Getting Started Rally Racing

[Mike]

Well, this post could be a general 'How do I start racing?' question in general.

But, more specifically, I am looking to get started racing. But, I don't have a car that I can modify. I'm really looking to be a driver for a team.

How does someone go about doing this kind of thing? I could imagine some kind of school for racing and then the school places you in front of prospective sponsors.

But, really... how does this work? Is this something I need to start doing on my own with the hopes of picking up a sponsor?

[Zedrally]

I had always wondered the same so I asked around and found a rally club to join. My intention was not to joina specific type car club but rather a club that ran events that I liked and accepted all different types of cars.

Best advice:

Find a rally club and join, it really is the only way that I can think of!

Mike

[Doehring]

Mike,

I did it like Zedrallye too many years ago. Because I had no car at that time I started as Co-Driver/Navigator and tried to learn as much from the best in the club. When I got my first little FIAT I started driving together with one of the better navigators we had. My first car was not specially prepared but that changed with my won experiance and I learnt at first to improve the handling of the car (I started with the steering wheel and tires) and to improve security inside the car at the same time (harness). Next were the lights for night events. Concerning the engine my first improvement was a bigger oil pan to lower the temperature. And than things went on ......

Rolf

[Dan]

Rally has for a long time been my favorite motorsport. I have allways wanted to race it, i think it is the most demanding form of motor racing there is. Now that i have a 240 and want to get into racing rally is the way i want to go. My question is should i look to build a car specific to rally or can i take my street 240 and race it in a club. I understand a tire change would be in order but could i run with a street suspension, would i need higher stiffer springs different shocks and so forth. Really i'm just looking to have fun with the car i have now, race it on the weekend drive it during the week, can this realistically be done?.

[Zedrally]

Dan,

Believe or not I'm using my daily driver, "slightly" modifide as I've progressed.

I've been a zed nut for years having boought a brand new 260Z in 1977 [i think]. A lot of zeds that eventually found there way to the land of OZ, i believe where "bitzes", that is to say a bit of a 240, 260 and the USA 280. This one is one the last 73 zeds, high VIN and probably was meant to go to the UK, so the idea was to buy it and have fun....

First thing we did was to put it up on a hoist and go mad with the MIG, chain up the diff, add a few chains to hold up the exhaust.

I changed the suspension to Koni shockers riding on doughnuts for "extra" height, this way I can pull the "nuts" and lower the car for track or autocross if I so desire [haven't so far]. Changed all rubbers etc while we where at it as well.

Tyres came next, quite a few sets for different work, Dirt, Tarmac& Road.

Up to that stage we didn't have any distance measuring equipment but were having a ball anyway.

Not wanting to spend a fortune on the car I played around with some bike computers and had success in a 3 display version of my own manufacture. This lasted till summer this year when the LCD displays "fried".

I have a Terratrip on order and will instal next week in readiness for the Experts Trial {read Nav nightmare] late in August.

You may wonder about roll bars....

I possibly have the only 240z log booked rally car without Roll bars in Aus, this anomoly occured as up to last year Roll over Protection [ROP] wasn't a requirement for some of the events that I competed in. Now it is, but for me to compete would mean fitting a full FIA cage, seats & harness's.

Frankly not worth the expense, so it's historic rally only for the Zed.

I'm waiting on a photo from a rally that I was on and I'll post it as my avtar. Even though it's red and looks like a Safari replic. it isn't. But that's another story.....

Mike

[Doehring]

Dan,

I fully agree with Zedrallye. Try to improve your Z in a way that you can use it as a daily driver, too. As long as you are not rallying like a semi-professional you don't need a specially adapted car. Nevertheless you should at first make clear with yourself what kind of rallye you prefer, events on mainly "stiff" roads (tar, pavement) or on "soft" roads (in forests, sand, natural

ground). In the first case you can lower your car, in the other you should ride high. You can see the diff with the works rallye cars, for instance when you compare the Safari Z to the Monte Carlo Z.

Classic car events here are mainly on "stiff" roads. So I lowered the car by using Eibach springs (don't forget to use bump stops!

Sometimes you have to jump for instance over train crossings at high speed).I also changed to Tokyko gas struts and changed all rubber in the suspension to urthane. The tires I mentioned already before. I also did a lot to the interior as you can see in the picture gallery, racing. There I have the original seats and steering wheel (leather coated ), for other events I use 2 Recaro racing seats, a smaller but thicker steering wheel (Raid) and 4 point seat belts. As Rallye Counter we use a 10m counting Retrotrip and additionally sometimes a bike computer for measuring average speed. Normally electronic aids are not allowed at Classic events. Everything should be as it has been 25 years ago. What was allowed to the car at that time that you can see in the Homologation papers available from Nissan or your national motorsports authority. I also use an Intercom for conversation inside the car because I have 3 open double carbs, header and an exhaust with only one "smooth" silencer at the rear.

What you have to know is that the 240z is a "nosebear" (dramatically understeerer). esp. on wet roads or on "soft" roads.

Left foot braking helps but that's difficult. The handbrake is good to use in narrow bends. On tar you can try to make the car unstable before the bend so that it swings oversteeringly into the bend. Here you can "steer" now with the wheel and !!! the gas pedal. Make shure your front wheels always look into the direction where you will go to. Don't get nerveous at ste steering wheel or you will spin. That's why some drivers use a white stripe at the top of the steering wheel.

Good luck

Rolf

Rolf

[Dan]

Thanks for the tips guys, i will continue to bug you now for more info. By the way do any of you think that adjustable shocks like Tokico's are worth the investment. Would adjustable ride stiffness be a bonus for different race surfaces. I just wondered if it's worht the extra moola or should i waite until i get real serious.

thanks.

[Zedrally]

Dan, that would depend on the state of your shocks.

In my case, they where pretty well shot, so I decided that I might as well go the whole hog.

That's pretty much the way it is with rally car prep. It really becomes infectious as your always looking to upgrade something.

My advice is to get out there with what you've got and add, modify as you go.

Oh, I should add, if your in the dirt expect a few "offs". Hopefully, you won't suffer any damage but you have to be realistic and be prepared for some panel beating.

Even know there are many things I would like to add/modify, but I ask myself will they make me drive any better or win events. I doubt it, I'm no youngster, so I know fear and my limits. At the end of the day its the camarardrie that I enjoy. Ah....4am wet..cold..windy..cars limping home, beer in hand and stories to tell.....there's nothing like it.

Go forth.

Mike

[Doehring]

Dan, (and Mike Gholson, too) I once more agree with Zedrallye. Save the money that adjustable shocks cost but buy a very good non-adjustable set. Konis are good because you can make them stiffer, I prefer gas . Zedrally mentioned the bumps. Right, dents and scratches may be part of the business (see my car in sportZmagazine, that was a too hard impact). Don't forget the bump stops , I crashed my rear suspension once when I jumped at a train crossing at about 80 mph and I had forgotten to install bump stops. By the way, against understeering helps a little more chamber at the front suspension.

Don't do too much to the car when you start rallying, do it by learning the game. Have a good Co-driver, improve your driving style ( the driving style for rallying is much different to the style on a race track where you know what is coming next and where you don't have traffic coming against you) and have fun - just as Zedrallye mentioned. If you need infos on the driving style, don't hesitate to contact us.

Rolf

[Doehring]

Mike,

did you look at vintagerally.com ? I have the feeling that SCCA is starting something on rallying and you can become an "early bird" when things go on. Looking at the post to "Events there is some encouraging reply from the US. You are entering the business !

Rolf

[Caen Fred]

Most of the "Scratch" times are coming more from the driving style than from the car itself.

In Europe we have a lot of "Formula type challenge" racing (Peugeot, Citroën...). All the driver have the SAME car (well almost!) and the difference come from the driver and co-driver and overall team work.

So don't blame it on the car. When rallying, remember that you better have big brakes and good traction than big hp.

If you have to work on your car, improve the Brakes, tires, suspension...

During the mighty years of rallying, most of the time the tiny Coopers (small engines, small power, good brakes...) where in front of the monster Camaros (tone of power, torque and NO BRAKES). One of the best car the era, the Alpine Renault, had the perfect balance hp/brakes/susp and kiked butt for a while... until they changed the rules.

So keep your car simple, brake strong and late, keep as much momentum as possible and voilà your our new World Champ.

Fred

[2ManyZs]

Just as an FYI. There are quite a few SCCA regions that are now hosting road rally events. These are merely timed events on public roads in street cars. No speeding, no modified full out race cars, everything is done in a street legal car.

It might be one way to find out just how tough a timed event really is and how well you can work as a team. Just take your every day driver out and go for a nice Sunday drive. With a stop watch of course. Kinda like a Track Day at your local road course, no real racing, just a way to get a feel for the type of event in a safe and controlled environment.

The SCCA does hold numerous rally events, but these are not historic events, these are usually Pro series events. All the best new vehicles against one another, I don't think they have any classes that a modified Z would fit into.