the necessities?

For the past year and a half I have spent my time putting an old eclipse back together to run a rally fairly close to home. We hoped to make it last year but life had better ideas. So we mothballed the freshly rebuilt motor and finally got back to it this spring. Now here we are with fingers crossed about to start the motor and I realize that I need to look into the rally specific stuff. So my question for the group of learned people here is this:

What should we not try to go cheap on? We have tires and safety gear...mostly but I mean between intercom, rally computer or llights? I have read the rally u stuff on the NASA page and have really debated on if we really need a computer at all. Would I be better off spending money on a decent intercom? What quality of lights do I need to stay on the road and not get overtaken by spirited sweep trucks?

Also crew people would you like a shirt or dumb hat for the effort or are cheap beer and burned hotdogs enough?

I'll hang up and listen to your answers...

---

Slow down you will go faster
This space for rent or lease

Quote
markbobace
For the past year and a half I have spent my time putting an old eclipse back together to run a rally fairly close to home. We hoped to make it last year but life had better ideas. So we mothballed the freshly rebuilt motor and finally got back to it this spring. Now here we are with fingers crossed about to start the motor and I realize that I need to look into the rally specific stuff. So my question for the group of learned people here is this:

What should we not try to go cheap on? We have tires and safety gear...mostly but I mean between intercom, rally computer or llights? I have read the rally u stuff on the NASA page and have really debated on if we really need a computer at all. Would I be better off spending money on a decent intercom? What quality of lights do I need to stay on the road and not get overtaken by spirited sweep trucks?

Also crew people would you like a shirt or dumb hat for the effort or are cheap beer and burned hotdogs enough?

I'll hang up and listen to your answers...

Borrow an intercom. Find another rallyist friend that isn't using their's. peltor fmt120/110 is just battery operated and can ziptie onto the roll cage.

No rally computer needed. Simply get the "RallyOdo" app and use that with your phone. Good enough to not get lost on transit.

Lights? What event are you running? Some events are just daylight stages. If night stages, yes you will need lights. Assuming this is your first event, you will most likely be slow and good lights won't matter much, so pickup 4 cheap Hella FF500's from Walmart/Amazon.

If your friends are crewing for you, beer and food is tops.

1. Pass tech inspection. Go through the minimum scrutineering requirements in the rule book. You've got and old car and those simple things like to go south at the worst time. Shake the car down or at least drive it to work, don't ignore that intermittent ________.
2. Yes, borrow an intercom or find and old one used one on the cheap. Make sure it works with your helmets.
3. Rally computer's are really only used during transit if you're using stage notes. Not sure about cell service around there, a GPS is nice to have for transits.
4. You can get a decent cre LED lightbar on amazon for less than $100. Way better than walmart Hella's IMO. I'm guessing you're doing Magnum Opus since you're a troll? Lots of night stages, you'll want to be able to see even if you're going slow.
5. Your crew guys probably haven't done this before and/or they know this is your first event. Their expectations should be low. Make sure they know where to go, what to do when they get there, your stuff is somewhat organized in the service vehicle, they have food, something to sit on, a spectator map so they can sneak in some rally action and above all: beer and place to lay down at the end of the day.

If its your first rally you'll have so much to wrap your head around, just get there and have fun.

---

Dave Grenwis - DG Rally - www.dgrally.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/08/2015 08:44AM by DG_Rally.

I have a terra phone intercom that I will be replacing, you can borrow that. I am down in Auburn, Mi.

Has the suspension and/or the suspension pickup points been beefed up? Have the brake and fuel lines been moved inside the car? Is the car in tip top mechanical condition?

---

Runamuck Rally



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/07/2015 03:55PM by Towona.

Quote
Towona
Has the suspension and/or the suspension pickup points been beefed up? Have the brake and fuel lines been moved inside the car? Is the car in tip top mechanical condition?

Again good points...what's wif youse, huh?

Where ever bolts go thru for suspension and links and arms, everything modern is cheeeeeeee---zeeeee. Way thing..
Now what thickness they are, if they don't turn to rust and flake away---and that is a danger---they'll last for normal grocery getting type stuffs...

So either drive like you're just running to the store for a quart of milk, and be happy..


Or snip up some stuff and double the thickness--at least...

Way back in 1989 i was at Ford Motorsport in Boreham, Essex for a series of long serious interviews for a job as mechanic on the WRC Sierras and in between and on breaks we would wander thru the shop and my eyes are like HUGE taking in as much as i could..
At the time they were still using modified OEM rear diff mounting (the beam) and modified trailing arms....the entire beam/subframe was double thickness---I asked and they said they just grab 'em off the line before they're all welded together and plasma cut them and stacked 'em double and the did the same for the ears stickin out for the trailing arms..
The trailing arms were also extensively added to....

And I thunk to myself "Oi! If dese geezas are adding that much weight to things, as obsessive as they are about weight, there must be good reason"

Yeah: they made cars for gettin groceries, not slamming sideways into big holes and rocks..

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Quote
William Marenich
I have a terra phone intercom that I will be replacing, you can borrow that. I am down in Auburn, Mi.

That would be great. Hit me up on email:
markhoward727@gmail.com and we can work something out.

---

Slow down you will go faster
This space for rent or lease

Sorry I forgot to mention that the car was running in open class at sno drift and Magnum Opus in 2012. I bought it in fall of 13 with no motor in plans to make it open light so we could run all 3 Michigan rallies. The suspensions is good. I had to replace the fuel lines and a few brake lines but the car is solid for a Michigan car. I'll post some pictures this weekend if you are interested. She ain't pretty but as long as it's fun..

Thanks again for the insights.

---

Slow down you will go faster
This space for rent or lease