WTB: Something Cheap & Durable for RallyCross

[SlimKlim]

So Taylor and I are planning to "build" a shoestring budget RallyX car. The idea is to find something in running condition, ideally for <$1000, that we can do a minimum amount of work to have a halfway decent rallyx car.

The rough plan is to purchase the vehicle, do any desperately required maintenance items or repairs, install a set of slightly higher profile winter tires, rip the interior out of it, possibly install a seat (only if my helmet is hitting the roof in the stock seat).

Requirements:
-Cheap
-Running or near running condition
-Can still pass inspection
-Manual transmission

Preferences:
-AWD preferred, FWD considered, RWD prolly not because anything in this price range will be open diff

Current frontrunner is a high mileage GC8 Impreza with the 2.2L and 5spd. Persuasive cases for other vehicles will be heard, but we're really holding out for the right Impreza at the right price. I found one that was damn near perfect for $1100 this morning but it was an automatic. :evil:

Timing: The second half of the RallyX season starts in the middle of September, if we can find something before then and finish off the season that'd be great, I won't be heartbroken if we end up doing it over the winter.

[ScottyB]

foci are poplar and have some rally community behind them.

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$1900


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$750


escorts aren't bad either, and very light.
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subaru OBS with rust, if its just cosmetic junk, buy it
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this one's almost too pretty to race, but you could probably talk down to 1500 cash
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[ViPER1313]

Maybe a 2002+ Sentra se-r? You could get them with an LSD which should help.

[Senor_Taylor]

Maybe a 2002+ Sentra se-r? You could get them with an LSD which should help.

We hadn't considered these. Interesting

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[ScottyB]

sentras are a good idea. often overlooked, simple, cheap. be aware they apparently have some kind of de-catting or balance shaft delete you need to do to get "beat it to death" reliability out of them.

[davej]

So quick to write off a rwd. I've been trying to talk myself out of buying it for parts for a while so if you would just get it I wouldn't have to worry about it.

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Rough condition 1991 318i, has hail damage to basically every body panel on the car. Has a 4.10 LSD. Would be a great car to use for lemons/ chump/ spec E30 or fix up and give someone as a first car. Missing a few parts, windsheild, bumpers front and rear. $800 OBO

[Senor_Taylor]

Keep in mind that while we are open to other options, Joey and I are really set on an Subaru. We kind of want the full experience.

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[SlimKlim]

As a matter of fact, I just texted the guy with that OBS. Nice find!

Update: That car is located in WV somewhere and the owner isn't around this weekend. We might try to look at it next Saturday.

[ScottyB]

As a matter of fact, I just texted the guy with that OBS. Nice find!

silver wheel or black wheel one? hope it finds a good home with you :thumbup:

[SlimKlim]

Silver wheeled, the cheaper one. :lol:

We're going to check it out next Saturday. It seems like a good seller, he was brutally honest about it to his own detriment. I dunno if we had a bad phone connection or if he was a mumbler but I had a really hard time understanding him. The jist of it is he used to commute from somewhere in WV to Lorton in this thing until it started burning oil. I dunno how quickly, but he says it still runs well enough but wouldn't recommend using it as a long haul commuter. It's got rust on one rear fender and the weld on the rear muffler is broken so it won't pass inspection. It also won't pass emissions for an undetermined reason. About 200k on the clock. Asking $1k.

The plan is to bring a compression tester and OBD-II scanner to see what's going on with the oil burning and emissions thing. And a jack and flashlight to make sure the underside isn't totally rotted out.

Got any tips or specific things to look for? Thinking we could grab it for like $800 if we waive cash at him. :dunno:

[ScottyB]

burning and consuming oil are 2 things these will do and they're pretty different...if its blowing smoke on startup you're looking at a valve seal job or potentially rings. just consuming oil but not smoking is pretty normal for a lot of subarus, mine included, but we're talking less than 1/2 qt every 1000 miles is about right.

reach way up in the rear fender area and check that rust closely, especially on the side with the filler neck. the filler neck is right up at the top of the rear fender and the pipe will start rotting out and that can cause your emmissions problems when the evap system starts noticing stuff leaking out the neck. check the strut top-hat area under that fender too, you can get rust up in there.

yank the rear spare and check for rust down in the spare well which will also tell you if the car has leaky seals.

put your hand over the open oil cap when its running and check for feeling blowby pushing out the oil cap - if so that might explain the oil burning if its bad rings and bad compression.

many owners neglect spark plugs because they're a pain being on the side of the engine, see if he has proof of the last service on those.

gearbox might hum/whine a bit in lower gears and on decel but should be quiet and smooth at speed. if you're hearing a howl or whine at 50mph+ the center diff is shot. confirm by making tight turns at parking lot speeds - if the car shudders or bucks, the center diff is seized up and will take the rest of the 'box with it before long.

at 200k if it hasn't had a wheel bearing or two replaced it won't be long until it does. do a couple turns with decent load and if you get any change in pitch from a corner of the car or a whirring noise like a plane prop you're looking at a bearing.

happy hunting!

[SlimKlim]

That's awesome advice. Sounds like if it's blowing oil on startup or if the fuel filler neck is rusted out we'll turn around and go home, but otherwise, barring any major issues, we'll probably take it home.

[ScottyB]

yeah, i mean if you're planning to beat it to death on a rallyx course, neither is going to stop you from having a good time but you're never going to want to deal with getting it right as a street car for that kind of money. i'd keep your eyes open.

also, used subaru prices tend to go up in the autumn and winter depending on the weather....opposite of most used car prices.

[Senor_Taylor]

The hunt is over!

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[EclipseTurbno93]

Need new thread asap w/ full story

[ScottyB]

YES