Nissan 180SX Gravel Rally Car Build
 

Don't worry we haven't turned to the dark side.
This is a gravel rally car build for a customer.
We are detailing the build here: [url=http://perthrallydriving.com/nissan-180sx-purchase/]Nissan 180SX Gravel Rally Car- The Purchase[/url]

Why not in this forum? Well this is a forum for Subarus and having the build on our own site limits the non productive comments. Also we're members of a few forums and its easier to have a central place for the build detail.

I'll updated this thread as we progress through the build process.

Very well written, a pleasure to read.

Nice read.

Hey Karl who is it being built for? Surely not Geoff.
There is some info at [url]www.s13rally.com[/url] They look like they make a pretty good rally car, with heaps of performance parts around, and lots of knowledge from the drift guys on what needs strengthening.
Which do you think would be better the Silvia or the 180sx? I suppose the 180 has much better access into the back for cage building and packaging, but the Silvia might be a bit lighter with less glass, and no pop up headlights.

I will be watching this with interest.
Wavey.

Geoff still has his Escort. (sigh, side draft Webbers and cast iron SOHC pinto engine)
We've seen the S13rally.com website and it is very good.
The Silvia is probably a little lighter not having the different front end and rear hatch glass, although looking at the kerb weights, a few sites list them as the same weight. The Silvia would be easier to mount the tank in the boot, and like you said the cage will be easier to fit to the 180SX. On this 180SX the tank will remain under the car so won't be a problem (details will be in build posts). We think the 180SX looks better anyway!

I suppose it will look pretty good totally sideways in the forest with huge amounts of gravel flying into the trees.
It will be interesting to see the running costs of one of these compared to a standard ish GC8. I bet it will chew through the rear tyres, but should be relatively cheap to have a strong driveline.
I know of another S13 being built which should hopefully be ready for Forest Rally.
Wavey.

Added a new post of the strip out and shell preparation: [url=http://perthrallydriving.com/nissan-180sx-gravel-rally-car-strip-out/]Nissan 180SX Gravel Rally Car- Strip out[/url]

fantastic write ups mate... well done!

The next installment on the rear sub frame can be found here: [url=http://www.perthrallydriving.com]Experience the Thrill of Driving Sideways[/url]

We have been tackling some of the work around the front end whilst waiting for the cage to arrive. The latest installment is here: [url=http://perthrallydriving.com/nissan-180sx-front-end/]Nissan 180SX Gravel Rally Car- Front End Works[/url]

Next post on build progress is here: [url=http://perthrallydriving.com/cage-fit_misc-works/]Nissan 180SX Gravel Rally Car -Cage fit & Misc works[/url]
Post covers the start of the cage install, fitting bonnet pins, seat mounts and fuel pump replacement.

We have been able to tackle the cage install, boot latches and spare wheel mount in the latest installment of our 180SX build here are the details: [url=http://perthrallydriving.com/180sx-spare-wheel-mount-boot-latches/]Nissan 180SX Rally Car- Spare wheel mount, boot latches and cage install[/url]

Can't wait for the 19" Rota's to go on !

[QUOTE=jEstEr?;738352]Can't wait for the 19" Rota's to go on ![/QUOTE]
Lol. This car will be saved from 19" Rotas, Mashimoto ZX tyres, a Motec System Exhaust and a green neon glow from the chassis.

Make sure the checker plate manifold inside the passenger footwell doesn't fall out

No stand alone fuel management system or "enough NOS to blow himself up... Period" either. Just so many quotes...

[QUOTE=Rally_Action;738350]We have been able to tackle the cage install, boot latches and spare wheel mount in the latest installment of our 180SX build here are the details: [URL="http://perthrallydriving.com/180sx-spare-wheel-mount-boot-latches/"]Nissan 180SX Rally Car- Spare wheel mount, boot latches and cage install[/URL][/QUOTE]


Very intreasting read and thanks for the posts :)
Most rally cars you see from a spectator perspective is roll bars, rally seats, switch's, dial's, starting/finsishing Rallys and or cars FLYING past you at stages, :D
Good to see via this installment off posts the hours off work that go into building and preping a rally car, even on a small budget

The latest installment of the 180SX Rally Car build. Tackling the tough questions like- What colour to paint the interior and roll cage?
Plus mounting the Wolf 3D, fitting the hydraulic handbrake and brake bias valve. [url=http://perthrallydriving.com/nissan-180sx-rally-car-interiorpart-1/]Nissan 180SX Rally Car- Interior works part 1[/url]

oh god, are you actually going to use the wolf?

It's been a few weeks since I've had time to update the 180SX Build (I still haven't). This is due to us running a few events, misplacing the camera for a few days and a funeral of one of our rally mates. Anyway, that aside the 180SX has been sufficiently completed to test it out on the gravel. Here is a quick video of a Khanacross we ran on the weekened that shows the 180SX in action: [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8lmd1iDuSU&feature=youtube_gdata]Rally Action Twilight Khanacross - YouTube[/url]

[QUOTE=jEstEr?;739298]oh god, are you actually going to use the wolf?[/QUOTE]

Yes we are using the Wolf. Not ideal however the owner is on a tight budget. The car will run without anti lag or rotational idle and we have wound the boost back from 16PSI to around 10PSI so everything should be OK for Forest Rally. Later in the year we'll see if there is enough in the development budget to install Vipec.

racing on a restricted budget is always a recipe for fail :/

this thread needs more pics

The latest update of the 180SX build. [url=http://perthrallydriving.com/nissan-180sx-rally-car-interior-works-part-2/]Nissan 180SX Rally Car- Interior works part 2[/url]

Just for you Jester I have included pics. ;)

Disagree with limited budget ending in fail. Many, many people race on restricted budgets and do very well. Members of our team have won numerous championships, classes and events with very tight budgets.
Last year we won the Darling 200 Rally with a MKII Escort running on cactus rally tyres and a pretty much a stock Pinto the owner had found on Gumtree as the "race engine" was lunched at the Safari Rally just a few weeks earlier.

Needs tower to tower welded together/welded in rollcage if you want that shell to last at the speeds Geoff drives. (That's my opinion, that a better cage will save money in the long term as the shell will remain straight after numerous rallies and be repairable after damage)
That coupe is the wrong shape to rely on a cage bolted to the floorpan with clamped side bars for any rigidity. I didn't even think they still met current rules (double crossover in roof etc) or are you using an older logbook?

[QUOTE=Rally_Action;743886]The latest update of the 180SX build. [url=http://perthrallydriving.com/nissan-180sx-rally-car-interior-works-part-2/]Nissan 180SX Rally Car- Interior works part 2[/url]

Just for you Jester I have included pics. ;)

Disagree with limited budget ending in fail. Many, many people race on restricted budgets and do very well. Members of our team have won numerous championships, classes and events with very tight budgets.
Last year we won the Darling 200 Rally with a MKII Escort running on cactus rally tyres and a pretty much a stock Pinto the owner had found on Gumtree as the "race engine" was lunched at the Safari Rally just a few weeks earlier.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I guess there is a difference between being on a "tight budget" and "cheaping out on everything"

[QUOTE=dtrally;744017]Needs tower to tower welded together/welded in rollcage if you want that shell to last at the speeds Geoff drives.[/QUOTE]

Agreed Doug, however not my decision.
The weld in cage was slightly cheaper to buy, however more expensive to install so the bolt in cage was the option.
CAMS have changed the way rally log books are issued. For national events and above, the cage requires diagonal roof bar and double side intrusion. For State round and below, the cage design has not changed much and bolt in cages such as the one fitted to the 180 comply. The bar sizes have all been increased in the new regs. Now a rally log book will display to what level a car can compete.
We had intended to weld in extra bars from the front legs to the front struts to tie the towers in better. That was until the cage arrived and we found the front legs meet the floor in front of the dash rather than through the dash like some bolt in cages of different brands. The seam welding should help somewhat and we'll keep our eye on the shell to see how it goes.
The 180 was built for several reasons, not least that the supply of cheap 2Dr Escort shells has been severley depleted in WA after the last few years of rallying with "Ari Vatanen" behind the wheel.
At least S13 shells and panels are cheap and readily available. If we have to re-shell the car, the bolt in cage can be removed and re-used if it is not damaged.

A bit of carbon wrap could help make that switch panel look less agricultural :)

[QUOTE=Rally_Action;744047]
The weld in cage was slightly cheaper to buy, however more expensive to install so the bolt in cage was the option.[/QUOTE]

So many advantages to a structural cage over a bolted and clamped cage that a week of extra work would be worth it.......and that's before you even throw crew safety in to the mix. Anyhoo, that's Geoff's call.

[QUOTE=blake;744234]A bit of carbon wrap could help make that switch panel look less agricultural :)[/QUOTE]

In a road car where looks may be important perhaps. In a rally car, function over form. Read this post: [url=http://perthrallydriving.com/180sx-spare-wheel-mount-boot-latches/]Nissan 180SX Rally Car- Spare wheel mount, boot latches and cage install[/url] has a bit of an explanation about why things such as the switch panel are done the way they are.

Looks are of supreme importance on rally cars.
It's rule number 1!

1/ Look good.
2/ refer to rule #1.
3/ win.

Besides, carbon stickers add 30hp per square cm

Some pics from the weekend at the Forest Rally. Have yet to update the rest of the build blog. Hopefully this week. We were pleasantly surprised to win 2WD in the State Championship in Heat 1 on Saturday in the car's first outing. (We sorted the head light rod at the 3rd service)
Unfortunately retired in Heat 2 on Sunday with a blown clutch.

Looks great! Congrats!

How is it on the rear tyres?

[QUOTE=RUSSGT;747207]Looks great! Congrats!

How is it on the rear tyres?[/QUOTE]

Thanks :). Tyre wear wasn't too bad. No worse than the Escort the owner used to run. We used the same set of front tyres all weekend. We started with Med-Hard compound on the rear early Saturday for the first couple of stages, moved onto Hard for the last 6 stages. Sunday we started on a new set of Med-Hard and the plan was to re-use the Hards from Saturday if the temp got too warm.
he Hards from Saturday and the Med-Hards from Sunday are both still pretty good so we'll run them again at Donnelly unless the weather is really wet and muddy.

OK, bit behind the times as the car has run its first events.
Here are the missing sections of the build thread.

Engine bay works: [url=http://perthrallydriving.com/180_sx_engine_bay/]Nissan 180SX Rally Car Engine Bay works[/url]

Brakes & Suspension: [url=http://perthrallydriving.com/180sx-brakes-suspension/]Nissan 180SX Rally Car Brakes & Suspension[/url]

You looking to extract any more hp from the car ? sounded like it was a bit down on power at forest rally.

More brake development will be on the list before extracting more power.
We'll wind the boost up slightly for the next rally as it was wound right back for the Forest (Still putting out 200+BHP on 0.6 bar). We don't want any more power than 230-240 as all the neddies escape as wheel spin and severly wear tyres. Anti lag will also help to keep all the power on tap all the time, especially in slow corners.