Rally car build., In need of suggestions. Options

[Silverstreak]

I recently aquired a 74 2.0 and plan on building it to rally spec. Nothing to serious, just gravel, clay, and not so rough dirt roads. So, I've been hunting arouund for 914 build threads and have come up dry. Has anyone here had experience with such a build? I realise I'll need to sure up the chassy and suspension. Wondering if I could get suggestions on what shocks and springs to use, anti roll bars etc. Any advice would help. Thanks in advance.
Cheers
Josh

[Silverstreak]

Hey Moggy,
Thanks again for all the input. I've got the interior completely stripped out now including the insulation material from the floor. Once I get it stripped back to bare metal and treat the few surface rust areas I'm thinking of putting in bed liner to save weight and provide to durability and insulation. I need to repair some rusted through areas in the firewall near the hell hole first as well. Then comes the cage and skid plates. I noticed in your first pics with the interior stripped that the cross member in front of the seats is missing. Mine is rusted on the passenger side, did you replace yours? Also, did you ad an Engman kit or anything to sure up the chasis? What sort of suspension are you using? Just out of curiosity, what motor are you running in that? Sorry for all the questions and thanks for taking the time to answer them. Unfortunately there is not much of a rallying community in my part of the states, but I have found some rally cross events as well as some sprint stage rallies through the SCCA. All they require is a sound car and a helemt, roll cage recomended but not required(I'll wait til I have the cage).
Cheers
Josh
Ps. Nice seats

[moggy]

Hey Moggy,
Thanks again for all the input. I've got the interior completely stripped out now including the insulation material from the floor. Once I get it stripped back to bare metal and treat the few surface rust areas I'm thinking of putting in bed liner to save weight and provide to durability and insulation. I need to repair some rusted through areas in the firewall near the hell hole first as well. Then comes the cage and skid plates. I noticed in your first pics with the interior stripped that the cross member in front of the seats is missing. Mine is rusted on the passenger side, did you replace yours? Also, did you ad an Engman kit or anything to sure up the chasis? What sort of suspension are you using? Just out of curiosity, what motor are you running in that? Sorry for all the questions and thanks for taking the time to answer them. Unfortunately there is not much of a rallying community in my part of the states, but I have found some rally cross events as well as some sprint stage rallies through the SCCA. All they require is a sound car and a helemt, roll cage recomended but not required(I'll wait til I have the cage).
Cheers
Josh
Ps. Nice seats

Thanks... the seats were £40 off E-Bay.

The usual is to have nothing on the floor inside. Just strip back to metal and POR15 the whole lot - job done. I also, like you, had to weld a few patches on the firewall. You can see them if you look carefully in some of the pictures.

The cross members you refer to were removed to enable me to sit the seats on the floor. Depending on the seats you buy, you'll probably find you'll have to do the same. My co-driver is 6foot 3 so sitting the seats and leaning them back some was essential to fit him in. BTW have you got a mate mad enough to sit in the passenger seat and read the notes yet?

For the first 2 years I had NO Engmann Kit, rear boxed arms etc or in fact anything that strengthened the suspension and/or bodywork. HOWEVER!!! this winter I stripped everything back to shell and found that there was a bad crack in the usual place on the longs (i.e. just by the handbrake) and I found both rear arms were bent. SO I'd advise you install a Engmann Kit (or similar). Here's a picture of mine welded in (you can also see one of the patches I had to do on the firewall):

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i31.photobucket.com-3285-1272139619.1.jpg)

On the rears I got a set of strengthened arms from PMB Performance (awsome quality!!), and a rear suspension brace kit from Tangerine Racing. Here's a few shots of that lot:

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i31.photobucket.com-3285-1272139619.2.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i31.photobucket.com-3285-1272139619.3.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i31.photobucket.com-3285-1272139620.4.jpg)

While on the subject of rear suspension.... I'd advise you go with 180lb springs on the back and a set of Bilsteins with adjustable perches. However, DO NOT buy the 180 springs from any of the usual 914 specialists, they will ALL lower the car. Simply take (send) your standard springs to a spring manufacturer and ask them to make you a set of 180s that are the same length as the standard springs.

Before I forget.... also, ALWAYS use rubber suspension bushings. The suspension takes such a pounding in rallying anything else gets destroyed and passes too much grief onto everything else. Go to Elephant Racing for the rubber bushes.... very good quality and they come a handy kit to help you get them on:

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/i31.photobucket.com-3285-1272139620.5.jpg)

The front suspension I would recommend you go with good condition standard front arms, bilsteins and standard 914-4 torsion bars. Too stiff on the front and the front will understeer badly on the gravel. Also, I found that it's best NOT to use an anti-roll bar on the front on gravel but on tarmac attach it but only on the lowest setting.

If you're just starting out in rallying just go with a good strong original 2litre with Webers on. Keep it simple and strong so you can concentrate on learning how to drive and forget about the engine.

You mention that the rallying you want to get into states that a roll cage is recommended but NOT required. I find this VERY strange (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif) what kind of rallying are you getting into here? have you got a link to one of the rally's you are hoping to enter?

Hope this all helps (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)