Once again, I am with the E-Crew on the Oregon Trail Rally.

Day One Highlight: At PIR, one car flew over a small hill into a slough. I'm waiting on someone getting me video.

Ive been reading about plenty of breakdowns and multiple mechanic teams & co drivers coming up with brilliant ways to keep the cars running.

edit: also, if you follow rally america on FB they will continually update leader times and breaking news.

I am so jealous...i love rally racing. I assume you already plan on it, but could you keep up with stories and pics?

I just got back from the whole event. I'll post pictures when I can but HOLY CRAP! This was the best Oregon Trail Rally to date! We had an interesting mix of weather that made Day 2 very weird and Day 3 very awesome. I was once again working E-Crew: I was the nagivator and radio guy for the ambulance which runs all stages with the sweeps.

We started out with 68 cars and I think like under 40 finished the race...it was crazy on the 5th stage on Day 2, like 8 cars got stuck on course.

One of my favorite teams is was this Neon. They went off course down a ravine but got saved by a tree. Sweeps & E-Crew pulled them out and the only thing busted was the front of the car, the intake manifold, radiator and the upper radiator hose. They were able to transit out on course with us following, but then their engine actually started overheating really bad. When they got to service, they looked on craigslist and found some guy in The Dalles parting out a Neon; they called him up and bought the engine, radiator and some steering components. They worked over night to do the engine swap and got back on track for day 3! Now thats freaking awesome!

At Rallye Baies de Chaleurs (I probably spelled that wrong) in 2010, our Evo IV ate its driveshaft... we had to basically make one from a Talon fit using the Talon shaft/hanger bearing and the Evo tailstock with a mix of U-Joint parts from both cars... in a 40 minute service. Amazingly it lasted through the weekend.

Glad you enjoyed yourself at OTR- that's only Rally America event I haven't actually been to.

Bandi, then in 2013, your bringing Julie and taking a nice road trip in whatever VW you want to the Pacific NW for a vacation

So like I said, I was with the AMR RAT Ambulance, RAT standing for Reach and Treat, which the crews normally handle medical issues out in the lovely mountains, so their rig is a Ford F450 with an ambulance box and its a 4x4 too. I work with the crews on searches and very good friends with some of them. I had Robert, who I know in his spare time does his own 4x4ing in his Chevy.

We are on the Starveout stage which starts as a public road but then goes down a long hill and makes an immediate right turn at a spectator area then goes into a private ranch road as the rest of the route for the course. We are doing about 50-55 down this hill and Robert goes "hang on, its time for me to show boat!" then right in front of the people, he drifts the ambulance into the corner and keeps going.

realistically, how much would it cost to build a car for something like this?

Posted by Samurai realistically, how much would it cost to build a car for something like this?

Your looking at 5000-7000 dollars for the basics.

Posted by Agent Skelly Your looking at 5000-7000 dollars for the basics.

Nope.


Ask the guy who's building the rally car.

Car- $1500-$Unlimited
Cage- $2500-$4500
Seats- $500 each for cheapies
Helmets- $500 each
Racing Suits- $350 each
Hans Devices- $1000 each
Harnesses- $250 each for cheapies
Tires- $150 a corner. You'll need lots.
Suspension- Minimum $1000 for something that won't break in the first 5 miles
Intercom system- $300
Auxiliary lighting- $200-$1000
Rally computer- $500-$2500
Several hundred hours of labor

...And I'm sure I'm forgetting something.

Posted by bandi Nope. Ask the guy who's building the rally car. Car- $1500-$Unlimited Cage- $2500-$4500 Seats- $500 each for cheapies Helmets- $500 each Racing Suits- $350 each Hans Devices- $1000 each Harnesses- $250 each for cheapies Tires- $150 a corner. You'll need lots. Suspension- Minimum $1000 for something that won't break in the first 5 miles Intercom system- $300 Auxiliary lighting- $200-$1000 Rally computer- $500-$2500 Several hundred hours of labor ...And I'm sure I'm forgetting something.

Hey, I was only off by 2000 dollars! And I know that's what one of the regional guys spend on their cars.

so there's no cheap way to rally?
no amateur class?

There desperately needs to be a LeMons, rally version.

Very nice pictures!

Posted by Samurai so there's no cheap way to rally? no amateur class?

Not that I am aware of...

Posted by Samurai so there's no cheap way to rally? no amateur class?

Nope. Stupidly, a bone stock 2wd production class car with 85 horsepower requires the same specification of safety equipment/cage/etc as a 500 horsepower open class car. They're pricing the sport of of existence for the little guy.

And entry fee to a regional rally is still $450-600. Plus fuel, accommodations, whatever you break, etc...

It's getting a little frustrating.

Hey did you get to meet Crazy Leo? Very cool guy...

Posted by bandi Hey did you get to meet Crazy Leo? Very cool guy...

Yeah, he's crazy...he almost forgot to put on his HANS....I had to remind him

Posted by rescueme1060 http://cgi.ebay.co...ash=item3a741f878c

$80,000 invested
Buy it now for $26,500.

Rally cars also do not hold their value.

Posted by Samurai so there's no cheap way to rally? no amateur class?

There's rallycross... and I'm not talking the RallyAmerica sponsored series.