Tarmac Rallying Perpetual Thread

[poolheaters]

That looks pretty neat. Is it registered? Any more details of the car. For the right starting point I have been interested in a DR30. Would have to sell the Sierra to finish the build but could front the cash to buy a good registered DR30

Went and had a look this morning, seems to be in pretty good condition. No signs of any accident damage or rust in its life. It has an old school HKS kit on it with headers, T04 turdo, front mount with extra injectors in the intake piping (?!). They haven't been able to get it running properly yet, but it has only been in the country a week or so. They think computer related as is revs to 5000rpm then misses, so are fitting a Haltech. Also has coilovers, power steer, a new looking exhaust, very good interior and 15" Watanabe (spelling?) wheels.

It hasn't been complied yet as they are still sorting out what is needed, but have all the correct paperwork/approvals etc so I am told. The guy has brought many early rotaries in before, but this is his first "later" model car. Seat belts say its an '83 model. The owner is in Taiwan for a couple of weeks now at a wedding so it is locked away till he returns..Gives me a while to figure out if this is a good option or not?

FJ motor parts don't bother me too much, and from what I read last night you can basically fit a whole S13 front end, steering etc in. GTR brakes would then bolt straight on, heaps of suspension options etc..RB gearbox should bolt up, and plenty of ratio options there.

What concerns me though is the lack of any aftermarket body parts to get some weight out of it. Couldn't find any light panels/bonnet etc, and I think it would need a pretty big diet to be competitive.

Photos from this morning..

[zebra]

I want it!

[260DET]

Try Otomoto for light DR30 body panels from Japan where they were raced back in the day. FJ is a great motor, depends on what you are allowed to do with it management and turbo wise as to power. Bodies are a bit floppy I think, cage work should fix that, my heart says Z31 but the FJ donk breathes so much better than the VG30ET.

[PHaT MR30]

Id assume it would fall into Classic (MS) Modified Special, which you are pretty free with everything including capacity, electrical etc etc

[Darkside]

My understanding in classic (could well be wrong) is you kind of determine your class and therefore handicap by how much you modify the car. Apparently some people in classic care about competing on handicap. Some cars are excluded from SS (standard spec) but all can run LMS or MS. So if you basically throw handicap out the window you can go all out in MS where you have a pretty broad scope of modification. Should be options to update/improve any weak points. Sounds like a great project. Need to build up a Bathurst replica cheater car class.

[PHaT MR30]

New Woodsdale stage for anyone interested. I didn't think it was quite as bad as people are making it out. Sure it narrows towards the end and there is a few nasty crests to catch you out, but surface isn't too bad.

http://www.youtube.com/z4hSWDJ0ct8

Whats up with embedding?

[navdan]

Did a 'bastardised' day 3/4 and day 5 recce over the weekend and can see where people are coming from regarding the Woodsdale stage. If you factor in, Day 5 exhaustion, 140km liaison(!) from Tarraleah, the cresty nature of the stage, tyres that would have given their best and the lack of width of the road and it gets my vote for 'most likely to be downgraded'. There's a lot to lose at that point of the rally and plenty of places to lose it so it does command a little respect.

Also, how good is the surface on Tarraleah now...nice new hotmix from the top to the bottom and back up again

As for why Woodsdale is included, I can only guess that it is to enable the service crews/officials from the west coast enough time to make it back to Wrest Point for the finish.

The Emo is in better shape than it has ever been as we've put in a fair bit of effort to the little things and after Baw Baw, the set-up is exactly where Sammy wants it. While she freely admits to not wanting to fully commit to the notes (aka Newton) we will be there or abouts and have a smile or two along the way

[2pee]

'licencing issues' (whatever that means).

Ah, the rosy glow!

Edited April 9, 2012 by 2pee

[sav man]

we did 3100km of recce on the weekend. Rianna looks like it will be shortend, and probably have a speed restriction zone. With all the talk of Woodsdale, I will be surprised if there is a big hit. Just like when Rosarden was introduced.

I did manage to break 2 recce cars, cracked a rim and got a blowout on my gtr after 1000km yesterday (only 30mins from home though), and blew the turbo on my stag today.

Castra gets my award for the gayest stage of the event. I'm not a fan at all.

[zebra]

Did you stop driving at all?

[sav man]

yep...to change the wheel

[zebra]

Haha

[sav man]

It's good training for the event for your consentration. There are some big days this year

[DJRIFT]

i was surprised at how few other competitors we met this year. we did come up with a odd route to do them all but still. this was also changed by unforeseen circumstances. was a ruff day down the west coast sunday but was excellent training. today we got snow over the top of mt Rolland.

i have a saw back and neck from trying to hand on in a standard seat and looking down at the notes.

has taken 4 days of down hill to stop from pushing my foot through the fire wall. i find it better at race pace as there isnt time to think about the massive drop below.

[PHaT MR30]

we did 3100km of recce on the weekend. Rianna looks like it will be shortend, and probably have a speed restriction zone. With all the talk of Woodsdale, I will be surprised if there is a big hit. Just like when Rosarden was introduced.

I did manage to break 2 recce cars, cracked a rim and got a blowout on my gtr after 1000km yesterday (only 30mins from home though), and blew the turbo on my stag today.

Castra gets my award for the gayest stage of the event. I'm not a fan at all.

Yeh spoke with Benson on Saturday and reckons it will shorten to 18Km (Which was Lowana in 2009), which also means we turn left on Natone Rd and come out on the Ridgley Hwy and save about 60Km of transport (plus remaining 18Km of stage), not bad in my opinion as im not a huge fan of the second half of Riana.

The article in the paper today said only 590Km competitive (down for 610) so I reckon thats a fair confirmation, I'll be talking to Barry Oliver tonight, he will know!

I am of the same opinion on Woodsdale, it wasn't a bad bit of road, but as Dan said day 5 fatigue/tyre wear factors may come into play.

Yet to do Castra, but its most of the road you transport along to get to Gunns Plains right?

Looking forward to some laps of Symmons come wednesday, see what the frog can do!

[sav man]

Yep castra is the goat track between wilmont and gunns plains. I had forgotten how steep the downhill section is.

Also noticed that the Smoothline notes (and probably others), and the start of Hellyer don't match up. It took us a few back and forths to lign the notes back up. The start line is a couple of corners into the stage.

[PHaT MR30]

Did you notify Bernie? I found that a lot of the GPS Co-ordinates supplied by Octagon in the Recce Guide did not go anywhere near close to the actual marked start/finish lines, could be that Steve and Bernie wrote them in Feb based on the GPS points?

[PHaT MR30]

Oh and has anyone seen a Guide to the Event? or better yet Base Time list??

[sav man]

I sent him a emai yesterday about it. Dad did Hellyer on Friday off the GPS points, and said there was no road markings, and we did it on Monday off the road markings. I've never used the GPS Co-ordinates for recce.

[PHaT MR30]

I have built routes for each leg into my GPS so then I don't really need the Roadbook. Woodsdale was out a fair bit at the finish.