Tarmac Rallying Perpetual Thread

[Snowman]

Showroom Evo is certainly the easy way out. But for me, this sport is as much about driver satisfaction as it is about clinically discecting a piece of road. And when in an Evo, you're expected to go well, because if you don't, well, it's only the crew's fault.

Having a good chat with Nick over a beer at Baw Baw - Nick would fall into the Greg Burrows category of drivers if that makes sense. His passion seemed to be participation and a showroom EMO is reliable and easy to drive so I actually think in his case it's the perfect car (I did actually suggest a Scirocco R but he balked at a FWD option! LOL)

Coupled with the support you can get from people like TMR it makes for an easy week.

[Roy]

Nick, for half the money I will build you a cool R32 GTSt so you can go punting with the cool kids like "Two Bens Racing"

[Marlin]

Nice, and yeah, I completely understand why people choose Evo's, heck, I was damned close to getting one too, and still would if I were hell-bent on winning something!

Fiscally, Evos certainly make sense, and by most accounts the later ones are quite reliable.

It's just really hard to stand out in one, people seldom watch them come past and say "wow that sounds awesome" or "Far out see how sideways he had that!"..... They just don't invoke much passion. And I'm a passionate man. Happy Valentines Day you guys!

[R31Nismoid]

Was talking about that on the weekend. I think I have about 5k of brakes, 6k of turbos. 6k of pistons, blocks, cams, cranks etc. 2k of wheels. 2k of seats. Gearboxes, clutches. But some of that gear would make a rally car cheap, an R32 would be real cheap but like the idea of a DR30 as over time could do more with it with bits. But I think I talked myself into buying an R31 GTS-R to go with the Sierra, my Rambo CD collection and all other 80s stuff

I am just an angry, restless man. I would be at peace if I just quit my job...all the crap I do, buy is to try and offset how much I hate going to work everyday! Hell, Spa in 4-5 weeks is a sanity trip for being in carntfarknowherenearanywhere with work at the moment. At least OS remote locations mean better money

Well the price I put forward wasn't exactly... Unhealthy

So hurry up and sell some gear.

[LotusGTR]

Nick please tell us you've got videos including engine sound

Those things just sound SO nice!

Rear cradle in the R32 needing every bush replacing kinda cut a hole in the video eqpt budget. Real shame though as it does sound pretty race car as it's got very little in the way of silencing. Will go straight to Race Recall and do some homework so I don't miss out for next time.

Showroom Evo is certainly the easy way out. But for me, this sport is as much about driver satisfaction as it is about clinically discecting a piece of road. And when in an Evo, you're expected to go well, because if you don't, well, it's only the crew's fault.

and this is my struggle. I'd love to campaign the old 32 but I know what will happen. My idea of tamac rally is not standing by a dead car comtemplating the time investment of getting there and what I'm now not going to be enjoying.....I'm also not great with spanners so I'll be relying on others a fair bit in the event I find mech problems which I'd rather try and avoid. I saw a team with an RX7 at Baw Baw and they were constantly fiddling with it to get it right (well to go). That there is exactly what I do not want as an experience. So its a bit of a dilemma for me. Plenty of time to consider the options though and I'll keep and open mind in the mean time.

[PHaT MR30]

I am thinking the Sierra may be for sale to fund a DR30 build again. A mate is now keen to help build and navigate. Makes a big difference when a mate is interested in the build as well and willing too help out and share beers and giggle at the stupidity and size of the task. No fun if going it alone with tight budget. Never be a chance for Targa Tas, but can afford to do some of the smaller two day events around Vic and NSW...lol just need to give it a week. I am sure this feeling will blow over and the urge will be manageable in a weeks time

I approve the Ironmask.... In fact I have a funny feeling the cluster surround on that one came out of my old spare parts car

[Darkside]

I'm sure she wouldn't take any offense Blaise but that said, have a look at the times she put down in the damp/wet. Her and Bernie were on a mission and nailed a great setup for the conditions which allowed them to win all but one stage on Sunday. If there's one thing she is, it's consistent as you said.

Cheers Dan,

sometimes things can sound wrong on the interwebs. The intent was deifnately not to take anything away from her drive. Have watched some of Sammys in car and you cant accuse her of not having a crack. Must have been good having Bernie in the car for some input. Didnt realise she was so strong in the wet on Sunday. Thats awesome. Wet roads are scary. A good setup definately helps, but you still have to drive the thing.

Old Rex Broadbent seems to be a classic (no pun intended) at just hovering around the top 5 in the time sheets and keepign it tidy as some of the other fancied cars blaze away and then run into trouble. By the time they get to the west coast (and some rain that suits his Porsche with excellent brakes ) he generally seems to be in control. Doesnt win many stages, but seems to fairly consistently take the spoils. Not sure I am into that though. There is something to be said for blazing away (again no pun intended) and fail but be grinning from ear to ear.

[poolheaters]

. A friend fitted a "floating master cylinder" type firewall pedal box setup a few years back to an IP car. Cost over $5k from the US but gained over 1sec a lap at QLD raceway, so he was happy! Exchange rate should be better now.

Just to revisit an old thought, chatted to Phil yesterday and this is an Alcon product. Look at http://www.alconusa....les/92_1246.pdf

No idea on cost though, but its the ducks guts apparently!

[Darkside]

Cheers Paul. Appreciating the input. Got me thinking a 2 pedal option woudl be adequate. Nothing wrong with the factory cable operated celerator.

[poolheaters]

So I see the Sup regs for TT2012 are back up again and corrected. 8 tyres allowed as expected, and 102 fuel for the EM runners (ELF only?).

The only rule change I don't like is the requirement to have FIA roll cage padding in the vicinity of the occupants heads. I sort of understand from a competitve stage point of view, but after sitting in the Envy Ute that my darling wife drove at Targa High Country, which had the FIA padding, I was alarmed at how solid and sharp the edges of this padding were when you don't have a helmet on! I actually cut my head on it hopping in the car at a service point. One of our post event recommendations to Barry was to change this back to "softer" type padding?

There is approx 2000kms transport on a Targa, and I would worry of the consequences of a road accident if someone were to impact this "padding" with an unhelmeted head. The rule does also say SFI padding. Not sure what this is and haven't researched it at all.

My 2cents worth anyway...

[sav man]

The FIA padding is rubbish! it's too big, and it's too hard. Might as well cable tie some rocks to the roll cage. I know a few people who were made to run it at wrest point just pulled it all off after scruteneering.

[2pee]

The two types of FIA padding are made in the States, so it carries SFI certs.

Unless you don't compete in circuit events where it is coming or mandated, what are you going to do, pull it in and out each time? And as for the thought that a head knock on a transport against the cage is going to be better with a bit of sponge or bare steel, long bow I think, unless it's parking speeds., chamfering the edge might go a little way to helping those of us with long foreheads too!

[Marlin]

What Paul is referring to is the requirement to install FIA padding over the other forms of padding we all use.

No one has bare roll cage around heads.

What I'm hearing is this FIA stuff really isn't suitable for a rally car, which sees lots of kilometres travelled on road, un-helmeted.

Barry is no doubt buying another house with the proceeds of the sales though, so someone wins.

[2pee]

Are people actually installing padding on padding, the mind boggles?

I think ARC have had a requirement for the FIA stuff for 5 or 6 years, pretty sure they do transports too....some circuit categories nearer 10. Could be old age and a multitude of rule changes since and T-01 can no doubt correct, last time targa ran CAMS, I thought it was in place then too.

Last lots I bought were in the $US20s a length out of a speedway/nastycar mob in the US.

[sav man]

Most of us run this:

now we have to run this:

It takes up a lot more space in the cabin, and it's hard as a rock.

None of the circuit cars down here run the FIA padding (CAMS Nationial Circuit events), and the FIA padding was not required when CAMS used to run Targa.

Edited February 21, 2012 by sav man

[Snowman]

I used to run this in the R34 because normal padding meant my head was on an angle. LOL

[Marlin]

I used to run this in the R34 because normal padding meant my head was on an angle. LOL

You're head is enormous though......

[sav man]

did you get that hair for that off your back?

[2pee]

Won't argue about the space aspect.

I imagine if you pull more than a G or two in a crash, the hardness won't be an issue - check formula car cockpit surround. Physiotherapy foam used for retiree muscle rebuilding after bone fracture, yeah well you may need to use some in the hydro-pool after a biggie too.

Don't know about Tassie, not sure what that has to do with the price of bread either , but as far back as 2002 it was phased in for the particular CAMS class up here.

[paulR32gtr]

You're head is enormous though......

Only matched by mine!

Fearing I might need to start messing with seat mounts and getting closer to the floor with these new requirements.