Nashio

So I figured I should have my own topic of the things I have and am doing on my 944. I signed up for my first Rallycross event in September so that will give me the summer to do as much as possible to get this 28+ year old car back into shape.

For starts it is a 1985.1 944 the things I have done to it since owning it for over a year are, removed A/C, PS, Balance shafts, and heater, Installed an alternator underdrive pulley, Alterted the timing belt formation and have an electric water pump on the car with removal of the mechanical pulley and run a Honda accord timing belt, I have a turbo head that has been milled down .040", the circle throttle wheel, and a FRWilks chip. (As a reference I have ran without balance shafts and on the eletric water pump for 18,000+ miles and the car drives like a normal car)

This weekend I started on my suspension and replaced my blown adjustable Koni struts and shocks with new Bilstein's all the way around.

I want to make a check list of stuff I want to do before the event if anyone has any idea's or personal experience with driving on dirt/gravel it would be much appreciated. Also If I am forgetting about something important to replace or reinforce please let me know. My fuel line is reinforced with removal of the balance shafts.

Things to do:
Brakes, new pads, rotors (pretty scored....), and stainless steel lines
Remove the front sway bar
New bushings front and back
Rouge tuning maf and cam key? (I have a question how much can I advance timing with a head milled at .040"?)
Short shifter on transmission
Belly pan
Motor and Transmission mounts

Edit: I have also replaced my clutch with a centerforce clutch and have a Fidanza flywheel on the car. Also converted the sunroof to a manual one to free up some weight. Along with replacing the front and rear cranks seals, and have v12 radiator fans as well. I think I remembered everything I have done to the car.

J1NX3D

sounds good.

what do you you mean by rallycross? is it closed public gravel and sealed roads? or a dirt/sealed looped track?

Nashio

It depends on the location of the event. Some have private roads some have a track like arena and some are a huge dirt field where cones are set up like an autocross. This first event I am pretty sure is a field since the course will change from day 1 practice to day 2 race event. It is not as rough on a car as full blown rally racing but is like the intro to get adjusted to it.

J1NX3D

ah ok. i sometimes crew for a friend that does tarmac rally. I can't see anything you've missed in your list. For the events that we do they are sealed public roads closed for the events. Usually a weekend of racing but the national ones are 5 days and 3500+ km of special and touring stages (like a rally format) which puts a real endurance aspect into keeping the car going.
all the cars are fitted with a gps transponder. its reqd for for the regulations, safety and make sure they're not exceeding 200kph; with the added bonus that we could track our car through the stages online.
on my friends car he deleted the rear wiper and mounted the antenna in the hole in the hatch.
One of the most valuable assets to the car was a radio hardwired into the intercom. This helped the car find us in the servicing zones and let us know if there were any problems to take care of, how much fuel they wanted and if they needed water or food.

OzGreg

Hi there,

I have a dirt rally background and offer the following:

Suspension, brakes and then hp. The order is important.. Low levels of grip (compared to Tarmac) will amplify any shortcomings..

We usually have a light front bar, no rear bar (sway or anti roll bars)

Belly pan? You dont mean the standard one as a Sump guard? Usually 4-6 mm Aluminium plate solidly mounted to the crossmember and front chassis.. Those with $$$$ go for Kevlar/glass/ carbon

Damping and spring rates are between standard and race, with Tarmac rally between dirt and race. Bilsteins are the preferred damper in cost conscious rallying here in Oz (ie they work well, can be serviced/re-valved and they upside down construction works well). Silly people like me pay for stuff from MCA Suspension ($2000 a corner). If you have a mixed surface event you are going to compromise on rates/damping.

Rally tyres run less camber than race tyres (say 1.5 degrees negative vs. 3), bump travel is vital, advice I got is a minimum of 100-120mm. Mind you our rally roads are somewhat rough.

Steel or Aluminium front arms? Steel would be preferable, plated.

Cheers
Greg

V2Rocket

lift the car!

spring spacers in front, re-clocked t bars in the back.

ive designed in my head a swing-out tire carrier for the 944 back bumper if you want one

ninjacoco

You, sir, are my new hero.

Texas Rallysport runs a LeMons class, and I definitely want to throw the LeMons 944 in there for a few events. Dirt is SO MUCH FUN.

Also, this thread is definitely nothing without pics of sweet dirty action.

Nashio

I appreciate your input. I currently do not have any standard/factory belly pans. I plan on making my own probably from some old street signs I have laying around for now. I would think a kevlar/carbon skid/belly pan would be more prone to breaking?

I have the steel arms which I plan on after my first event getting some nice aftermarket ones to better handle the stress.

With the Ne Bilstein's in my car did get higher although it could probably use an extra 2 inches to be safe I plan on running it at its current height first and if I have issues the up she will go. That is what the belly/skid pan is for right?

Also I understand the concept of the tire carrier but just can't imagine it.

You are just stroking my ego but thank you for the compliemt. I have a background with ATV's and dune buggy's that I used to ride/drive around in for about 5 yeards and I agree dirt is a lot of fun. As for pictures I can post what my car currently looks like and on the day of the event I will hopefully make a little video (If i do not get too excited and forget). I'll post some pictures up when I get home from work.

thirdgenbird

Ive been wanting to do this to a 924

Nashio

Here are some pictures of how the car looks (couple months old). It is now about an inch or 2 higher with the Bilstein's on all four corners. It also has the rear bumper shaved now as well.

OzGreg

What tyres are commonly run in these events in the USA?

Dirt Rally tyres are generally 15", there used to be 16".

Greg

Nashio

For rallycross you can run either rally tires or street tires, different divisions. From what I have seen at least from California 15" are the standard rally tire size 195/70/15. Wheels will come after I do the brake upgrade to Wilwoods on the front, which I should be ordering this week.

AKCJ

Sounds like fun. I know almost nothing about rallycross.

I've read that people who run without balance shafts may want to beef up the oil pickup in the oil pan.

I don't get running w/o a sway bar? We take our sway bars off (or use disconnects) for off roading but that's so we can get better articulation.

Belly pan - I work at a sheet metal shop and would donate material and labor to you if you were near by. First thought would be 1/8" aluminum with (1/4" ?) UHMW plastic on bottom. Where possible I prefer to use carriage bolts to attach but that requires top access to remove the nuts.

Good Luck and keep posting details.

Travis - sflraver

I have a sheet metal (CNC Plasma Cut) reproduction of the plastic engine tray if you need it. Bolts right up and has the factory style vent holes. It should keep just about anything from messing with your belts. It was actually designed to keep the power steering pump intact in the event of "armadillo" impact.

Nashio

I've read that as well but seeing as my car already has 18k+ miles on it without the balance shafts I figure it can wait till December to take the oil pan off.

From everything I have researched removing the front sway bar is to reduce the amount of push or understeer. Also it gives the front of the car full independent suspension since the road surface is not perfect at all. It also puts less stress on the factory control arms.

That is very kind of you but I don't think we are very close since your avatar says you are in Alaska haha.

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