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CarKid1989
CarKid1989 Dork
1/2/12 11:20 p.m.

I have a crazy pipe dream in my head and i was looking for a vehicle that can do all racing types. (or at least majority of popular ones)

I was thinking Rally, AutoX, Track days, Drag, that sorta thing.

The catch:

  • Challenge budget or darn close. (I am in college and working but not a millionaire)

  • Nothing rare. Must be a mainstream car

The two I have in mind is a Jeep Cherokee and a Subaru.

I feel the Jeep is dime a dozen, cheap stroker engine buildup and toughness.

Subaru cause well, its done it all.

Here is the final catch. The one car has to be able to actually compete in all areas. Its not a hypothetical where on car could be built in various flavors, its one car has to be built so it can do all.

Ideas?

I know im crazy so ignore that for a second haha.

Thanks

SlickDizzy
SlickDizzy GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
1/2/12 11:25 p.m.

I put together my EJ22 Brat for next to nothing. It was spin-all-4-tires-in-4th-gear fast and an absolute riot. It really made me wonder what those components would do in a similar-year L-series sedan or coupe, with LSD and Legacy hubs with big brakes etc...one of those projects for after college, I guess.

This one is a lot higher dollar, but it's running WRX goodies and shows how flexible the platform is.

curtis73
curtis73 GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
1/2/12 11:39 p.m.

GM G-body. Dirt cheap, able to swallow massive cubes from any BOP or chevy family, mix-n-match junkyard parts, lots of cheap junkyard handling goodies.

RallyX? Not sure. They are a full-frame car and can take some abuse, but I would at least put a steel plate under the oil pan

oldtin
oldtin SuperDork
1/2/12 11:43 p.m.

e-30 with LSx or big turbo? Seem to recall a few people making it work for multi-purpose duty.

Appleseed
Appleseed SuperDork
1/3/12 4:06 a.m.

Gen I Eclipse GSX.

JoeyM
JoeyM SuperDork
1/3/12 4:55 a.m.

miata (somebody has to say it eventually)

ST_ZX2
ST_ZX2 HalfDork
1/3/12 6:18 a.m.

Fox Mustang 5.0

cghstang
cghstang HalfDork
1/3/12 6:28 a.m.
JoeyM wrote: miata (somebody has to say it eventually)

Really, this is the answer. A wishbone-era civic would work as well.

You do have to stay reasonably un-modified to to make it work in the same configuration for all disciplines.

This wouldn't be super difficult if you were building for stock class in autox and rallyx or one of the ST classes for autox and Prepared for rallycross. You would obviously need appropriate tires for each discipline.

Track days don't really have classes and you can bracket race anything, right?

Giant Purple Snorklewacker
Giant Purple Snorklewacker SuperDork
1/3/12 6:43 a.m.

Is marginally passable at many forms of racing instead of good at one what you really want?

CarKid1989 wrote: Here is the final catch. The one car has to be able to actually compete in all areas. Its not a hypothetical where on car could be built in various flavors, its one car has to be built so it can do all.

It is certainly fine if participation is the only goal (competing and being competitive != same thing) but you can't be competitive on a road course with rally ride height and vice versa. Or, I should say... you can... but you will be changing everything over between events to achieve it.

driver109x
driver109x HalfDork
1/3/12 7:00 a.m.

WRX Wagon

Legacy/ Legacy Outback

1st/2nd gen Eclipse GSt/x

Camry w/ 3sgte

2nd gen escort w/ BPt or KL

E30 BMW

Stock height or slightly lowered with stiffer suspension and apropriate wheels/tires. Still abundant in junkyards.

ProDarwin
ProDarwin SuperDork
1/3/12 7:01 a.m.

DWB Civic.

Brotus7
Brotus7 Reader
1/3/12 7:04 a.m.

I agree with the above. Without changing the setup, it'll be OK at some and miserable at others. RallyX is the odd man out. A good track vs autox setup on a street car isn't too different. Drag racing would just be a tire swap or pressure change and maybe rear spring swap and you're there. Again, it won't be an ideal drag car since the engine tuning probably won't be set up right.

AWD Eclipse/Talon would be well suited. With some coilovers, you could swap out the springs easily enough, re-adjust camber and toe, then go rallyX. But, rallyX with autox/track springs will knock your teeth and maybe spring mounts out.

Jeff
Jeff Dork
1/3/12 7:35 a.m.

The rally part is the tough one. If you need that, then a Subaru is they way to go. You could also do the Golf thing.

Gearheadotaku
Gearheadotaku GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
1/3/12 7:36 a.m.

I think a carefully built Chevy S-10 could work well. Early body with a 3.4 / 5 speed and a few spare springs.

Maroon92
Maroon92 SuperDork
1/3/12 7:53 a.m.

In order to be competitive at Rally-X and Auto-X, you would, at least, need different suspension setup and tires. A competitive rally suspension would be crappy with grip, and vise versa.

ProDarwin
ProDarwin SuperDork
1/3/12 8:08 a.m.
Maroon92 wrote: In order to be competitive at Rally-X and Auto-X, you would, at least, need different suspension setup and tires. A competitive rally suspension would be crappy with grip, and vise versa.

False. What classes?

A CRX is competitive in G Stock and also competitive in FWD Stock. All you need to do is swap the R-Comps for Snow tires.

Track days are not a competition, so that's a non-issue.

Drag racing... guess it depends on what type? Anything can be competitive bracket racing.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker
Giant Purple Snorklewacker SuperDork
1/3/12 8:15 a.m.
ProDarwin wrote:
Maroon92 wrote: In order to be competitive at Rally-X and Auto-X, you would, at least, need different suspension setup and tires. A competitive rally suspension would be crappy with grip, and vise versa.
False. What classes?

Formula Vee

Jeff
Jeff Dork
1/3/12 8:37 a.m.

Rally or rallyX? Huge difference there.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker
Giant Purple Snorklewacker SuperDork
1/3/12 8:50 a.m.
Jeff wrote: Rally or rallyX? Huge difference there.

Exactly, and that is just two forms of the same thing. Crossing "Types" of racing is just not possible without drastic setup change unless participation is equivalent to success rather than actual success.

The answer to the OP's question is: NO

Ranger50
Ranger50 Dork
1/3/12 8:51 a.m.
Gearheadotaku wrote: I think a carefully built Chevy S-10 could work well. Early body with a 3.4 / 5 speed and a few spare springs.

I was thinking the same thing. Except I would do a torque-er 5.3L in 4wd. Doesn't have to rev the piss out of it to get it moving and stay moving. The 4wd has torsion bars, so it is easy to adjust the ride height and rate.

ProDarwin
ProDarwin SuperDork
1/3/12 9:02 a.m.
Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:
Jeff wrote: Rally or rallyX? Huge difference there.
Exactly, and that is just two forms of the same thing. Crossing "Types" of racing is just not possible without drastic setup change unless participation is equivalent to success rather than actual success. The answer to the OP's question is: NO

Or unless you race in stock classes.

pinchvalve
pinchvalve GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
1/3/12 10:24 a.m.

1st Gen Eagle Talon is the only car I can think of that can do everything well, but perhaps not the same car.

Rally:

Rallycross:

Drag Strip:

Autocross:

Track:

alfadriver
alfadriver SuperDork
1/3/12 10:38 a.m.

Golf plus turbo

Aka glhs

mndsm
mndsm SuperDork
1/3/12 10:39 a.m.
Appleseed wrote: Gen I Eclipse GSX.

This was the first thing that came to mind for me, as well.

Travis_K
Travis_K SuperDork
1/3/12 10:50 a.m.

A stock 87 glhs would actually be a good stock class autocross car (86 isn't stock class legal). But yeah, the answer to the original question is no if being actually good at all those things is required.

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