Building a rally car. Opinions wanted.

[MountainMike]

Alright crew here's the gist of it. I need opinions and thoughts.

I've got a hold of a basically free, clean 1986 Chevette with a popped 1.6L. My plan is to turn it into a budget rally car to tackle the Dempster highway and run a few ice races up here. I have three possible powertrain options available to me. The first is rebuild the 1.6, which we all know isn't gonna happen. The second is a TBI GM 2.8L V6 and a standard out of an older S10. That's all it comes with is the engine and trans, no wiring. The third option is basically all the guts out of an '89 Mustang 2.3L. Engine, trans, PCM, dash harness, the whole nine yards. That donor car is getting completely stripped out so all the pieces good be mine for $100, right down to the axle if needed.

I may go turbo on the 2.3 eventually, my next question is whether on not if it's feasible to rebuild it with the forged pistons for now, and if I do that with the compression ratio be too low for it to run in NA form.

Thoughts?

 

[Jim Oaks]

I'm still trying to get past the "1986 Chevette", but I guess it's been done before:

http://bringatrailer.com/2009/07/21/ready-for-rally-or-road-1981-vauxhall-chevette/

Other than that, I LOVE rally cars, although I'd probably do it in a Ford.

 

[MountainMike]

I would like to be in a blue oval rig too, but the price was right as was the FR layout. It's probably going to have "Body by GM, powered by Ford" on the fender if I go the Mustang route.

Sent from my LG-C900B using Board Express

 

[93bushtruck]

Honestly, Id try and get a 2.0 ford Zetec engine, and a miata 6 speed manual. Im eventually doing that in my car. For the computer Id need a computer, called emerald or something for ignition mapping and use 4 motorycle carbs. The engine came from a Contour

 

[RICO9]

2.8 tbi.

 

[adsm08]

7.3 psd.

 

[2813josh]

7.3 psd.

good plan

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I'd check into what races you might hit up and check the rules. Here's some links for you to research;
http://nascc.ab.ca/racing/ice-racing/
http://www.rallywest.com/contacts
And last years CRC rally rule book;
http://carsrally.ca/index.php?optio...atid=15:rules-a-regulations&Itemid=24&lang=en
I don't think they are in your area but someone in them could direct you to the right person. If you get into it it's better to build to the rules the first time, tho it's a lot cheaper to buy an already built car.
Good luck,

Richard

 

[MountainMike]

Thanks Richard

Sent from a long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.

 

[nine-teen91stxranger]

2.3 cuz everyone has 350's in Fords so might as well reverse it

 

[MountainMike]

2.3 cuz everyone has 350's in Fords so might as well reverse it

That's part of what is drawing me to the 2.3 In the first place. I was going to put a little powered by Ford decal above the exhaust outlet.

 

[MountainMike]

Well it pains me too admit but a confirmation on the trans for the 2.8 has appeared. It looks like that's the way I will be going. It's all being taken out of a truck being SBC swapped so I've got my grimey little paws on the ECM et al. I know back in the day Hooker Headers used to make a kit to swap a 2.8 into a Chevette, so I just need to find some info on that kit. If the TBI goes awry I have a spare carb off my Olds 2.8 as well.

Hurry up summer!

 

[LIMA BEAN]

Long as we can still shoehorn 5 hungover dudes and a buncha gear into it and drive 200 miles in a rainstorm on your next Alaska trip then yea.

 

[brokemechanic3000]

How about using a 4.3 V6 and manual Transmission out of a early 90's chevy pickup?

 

[crazypj]

I seriously thought I had read that completely wrong, then scrolled down a post and it was a time warp.
Not really a Chevette ? ! ! !
There should be plenty of information on the HSR, I started building one over 25 yrs ago, someone made me an offer I couldn't understand before motor was done so I sold it
If you really do have a Vauxhall Chevette, the body will need a load of strengthening before you even think about a better motor/transmission. (and upgrade the brakes)
It will crack the floor pan along transmission tunnel if you fit decent suspension (at least, if you corner hard, the body twist's but the wheels stay on the ground)
I think I had several years of Citroen's before I got Opel Manta GTE to play with (it was 'quite quick', 150+mph 2.3 litre N/A 4 banger)
Friend in Britain is still into Rallying, the Mk II Escort is commanding completely crazy prices
It's still a lot cheaper to go fast on a bike though, if money was no object I would get the double Busa V-8, it's de-tuned to about 430bhp and only weighs 194lbs dry (but can be built to around 1500bhp with twin turbo's, etc)
Several companies now make them http://www.radicalperformanceengines.com/Powertec-Macroblock-v8/