Random thought, 818 as a "rally car"/ RS200 Replica?

[StatGSR]

Just had a some what random thought about the 818 becoming a RWD "rally" car. Not like a true rally car, more of a rally cross play thing but, on top of that thought, i figured it would be awesome as RS200 Replica.... i love those things for reasons even unknown to me....







I'd be tempted to rock one! Not sure if the RS200 has a enough rear over hang to perfectly match up with the chassis, but i bet it would be doable especially if FFR goes to a transverse engine configuration down the road...


Discuss???

[PhyrraM]

I love the RS200. However, the basic design is dated and without the AWD (818 is RWD) it loses much of it's appeal. I would totally rock an original RS200, but as a replica....?

I guess it's a bit ironic that the front of the RS200 looks a bit like the front of a '02-'03 WRX. If you could deal with a front engine AWD replica, a shortened WRX would make a good start.

In any case, FFR seems to be clearly heading to an original design.

[Rockraven]

I'd totally rock that... but without trying to be a troll, I'm holding out for a Stratos.

[D2W]

I'm a fan of the performance of the original but I have never been a fan of the design. If FFR does a replica I would vote for Stratos or Muira. To be honest I was surprised we didn't see any designs in the contest paying homage to the Muira, one of my all time favorites.

[Cooluser23]

It doesn't have to look like an RS200, or Stratos, but if the 818 were a capable (group B insipired) Rallye car, it would be great.

I grew a liking to driving fast on rural (semi private) dirt roads, and would love if I can take an 818 on such. Maybe even competitively, that is if I find a rally driving school on the west coast.

I really hope the suspension is what makes the 818 and a lot of time is spent by the FFR staff to make it great. I kind of envision the 818 as a powerful light engine with a low cg bolted to a world class suspension design with just enough body bolted to it to make a stunning interior and exterior that turns heads.

My favorite quote," An experienced veteran once said "Circuit racers see 10 turns 1000 times while rally drivers see 1000 turns 1 time! ".

Rally racing is the purest form of racing. It's a racecourse is composed of closed down real roads. Events can last several days and cover hundreds of miles through rain, snow, mud and dust. It's whatever mother nature decides during the day or through the night. Many in other forms of racing consider rally drivers to be the best all around drivers in the world. Any road surface and every weather condition must be mastered while possessing the wherewithal necessary to make it through arduous hours and hundreds of miles. An experienced veteran once said "Circuit racers see 10 turns 1000 times while rally drivers see 1000 turns 1 time!

A major part of a driver's success is their co-driver. Rally drivers cannot practice the course and must rely on their navigator (or co-driver) to succeed. The co-driver uses a computerized odometer along with a supplied route book in order to communicate to the driver what lies ahead on the road. The route book describes in detail the road ahead and includes warnings for hazards such as dips, rocks, cliffs, trees and even water crossings. It is up to the driver to process this information along with what the driver sees ahead to determine how best to attack the course. After all it's a race and they are racing against many other teams!

Rally cars must be strong enough to survive hundreds of miles and several days of conditions that would quickly destroy an unprepared vehicle . An additional element to their preparation is keeping them street legal since they must traverse public roads with traffic between the competitive timed sections.

Old rutted logging roads and well groomed forest roads as well as the chance paved road make up what is the course for a rally. They are temporarily closed, real roads on which rally drivers can go as fast as they can.

http://www.teamoneil.com/press1.htm
http://www.teamoneil.com/press4.htm

[Cooluser23]

Why the looks may have been controversial, I always feel that the suspension was what made the RS200 truly great.

[Smitty911]

I grew a liking to driving fast on rural (semi private) dirt roads, and would love if I can take an 818 on such. Maybe even competitively, that is if I find a rally driving school on the west coast.

Have you driven the 10 Fwy much?

Smitty

[Cooluser23]

Have you driven the 10 Fwy much?

Smitty

Can't say I did, why?

I've driven on the 880 past Oakland into Emeryville, and both the freeway and the city streets looked as if "asphalt" was more of an afterthought. Potholes everywhere, as well as an uneven surface.

[Horhay]

Maybe even competitively, that is if I find a rally driving school on the west coast.

http://www.dirtfish.com/

You're welcome.

[Cooluser23]

http://www.dirtfish.com/

You're welcome.

Thank you.

[Cooluser23]

Bumping the 818 as a rally capable car thread.

[Draco-REX]

It could. As above, there are a host of MR cars in the past that were successful rally cars. At our local SCCA RallyCross events a guy with a highly modified FB RX-7 shows up and he is VERY fast. Though, in the dirt, a well sorted AWD car will beat a well sorted RWD car, the gap is close enough that the driver can make a difference. But rarely would a 2WD car be matched against an AWD car anyways.

There are some issues with an 818 RallyCross car. 1st would be getting it classified as a production vehicle. It could not run in stock class or prepared because it's very nature is too fluid to limit mods. And the SCCA RallyX Boardis currently NOT classing specific cars in RallyCross, and they're backed by most of the members. We don't want a convoluted classing scheme like AutoX has. Though a clause to put ALL kit cars in Modified might be acceptable.

The second issue is the rule stating that all cars must have a hardtop. It specifically states a metal roof. But exceptions have been made for fiberglass Miata hardtops. As long as it has a good rollbar, the fiberglass roof would likely be passed.

Ultimately, an 818 could make a REALLY fun RallyCross car at the regional level. But at the National level it would be protested into oblivion if it won.

That's not to say I wouldn't be sorely tempted to slap my rally tires on the 818 and get it dirty once.

[spaceywilly]

Hate to point out the obvious but the WRX seems like a much better rally platform in its stock chassis than the 818 chassis. If you want to rally and already have a WRX, you could just rally the WRX. For the money you would spend building an 818 rallycross car you could turn your WRX into a stage rally car and have some real fun.

[riptide motorsport]

Spacewilly"s correct.