Suggestions for car in stock class rallycross/autocross?

So the wife gave me the okay to start a career as a professional rally driver. The truth is though, it's really expensive and requires a lot of skill. Both of which I have not much of. I am also 30 which gives me about 10-15yrs to do it in . So now the obvious alternative is rallycross. Not quite the same but I need to start somewhere until I can afford to get some schooling. So to the point: I need some suggetions on a car that would serve dual purpose as a rallycross/autocross car. I plan to run stock class to keep the exspenses as low has possible. This would be a car that can be driven to the event and has lots of spare parts that can be pulled from any junkyard or had for cheap. I would prefer RWD for use in other events but not limited to it. Also the criteria of the price would be under $1500.

So some I was thinking about are: BMW E30 Subaru legacy 1st/2nd gen Ford Mustang foxbody Subaru Impreza 1st gen

Any other suggestions?

VW Golfs seem to be hideously popular in that sport.

In reply to Merc:

I also wanted to start with a RWD chassis, but using the very same criteria you did changed my mind. FWD=cheap and plentiful. I went with the Golf since there seems to be a fair knowledge base already out there for building rally Golfs.

Close: http://www.specialstage.com/classifieds/showproduct.php/product/2052/cat/13

Stretch your budget a little.

1st gen Neon

Volvo 240

EricM wrote: Close: http://www.specialstage.com/classifieds/showproduct.php/product/2052/cat/13 Stretch your budget a little.

talk him down to $2k and you got a screaming deal.

In reply to ignorant: $2K might be some work. I bet he has it priced to get it to $2500.

I like ignorant's idea $2K is a good price.

Given you are new to the sport, I would suggest the idea of going with the popular car. Easy to get parts if you have a break and forgot something. People might be willing to help with set-up etc.

I've heard b-13 SE-Rs are pretty killer in rally-x but that's just internet hearsay

My old Sundance Duster was nice in rallyx, except it had a damn foot operated parking brake. Dumbest idea, ever. I also did an old Volvo turbo wagon, but that was too heavy to really get around. My favourite rallyx car so far was my Focus ZX3. You can actually find those pretty cheap nowadays, but under $1500 is pushing it. I'll have to agree with the VW Golf, because there is so much out there for them, and even the really beat up turd bucket ones still drive nice.

NGTD wrote: Volvo 240

The rally anarchy guys all seem to love that one. Really, I sort of wish I went that route

Love me some Golf for rallycross. Oh and Rabbits also work pretty well.

thatsnowinnebago wrote: I've heard b-13 SE-Rs are pretty killer in rally-x but that's just internet hearsay

The SR20's oil pan sits quite low, however. Plan on adding a skidplate before you think about hitting the dirt. That said, fun car, decent handling, nice power for its size, and best of all, VLSD...

Subies and Golfs are far more common, though, therefore easier to get hop-up parts for.

mndsm wrote: VW Golfs seem to be hideously popular in that sport.

They handle very well, when they aren't bending control arms or rear beams or breaking CV joints or transmissions...

Ah yeah, that's why I don't play with Golfs anymore.

I would suggest staying away from Sentras unless you live in an area where nothing rusts. They seem to be competitive right up to the point where the rear strut towers fall off the car.

This is my objective best car for each class.

SF - Neon, Civic, Focus. Really, anything will do, the national champion this year drove a 'scort GT. I have seen many cars do extremely well.

SR - AW11 MR2 FTW. MR2 rules all!

SA - Impreza OBS. if the diffs are working properly, this is exactly the car to do what you want it to. A 2.5RS is a good candidate too, but exceedingly more rare.

Double Post!

(let me add that a properly controlled DSM is another good candidate for SA)

Platinum90 wrote: This is my objective best car for each class. SF - Neon, Civic, Focus. Really, anything will do, the national champion this year drove a 'scort GT. I have seen many cars do extremely well. SR - AW11 MR2 FTW. MR2 rules all! SA - Impreza OBS. if the diffs are working properly, this is exactly the car to do what you want it to. A 2.5RS is a good candidate too, but exceedingly more rare.

That father/son combo in the EGT can make EVOs and STIs look bad.

Those dudes are fast and pretty cool to boot.

But then Jared and I have been making STIs and EVOs look bad in our Golfs and Rabbits for a few years. Well untill I moved out of colorado.

How about some inspiration for ya.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dkabal/3898409722/in/pool-coloradorallycross

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dkabal/3898410500/in/pool-coloradorallycross

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dkabal/3898403068/in/pool-coloradorallycross

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dkabal/3897596151/in/pool-coloradorallycross

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dkabal/3897582003/in/pool-coloradorallycross

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dkabal/3897529677/in/pool-coloradorallycross

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dkabal/3897409989/in/pool-coloradorallycross

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dkabal/3898189846/in/pool-coloradorallycross

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dkabal/3898178272/in/pool-coloradorallycross

I just recently, last sunday actually, attended my first rally cross event here in ontario.. Was held on one of the special stages for our Nov "rally of the tall pines".

Anyhow, I took my daily driver (read mechanically neglected) 91 tercel, and didn't have a spec of worry or problem with it.

So, buy a tercel. They're dirt cheap (sometimes 300$ with popped engines, sometimes free.) they're extremely light, easily to toss around and feel like you are on the absolute ragged edge, and they are bullet proof and simple cars. It's a rear beam, so you can only break 2 control arms, which you shouldn't worry about anyways, since they're extremely solid (in my exp..) and they share all the under pinnings with the Paseo, which sports a 1.5 twin cam 16 motor than you can swap in with no special work!!

Good luck with your rally career!

Here is that EGT and a few pics of me in the Golf.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dkabal/3898161768/in/pool-coloradorallycross

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dkabal/3897338479/in/pool-coloradorallycross

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dkabal/3897332311/in/pool-coloradorallycross

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dkabal/3898114476/in/pool-coloradorallycross

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dkabal/3542187107/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dkabal/3896519625/

thatsnowinnebago wrote: I've heard b-13 SE-Rs are pretty killer in rally-x but that's just internet hearsay

Deja-Vu... I went through the same exercise a few months ago and ended up getting a b-13 SE-R for exactly $1500. I originally had it narowed to 1st gen (GC) Imprezas, Mark II Golfs and the SE-R in that order. When I started looking though I couldn't find any Impreza for less than $2500. Golfs were plentiful but all the cheap ones were crap cans that looked like they were going to require lots of work to keep going. (Don't flame me I drive a Mark IV with 186k as a daily and my family's had it since new). I found the SE-R in good working order at 210k but with a new clutch and a recently rebuilt transmission so I jumped on it.

I've really hammered it at 3 ralycrosses so far and it's been relatively reliable and competitive. At the last rallycross we had unlimited untimed fun runs at the end of the day and I seriously did 17 consecutive runs in the car. There's no rust (I'm in California) and the oil pan does sit low relative to the rest of the car but the overall ride height is pretty generous and I haven't had any problems.

Two things have gone wrong: the high pressure power steering hose sprung a leak and I had to pay $300 to get it fixed since I didn't have the time or the garage and I think the motor or transmission mounts are falling apart thanks to my 17 runs since the stick now moves on its own when I hit the gas :)

My 2 pennies

Escort GTs are just plain good cars.

But Tercel? Tercels scare me. Sure the control arms are strong, but that's only in comparison to the body which will rot off first. Water and gunk collect in the body rail where the control arm attaches and then it falls off.

Meh, haven't noticed yet. My car has 595,000 km on it. yeah.

Car was primarily a S.C.,USA car, but has been in canada for 5 or more years now?

I wouldn't even worry about power steering. I actually have my pump's belt off and the car was amazingly easy to drive without it at the rally-x.. parking lots not so much.