Civic Coupe budget rally cross

[oct6454]

As the title suggests, I now have at my disposal a civic coupe. It was given to me by my cousin, who now drives a different car and needs to get rid of his civic ASAP. Its a 97 Civic Coupe with a rebuilt title and some axle issues. Anyways I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to turn it into a rally cross car for me my brother and two cousins to learn the sport of Rally Cross in.

Unfortunately I'm located in the PNW where Rally Cross is less popular then in other regions. That being Said warren Rally Sport appears to put on a few event that I might be eligible to attend.

Down to my questions,
1) After reading the Scca rules I want to double check that I CANNOT lighted the car in any way if I'm to run in Stock class.
2) Would it be worth my while to move into a class where I can lighten the car?

The car comes with snow tires, so that's taken care of already. Other then that, any recommendations or people I should get ahold of?



Thanks,


Oliver,

[heymagic]

Rallycross typically involves pretty short courses and just a few runs. Usually the times between the various car classes with fast drivers is negligible. I've seen stock worn out automatic cars beat full blown rally cars , don't over think it just yet. Go for reliable not awesome. Oregon Rally Group seem to have a pretty solid schedule but a distance from you. Steve Warren bounces locations around but keeps coming up with something.

[northcoast]

I've seen stock worn out automatic cars beat full blown rally cars , don't over think it just yet.

Damn Honda Accord wagon beats me almost every time.

Oliver... stay in the stock class for now. ORG rallyx is in Vancouver and lately Steve Warren's rallyx has been in Clatskanie. Here are the links to both groups.

http://oregonrally.com/rallycross/

https://www.facebook.com/WarrenRallySport

[oct6454]

Awesome, thanks for the advice northcoast and heymagic.

Thanks for posting those links for me. I truly got the bug after going to Dirtfish for a day, it was incredible IMO.

I have family that lives on property in Longview WA so Vancouver and portland area wouldn't be too bad!

[oct6454]

Well I just got done competiting in my first event and had the time of my life out there. My and my partner went 1st and 2nd and didnt break anything.

One complaint I did have about the car was its unwillingness to rotate on entry. This made it nearly impossible to leave corners on the inside. I've done some reading on how to remedy this and it appears a softer front sway should help. How about the rear of the car? Anything I should do back there?

Secondly, the civic sits pretty low as you can see in my pic, from all the SCCA rules I've read, it seems that height cant be changed until you moving into the FWD preppared class, somthing I don't want to do yet. Any other relatively cheap ways for me to keep my oil pan intact? (skid plates cost more then the cars worth lol)

[John Vanlandingham]

Disconnect front sway bar. Increase rear brakes. Pump up rear tires.

[oct6454]

Okay, disconnecting the sway bar will be the first thing I do.

Thanks for the other ideas!

One more question, can i run un-assisted brakes in stock class. I dont think I can, based on the language of the SCCA rule book but I'd love to take out the power breaks so I can left foot break easier.

[John Vanlandingham]

Okay, disconnecting the sway bar will be the first thing I do.

Thanks for the other ideas!

One more question, can i run un-assisted brakes in stock class. I dont think I can, based on the language of the SCCA rule book but I'd love to take out the power breaks so I can left foot break easier.

At the speeds you are going--and specifically "with the small differential speeds' in a typical SCCA type "grass-o-cross" you really think you need, or have time to deploy advance driving techniques?

When sort of speeds the car reach and what sorta corner speeds? just rolloing off the gas for a second and a tap at the brakes seems to be enough---in the limited experience I have.---

As for unassisted and stock class. Do like everybody in every SCCA type Stock event and cheat like a Republican...cram a allen headed bolt into the vacuum pipe..
Nobody will ever know and I won't tell...
Is there a limited valve going to the back brakes---if so, gut it, dump the innards out...now the rear brakes will be stronger...it won't be "front bias" but there will be more rear brake than before....easier to lock..


No limiter? OK you the 97 Civic stock has drums with 3/4" or 19mm cylinders.... look around and see if there is something that will interchange that have 22mm bore

Look on Rockauto---which is doing clear out on your stock size stuff...


If you do the break set up right, the need for knee-jerk panaceas like Leff foo brakin is reduced.
First things first..

[oct6454]

Most of the corners no, I didnt have nearly enough time as I'm not good enough yet haha. But there was a decent straight to hard right that using my left foot would have been nice on. Specifically, the reason I want to delete the assist is because it's much easier for me to modulate break pressure then it is with the power breaks. For instance with the extra lose surface, breaking during the slalom was extremely hard to do.

As for speeds...I honestly cant tell you as I rarely look at my gauges except possibly my tach. With that said, not all that fast obviously, I'm just trying to use everything ive been taught to become a better driver and have some fun while I'm at it.

Thanks for doin that leg work!

As for the whole rule bending, I cant tell if your serious but it sure seems like it haha.

[prosocia]

There was once a blind man who had so fine a sense of touch that, when any animal was put into his hands, he could tell what it was merely by the feel of it. One day the cub of a wolf was put into his hands, and he was asked what it was. He felt it for some time, and then said, "Indeed, I am not sure whether it is a wolf's cub or a fox's: but this I know -- it would never do to trust it in a sheepfold."
Evil tendencies are early shown.
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