- #DIRT RALLY CAR GUIDE HOW TO#
- #DIRT RALLY CAR GUIDE DRIVERS#
- #DIRT RALLY CAR GUIDE DRIVER#
- #DIRT RALLY CAR GUIDE REGISTRATION#
If the chassis is in great condition, you can proceed to the next important part of structural strength and security - rollcage. Don’t forget about the strut bars and suspension mounts, these are most common damages due to damper impact on jump landing. Structural strength is crucial to assure smooth running and proper safety. Raise a car on the lift and fully inspect whole chassis for dents, rust, warped or bent areas to see it the car was severely damaged in a crash before. MSA Log book example (source: Google Images)Īt this stage, you’ll focus more on the actual chassis rather than the body parts. Inspect the other documentation as well, including homologation papers to assure that everything is valid and approved.
#DIRT RALLY CAR GUIDE REGISTRATION#
Remember to compare the chassis (VIN) number when inspecting the chassis later on with the one in the documents, as rally cars are often re-shelled after crashes and if the new bodyshell VIN number is not logged in the documents, you may have problems with registration and scrutineering. In most countries, rally cars are required to be registered as a road legal vehicle, therefore it must have the appropriate documentation in addition to competition / log book which includes competition history of the car as well. Once you find the right rally car (you can find a few tips on where to find it in section 4) and agree to see it in person, there are quite a few things to check to avoid buying a car with hidden mistakes, that will bring additional unexpected expenses later on. Sebastien Ogier in his Peugeot 206 (image credits ) Most of the listed are fairly small cars, which may cause a bit of wobbling on the hairpins or quick successive turns, but they are fair easier to maneuver on narrow roads. So a good rally cars for beginners are: Citroen Saxo, Peugeot 206,306,106, Opel Corsa, Renault Clio, Ford Fiesta, Fiat Panda, Honda Civic, Suzuki Swift and similar. The 9-time World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb started with a Citroen Saxo, while Sebastien Ogier began his path to now 6 WRC titles with a Peugeot 206.įirst thing to consider is the drivetrain, 2-wheel drive or 4-wheel drive? The right choice for a beginner is 2WD due to slower acceleration and cornering speed, which makes it easier to get the feeling of the car and hadling, while it also makes the running costs lower compared to a 4WD car. Start low, master the car, push it to the limit (and don’t crash it) and then progress to higher classes.
#DIRT RALLY CAR GUIDE DRIVERS#
But this process requires a lot of knowledge, which you, as beginner in rallying, probably do not have and plenty of time and we know you just can’t wait to get out there and race, so we’ll leave that option for another time.Īs we mentioned before, everything is related to the point 1 of this article - budget, but even if your budget is virtually unlimited, we would not recommend starting with higher class rally cars like R5 or WRC, no great rally drivers did and nor should you, because it won’t go well, trust us.
#DIRT RALLY CAR GUIDE DRIVER#
( Sidenote: every rally driver and co-driver must have mechanical knowledge to fix things on or between the stages when something goes wrong and service crew is not around).
#DIRT RALLY CAR GUIDE HOW TO#
Explained simply, if you crash a Ferrari, the front bumper will cost you almost as much as full rebuilt of a crashed Peugeot 106.Ĭonsider also the other expenses you’ll need to add, like spare parts (gearboxes, axles, engine parts, pumps.) and multiple sets of tyres you’ll need on the actual event, and if you are new in rallying also all the equipment for the service team (tools, trailer, gazebo, jacks) and other things you can learn from our previous article How to start rallying.įirst of all, if you are a great mechanic, you can build a rally car from scratch. Of course, higher class rally cars have shorter servicing intervals, which need to be done by a professional, while repair in the likely event of a crash will also be quite higher. So when defining the available budget, don’t count just the sale price of the rally car, but also the expected costs for its maintenance and possible damage repairs. Don’t forget the one thing - it’s easy to buy a rally car, but it’s not that easy to maintain it. And in case the budget is not an issue, we still recommend you adjust your selection based on your rallying experience (more on that in the next section). So what are the main things to consider when buying a rally car and how to prepare yourself for the inspection?Īt the end of the day, the whole decision is entirely based on one thing - money. Buying a rally car is not that straightforward process as buying a normal daily car, as you need to know a bit more than just the regular things like mileage and number of previous owners.