good clutch type LSD? If so I say go for it!

Your competition will be me, Bolin, and Oerter. Bolin's got an Evo 3 tranny, I'll have a closish ratio T5 with Supra LSD, and Oerter I presume runs a T5 as well since he has a Ford 2.3T. It'll be good fun regardless, and I think it'd be interesting too if the top four cars are all different. Especially considering there are going to be 10-12 Subarus, about 9 of which are turbo in the AWD class but still only around 220-300 horsepower.

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Grant Hughes