OFFICIAL: NicoClub's Rally 240SX, by Finnish Fury Rallysport

[IanS]

Ok, Im finally getting back to work. Had a very productive day today.

I started out by figuring out why the hazards would not work. Turns out one of the terminals inside the fuse block for the hazards was goobered. It just wasn't making a good connection. I tweaked the terminal a little, and now they work great, sweet.

I moved on to the wipers. These quit working on my while in omaha. We rigged them to work, but I wanted things right. Well after a little playing around, I discovered that the power wire had all but pulled out of the wiper amp. It was also packed with mud. I will have to add a shield so it doesn't happen again. I fixed the wire, and now the wipers work. Great, Im on a roll.

Staying with the electrical theme, I started putting together the wiring harness for the aux lights. I will be running 2 pencil beam spot lights, and 2 driving floods mounted to a removable bar on the hood. To meet with R-A rules, the lights must turn on and off with the high beam switch. Using 2 relays from another 240SX engine harness, I built a custom light harness. The highbeam circuit triggers both relays. The trigger grounds for the relays are individually switched via toggles mounted in the radio slot. I made a custom din plate of which pictures will be posted tomorrow. This way, I can set the lights to act with the highbeams, but I can also kill them when not needed. Then I fused a power wire, split it to both relays, and ran wires up to the front bumper. Once I have lights figured out, I will solder in a trailer light plug so I can quickly and easily disconnect the light pod.

While I was playing with wires, Cale pulled all the lexan back out. We had only temp installed it because we were short on time. Now its time to do it right. He started by trimming all the edges, and rounding off the corners. Then he marked out where the lexan mates with the frames of the windows. Using tape he covered the the window area of the pieces. This way we can paint the inside of the windows where they just show body. Then they will look similar to factory windows, while also hiding the ugly unibody that makes the frames.

I will get some pictures up tomorrow, I left my camera in my truck.

Nothing like starting a new page with a wall-o-text. Now I really need to get pictures up.

Thanks for reading guys.

[Ender_Zero]

*anxiously awaits the picture update*


I forget if this was addressed earlier, are you planning on running an in-car camera so us interweb wannabe's can ride along with you in this beast?

[IanS]

*anxiously awaits the picture update*


I forget if this was addressed earlier, are you planning on running an in-car camera so us interweb wannabe's can ride along with you in this beast?

The pictures really are not that exciting. Just some of the switch panel. Not much to see when wiring is concerned.

A custom camera mount is in the works. I plan to run at least a digital video camera, and I would also like to get a GO PRO. One to face forward, and one to show driver/co-driver. Then I can interlace them to show our reactions. Ive seen it done, and it looks really cool.

Here is the new switch panel. I cut it out of some leftover lexan, then painted the backside black. This gives it a super deep black shine. Once I get the rest of the switches mounted, and get labels, I think it will look really good.

I only had one switch in, but I mounted the other. Once I figure out how many more I will need, I will drill some more holes.





The only other picture I have for tonight is of the rear damper assemblies. I pulled them out, cleaned them off, and removed the springs. Because this such a custom setup, I pulled a shot in the dark as far as spring length is concerned. I got lucky with the fronts, they are perfect. The rears are a tad short, and I was aware, but didnt have time to fix it before Omaha. During testing, I discovered that the coils were binding on sharp ruts. This was due to the fact that the adjusting collars were all the way up just to get a little height. Anyways, that shall be remedied shortly. I ordered up some longer springs, and they should be in soon.



I will try and update next week, but I likely wont get too much done, I may have picked up some side work to help fund the rally car.

[King Ranzo]

It's looking good, Ian. Can't wait to see it in more action.

[S13AL]

what did you use for the makeshift looking shifter boot?

[IanS]

what did you use for the makeshift looking shifter boot?

It came from my coupe. It is a Jones Soda Co bandanna. I sewed it up myself. Its awesomely tacky.

[kornmanz]

what did you use for the makeshift looking shifter boot?

It came from my coupe. It is a Jones Soda Co bandanna. I sewed it up myself. Its awesomely tacky.

Dude make me one!

[IanS]

Dude make me one!

I dont have any more of that material. You can make one yourself with whatever you want. All you need is material, a needle and thread.

[eidk]

What rallys are you going to be entering this year? My buddies chad haines and Paul Oliver are also running coefficent 1 races (if you are to?) Around the midwest area. I crew for them. Just wondering if I'll get a chance to check this car out in person.

If these questions were answered somewhere in the text previously, my bad. But there is just so much there.

[IanS]

What rallys are you going to be entering this year? My buddies chad haines and Paul Oliver are also running coefficent 1 races (if you are to?) Around the midwest area. I crew for them. Just wondering if I'll get a chance to check this car out in person.

If these questions were answered somewhere in the text previously, my bad. But there is just so much there.

I would love to run Nemadji Trail, and possibly Odjibwe Forest, but I dont know if its going to happen. Im having a hard time putting the finances together to get the car ready to pass full tech. I will likely have the car done by the end of the season, but that wont leave me enough cash to compete. But who knows, maybe things will turn around.

[eidk]

Alright, I believe i herd my buddies saying they want to do Nemadji Trail too but i cannot remember if we have the funds to compete as well, Traveling is the most expensive for us. Ill keep you updated.

[IanS]

Alright, I believe i herd my buddies saying they want to do Nemadji Trail too but i cannot remember if we have the funds to compete as well, Traveling is the most expensive for us. Ill keep you updated.

That would be cool. What kind of car are they running?

My new rear springs showed up yesterday. Too bad I might not get to install them until next week.

[boosted_nx]

More pictars!

so much for your shiny white engine bay

its lookin god man, can wait to see it tearing up some back roads.

oh and gopro for the win, i have the hd and i love it. just wish i had the dough for 3 more

[IanS]

so much for your shiny white engine bay

its lookin god man, can wait to see it tearing up some back roads.

oh and gopro for the win, i have the hd and i love it. just wish i had the dough for 3 more

Yah, well any color gets dirty. White just looks classy afterwords.

As for a camera, I think a Go Pro Hero will be the way to go. Anything else will just end up broken.

[eidk]

1998 Subaru Impreza RS

[IanS]

1998 Subaru Impreza RS

Nice. Have they ever raced LSPR? The car looks familiar.

[IanS]

Ok, mini update.

The lexan is all taped up, so I layed it out on the floor, and painted the back side trim areas with krylon fusion. I only got before shots, but I will get some afters once they are all unwrapped.



I also got the rear suspension reassembled. I put one of the old springs next to the new assemblies to show the difference. The old springs were not preloaded at all, at max adjustment. The new ones have a just a little bit of preload with the perches all the way down.



I got the new coils on the car, and am very pleased with the height. It matched the rear with the front, where as before, the rear sat a little low. I cant wait to get out for some more testing.

[Razi]

Lookin good Ian!
You should get some fancy light-up switches for your switch panel. :P

[IanS]

Lookin good Ian!
You should get some fancy light-up switches for your switch panel. :P

The switches I have do light up, but I dont know if Im going to set them to light. I dont want to be distracted.

[IanS]

Got to work on the lexan.

Paint dry.







Unwrapped. At a glance, they look like factory windows.







Then I went to town with the drill and some rivets. I did a base seal with silicone, and I will go around and edge them once I am happy with the fit.





I only got the one side done, its a time consuming process, and I ran out of rivets.

[Syrus33]

The best thread on here FTW! Keep up the great work.

PS. triple post lol

[IanS]

The best thread on here FTW! Keep up the great work.

PS. triple post lol

Ack, fixed.

Thanks.

[carps13guy]

looking awesome as always. & yeah.. those lexan windows do look like stockers. i bet that thing is fun to sling around in the dirt =)

[RallyB13]

Ian,

What pieces are you missing to get it stage legal?

Do you have actual lights yet? I've got a ton of Hella FF1000 lights, and I'd be willing to let a pair of pencils and maybe a pair of driving patterns go for a good price. (I've got at least two pairs of pencils, and both Halogen and HID driving lights).

I'm now looking at LSPR for my first event. OFR is just too close and my cage is just starting to go in. But I have most of the pieces, short of the spill kit, roll cage padding, belts and fuel tank protection to make it stage legal (want some underbody protection too and ideally I'd find enough money to get some real suspension on the car, but I've done pretty serious stuff with just AGX and stock springs in the past...).

If you're looking at LSPR we should maybe consider trying to share some costs, crew, etc. Make it more doable for both of us.

[IanS]

RIght now the biggest things, are lights, belts, skid plates, and exhaust. There are also some little things but I can cover those pretty easily.

The problem right now is money. Im just finishing up a side project that will pay for lights, skid plate, and exhaust. There may be more of these projects falling down the tube, so this may help.

Working together for LSPR sounds like a great idea. If I can be ready that would be awesome. I have lots of friends who know cars well enough to service. Ive been running over the numbers in my head. Im going to try and get it on paper to see if its plausible.

Ill email you about the lights, I am interested.

[Speedy7_7]

Hey Ian, I will be in the garage tomorrow. Come over and keep me company while simultaneously distracting me from working on my own car. LSPR is do-able, lets do this.

[IanS]

Hey Ian, I will be in the garage tomorrow. Come over and keep me company while simultaneously distracting me from working on my own car. LSPR is do-able, lets do this.

Ill be over on Thursday. Gotta put a cat in Brianna's Jetta, a condensor and spark plugs in the WRX, and then try to get windows in the rally 240SX.

I think Im going to quit my job so I actually have time to work on all my projects.

[Ajax]

I'll stop by tomorrow, to help in whatever way I can.

[Speedy7_7]

I'll stop by tomorrow, to help in whatever way I can.

Will you drive your car? I want to feel it's aura. If you have more black nail brigade stickers, you should bring some, we got the one all wet and broken.

[Ajax]

I think I can do that. Probably be there around 6:30-7 depending on how late I get stuck at the office.