Car for more than on discipline?

[TarkMalbot]

Hi,
I have raced superbikes for the last 10 years but am not intending on racing bikes this year. I have however just bought an old 106 GTI that I am wanting to use for track days, club rallies and try a few hill climbs and possibly even rally cross.

I have had a look through the MSA blue book online but finding it difficult as a complete novice to fully understand it all. The car is fully road legal at the moment and I am going to start converting it soon.

The racing etc will come in the future and for the time being will be used as a toy on the road and track days.

I have two main questions. Firstly I want to make sure I don't remove or replace anything that is either required or not permitted and secondly is it possible to build a 106 GTI that could be used for multiple disaplines but still need the specific regulations for that disapline.

Thanks.

[andrewc]

Well you need to get the regs for the different disciplines and work out the minimum you can do to the car to comply.

[TarkMalbot]

I har been looking at the regs on the following site but like most regs there is a lot of information to look through and understand but guess there are some basic things most people in the sport know about. Until I am in a position to go to a meeting and meet other people I just don't want to do anything to the car that might mean I can't compete in the future.

For instance I see a lot of cars with stripped out carpets but then I remember reading you need to have some in to be able to enter road rallies etc etc.

http://www.msauk.org/site/cms/conten...p?article=1122

[ChrisPage]

you would be best placed speaking to clubs in each discipline.

But, also depends on how many of the disciplines you want to do (maybe others too?).

E.G.

As a standard road car with no mods at all you could do track days, hillclimbs, sprints, autotests, and road rallies (do you mean you want to so stage rallies?) - and in a 106 Gti you'll be competitive in all those.

If you want to do a version of motorsport that requires stripping an rollcage etc, which rallying (stage rallying) and rallycross will definitely require, you'll basically be working towards the safety standards in each, with what ever mods to suspetion/engine etc you want (so long as legal for series). I imagine the safety standards for rally and rallycross would be similar, and there would be a class to suit such a preppared car in hillclimbs/sprints - beware however - by stripping and adding a cage the class you may be moved to in speed events may well leave you less competitive than you were with a standard car!

Its a minefield in a way, but also fun finding out what you can do. Why not start with your standard car in track days and speed events, then if you still want to do rally/rallycross you'll at least have some competitive driving experienec and will have given yourself time to see what you'd like to do next as anm informed decision, rather than changing something expensive just to realise its not valid for what you then choose to do.

Hillclimbs and sprints are great fun!

[TarkMalbot]

Thanks for the advice. I will start with track days and would really like to do hill climbs and road rallies. Rally cross and Stage rallies would be much further down the line.
Thanks again.

[ChrisPage]

Originally Posted by TarkMalbot

Thanks for the advice. I will start with track days and would really like to do hill climbs and road rallies. Rally cross and Stage rallies would be much further down the line.
Thanks again.

Your start point then would be to check the regs for the standard road car classes in your chosen speed championship, as you may be able to uprate the suspension and few other controled bits. Fot those classes you don't need to strip the car at all or add cage (indeed probably CANT!), so you will be 100% ok for road rallies.

[ChrisPage]

Usual caveat - always check with your local clubs as they will have the latest accurate details for your area!

[TarkMalbot]

Applied for my MSA non race national B licence and contacted my local club for more details.
Thanks for the help.

[n500]

Hi

Your best bet is to get the name of a local friendly scrutineer and have a chat with them. You can find them on the MSA website. If they don't do events in the particular discipline in which you are interested, they will probably know someone who does.

Alternatively . have a look at some championship regs (EG Midland Speed Championship for hillclimbs / sprints) on the internet which will contain contact details for the championship eligibility scrutineer. Phone him / her up and you will be surprised what you willl learn!

Neil

[leonidas]

In general if you want to have a genuine all round car prepare it to stage rally safety standards but keep the rear seat and interior trim - that should keep you eligible for road rallies.

However you'll still have to make minor modifications for each event depending on regs. For example in autocross/rallycross you'll usually need to remove or cover glass lights and possibly fit high level brake lights to correct spec - it would obviously make sense to remove seats as well to lighten the car.

Also (just in case you don't know) if you eventually want to do stage rally events you'll need to do an MSA test - a speed licence won't cover it.