Topic: Using up a set of winter tires

Hello from Florida.  I bought a set of winter tires for rallycross last year.  This year, I have rally tires so the winter tires are taking up space in my garage.  I thought the Lemons rally might go a long way towards using up the tires.  Especially considering I have a 16 hour commute to the start and a 9 hour commute back home from the finish.

My rallycross car looks like this https://i.imgur.com/ORJJByK.jpg

Does the car fit with the rally?  I have been told it is too 'nice'.  I have never done a rally like this so I am not really sure what to expect.  The big goal is to finish and get back home in time for work the Monday after the rally.

Re: Using up a set of winter tires

ojannen wrote:

Does the car fit with the rally?  I have been told it is too 'nice'.

Not too nice. You probably won't win outright on points or anything, but plenty of people have run the rallies with "nice" cars. Some examples: a rental Chrysler 300C, a few daily driven Mk. III Volkswagens, a few modern-ish Volvo wagons, a Porsche 944 stage rally car, and probably some more mundane cars that I'm forgetting. There was an E30 last winter, too.

You can bring any car you want, basically. Your difficulty, discomfort, and likelihood of having trouble are directly related to how many points you'll score at the inspection, which is where you'll rack up the most points. You can find the scoring info on the Rally site here:

http://24hoursoflemons.com/rally

ojannen wrote:

I have never done a rally like this so I am not really sure what to expect.

In short, this is kind of a long-distance scavenger hunt. When you check in for the rally start, you'll get a rally book with a list of checkpoints and instructions on how to get points for them using Instagram. The checkpoints are optional and some may add considerable time/distance to your route. In theory, that will require on-the-fly route planning, but we know the type of people who do Lemons Rally don't usually think that far ahead. Anyway, the checkpoints usually outline a route or have a couple different optional routes.

Most of the checkpoint are usually bizarre, famous, or generally cool landmarks. Sometimes, they're weird little quests. This year, we have a couple of new things in mind to keep it interesting.

We usually will try to have a meet-up in the middle of the day along the route and another one in the evening at/near the recommended host hotel.

Eric Rood
Everything Bagel, 24 Hours of Lemons
eric@24hoursoflemons.com

Re: Using up a set of winter tires

therood wrote:

This year, we have a couple of new things in mind to keep it interesting.

Oh, no! Some of us* have struggled just trying to keep up with the old things.

*More specifically, me.

1982 MG Metro 1300: IOE 2015 Pacific Northworst GP, Longest Distance 2010 Cd'L Box Wine Country Classic
1980 KV Mini 1: Worst of Show and Fright Pig Supremo 2009 Concours d'Lemons
1978 H Special: Second-Round Elimination 2010 Lemons Pinewood Derby at Sears Pointless
1967 SAAB 96: IOE 2012 Pacific Northworst GP, Organizer's Choice 2022 Hell on Wheels California Rally

Re: Using up a set of winter tires

The rally was still fun starting in dead last for points and slowly working our way up. We ran snow tires, but I wish I brought a second set considering it was so warm in Alabama and the whole drive home to Pennsylvania.

Re: Using up a set of winter tires

We placed fourth this summer with a 2001 Jimmy. Many people told us it was "too nice". The important part is having fun. You won't gain so many points with something newer and nicer that won't make you suffer, but you really won't get penalized for it unless you show up with some fancy press loaner. It's really just going for a ridiculous cruise with a bunch of crazy people. Come on in and have a blast!

Re: Using up a set of winter tires

There's no such thing as the wrong car for this... I showed up to the first one in a 2016 Chrysler 300 rental car that had 600 miles on it, over the course of the death valley stint, we managed to knock some of the nice off the car, yes, we bought the insurance!

It's all about having a good time as uncomfortably as you can.

Also, "Can the Rally stand 2 people from Florida?" Should be the better question...

Hell On Wheels "Totally Not a Rental Car" Chrysler 300
Retreat From Moscow "Traded a Bar Tab for a Wagon" Subaru Legacy
Monterey Car Weeeeak -Dishonorable Mention- "Cocoa Beach A.S.S. Team" Oldsmobile Wagon
Fail Inc Motorsports Intergalactic Headquarters

Re: Using up a set of winter tires

Thanks for all the information.  We would love to participate in Lemons but we haven't found our way to a track yet.  I want to get some instruction before I try wheel to wheel racing.

I saw a bunch of cars with CB radios on last year.  How do people prepare their cars for the trip beyond normal road trip preparation?

I have a friend that may want to fly in around Wednesday morning and avoid taking 2 extra vacation days for the trip.  Is the list of cities on the facebook page the list of overnight stops or the list of daily scavenger hunt destinations?  I want to find an airport that doesn't require much detour on the trip.  Norfolk, VA looks like an option.

Shvd_Box wrote:

Also, "Can the Rally stand 2 people from Florida?" Should be the better question...

If NSF got in, there should be some hope for us.

8 (edited by squirrel 2017-11-13 06:55 AM)

Re: Using up a set of winter tires

CB radios are fun to have. We have yet to actually get two working, to be able to use for car to car communications. But they look bitchin, especially the old vacuum tube models.

The less prep you do, the better. More adventure, that way.

As for the list of cities. vs the actual every night stops...don't put any money on them being accurate or comprehensive. Plan the trip after you register, and get the email that tells where we will actually be staying.

I Survived Hell on Wheels, Car Weeeak, Route Sucky Suck, etc.

Re: Using up a set of winter tires

The list of cities is just a general sort of outline of the route. I wouldn't rely on it for planning stays or flights in.
I had a CB that I picked up for the retreat. Cheap Walmart deal. We never really did get it functional in the Niva. We could receive but never got any sort of confirmation we were transmitting... I'm not sure it ever got proper power, wiring it into the dash lights (on the dimmer, herpaderp) didn't do much for it. Duck taped to the dash in the Jimmy though, with clean 12V coming from an empty socket in the fuse panel, we were able to talk to cars ~100ft away... sometimes...

Re: Using up a set of winter tires

I have a friend who is a middle school teacher.  He can't take a full week off when school is in session.  I am trying to figure out if it is possible for him to fly in on Wednesday and still make 2/3rds of the rally.  There are cheap flights into Virginia Beach and into western North Carolina right now but they will get more expensive soon.

Re: Using up a set of winter tires

Oh hell yes. I love this car SO MUCH.

We brought the 944 stage rally car. It wasn't water/air/snow tight. My luggage with the warm stuff in it got lost coming up from Daytona. Yep. Still had fun.

Re: Using up a set of winter tires

You'll do fine.

My car is arguably too nice, (1990 Subaru wagon) but I'm working on making it worse (sketchy manual transmission out of a disreputable parts car installed in midwinter)

Driver, Pit Monkey, Rod Buster and Engine Fire Starter
Team FinalGear

Re: Using up a set of winter tires

stops in Norfolk, right on the ocean...
and in Cornelius NC.
Plan the crop duster plane flight as needed-
71 days!

Re: Using up a set of winter tires

warwagon wrote:

stops in Norfolk, right on the ocean...
and in Cornelius NC.
Plan the crop duster plane flight as needed-
71 days!

..And ending downtown Nashville ! Going to be good.