BABE Rally Dates announced (finally!)

As a reminder, this is the LAST BABE rally, ever. Street Safari (parent company) will not be doing any U.S. events after this. So if you keep saying to yourself "someday" this is your last someday.

With that in mind the dates for this years rally have been announced and they are 12-17th May.

For those not familiar with the event it's a 5 day rolling scavenger hunt from NY to New Orleans (Start location may be adjusted due to hurricane damage in the northeast this year) in $500 cars.

It is amazingly silly fun.

More info at www.baberally.com

There will be a special announcement on the rally for those who participate that many of you may be interested in ;)

No more love for the automotive insanity that is BABE around here? Where else can you see this...

And this....

And even this...

Go head to head in the slowest trek across the tail of the dragon? Or break down trying ;)

Yes those are all confirmed entries for this year.

Why aren't they doing it again?

Really wish I could go as this was on my bucket list. Alas, I'd have to pull the kids out of school for a week and load them into a $500 car and drive across the country, twice. My wife, as supportive as she is, has stated that this is not going to happen. I always figured that 2017 would be my year. I'm sad.

93EXCivic wrote: Why aren't they doing it again?

Many reasons, bottom line is they have other obligations and feel it has run it's course in the U.S.

mazdeuce wrote: Really wish I could go as this was on my bucket list. Alas, I'd have to pull the kids out of school for a week and load them into a $500 car and drive across the country, twice. My wife, as supportive as she is, has stated that this is not going to happen. I always figured that 2017 would be my year. I'm sad.

I live in hope that something else will fill the void. I've done this for 8 years now, I'll miss it.

I personally put a lot of miles on cabs just like this over the years. They were Coca-Cola cabs. They were the oldest in the fleet and that is what us, the summer help, drove.
This was in the last days before a national CDL program. Back then you could drive cab/trailer combos by just passing a written test. I have to admit, I never really could back them up properly.

JohnRW1621 wrote: I personally put a lot of miles on cabs just like this over the years. They were Coca-Cola cabs. They were the oldest in the fleet and that is what us, the summer help, drove. This was in the last days before a national CDL program. Back then you could drive cab/trailer combos by just passing a written test. I have to admit, I never really could back them up properly.

We used the hell out of them in the AF too, many miles on them myself. I know I wouldn't want to be running it in BABE rally but some folks are more adventurous than I ;)

I really really wish I could go again this year, but there's just no way to get it done this year.

JThw8 said: Go head to head in the slowest trek across the tail of the dragon? Or break down trying ;)

Noteable moments from that day in 2011: 2nd gear, foot the floor somewhere on I26 laughing hysterically, wondering when the heads would start to do a jig on the cylinders. Doing about 20mph.

Wondering if we're going to tip the bus over(to the inside) because we can't go fast enough to lean the bus correctly on some of the dragon's more cambered corners.

Uncontrollable laughter at the Dodge minivan smoking it's brakes on the dragon.. when the bus's 4 wheel drums didn't miss a beat. (You don't get brake fade when you never really had them to begin with)

Giving a certain GM minvan a protology exam in order to get it running again after a dragon run. During which a TN trooper remarks in the thickest drawl ever. "I don't think that's OSHA approooved", and a PA redneck nearly drops the cigarette dangling from his mouth when his $5K snap-on scanner resets 5 times in 30 seconds.

If you're even remotely thinking of going, DO IT!!

I've heard tons of great stories about the BABE rally from Sonic. Sounds like a blast. I've probably racked up 30,000 miles on $500 beaters. Does that count?

pseudosport and myself did this last year in the 280z and it was fun, well except for lack of a/c & carpeting. Still unsure if we will partake in this year, rumor has it that they will be starting in Virginia.

I want to do this so so badly but I never have the time around that time of year. :(

MA$$hole wrote: pseudosport and myself did this last year in the 280z and it was fun, well except for lack of a/c & carpeting. Still unsure if we will partake in this year, rumor has it that they will be starting in Virginia.

Rumor is confirmed, start will be Harrisonburg VA this year as the slog out of NYC and through NJ is less than inspiring and the hotels cost more so why bother.

Another announcement made. Last year there was a spec car (station wagons) this year its spec theme for bonus points.

Ok babes, spec theme this year is rally cars! What we are looking for are identifiable themes of famous rally cars. We will accept racing themes as long as they are famous, and not NASCAR famous. We are looking for authenticity and accuracy. Ideally we'd actually like you to put some effort into the theme as well :p We are NOT looking for your interpretation of a design. There are off road sections of the BABE8 route.

Honestly the 500 dollar rule is probably one of the reasons it has run it's course here. I can't find a running 500 dollar car. They aren't just simple fixes, either blown motors or transmissions.

moparman76_69 wrote: Honestly the 500 dollar rule is probably one of the reasons it has run it's course here. I can't find a running 500 dollar car. They aren't just simple fixes, either blown motors or transmissions.

I'll admit its more difficult, but I can still find them easy enough. If I had to get a car now and had less than 30 days to prep I feel pretty confident I could do it.

And between you me and the fencepost, this ain't the challenge, noone checks receipts. Bring a POS and it will be ok.

And the end has nothing to do with lack of interest or participation, the event is still pretty active each year. The folks that run it have just moved on to other ventures and dont really have the time to dedicate to it anymore.

Here ya go...bring a battery ;) http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/cto/3608277822.html

JThw8 wrote: And between you me and the fencepost, this ain't the challenge, noone checks receipts. Bring a POS and it will be ok.

This. I know we're all racers at heart, but really, this is the spirit of it. Honestly, when my team did it in '11 we were SOO slow that after day 2 we didn't care about points anymore, we were just there to have fun, see a few sites, make a few petrolhead friends. Find a clunker, make it road legal, and see what happens. Blows up? No biggie, you'll find another group going your way, or CL your way back on a new horse. Nobody's making you go through BS inspection, or making you bring CL ads.

Would a 1999 mercury village van with 215,000 miles work? Other than it leaking every fluid in the car, it's actually in decent shape. I was looking around cl and eBay, and they were around $1,500 (but none had this kind of mileage).

savc1c wrote: Would a 1999 mercury village van with 215,000 miles work? Other than it leaking every fluid in the car, it's actually in decent shape. I was looking around cl and eBay, and they were around $1,500 (but none had this kind of mileage).

Technically there's a 1996 cutoff, but unless you are serious about wanting to win it noone will question you on it. We've had newer cars than that show up.

Its really all about spirit of the event, show up in a 2000 Jetta VR6 5 speed with functional air and not a spec of rust or dents on it and people will give you a hard time, and a beer, its all in good fun.

The above is a true example, team showed up with said car and swore up and down they bought it at an insurance auction for $500. They were great guys and had a great time with us all, and when we hit New Orelans, as if to prove a point, they sold me the car for $500.

If your car looks like this, you are probably doing it wrong

MA$$hole wrote: pseudosport and myself did this last year in the 280z and it was fun, well except for lack of a/c & carpeting. Still unsure if we will partake in this year, rumor has it that they will be starting in Virginia.

For someone who is uncertain about going you sure have been sending me a lot of links to cheap POS cars.

I haven't even cleaned out the Datsun from last year. There are still squirt guns and Hawaiian shirts in the back. Its still driveable if we need a backup plan.

Also quick rule check, does this count as functional A/C? If so we might have cheated a little on Day 5

In reply to PseudoSport:

Haha. This from the guy who has already figured out how to paint the vehicle every night. I envision great liveries for that van or EGT! If we can get a few more locals I'm down for it.

JThw8 wrote: Here ya go...bring a battery ;) http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/cto/3608277822.html

I'm sure it will run just hasn't been started for over a year. Put new clutch and Transmission in a couple of years ago. 4x4 works and CV axles replaced with transmutation...

A) It probably has a hole in the block.

B) maybe its a Subaru thing, but I've never had a car with a transmutation.

C) I'd so do it if I had the week of PTO to take off.

trying to get a bunch of buddies to go...i wanna go realllllllly bad and another buddy is in. Gotta get a few more in there

moparman76_69 wrote:

JThw8 wrote: Here ya go...bring a battery ;) http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/cto/3608277822.html

I'm sure it will run just hasn't been started for over a year. Put new clutch and Transmission in a couple of years ago. 4x4 works and CV axles replaced with transmutation... A) It probably has a hole in the block. B) maybe its a Subaru thing, but I've never had a car with a transmutation. C) I'd so do it if I had the week of PTO to take off.

Ya gotta chase this type of car to find $500 wonders. When I bought the 68 Olds Delta 88 Convertible for the rally I checked out an ad which listed the car at $700 and "has rod knock" You never know till you check. That "rod knock" let me talk him down to $400 and it was just a crack in the exhaust manifold :)

mazdeuce wrote: Really wish I could go as this was on my bucket list. Alas, I'd have to pull the kids out of school for a week and load them into a $500 car and drive across the country, twice. My wife, as supportive as she is, has stated that this is not going to happen. I always figured that 2017 would be my year. I'm sad.

Me too. I was actually hoping to do it in the Stincoln but I blew the budget straight away by dropping $267 on a coil spring conversion. Hopefully someone takes up the mantle so I can continue to live vicariously through those who are more automotively adventurous than myself.

The_Jed wrote:

mazdeuce wrote: Really wish I could go as this was on my bucket list. Alas, I'd have to pull the kids out of school for a week and load them into a $500 car and drive across the country, twice. My wife, as supportive as she is, has stated that this is not going to happen. I always figured that 2017 would be my year. I'm sad.

Me too. I was actually hoping to do it in the Stincoln but I blew the budget straight away by dropping $267 on a coil spring conversion. Hopefully someone takes up the mantle so I can continue to live vicariously through those who are more automotively adventurous than myself.

The $500 is purchase price...not what you put into it afterwards. Noone would sweat you on the coil conversion.