I was looking at a Toyota Previa on the internet. it's mid-engined, you know. then i was thinking about starting my own form of motorsports. Historic minivan racing. anything from a stock 1984 dodge caravan to a supercharged 1995 Nissan Quest can compete. there are four classes: 2WD, 4WD, 2WD modified, 4WD modified. the rules are: 12 laps for each class. no body contact (I hope). anyone can participate, as long as they've got a pre-1996 minivan, with a rollcage welded in. this is a great sport, because anyone from stay at home dads, to drivers of the Targa Newfoundland can compete. anyone interested? anyone? anyone?
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Nov. 10, 2009 10:50 a.m. stoptheeconobox New Reader
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Nov. 10, 2009 10:55 a.m. MrJoshua SuperDork
Im interested-but the rollcage is a problem. (That and having a vehicle that qualifies). You put in a cage and it becomes useless for passengers, which means I would now have a race only minivan which is just silly.
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Nov. 10, 2009 11:01 a.m. stoptheeconobox New Reader
okay, leave out the rollcage. just, what steed would you be using?
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Nov. 10, 2009 11:03 a.m. petegossett Dork
I've had really evil thoughts about taking our 2000 Pillager...um, I mean Villager...lifting it, putting it on black steelies with some mud tires, painting it desert camo, fabbing a luggage rack out of 1" square steel & expanded mesh, and hanging a black 5-gal gas can off the back.
But hell yeah I'd be in on that racing series, maybe even more interested if it did have contact!
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Nov. 10, 2009 11:14 a.m. maroon92 SuperDork
A 4wd nissan quest build from a pathfinder system and a twin turbo VQ37DE
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Nov. 10, 2009 11:15 a.m. Carson Dork
Renault had a similar idea.
Renault Espace F1:
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Nov. 10, 2009 11:50 a.m. Gearheadotaku Reader
Are we racing rally style, road course, or oval? The Top gear gang did an oval with 8 or 10 vans, all driven by pro's. It was amazing! Once they got up to speed, they were in full drifts, useing the walls as "guides", and yes lots of body contact.
My choice? Chevy Astro. Proper rear drive, easy to mod 4.3 V-6, or add 350
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Nov. 10, 2009 11:53 a.m. DukeOfUndersteer Dork
id so be in, with my mid-engine toyota fishvan! Could i swap a 4agze in it?
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Nov. 10, 2009 12:17 p.m. klipless New Reader
If I had the coin, I'd take C&D's Mazdaspeed 5 for the win.
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Nov. 10, 2009 12:54 p.m. Gearheadotaku Reader
klipless wrote:
If I had the coin, I'd take C&D's Mazdaspeed 5 for the win.
ah, yes, the 'mini' minivan
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Nov. 10, 2009 12:58 p.m. stoptheeconobox New Reader
okay, these are good ideas, but could you discuss more mods and more models BEFORE 1996. please.
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Nov. 10, 2009 1:00 p.m. Gimp Dork
Carson wrote:
"Daddy! The arm rest keeps trying to suck my hands inside!!!"
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Nov. 10, 2009 1:00 p.m. stoptheeconobox New Reader
petegossett wrote:
I've had really evil thoughts about taking our 2000 Pillager...um, I mean Villager...lifting it, putting it on black steelies with some mud tires, painting it desert camo, fabbing a luggage rack out of 1" square steel & expanded mesh, and hanging a black 5-gal gas can off the back.
But hell yeah I'd be in on that racing series, maybe even more interested if it did have contact!
body contact. Great idea! there could be a 25 hour race around a field, with unlimited body contact, and a special thing i call the Pull-Apart. a name of a driver is pulled out of a hat, and that van has everything but the driver's seat, and the mechanicals stripped from it by fans.
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Nov. 10, 2009 1:02 p.m. stoptheeconobox New Reader
DukeOfUndersteer wrote:
id so be in, with my mid-engine toyota fishvan! Could i swap a 4agze in it?
yes you can swap a 4agze in it. you can even swap a 426 hemi in it!
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Nov. 10, 2009 1:26 p.m. Carson Dork
stoptheeconobox wrote:
okay, these are good ideas, but could you discuss more mods and more models BEFORE 1996. please.
I know this wasn't really directed at me, but the Renault is a 1995.
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Nov. 10, 2009 1:27 p.m. stoptheeconobox New Reader
Carson wrote:
No it wasn't. it was about the guys who are talking about 2000 villagers and stuff.stoptheeconobox wrote:
okay, these are good ideas, but could you discuss more mods and more models BEFORE 1996. please.
I know this wasn't really directed at me, but the Renault is a 1995.
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Nov. 10, 2009 1:29 p.m. stoptheeconobox New Reader
In reply to Gearheadotaku:
it will be real roads, and farmer's fields with left and right turns.
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Nov. 10, 2009 1:37 p.m. Kia_racer Reader
How about a Chevy Greenbriar?
Does it count as a mini van? My step-dad had one in the garage and I thought that was part of the definition of a mini van.
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Nov. 10, 2009 1:39 p.m. klipless New Reader
How about a rule that all performance parts must be purchased from JC Whitney or Pep Boys/Autozone/Napa/ et al? I've had my eye on a fancy rear wing and I'm just looking for an excuse to pull the trigger.
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Nov. 10, 2009 1:41 p.m. 914Driver SuperDork
That's a van van. Vans of that ere wqere that size. Mini Vans are downsized full size vans, like an E150 or Dodge 300 van.
Got one in the garage you say?
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Nov. 10, 2009 2:36 p.m. Kia_racer Reader
Not any more he had to sell most of the Corvair collection when he transfered down to TX. Now he is down to 1 Monza and 1 extra 140 horse engine. He parked it when it needed the clutch replaced and has not gotten around to it (its only been 20+ years)
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Nov. 10, 2009 3:09 p.m. ReverendDexter HalfDork
My choice would be an Aerostar. 4.0, RWD, with a stock 8.8" rear end. As it is, should me and the S.O. spawn, it's what I'll be looking for.
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Nov. 10, 2009 7:24 p.m. Moparman Reader
Turbo Caravan, it ends here. Factory equipped, all the Turo Ddodge goodies work, suspension is similar to the G-body and 13 second 1/4 miles can be had on pump gas and no nitrous. Heck, I have seen some in the 12s.
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Nov. 10, 2009 7:49 p.m. friedgreencorrado Dork
Gearheadotaku wrote:
Are we racing rally style, road course, or oval? The Top gear gang did an oval with 8 or 10 vans, all driven by pro's. It was amazing! Once they got up to speed, they were in full drifts, useing the walls as "guides", and yes lots of body contact.
My choice? Chevy Astro. Proper rear drive, easy to mod 4.3 V-6, or add 350
Y'know...I thought the minivan thing was a pretty weak idea-until you reminded me about the Astro being RWD. Now I got my racer's evil grin on!
Which manual transmissions bolt up to the 4.3?
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Nov. 10, 2009 7:54 p.m. SVreX SuperDork
Moparman's got the win. Turbo Caravan- nothing else comes close.
I'm not sure I agree that the Astro and Aerostar qualify as minivans. They are frequently called "midivans". I would say a full sized van is built on a truck frame and platform, while a minivan is built on a lower car floorpan.
That would rule out the Astro. It's got a full frame. And the Aerostar is kind of halfway there- it's got a full frame, which got integrated into the pan (because the Ford designers of the time didn't know how to design a unibody vehicle).
But it doesn't rally matter. The turbo Caravan FTW.
Anyone want one? There's one in my back yard!
