Topic: Lemons Off Road Rally Racing?

Maybe Lemons should have an off road rally race?  (Ken Block- eat your heart out!)

Imagine: all the Lemons cars, but doing time trials on wet, dirt roads through forests and over hills, through curvy mountain roads....

Perhaps on Max's Farm in Woodstock?  Kinda like a Lemons Woodstock festival?

I was thinking of lifting the Prelude and putting some snow tires on, and let 'er rip!  I wonder what would happen.....

Anyone ever use their Lemons car for RallyCross?  Up here in New England? 
Something to do in the Lemons off season, or between races?

Z

MarioKart Driving School: 1987 Honda Prelude Si (Opus #28) 
Loudon, NH 2014 - Millville, NJ, Lightening 2019 (RIP)
New and improved: 1987 Honda Prelude Si (Opus #11) Pittsburgh, PA 2021 - ??
and finally won something, Class C Win: Loudon, NH 2022

Re: Lemons Off Road Rally Racing?

Lemons cars work well for Autocross events.  They always draw lots of attention.

Organizer's Choice Award 2011 Heaps in Heart of Texas
IOE 2012 North Dallas Hooptie
2014 ECR Class C WIN;  2015 MSR Class B WIN
Speedy Monzales

3 (edited by MZAVARIN 2017-02-13 09:25 PM)

Re: Lemons Off Road Rally Racing?

but I was interested in RallyCross.

I read this article:

http://rallytakeover.kinja.com/how-to-r … 1762616662

sounded like something cool to do...I would need to maybe raise the Prelude and install a skid plate...

I found this on the SCCA site for some races...

https://www.scca.com/events?categories= … llycross-2

Maybe I'll go check out....

MarioKart Driving School: 1987 Honda Prelude Si (Opus #28) 
Loudon, NH 2014 - Millville, NJ, Lightening 2019 (RIP)
New and improved: 1987 Honda Prelude Si (Opus #11) Pittsburgh, PA 2021 - ??
and finally won something, Class C Win: Loudon, NH 2022

Re: Lemons Off Road Rally Racing?

YESSSSSS
YESSSSS
OMG
YAAAAAASSSSS QUEEEEEEN!!!!

I need to reinstall the underbody shield to the 944 and take it dirtin'.

Re: Lemons Off Road Rally Racing?

We have a $300 Rallycross beast. The sign to the right of the picture says "PAINT THIS CAR" on the other side and there is a box of spray paint cans sitting there. I still don't understand the guy who painted the one fender beige.

I'll be rallycrossing it this weekend. It's the TBI motor with a 3-speed auto and generally finishes mid-pack. It's got 170K on it and runs perfectly. You just mash the gas pedal and leave it down. Brakes are just used to get the tail around.

For suspension, it's the stock struts with a cheap eBay coilover kit installed inside the stock springs and cranked all the way up. It's bouncy, but never bottoms out. I put a CG Lock on it to keep me planted in the seat.

If you run snow tires, and we do because they are cheap and work well, then put tubes inside them. Snow tires have very soft sidewalls and will de-bead if hooned too hard:

http://www.carolinahondas.com/members/roger-albums-stuff-picture6573-rallycar1.jpg

Everybody grab your brooms, it's shenanigans!

Re: Lemons Off Road Rally Racing?

What is it?  Looks like an old Datsun?

My DD is starting to lose/burn oil, and coolant is dissappearing....2000 Accord (320K miles)....same thing happened to my Lemons Prelude before it got windowed (piston punched hole in engine)....

Maybe I could use the Accord for RallyCross to help it along to its death...

I gotta try this....looks like one coming up this weekend in New Hampshire and another one in April....
Mcdaniels---are you going to be at the NH one?  I might need some advice if I decide to sacrifice the Accord for this nonsense....

Z

MarioKart Driving School: 1987 Honda Prelude Si (Opus #28) 
Loudon, NH 2014 - Millville, NJ, Lightening 2019 (RIP)
New and improved: 1987 Honda Prelude Si (Opus #11) Pittsburgh, PA 2021 - ??
and finally won something, Class C Win: Loudon, NH 2022

7 (edited by rmcdaniels 2017-03-17 02:38 PM)

Re: Lemons Off Road Rally Racing?

It's a Nissan Sentra, I think it's an '89. It leaks stuff, I just top it off before a Rallycross weekend and keep an eye on the fluids.

I only Rallycross around NC.

It's not like Lemons where you flog it for hours on end until it blows up. I'm pretty sure the Sentra would not make it through a Lemons weekend. In Rallycross you beat on it for a few minutes and then it can cool off for a bit until your next run and then you flog it again for a few minutes, kind of like milking a dog, or Autocross, but not Lemons.

Anyway, a tired car that is losing/burning fluids may be hooned for years as a Rallycross beater. 

I did wire the main fan and the AC fan to be on all the time when it's running, just to help it cool down between runs.

Everybody grab your brooms, it's shenanigans!

Re: Lemons Off Road Rally Racing?

Great ideas....thanks

But
Could this be the future of Lemons...?  I mean, this is really "Low Cost"....(although maybe not profitable?)....all you really need is a helmet!
I wonder if there is interest in the Lemons community...?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knWbHjoxygo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDOmxny8nbo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6zvSqQE2NM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SxYemq8Jzo

etc.

Looks like cheap thrills...

Z

MarioKart Driving School: 1987 Honda Prelude Si (Opus #28) 
Loudon, NH 2014 - Millville, NJ, Lightening 2019 (RIP)
New and improved: 1987 Honda Prelude Si (Opus #11) Pittsburgh, PA 2021 - ??
and finally won something, Class C Win: Loudon, NH 2022

9 (edited by MZAVARIN 2017-03-15 07:38 PM)

Re: Lemons Off Road Rally Racing?

or this....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4dJNqtUUQQ

MarioKart Driving School: 1987 Honda Prelude Si (Opus #28) 
Loudon, NH 2014 - Millville, NJ, Lightening 2019 (RIP)
New and improved: 1987 Honda Prelude Si (Opus #11) Pittsburgh, PA 2021 - ??
and finally won something, Class C Win: Loudon, NH 2022

Re: Lemons Off Road Rally Racing?

MZAVARIN wrote:

Great ideas....thanks

But
Could this be the future of Lemons...?  I mean, this is really "Low Cost"....(although maybe not profitable?)....all you really need is a helmet!
I wonder if there is interest in the Lemons community...?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knWbHjoxygo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDOmxny8nbo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6zvSqQE2NM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SxYemq8Jzo

etc.

Looks like cheap thrills...

Z


That is what I'll be doing this weekend. It is a lot of fun and I highly recommend it to everyone. You don't need a lot of car prep, just take your beater out and hoon it around in the dirt. There will be many Subarus, but also Miatas, BMWs, Neons, and even a couple of 2nd-gen Sentras.

Everybody grab your brooms, it's shenanigans!

11 (edited by ninjacoco 2017-03-16 12:15 AM)

Re: Lemons Off Road Rally Racing?

Not gonna lie, most of our local rallycross beaters look like Lemons cars anyway.

I've been tempted to throw a cage in the "Space Shuttle" Subaru I usually run, but it would almost certainly nuke a head gasket.

Re: Lemons Off Road Rally Racing?

Mr Mcdaniels where would I find the info for that event?  We have a few ex-lemons cars sitting here collecting dust and i think collecting dirt and mud would be a little more fun.

Re: Lemons Off Road Rally Racing?

Here's the registration link:

http://www.motorsportreg.com/events/ths … ntent=html


There's a school on Saturday that should give you some good seat time in your car and with instructors in their cars (feel free to hop in the Sentra any time that you see it lined up for a run, we always welcome passengers) and a points event on Sunday.

Everybody grab your brooms, it's shenanigans!

14 (edited by Guildenstern 2017-03-16 11:47 AM)

Re: Lemons Off Road Rally Racing?

ninjacoco wrote:

Not gonna lie, most of our local rallycross beaters look like Lemons cars anyway.

I've been tempted to throw a cage in the "Space Shuttle" Subaru I usually run, but it would almost certainly nuke a head gasket.

Oh it's doing that just sitting there. Achilles heel of an otherwise great design. Who knew leaving coolant sitting on a head gasket would eat through it.

Oh wait, everybody.

2003 Outback H4 owner on #3? or is it #4?

It's like a reminder to change the timing belt which also happens way to quick with a subaru.

Mistake By The Lake Racing (MBTL)
88 Thunderbird "THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO!", Ex Astris, Rubigo / Semper Fracti
A&D: 2014 Sebrings at Sebring (NSF), 2014 NJMP2 Jurassic Park (SpeedyCop), 2012 Summit Point J30 (PiNuts)
2018 Route Sucky-Suck Rally Miata, 2019 World Tour Of Texas 64 Newport

Re: Lemons Off Road Rally Racing?

MZAVARIN wrote:

Great ideas....thanks

But
Could this be the future of Lemons...?  I mean, this is really "Low Cost"....(although maybe not profitable?)....all you really need is a helmet!

Why the Future of Lemons? It's already a thing, go do the thing!

Mistake By The Lake Racing (MBTL)
88 Thunderbird "THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO!", Ex Astris, Rubigo / Semper Fracti
A&D: 2014 Sebrings at Sebring (NSF), 2014 NJMP2 Jurassic Park (SpeedyCop), 2012 Summit Point J30 (PiNuts)
2018 Route Sucky-Suck Rally Miata, 2019 World Tour Of Texas 64 Newport

Re: Lemons Off Road Rally Racing?

Gambler 500

88 Festiva  -  Damn Tree!!!
"We Are Not Really From Iran" Festiva  -  Motor and Trans to be anounced

Re: Lemons Off Road Rally Racing?

This really looks like a good way to waste time and more money between Lemons races...

Nice video of the NC track

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giX5stYxWCM

Looks like you can even just drop in and participate...for $50!

I'll go check it out in New Hampshire this weekend....
And maybe I'll try it out at the April event in NH....

Might be a nice Lemons "get together"?

I think I would use my DD, since my Lemons Prelude is too nice of a car...

Z

MarioKart Driving School: 1987 Honda Prelude Si (Opus #28) 
Loudon, NH 2014 - Millville, NJ, Lightening 2019 (RIP)
New and improved: 1987 Honda Prelude Si (Opus #11) Pittsburgh, PA 2021 - ??
and finally won something, Class C Win: Loudon, NH 2022

Re: Lemons Off Road Rally Racing?

Yeah, Rallycross is cheap. It's like Autocross though, minutes of hooning followed by hours of cone shagging. Bring sunscreen and a hat.

Everybody grab your brooms, it's shenanigans!

Re: Lemons Off Road Rally Racing?

fitsbain wrote:

Gambler 500

That looks like fun. Hardly anyone does navigational rally any more. I did one last year on the SCCA Targa Southland event and enjoyed it. You really need a good navigator though. I figure this year I'm going to dust off the old E30 convertible for the Targa in August. Last year we took the Duff car and it was brutal.

Everybody grab your brooms, it's shenanigans!

Re: Lemons Off Road Rally Racing?

rmcdaniels wrote:
fitsbain wrote:

Gambler 500

That looks like fun. Hardly anyone does navigational rally any more. I did one last year on the SCCA Targa Southland event and enjoyed it. You really need a good navigator though. I figure this year I'm going to dust off the old E30 convertible for the Targa in August. Last year we took the Duff car and it was brutal.

We at White Trash Racing have accepted the challenge of running the Detroit Gambler 500 next month. Wish us luck. We're running an old Town & Country minivan we bought for $300 with 300k miles on it.

As far as Rallycross goes, there is Stateline Rallycross here in the Midwest
http://statelinerallycross.com/
Hoping to run my Neon in it this year.

Newest member - White Trash Racing
Owner of the Traveling Hat

21 (edited by fleming95 2017-03-17 10:49 AM)

Re: Lemons Off Road Rally Racing?

fitsbain wrote:

Gambler 500

Haha - just saw mention of this today at the same "Gateway To Motorsports" where I found out about Lemons oh-so-long ago @

saabnet.com

and it sounds like a nice low-stress-compared-to-LeMons weekend event!

<edit>

... and from the rules, comes a typo that's a theme"

Gambler500 wrote:

Official Guidelines for the inaugural Gambler500SOCAL Navigational Rally:
(the staff reserves the right to edit and/or make changes as we get further along putting this thing together)
but this is the gest of it so read up and then get back to finding that SAAB 5000 on Craigslist, or installing that 52" HID light-bar on your Escort Wagon.

Re: Lemons Off Road Rally Racing?

The Saturday school has been canceled due to rain.

Everybody grab your brooms, it's shenanigans!

Re: Lemons Off Road Rally Racing?

Rained all day, course is a swamp, Sunday canceled as well.

Everybody grab your brooms, it's shenanigans!

Re: Lemons Off Road Rally Racing?

Gambler 500 looks like fun..Lemons rally through dirt roads....but the Rallycross seems to have more adrenaline...

I dropped by the NH Rallycross event to check it out today.
It certainly does not deliver the adrenaline and excitement of a Lemons weekend...!!!
But for $50, it certainly is "cheap and quick fix/thrills".
They had 40-50 cars show up in a "field?" that had a deep mud track, with ice underneath, and snow on the shoulders.  Each car got to run 8 or 9 times around the curvy track.  Lots got stuck in the snow/mud and had to be pulled out.  Very difficult to judge the corners too.
Top speed maybe 45mph for a few seconds. Otherwise mostly in 1st and 2nd gear around corners, trying to stay on track.
Definitely more technically challenging than Lemons...some made it look easy and went sideways into turns and kept going...others just flew off the track and spun in circles...
Looks very safe.  No ambulances on stand-by needed.  Just a truck with a tow line.
They even have a class for bone stock (you can not remove anything to lighten the car).  Only change is snow tires allowed (and not gravel tires).
Some nice guys let me ride with them.  For me, time trials just are not as exciting as wheel to wheel racing.  But it was fun.  I would probably really suck at it...at least at first...

But I might still give it a try.  One coming up in April in NH.
I think the Lemon Prelude is too nice for this....and too low.  Using my DD would likely be better....Honda Accord, lifted with snow tires?!  What could go wrong?!

Interesting how Lemons dominating rear wheel drive BMWs and Miatas kinda sucked in RallyCross, and the all wheel drive Subarus/Audis that don't typically dominate in Lemons do great in Rallycross.  Otherwise, a good number of older front wheel drive cars.

Anyways, this kind of thing really appears like something Lemons could host.  If someone wanted to take it upon themselves to do the work...

Z

MarioKart Driving School: 1987 Honda Prelude Si (Opus #28) 
Loudon, NH 2014 - Millville, NJ, Lightening 2019 (RIP)
New and improved: 1987 Honda Prelude Si (Opus #11) Pittsburgh, PA 2021 - ??
and finally won something, Class C Win: Loudon, NH 2022

Re: Lemons Off Road Rally Racing?

rmcdaniels wrote:

Yeah, Rallycross is cheap. It's like Autocross though, minutes of hooning followed by hours of cone shagging. Bring sunscreen and a hat.

Or, all day in a hot, dusty, un-AC'd bus herding cats. (and then the hours and hours of the autox'ers bitching about the dirt all over the bus)

Duff Beer Civic (#128) -- 2014 Sebring - Class B (#1 of 7), 2016 Barber - Class B
1981 Jet Electrica 007 [Plymouth Horizon TC3] (#128) -- Mk.1 - Index of Effluency Eco (IOEe) @ 2016 Lemons South Fall, Mk.2 - Judges' Choice @ 2017 'Shine Country Classic, Mk.3 - Index of Effluency @ 2017 Southern Discomfort