Learn me: Hillclimbs

I have an out of date (cage design, seats, belts) logbooked open class DSM, that frankly I don't fit into well enough to want to take back out onto stage. PA seems to have a fairly well organized established hillclimb series. It seems to be an attractive option for a few reasons. 1) less updating needing to be done to the car. 2) The tow fund for the entire series would be equilvant to the tow fund for 2 stage rallies. 3) less wear and tear on the car, and frankly with the lack of suspension travel in the DSM, it's likely better suited to it.

So who here has taken part in hillclimbs. What should i be aware of. I'm not looking to win class, just get some seat time and improve as a driver.

2nd post from Location is a canoe

To the OP. I haven't done any hillclimbs in this country, but I started with them in the UK 20 years ago.

I'd say your car is going to be fine. There are many classes which allow no cage etc, but most hills have a break out time like drag racing. When you go faster than xx.xx seconds up the hill you can't come back until you have a cage. I'd think any cage that has been legal in Rally in the last 20 years would be acceptable for hillclimbs. One thing, where are you? The NE seems to be the hot bed of Hillclimb action in the US.

Pennnsylvania Hillclimb Association.

The above is a great link.

In reply to Adrian_Thompson:

I'm in Maryland, just outside of Baltimore, The PA hillclimb association is what caught my eye. It's something that i could do while prepping the next stage car (which will be a group 2 car), and to get some use out of the retired one.

There is also NEHA, www.hillclimb.org. It's good fun, and it far less abusive to a car than stage rally, provided you stay on course. The PA group is a great bunch of folks, and give us a try at NEHA as well.

I have run almost all the hills with PHA. They are a great group.

If you have any questions about your car preparation go on their forums and ask your questions. You can also probably get together with one of their tech inspectors in the off season and have the car checked out so there aren't any surprises come racing season.

The first "hillclimb" of the season is at Summit Point on the Jefferson circuit. Good for shaking out the car and shaking the cobwebs out of your head before heading to the hills. Lots of run off space, and less risk of hitting something hard. I'd recommend starting with that "hill".

I run them down here in the Durty Durty South with CCR-SCCA, great bunch of people and a lot of fun.

Warning: It ruins you for other forms of motorsport in all the right ways.

I also want to do this. I'm thinking of trying to go to one as a spectator and talk to some people before I get too far into any sort of planning.

THIS is a hillclimb.

The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of hillclimbs is the first time I watched at Chimney Rock, 1968, I think it was. A beautiful MG Midget with a high revving engine came screaming up the hill, used up all the road in the corner right in front of me but stayed on the gas. The revs died followed by tire squeal, then a loud thud, then silence. I don't think the driver was hurt badly but the front of the car was flattened by a huge boulder.

Also, isn't that where George Boling wrapped his A-Mod car around a tree?

The point is hillclimbs are run on roads, not road courses.

Would I do it? SURE, if, if, if, and if.

Brett_Murphy wrote: I also want to do this. I'm thinking of trying to go to one as a spectator and talk to some people before I get too far into any sort of planning.

Plenty of hillclimbers on here to ask questions of.

Brett_Murphy wrote: I also want to do this. I'm thinking of trying to go to one as a spectator and talk to some people before I get too far into any sort of planning.

The Eagles Nest Hillclimb here in NC is pretty amazing, I went back in 07 and 08 to help work the course.

Storz wrote:

Brett_Murphy wrote: I also want to do this. I'm thinking of trying to go to one as a spectator and talk to some people before I get too far into any sort of planning.

The Eagles Nest Hillclimb here in NC is pretty amazing, I went back in 07 and 08 to help work the course.

I ran the Eagle's Nest (actually the Rockin' Road) in 2009, great place. Unfortunately the second day was cut short by an absolute frog drowner of a rain.

Due to various problems it's been canceled. CCR is trying to bring it back, hope they are successful.

One thing I learned about building an HC car: you are gonna be working the snot out of the engine in thinner air and that equates to a thinner margin of error for engine cooling. Plan/modify your cooling system accordingly.

In reply to Curmudgeon:

the cooling system on the DSM is definitely an issue, even with a quad core aluminium rad and a pair of puller and pusher fans it rocketed to 210 on stage within 2-3 miles

If you REALLY want to see a hillclimb, Mt. Washington is coming back next summer. It's going to be a hoot.

I believe that Mt. Washington is Rally America Open Class invite only for 2014. As it is scheduled for June 28th

http://rally-america.com/news/entry/2014-rally-america-national-championship-calendar-released

2014 RALLY AMERICA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Sno*Drift Rally January 24-25 Atlanta, Michigan Rally in the 100 Acre Wood February 21-22 Salem, Missouri Oregon Trail Rally May 2-4 Portland, Oregon Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally June 6-7 Wellsboro, Pennsylvania Rally America National Invitational June 28 TBA New England Forest Rally July 18-19 Newry, Maine Ojibwe Forests Rally August 22-23 Detroit Lakes, Minnesota Lake Superior Performance Rally October 17-18 Houghton, Michigan

There are more classes than Open Class.

That is too bad about Eagles Nest being cancelled, that was a STEEP challenging road for sure.

In reply to DaveEstey:

That's excellent to hear, i was bummed when that was initially theorized over on the stage boards

What's a hill? These sound like a blast!

Looks incredibly dangerous!

captdownshift wrote: In reply to Curmudgeon: the cooling system on the DSM is definitely an issue, even with a quad core aluminium rad and a pair of puller and pusher fans it rocketed to 210 on stage within 2-3 miles

Do you have the air inlet from the bumper ducted/sealed to the radiator on all sides?

Then you can cut the hood behind the radiator and duct there as well to force all the air through the radiator.

captdownshift wrote: In reply to Curmudgeon: the cooling system on the DSM is definitely an issue, even with a quad core aluminium rad and a pair of puller and pusher fans it rocketed to 210 on stage within 2-3 miles

Keep in mind that over ~30 MPH the fans are just along for the ride, sounds to me like you have an airflow problem. Be certain the airflow openings are not restricted, then close off gaps at the sides top and bottom that might allow air to bypass the radiator. You want every molecule of air possible to go through that radiator.

Lose the pusher fans, they block airflow. Stick with the pullers behind.

If you can, add a small flap across the bottom of the radiator that goes all the way from side to side, that creates a low pressure area under the car that helps evacuate hot air from the engine compartment. Along those lines, anything that can let hot air out of the engine compartment would be a big help. Vents or louvers in the hood would help with that.

I do have a second vented hood that I haven't run yet, I'll definitely look to sealing the sides and maybe running ducting to the radiator front as well, right now all the ducting is run to the front brakes

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=3975152785257&set=vb.1473708515&type=3&theater