offroad rallying

[slaterd]

I didn't think that a dentist would sponsor a rally car. Ha. But it makes sense. How any have you had so far and how many races did it take for you to actually "snag" one. I know these questions are a little premature but i'd like to know where to expect to set realistic goals instead of going in with foolish hopes you know?

[SlapDash]

Sponsors are verrrry few and far between, but they are out there. And it is a huge amount of work. Mine was quite serendipitous, plus he runs an E30 rally car.

I would suggest starting extremely local, like your dentist, or a place you shop at all the time, even if it's like a junkyard or something like that. Maybe do a couple of events before you go knocking on doors.

[slaterd]

I have a lot of time on my hands. What sponsors would be best to partner with for a beginner in offroad rallying

[Jaxx_]

How do you get sponsors? Might save me a little extra $$ down the road

write letters and promise promotion. it's usually more work than people want to put in.

[slaterd]

How do you get sponsors? Might save me a little extra $$ down the road

[SlapDash]

Check out this thread too. Some light reading...

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=137254

[SlapDash]

If it's rallycross, you could go with just all-seasons, but a lot of people use snow tires for rallycross. Although at Maine, I saw a few with snow tires too, as opposed to full-on rally tires (on a Geo Metro with a motorcycle engine). Ironically, when I autocrossed my car on pavement, I used 10-year-old snow tires. It makes things more difficult, but it helps in the end.

The rally tires I have are also very old and worn, but thought they would be better than new snows (plus, I got them for $20/each...that helped).

Thanks, I made the mud flaps out of some material my sponsor had laying around in his basement and just self-tapped them into the wheel wells.

My cage guy (Bill Doyle, of cagethis.com, shameless plug) made the light bar. It's pretty sick. It's aluminum and he welded tabs to the bumper. I can remove the bar, but I was testing it's mettle, so to speak, so I could make sure it stayed on that night (it did).

Despite the skid plate and the bash bar, which was/is like a roll cage built around the oil pan underneath the skid plate, we still cracked the pan. I was trying to avoid giant rocks and ended up hitting one unseen one (finished the stage though).

And what jasonsnoddy said. I got brand-new -- but stock -- control arms and swapped a newer steering rack.

[jasonsnoddy]

you dont need many special parts and shit, just make sure everything is tip-top.

[slaterd]

Did you buy a kit to mount those lights on the front or did.you fabricate a mount?

[joshw02]

Here's another shot...

Looks good. What mudflaps are those?

[slaterd]

Awesome...so protect the oil pan with skid plating. Can I use all season tires or should I. Go with the winter tires like mentioned previously

[SlapDash]

Here's another shot...

[SlapDash]

I just 'finished' my first stage rally, the New England Forest Rally.

Iamcreepingdeath is right on the money.

Essentially, except for the cage, skid plate and bash bar (and other required Rally American safety bits), my car is close to stock. I have IE motor mounts and used Bilstein HD shocks/struts with stock -- original -- springs. Brakes, stock (used for three years, including five autocrosses). Engine, stock. Diff, LSD, stock. Even ran the stock exhaust.

Technically I finished my first rally, which was Day 1 regional, but I cracked my oil pan on Day 2, the second regional (NEFR is the national and Mexico and Errol are the regionals, but run concurrently).

You can do stock everything, just protect that oil pan!!! Although Maine is known as the "car breaker".

Good luck and have fun!

[iamsam]

Speaking from experience, as I have rallied an E28 and two different E30s, I'd say stock suspension is your best starting point, but get some Bilstien HD springs, you will need dampening. Keep the stock sways in there, or you will lose control. Run some 195/70/14 snow tires on stock wheels. Also, gutting your car is very important as it does a few things: You won't get your carpet full of mud if you have no carpet, and by lightening the car, it effectively lifts the car and makes the suspension stiffer.

However, there are people on this board with WAAAAY more experience than me.

Here are some threads that can help.

Here is my buddy Mike's rally build thread for his 325is. He is going to get into stage rally with Rally America. http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=205598

Here is the last time I rallied. My car is the black E28, Mike's rally E30 is here too. http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=209848

Here is the time before, my car is the alpine E30, my buddy Mike is in his jeep. Hint: H&R Races are NOT good rally springs. ;) http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=203429

[Fusion]

Yea, Zimmermann drilled + good pads. In offroad (non asphalt) conditions I doubt they would fade because 1) you'll have lots od wheel slip 2) you won't be getting to track speeds.
A hydraulic hand brake would probably be good.