Pre 1950s rally car?

Ridiculous idea but if you were to build a pre 50s car for gravel, what would it be. Modern drivetrain and suspension so its mostly dimesions and cosmetic.
I've seen video of a 49 Ford Tudor drifting and I like the Hudson Brougham but 200" length and 125" wheelbase would make that one tough.
Ideas?

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Grant Hughes

Nash metropolitan wait not that was early 50s....

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First Rally: 2010 First RallyX: 2004 (a bunch)
Driver (0), Co-Driver (7)
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Cars Built (2.5), Engines Blown (2) Cages Built (0) # of rotations (3.5)
Last Updated, Apr 9, 2023



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/20/2016 10:35AM by Gravity Fed.

I have driven a 1950 Ford which is basically the same as what you are looking at it is was terrible. Even with the flat head V8 is was slow, cumbersome, and hard to see out of. All of the ergonomics were terrible. So from a starting point I am not sure you could find something worse.

From a dimension standpoint it is basically the same size as an extended cab Ford Ranger. Might be "easiest" to just start with a truck frame and build body mounts for the shell you want to use.

Don't most of these old cars have under floor masters for the braking. So maybe racing has come full circle with the fancy floor mounted pedal boxes that everyone is drooling over.

Also there is this:



I know we are putting cages in cars, etc. But a good bit of safety is likely coming from the base cars ability to shed energy during an impact and not do thinks like impale the driver with the steering wheel.

I have 2 '38 Ford truck cabs and a '51 Buick sitting at my dads farm (because farms don't look right without some old cars sitting in a field).

I'd probably do something like this:

Mercedes Benz 170 V. 1949-1955. First car built by MB to be an "S" class. I would install an S55 drivetrain, with the supercharged V8. No turbo-lag. Would be a hoot. Only a 112", so not too bad.Only about a foot longer than Mk. 3 through Mk. 7 GTi's that I'm used to.

Volkswagen?

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Pete Remner
Cleveland, Ohio

1984 RX-7 (rallycross thing)
1978
Silence is golden, but duct tape is silver.

Volvo

Quote
Thomas Kimsey
Volvo

On that note...

Saab!

Quote
Paul Buck

Quote
Thomas Kimsey
Volvo

On that note...

Saab!

The 96 isn't that old!

Quote
Thomas Kimsey
Volvo

Early 60s

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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
Paul Buck

Quote
Thomas Kimsey
Volvo

On that note...

Saab!

Considering Saab began making cars first in November 1949 (and took cars no 3 and 7 off the line to prep for Monte Carlo) might be hard to find pre-1950s Saabs..That thing above is early 60s..
The mighty 850---with which they beat the whole world. (including Mercedes and Austin Healy works built 3,0 liter OHC sports cars--on clean asphalt)

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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.

something like this; https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f7/BuckBaker1949OldsmobileRocket.jpg

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I would rather drive a slow car fast as a fast car slow!
first rule of cars: get what makes you happy, your the one paying for it!

Quote
john vanlandingham

Quote
Thomas Kimsey
Volvo

Early 60s

????

PV444 was in production in the 40s.

Quote
Thomas Kimsey

Quote
john vanlandingham

Quote
Thomas Kimsey
Volvo

Early 60s

????

PV444 was in production in the 40s.

OK split screen..Sorry...
Do like whassis name Ingvar Gustaffsson and shove a built B23 in and make 265 hp...It'll go good.

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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.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/21/2016 04:19PM by john vanlandingham.

Quote
Thomas Kimsey

Quote
Paul Buck

Quote
Thomas Kimsey
Volvo

On that note...

Saab!

The 96 isn't that old!

Never trust google image search...

But as John said, the 92 started production in 1949. Maybe they only made 4 of them in '49, still fits the question.