FRONT or REAR Wheeel Drive (or all!)

Heavy cars take longer to get moving, longer to slow down, want to go straight rather than turn. The only thing they do faster is tear up tires and brakes.

I'll bet JVL remembers the old GTS that Holt drove, or Watanabees maybe Alan Carter also?? GpA cars back in the day. Nothing radical then. 1600 dohc, rather stock suspension and so on. Very quick, nimble cars. First time out Holt beat Whitings RX3 in the Capital Forest..no easy feat. The only good thing I'll say about a Focus, they re easy to cage. About as much room as a Chrysler minivan inside ( hence the weight issues).

Gene

Jon Burke Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I want to see someone build an old Porsche.....I
> thought Jens is/was a Porsche guy, yes?
>
> I know you all think I'm a subaru brat (ok...well,
> maybe I am)...but my first real sports car was a
> 1980 911SC. That car was FUN. easy to work on
> too. I sold it back in '06 and I'm still pissed
> at myself for it. THAT's my REAL dream rally
> project

As recently as 2006 Ian Crera ran a 77 911 up here in Canuckistan. He now runs a ford escort cosworth.

---

Andrew M
Onterrible
30ish

John, please tell me of a gearbox that doesnt cost thousands for my corolla. Your type 9? Easily 2k for a quick ratio box. Thats WITH getting a bunch of stuff made, like turning down pilot bearings, messing with the release bearing, clutch fork, driveshaft........

Why not spend some money (Oh, god no!) and get something newer, nicer, and available for the application?

Before you say it, no, I havent really researched it that much, but there are gearbox out there for the VW's

And no, I havent been around for as long as you. Nor have I raced as much (or even any), however, That doesnt mean I'm automatically a dumbass. I think that being 30 years younger then you is actually a benefit to me. Times HAVE changed. That doesnt bother me. I've grown up with stuff changing ALL THE TIME. Hell, I'm at one of the only colleges around that STILL teaches manual drafting BEFORE autocad and 3d modeling.

I'm really sick and tired of you telling me "forget about weight, you dont need to worry about weight, blah blah blah" But the second I bring up a car that you dont like, BOOM "Holy fucking shit! It weighs too much!!!" Its not hard to lighten a car. It takes money. Money takes time. So, it takes time to lighten a car. But it can be done. Especially if you know anything about different materials, like composites, or lexan.

Cars can be strengthened. Suspension can be made, and/or modified. Dont you do that?

People dont start at the top of anything. Knowledge or skill. Even Ford had to start somewhere all those years ago. They experimented, made mistakes and learned from them. Its called progress. Stop promoting people to hid from it. It bothers me.


And before you start going on about my being an ungrateful, selfish, rude, arrogant, or whatever else you might want to call me, I do thank you for your help. I always have. I've apriciated it. Its just too different opinions, and you need to deal with it in a manner that isnt all "holier than thou" Whether you mean it or not, you KNOW thats how people are going to take what you've typed. Hell, thats what ALWAYS happens. You cant read tone, or body language.

Respond however you want to this, take what you want out of it but realize I *HAVE* appriciated your help in the past.

---

Welcome to the cult of JVL drink the koolaid or be banned.

I've heard of people puting a Getrag 5 speed from a BMW 320i on AE86 don't know how tough of a modification it will be but they are all over the place.

Please remember that John knows every thing. And if you don't believe that just ask him. $2K for a new transmission with reasonable gears is cheap. Compare that to the price of the proper transmission for a Subaru or a Saab like John or I used to rally.

Indeed, you are correct, there are good transmissions out there for VW's. However, I do not think they are as cheap as Ford Mustang transmissions. Therefore, I made the decision to rally a Ford Mustang. That means you must also. Or not.

I have rallied a whole lot more than John although he has done better than me those few times he has chosen to grace us with his precense. So that means you must listen to us. We are right! Even when we disagree which which is most of the time. Both of us are right because we have been rallying for so long.

In other words us exalted senior moderators (or what ever title this forum decides to give you next time ) don't worry about what the so called experts say. If John or I were so good, we would have Travis' contract.

So have fun with a car you like.
Richard

---

RichardM

Richard Miller Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Please remember that John knows every thing.

Hey Miller I have received STACKS of mail saying "don't feed the fucking asswipe TROLL cause that's what he is" so I will treat you like the Pete Morriss you're trying to be and just say shut up.

And
> if you don't believe that just ask him.

Yeah, I don't claim that, but it's clear I know vastly more than you do about building, and building on a budget, so butt out.

$2K for a
> new transmission with reasonable gears is cheap.
> Compare that to the price of the proper
> transmission for a Subaru or a Saab like John or I
> used to rally.

I've shown Timmy gearsets for the Ford box for under $800
>
> Indeed, you are correct, there are good
> transmissions out there for VW's. However, I do
> not think they are as cheap as Ford Mustang
> transmissions. Therefore, I made the decision to
> rally a Ford Mustang. That means you must also. Or
> not.

You're as usual repeating the obvious.
>
> I have rallied a whole lot more than John although
> he has done better than me those few times he has
> chosen to grace us with his precense.

If you call merely driving along at never more than appoximately 40mph ever "rallying"


So that
> means you must listen to us. We are right! Even
> when we disagree which which is most of the time.
> Both of us are right because we have been rallying
> for so long.

Nobody must listen to you because you are a fraud, and a liar.
>
> In other words us exalted senior moderators (or
> what ever title this forum decides to give you
> next time ) don't worry about what the so called
> experts say. If John or I were so good, we would
> have Travis' contract.

Hey don't lump me in with you. You are an Electrical Engineer. And you are slow.
And you always were slow. You have nothing to contribute, go back to Special Stage and lie some more.
>
> So have fun with a car you like.

Still repeating the obvious.
> Richard
>
> RichardM

---

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.

heymagic Wrote:

>
> I'll bet JVL remembers the old GTS that Holt
> drove, or Watanabees maybe Alan Carter also?? GpA
> cars back in the day. Nothing radical then. 1600
> dohc, rather stock suspension and so on. Very
> quick, nimble cars. First time out Holt beat
> Whitings RX3 in the Capital Forest...
>
> Gene

The said thing given my lack of years relative to some is that I remember carter and the Watanabees also I remember Hines, Parker, Christenson, Brooks, Block, Arnold and even some guy named Kim Bottles driving back in them days.

The point is RWD is more fun from inside the car then the other drive trains. Who cares about the outside, since the guy in the car is paying the bills he/she might as well try and get the most fun out of the deal.

FWD parts are not cheap drive shafts for the golf that lasted $2500 by the time I got them right. Gear box $7000 - sometimes you can find a used one for only $3500 like I did but then I put a $1000 LSD and a $500 final drive in it...


Derek Bottles

---

In the long run reality always wins.

Dazed_Driver Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> And before you start going on about my being an
> ungrateful, selfish, rude, arrogant, or whatever
> else you might want to call me, I do thank you for
> your help. I always have. I've apriciated it. Its
> just too different opinions

$2000 for a gearbox is amazingly cheap. Look at PPG, which is one of the cheapest Subaru gearsets available and you will understand. A 4 gear straight cut Subaru gear kit is still around $3500. A T5 5 speed close ratio, straight cut gearbox (note: not the gears, but a full assembled box) is only $2000 from G-Force. You can save money and pick up a Ford Motorsports close ratio synchro box for only 600-700 or so.
I have a T9 that needs rebuilt (blown bearing, sounds like on the input shaft) that is free to you if you come pick it up from me at Oregon Trails. And you are more than entitled to be rude, arrogant, ungrateful, and selfish. I'm around 9 years older than you or so and I'm all of the above and proud of it. Well, I try not to be too rude because I find it to be uncouth.

---

Grant Hughes

$3500 for a suby PPG is CHEAP!! haha....hell, that's a hyped up sponsorship price right there! LOL

They're like $4K now, but there's options around 1-2 straight cut, 3-4 helical, and slightly cheaper, but not much. plus labor and extras. (billet fork, upgraded syncros, etc)

BUT...that's also an indestructible gear set too.....


someone keep talking to me about porsches cause I'm too lazy to get on a porsche forum and ask there. I had my clutch/tranny rebuild at about 180K miles......nothing special except it was a Sachs Power Clutch, was that enough to rally? shit, I'm getting distracted from my current goal....

---

Jon Burke - KI6LSW
Blog: http://psgrallywrx.blogspot.com/

Glad to amuse you John.

---

RichardM

Jon Burke Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> BUT...that's also an indestructible gear set
> too.....

You just called a racing gearbox "indestructible". That's just bad karma any way you slice it. You will now be cursed with a gear set that explodes like it's in a Neon

Tim Taylor Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Jon Burke Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> > BUT...that's also an indestructible gear set
> > too.....
>
> You just called a racing gearbox "indestructible".
> That's just bad karma any way you slice it. You
> will now be cursed with a gear set that explodes
> like it's in a Neon

LOL, you're right...but that's what all the idiots yell on nasioc whenever some doofus breaks their stock 2nd gear, so really I just paraphrased

Do you know anyone local in the bay area with a straight cut gear set? (I don't care if its a suby or not), I'm dying to drive one just to see what its like.

---

Jon Burke - KI6LSW
Blog: http://psgrallywrx.blogspot.com/

Head to the race track on an SCCA weekend and look for any of the Formula Fords. They all have Hewland transmissions with straight cut gears and dog clutches.

---

RichardM

Our Focus SVT has a "close ratio" gearset (close, maybe on the street) but seems very long on our rally course. In fact, most of the course is driven in 2nd gear and third is only possible for a second or two on the back straight. I looked into an alternate gearset but Quaife, Hewland, X-trac, *(the only manufacturer I could find who did the 6 speed Getrag) were all over $6000-6500 for a straight cut gearset. If I wanted to go with a new gearbox, H-pattern or sequential, it is $15000+. Maybe when I win the lottery, but until then I guess stock is where we'll be.

+10000 to RWD for gearboxes!

A local guy is stuffing a supercharged 3.8 in his Merkur with a T56 from a Cobra. He picked up the gearbox for $1400. Ratios are 2.66, 1.78, 1.3, 1.00, .79, 0.63. Fifth and sixth are a little strange, but hey, gives good cruising on transits and nice ratios in 1-4. My Merkur at 70 in 5th with a .68 ratio cruises at around 1800-2000 RPM.

What final drive are you using in your Focus Mark?

---

Grant Hughes