HELP!

[BlueRu]

Ok i need help on this. I need a new (to me) car. I want a Subaru to make into my rally car. I just dont know what kind. I only need it because my Rex is my dd. I so would rather make my Rex the rally car and get another Suby to be my dd but........... I just need help thoughts? And if I put this in the wrong place Im sorry.

[409industries]

thead moved (i think youll get more people with input here).

Do what im doing. I have an STi as an almost daily driver (my POS mazda is the beater) and I'm going to get a GC chassis impreza for rallying. I figure i can find a good one for about $6000. Theres cheaper ones out there too... and I'm going to beat on that car pretty hard. Planning on staying NA for a while since turbos put you in some pretty competitive classes as far as stage rallying goes...

[fattie92]

When you say "rally", do you mean staged rally or rallycross?

[BlueRu]

I'm going to get a GC chassis impreza for rallying.
Please define GC chassis to me. I was looking and I can get a '90's Impreza with over 150k for less than 1k. Most I have seenare like 600 or less. I have also seen some Legacy's same era close to the same price. I gave that rout a thought too.

When you say "rally", do you mean staged rally or rallycross?
I will more then likely start in rallyx then move to stage.

[409industries]

GC is referring to the GC chassis or first generationa Imprezas. Here is a great writeup:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subaru_Impreza

Check out Not All There's "Ugly Panda" for a prime example of getting the most out of a cheap used Impreza.

http://www.dirtyimpreza.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=309

I would start with rallycross and work your way up to stage rally. Car control on the dirt is something that takes practice (something that i need LOTS more of) and well, getting into stage rally can be really expensive and take the fun out of driving if youre not mentally, physically, and financially prepared.

[BlueRu]

Thanks for the link. I have been following "The Ugly Panda" for a while. I cant wait t have on of my own.

[fattie92]

Only if I had my own place....Id so be doing this!

[BlueRu]

Yea. Most of the stuff that will get done at my place are day projects. The envolved stuff will be done somewhere else (TBD). Cant make it look too bad at my place because of the HoA. I hate them!

[409industries]

yeah... im the same way with my STi. i live in an apartment complex so what work gets done during the day needs to be finished by the end of the day.

I have a feeling the GC is going to be spending quite a few nights in other garages (metal fab shop, etc!)

[BlueRu]

No doubt. I have been looking A LOT and have found a few. If you want me to send them to you I can. Most of them I have found are in Denver. I even found a '95 Impreza L (or somehting like that) with studed tyres included for $1k. I have been using Craig's list for most of my searching btw.

[409industries]

yeah you can definitely find old imprezas for WAY cheap... the L's and other ones. There are a few overpriced ones on nasioc private classified cars for sale... nice cars, but cmon 10K for a GC with crappy mods? im looking for a virgin one if possible too!

not enough money yet either, so ill keep humorning myself by looking. :)

[lminette]

There are a couple 2.5rs rally cars for sale on specialstage.com. Already set up one is 9000 and the other is 9500. Considering that I paid 8000 for mine not rally prepped they seem like great deals.

[BlueRu]

So I found a '96 with some body damage. 150k miles, awd and runs for 500. Is this a good deal do you think?
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n109/PsycoArmPit/010208010300010406200706056006f3cd1.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n109/PsycoArmPit/010103010402010300200706054cdb44edb.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n109/PsycoArmPit/01010201020201040020070605c0fd84d75.jpg

[fattie92]

Not worth it. That is going to take some work to get fixed. If it was just the bumper and trunk id say maybe... But the left rear fender looks like its damaged, along with the whole right side... Id stay away!!

[albascoob]

'some' body damage....nice one...

[BlueRu]

I dont know. I wanted a big project and this is a BIG project. I just dont know if it is too big for me or if I want to work on it that much.

[Blix666]

i wouldn't buy that thing for $500

[I Like It Sideways]

I'd say $300 at the most...

But remember... For stage rally (at least with Rally-America) you usually can not start out in an AWD vehicle, much less a turbocharged vehicle. There are ways around it, if you can prove to them a prowess with AWD.(but NA only) You can drive an AWD vehicle in stage rally with NASA and I think you can use those coefficients to transfer into Rally-America with an AWD vehicle. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong. Also, building your rex into a rally car will cost a lot more than buying a rally-prepped vehicle. So you are better off buying a cheap suby and rally-prepping it, if you are for sure going to go the build-it-yourself route.
Unless money isn't an issue, that is :)

Like others have said, rallyx is a great place to start, if you haven't already.

What are your thoughts on the '96 you found? it'd be an awesome project car. Thats for sure.

[BlueRu]

What are your thoughts on the '96 you found? it'd be an awesome project car. Thats for sure.
I am getting a good feeling about it. I am really hoping that if I decide to look at it that it has no structural damage. It just seems like the Suby I have been looking for. Every time I have asked a question it has been responded with the answer I was hoping for. (i.e. I have just found out it is a 5 speed.) and things like that. But I dont know with how much you guys have told me. I have never bought a private seller used car, and the only used car I have bought was my WRX and I personally knew the car. I just need advice.

[albascoob]

I don't now your whole driving history/age etc. but I suggest you go rallycrossing in your daily driver and get seat time...Unless its a show car you won't do much damage to it. We've rallycrossed our 2004 WRX for nearly two years and never had an issue. If you like rallycross and feel you can go rallying (read: afford to go rallying!) go rent a G2 or P car...they are out there, you just need to research.

Seat time, seat time, seat time....forget about building a car right now. Learn to drive.

Of course its up to you if you buy a car for a project but I've found that most of the time if people dont have the motivation/time/money to build it now they still won't in a years time and the car will still be sitting in the garage and they willbe no further on with the rally driving dream...remember...these projects are ALWAYS bigger and more costly than you actually think they are.
Just my 10cents, take it or leave it.

[BlueRu]

I don't now your whole driving history/age etc.
While I am only 18 I have been driving for almost the whole time. I lived on a farm and we all learned how to drive young. I have already had a project car. A '64 Chevy Nova that was a drag car. It did a 10.48 1/4. I realize how much work goes into a project car.

but I suggest you go rallycrossing in your daily driver and get seat time...Unless its a show car you won't do much damage to it. We've rallycrossed our 2004 WRX for nearly two years and never had an issue.
The reason we dont do things in our DD is because we have to drive about 40 to work each day (we both work in scottsdale and at different shifts). We couldn't jeopordise our only means of transport.

Seat time, seat time, seat time....forget about building a car right now. Learn to drive.
I also realize this. I havnt spent much time on the dirt but I always want more of it. I have also wanted to do stage rally since I was a little tike (I think the first rally I saw was McRae in Corsica), and I have been hooked ever since.

Just my 10cents, take it or leave it.
I do thank you for you 10. and sorry if this comes out making me look like an @$$. Not at all what I was trying.

[albascoob]

what you wrote doesnt make you look like an ass at all but I do think you answered your own questions...

[BlueRu]

but I do think you answered your own questions...
lol. Dang then. I wasn't trying to do that either.

[Roc pitbull]

I would get an impreza from the years of 93-95. Only because of the odb I standard. Legacy from 95 and up are all odb II.

The ODBI will free up alot with what you can do engine wise to pass the emissions tests.

Like most people say, buying an allready prepped car would be alot cheaper, then going out and building one from the ground up.

Remember, once you think you know all you need to know, there is more your going to need to know. Once you think you have your budget figured out plan on it being alot more.

I'm still trying to get my car ready for stage rally (3 years later).

[409industries]

So I found a '96 with some body damage. 150k miles, awd and runs for 500. Is this a good deal do you think?


I wouldnt buy it. Youll spend all the money you saved and more fixing it to just be reliable enough to drive to the store and back, let alone compete in rally.