poolheaters

A bit like the one we ran in 1999 then? Its a good idea, and it will make you smile. My very first car (of over 120 now) was a red RX3 coupe also..

Hey Benny, if you are talking about Richards car than yes it was a work of art. Many of the parts ended up in my RX3. Was a sad day helping him strip the shell. I think he was running about 3rd at classic adelaide when it all went wrong? Photo attached of my RX3 to try and spark Darksides interest..

I suffered the same excitement a few years ago and we through together an RX3 coupe from a caged shell in about 3 weeks and ran Rally Tasmania 09. We had all sorts of problems due to the lack of prep, but when it went it was very fast and very competitive. I still have 3 shells and will one day make one properly, but as Benny said there is a lot of engineering to be done to get them right! We were going full 5 link rear and rack & pinion steering front etc etc. You would probably spend $30-$50k, but you would be up there with the Porsches at a fraction of the price? 880kg and 250hp should work well? Look at about 3:20 inand about 5:04 inCar was VERY loud and we were told not to come back unless it was quieter...

The full group C RX7 we ran in 1999 was so loud we ended up sewing 2 intercoms into the helmet and I still couldn't hear a bloody thing the nav said! Maybe a turbo would be a bit quieter? It was a fine looking car though, I'll put up a couple of pics when I can find them..

Or to carry on from this previous thought, if you want something completely different, what about a Rover Ventura? Rover SDI with about 2 foot cut out of the middle and a 350 Chev chucked in the front? One for sale right now...(I think the rand is about 7:1!) http://www.junkmail....427QYEdQX201107 My South African mate is trying to remember more of their oddities, but to quote him "it was alot of beers ago".

Hmmmm, me thinks me and the wife need to have a chat about priorities! (well mine anyway)

Yeah, Nah, don't think so? I could run Melinda's GTR , or spend a ship load and get the RX3 finished? After being at Rally Q on the weekend though I think I might go back to the dirt again for a while? I have set a goal to buy a dirt car for a $5k limit and go and have some fun. Should be able to get the car and run half a dozen events for the rest of the year and still spend less than going to Adelaide.. But our old house settles next Wednesday, and we did get a few more $$$ than expected, so who knows? That and Stu's talk of this RX7 s3 monster might be enough to get me excited. We ran a full group C injected RX7 back in 1999 and I reckon it would still be a very good thing.. That car is still one of the quickest IP cars around today.

Google it Woo. South African special like the Perana Capri. 1984 (?) onwards 4 dor Sierra shell (think XR4i) with a 302 V8 shoved in the front. I work with a Saffa who was a major player in the race car scene there in the 80's/90's, and there were many specials to be had. Most of them homologated, although even Mr Benson's love for a good rotor may not stretch to a 20B Mazda 323?

If you're a Ford man what about a Sierra XR8. Something a bit different..

Why hello there everyone!! Mel here, hijacking Paul's account Getting to know you guys has been a total highlight for me this year! especially Ms Kel, what an absolute doll you are The other highlight was driving the Skyline - it was sooo fast, soooo awesome and I loved driving it sooo much, I'm thinking about getting the GTR logo tattoo'd on my butt Also, I've been meaning to chip in belatedly to say --- I can't believe how cheated on I am by Mr Kennard, the man is a complete friendship hussy with his Mum's Yumple Scrumple. I hope he knows that we love him with or without the Yumple (don't tell him that though, I still want the Yumple). Okay, before it gets all too mushy, I'll sign off by saying I'm (temporarily) retiring!! [NO I'M NOT PREGNANT] My amazing husband has sacrificed his own rallying for me for a while now. It's his turn at our rally budget (*cough* credit card *cough*) and 3 potential rally cars under the house to choose from. I'll have my pom poms out cheering the Skylines on --- and, if you're (un)lucky, I might flash my GTR tatt at you as you fly past cheers Mel

Melinda did the event on BP98 with only 1 service crew this year (me) and I was surprised just how often I could get to catch up with them. We used Van den Berghs for fuel on day 2 at lunch-St Helens, day 4 after Cethana and at the end at Strahan, and day 5 after Strahan. I managaed to get everywhere else with some good planning and no speeding, just constantly keeping on the move. It kept me interested seeing them often, and good for them if any little problems. I have kept rough distances and travel times to all our service spots, day 2 and 4 were the hardest. I still got to them after Sideling and before Rossarden on day 2 , but alot of driving. I know of a few competitors who were caught out by the "no 98" at St Helens, and had to put 95 in the car instead, and hope for no engine damage? We only used fuel from large servos EG: BP in town at Launceston, and BP at Burnie, as we have lost an engine to bad fuel in the past.. I had a very interseting chat with a BP tanker driver unloading at Ulverstone on Day 4 morning who was delivering fuel to the BP there. I asked how often he delivered 98RON to the regional stations, and he said some only took deliveries twice a year! Old 98 and high boost Turbos don't like each other. All up we used about 500l, including about 180l from Van den Berghs. They get their fuel straight from a tanker from Melbourne, although it is still "Winter Blend" and not quite as friendly as the 98 one would get in the warmer states Hope this helps paul

Yeah I hear the start of Arrowsmith had cars banked up accross the long bridge there and Erik (nav) said it was funny watching the drivers walk over to the bridge railing and see who was or wasn't too shy to pee off the bridge. At some of the rounds of the ARC's we have done they have port-a-loos at the start of some stages for the ladies. I remember at Classic Adelaide quite a few years ago sitting behind one of the leading cars and seeing the female co-driver, who wore a 2 piece race suit, simply drop the pants while still in the car and just stick her bum out the door to pee. Very quick and a trick she had learnt in the African Safari due to safety reasons apparently... Getting a bit off topic though sorry.

From an outside perspective since i didn't compete last year or this year, I agree that after the derived time use of 2010 something had to change. The drop to 15mins did seem to make things pretty tight though? For the female competitors, just trying to find time and place for a toilet stop in a transport stage put massive pressure on them to stay within late time.. I guess maybe Octagon is trying to keep all the competitors who are within late time in front of the 999 car? It has happenned over the years in other Tarmc events that some of the later running, and therefore leading cars, have experienced a mechanical problem and dropped behind the 999 car but still within late time and still received respectable derived times while saving the car.. As mentioned in another post earlier, we have always had the navigator record the time we pull up at a stage start just in case. From memory the classics did have 30mins late time this year, only the moderns were dropped to 15mins? To Edit: Having just read Ben's post above, I agree that if you miss a stage you shouldn't be able to finish ahead of a car that has finished all stages. Paul

Thanks heaps Burgz. hopefully we won't need it but good to have a spare. The one JustJap Steve is bringing down is straight off his car & proven good. He has changed to a R34 setup bacause he was sick of these failing all the time. Catch up with you for a beer down there.. Cheers Paul

Yeah you wouldn't think so Woo but trying to get a good one locally yesterday was near impossible. Thanks to the JustJap boys and the Hobart connection at Moonah Auto Spares, there will be a couple waiting for us in Launceston. It split the front turbo oil drain pipe on its last dyno run today, and had to get that from Sydney too, not a one to be found here..Hopefully that's the last of the issues? Leaving at 5.00 in the morning, see you all in Tas

Ignition Module Needed Thanks for all for the replies guys, great response from the rally community! We have a couple of leads to chase today in Brissy and and I'll ring the Just Jap guys today as well. Also a couple of modules waiting in Hobart if we need them.. Cheers Paul

Yeah I guess so, little silver ribbed box at the back of the tappet covers..Been told tonight maybe the same as RB20/RB25? Thanks

Ignition Module Needed: Melinda's car (GTR #832) has new engine fitted and dynoed today by the great guys at GT Auto Garage, but it shit the ignition module half way through. finished the dyno with a lend from a customer car, but had to give it back. I have exhausted my contacts in Brisbane, and will try Just Jap tomorrow morning and see if Steve can bring one with him (if he hasn't already left?) We are leaving for the drive down tomorrow night though, and would be good to know we have one before we set off.. Anyone with any ideas on where to source one Cheers Paul 0433 73 44 55

On a brighter note, only 13 days till we leave for Targa and this is the engine out of Melinda's car as of 2 days ago.. And 1 day ago.. Still a little bit to do then?

I heard today that this one is moving garages after Targa, maybe just a coincidence? http://www.my105.com...084&exfeature=1 EDIT: should have read further, obviously not this car I am getting old...

Gearbox failure I'm told, could only get 1st and maybe 6th ?

Geez, a young Mr Benson was trying to sell it to us around midnight for mid $40's! Seems we either hadn't had enough to drink at that stage or aren't in the know? A pretty good thing though apparently, already has motec and other goodies?

And there I was thinking I was the cool one in the relationship... It is going to be very busy now till Targa, hopefully the car will be back early next week and we can get it apart quickly and find out why it happened? General consensus seems to be fuel surge? We have a couple of broken rear shocks to sort out too, and only 6 weeks and the car is back on the way to Tassy!

That would be our black Skyline which my lovely wife was running at the event (car 832). She was going very well until the motor started to miss Saturday afternoon, finally dieing first stage Sunday. Not sure on the problem yet but heaps of blue smoke from exhaust and oil breather, so maybe piston/rings etc. Any suggestions on pistons etc for the rebuild from those here smarter than me? I think pistons and a 1mm overbore are now allowed in EM rules? The block is genuine N1 (24U) so hopefully rods and crank are ok? Many thanks to Adam Spence and the Mazda boys for taking the car back up the Island, and all the other rally people for their help on and off the boat etc. cheers paul

I agree with everything above, a good recce and car prep will give a better result than a Million dollar car driven at 80%. There is so much time to be gained on the fast section with accurate notes and a commited driver! Having said that, the time you lose on day 1 of Targa is no different to the time you lose on day 5, and this is where the balance of speed vs reliability comes in I guess? Our 32 GTR at THC was certainly no "Big Budget" build, and Melinda did quite well for the cars first event and her first time in a skyline (and her first event in 2yrs). Our current tune is only 260rwkw, but she can drive it alot faster yet before she needs more power. On another note, how did everyones tyre wear go? We ran Dunlop DZ03 mediums, and they were totally shot after Big River reverse (Eildon?) on Sunday, with Mel losing heaps of time thinking a tyre was delaminating. Maybe Medium/hards for TT11? Cheers paul