500 craigslist car in a rally

[IndyCJ]

Most of you have probably seen this, but it's still good.

http://jalopnik.com/5497042/how-a-50...k-rally-racers

I'm looking at an 86 BMW 318 2 door 5 speed. Guy wants 800, I'm trying to talk him down.

[WildHorses]

Very Nice!!! Man that looks like so much fun!

[jeep937]

Love the angle on that story!

[Angry Iron Off Road]

Not Really a 500 dollar car. I wouldn't consider my truck a 250 dollar ranger either. That was what I paid for the shell. Sorry I am just not a fan.

[Joe_W]

When I bought my $400 Suzuki Swift a couple years ago a few friends were telling me I should run it in the Paris (Texas) Rally

[Numbchux]

Yea, the concept that it started with a $500 car isn't that interesting.


But the fact that he has taken it all over the country, even to WRC Mexico, is what's pretty cool. He's a pretty cool guy too, I had a few chances to chat with him at various events over the last couple years.


culminating in this:
http://nismostuff.blogspot.com/2010/...some-help.html



from Special-stage

Originally Posted by wcaswell

Guys, thanks for the wishes. we were lucky to even make the race as we built the entire car in 14 days and there are next to no stock parts left on the car. We forklifted it into SEMA on Nov 3rd and the tech was on the 17th or something like that. The car is awesome. My problem was the steering. I ran out of funds and couldnt afford a fancy offroad rack and to be honest I would have been a whole extra day to rig the thing into the car which I didnt have. We all knew the steering was the week part so I tried my best to take it easy on it but about 170 miles in we were in crazy deep sand with buggies stuck left and right and that Oskosh thing pulling people out (unless he was stuck himself which seems doubtful) and I kept it floored at high speed and it ripped the rack clean out of the car.

I brought a spare but it took me forever to get the splines engaged on the coupler as there was sand in EVERYTHING! And we went out drinking all night the night before the race and had the time of our lives and by 430 am we couldmt function anymore. And our radios never worked so we couldnt get help from anyone and our chase crew was my friends in a rented 2wd van so there was no way they were going to be able to pull us out, but went, entered a race I have dreamed about since I was kid in a car of my own design based on a weird dream I had last spring and thing rocks. 260 HP 3.0L M3 motor with a 5.90 rear gear. And the thing just flies over bumps and what not. Oh the front suspension is made from 1.75" by .120 wall chromoly and it pretty strong. certainly stronger than a lot of cars that ripped their front suspension off in the first 10 miles.

And yes, we had no thoughts about making it 1000 miles in a car I dreamt up and then built in two weeks. We just wanted to be there and be a part of it and I wanted to run an E30 BMW so we did. Its also the first BMW (non motorcycle) to enter the Baja1000 so thats kind of cool to I guess. Here's two links to a video of us jumping it in the hotel parking lot. I would have gone faster but I was wearing flip flops and no helmet: YouTube - Baja BMW jump 2

And another of it on the side of the road having fun: YouTube - Baja BMW