What makes a rally car a rally car?

[HRH]

If it's been airborne, of course! Though I don't have the cage in yet, I have been slightly annoyed that despite building a rally car, I hadn't gotten all 4 wheels off the ground in Eleanor. SO, for your viewing pleasure, I went out to the ORV park tonight with a couple buddies. :D Gotta test what you build!

 

Beware, files are rather large for those with slow connections.

 

http://www.mattalbertson.net/510jump1.avi

 

http://www.mattalbertson.net/510jump2.avi

Jump two is higher, but you can also hear the bogging of the carbs because I sat around idling too long. SUs don't like heatsoak, plus we kept driving around, trying to find a combination of not enough jump to hole an oil pan, and enough smooth area to get a run at a lip. The motor was getting about 200-210 degrees, which wasn't so great. Need to hook up my electric fan.

 

http://www.mattalbertson.net/buddyjeep.avi

Buddy's new Jeep, making it up.

 

http://www.mattalbertson.net/wentup.avi

I made it up after Buddy! Whooot!

 

Earlier, we went to the river, so here's a shot of my navigator, who rode with me on the jumps, she wasn't all that thrilled about banging around in the 510, but she's eaten now and happy.

 

 

Buddy and his brother posing next to the mighty 510.

 

Buddy's new Jeep.

What we just climbed up. It's a lot steeper than it looks.

 

This is all the carnage from today, one broken exhaust mounting bracket. Will need to get that welded up, hits the body a little bit, makes a nasty rattle.

Edited July 22, 2009 by HRH

[i510]

look like fun

[Bleach]

if the exhaust bracket is all you broke, you did well! :)

[HRH]

That and the car has sand all over and I have some up my crack!:eek:

[Dime Dave]

Here is a photo of Dan Cook's 510 Rally car taken at last weekend's (7/18/09) New England Forest Rally by Chris of Maine (a frequent contributor to the Bluebird List)

 

[HRH]

Thank goodness I'm not the only sick individual!

[hang_510]

:lol: ^its the pre-requisite for membership here!

 

 

i rallyed and then rolled my 4door w/my 'navigator' in the back seat :mellow:

[HRH]

Got the hanger welded up by Ken at Doc's Muffler. After which I was told, "No more jumping." :D

[zenndog]

Here is a photo of Dan Cook's 510 Rally car taken at last weekend's (7/18/09) New England Forest Rally by Chris of Maine (a frequent contributor to the Bluebird List)

 

 

Some how I think this guy had the good sense to let his dog sit it out.

 

Just remember when you fly if security asks you to throw away your water, remember it has a phony compartment in it and just throw it away.

Edited July 23, 2009 by zenndog

[City Hunter]

I guess the reqiurement would be it has raced in a rally? Hell I've caught a little air flying over speedbumps with my old lancer :D. Man that orv looks really fun.

[ggzilla]

What makes a rally car a rally car?

Dual rallye stripes is the easiest way but it won't help win any races :-)

[Byron510]

Vids look like you were having fun.

Can I make a suggestion if you plan to continue with the abuse to the car though?

You need shocks - really badly. Not only will it help the car survive, it may also do wonder for your neck, back and physio/chiropractor bills!

You also need stiffer springs: On the first vid, the car comes down on the bump stops then bounces back into the air! This is really bad for everything and everyone involved. On my first rally car, I actually built a custom set of front struts that incorporated 280ZX spindles and brakes with the long tube Koni gas 510 wagon inserts (lots of machine work, but well worth the effort) I used 12" long 2 1/2" dia springs on threaded collars to keep the spring rate as linear as possible - man did it ever make a huge difference. Wheel travel is just an awesome thing - look at those guys in Score with over 18" of travel. That's like the holy grail of off road engineering.

 

Anyways, keep on having fun and posting for our amusement! You help me relive the rally days of old :)

 

Byron

[HRH]

Ha ha! That's awesome, because I totally just got done doing all the suspension work and brake work on the 510. With new Tokico shocks. :D In fact, the entire car has now been replaced, save the body and wiring. Oh yeah, and haven't put on the new tie rods yet.

 

What's even more entertaining is I'm also using 12" 150 pound springs in the front (GC kit), with 500 pound springs in the rear, with 280zx fronts, basically duplicating the original 71 510 rally car suspension specs as far as poundage.

 

The thing with the extra bounce is probably also because there are whoops after that little jump, which don't make for a very smooth landing, not to mention it wasn't exactly a smooth jump, more of an impromptu hurdle. Inside the car it felt pretty stiff, though controlled, and half the rattle is the windows in the tracks minus felt, etc.

 

But I was going over the footage, and I agree, I may need somewhat stiffer springs in the front, though I think the rear are fine. What rate were your front springs?

 

And yes, of course I want Baja remote reservoir shocks! Only 12,000 a corner for the cheap setup! Wish I had that kind of cash. I'll be lucky to afford the roll cage so I can race!

 

EDIT: I just went back over the footage, and if you look carefully, it seems I touched down right on the edge of a dip, which may be why the front suspension seems to rebound quite a bit. If you look at the edge of the video, you'll see a bunch of wavy whoops right after the ledge I jumped.

EDIT2: I just went over the first jump where I got less air, but more even off the ground, and it does appear the front has too much hop. Wonder if a 200 pound spring would do the trick? Though it's interesting 150/500 are what the Nismo rally package calls for. And really the car handles pretty well, though it will be getting heavier with the rollcage and skid plates to come.

 

Oh, and Byron, I still need a navigator! :D You're not too old for that, right?

Edited July 25, 2009 by HRH

[Byron510]

I'm going to say that I don't have the balls to navigate!

While in a rally car at high rates of speed, I feel the need to be behind the wheel, not along for the ride! :blink: Thanks, but I'll pass on the offer.

I give navigators all the credit in the world

[goatee]

Man I want to rally so bad but not in my datsun. A friend of mine and I are thinking of buying a beater for that or 24 hours of lemons. We don't want to win just race! :lol:

 

Keep the vids coming.