MrBob
11-01-2007, 11:04 AM
Hey All
My name is Bob, and I'm a Rallyholic.
My path towards rallying is a little windy, but I'd like to think I'm nearly there. My best mate in High school was Escort mad, and he'd always talked about building a rally car. I was more into the V8's etc and didn't really have much interest in any small cars except for Minis. Fast forward a few years and I finally bought myself a Mini, and joined the Mini Car Club of NSW merely to get a discount on insurance. At my first meeting, I heard about this "Khanacross" thing they were having that weekend, and decided to go for a looksee.
Where had this been my whole life?!!?? If I had known about car clubs when I was 17 or 18, I may have spent my money on rallying and stuff then instead of doing up a sh!tbox commmodore!! Anywho, I've been hooked since then (that's only about 2 years ago), and I'm now very involved in the Club - I'm on the Committee and the Competition department, and have been trying to involve myself any way I can. I've been getting my officials gradings - I'm now V3 (rally), C3 (Command) and just need to be assessed to be B3(steward), and I've serviced for another club member.
I campaigned the Mini in Motorkhanas and Khanacrosses with a little success - First Rookie and 2nd in class at the Hay Mini Nationals and a class win in a Group 7 Khana, but after going to the last Narooma Booma (2005), rallying was where I wanted to be. I was going to go the traditional route and buy an old Datto or something, but heard about the Excel series. At first I baulked at the idea, having always bagged Excels for being Korean shopping trolleys, but the more I heard about them and the series the more interested I got. I went to last years open day, and decided it was definitely the way to go for me. I got rid of the money pit that was my Mini, and promptly bought an Excel as my daily driver - hoping to be able to add another to the stable as a rally car later.
Having just built a house, and having a mortgage that looks more like a phone number, and getting married later this year, it may be a little while before I can seriously look at having a rally car. Because of this, When I heard about the Bay Starters Rally last year, I jumped at the chance!
With a bit of help - Thanks to Glen Farrant for the 4 wheels and Tyres he Donated, and Darryl Easton from our club who lent me a Terratrip, and minimal preparation - basically a Sump Guard and not much else - we Rocked up to the Bay to give it a go. My Co Driver was the best mate I told you about from High School - Steve Hinwood. He hadn't been able to compete in any rallies yet either, so jumped at the chance to compete with me.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a74/nswmccbob/DSCF0002-1.jpg
We had an absolute blast, and were getting more and more confident as we went. We finished equal 5th out of 13 starters despite blowing a tyre mid stage 3 and having to finish on a retread - I only had the four rally tyres. Luckily the service break was next and I was able to get a new one fitted.
Here's a video of me blowing the tyre. What are the odds of doing 80 km competitve and having the tyre blow at the speccie point where my missus was standing with the digital camera??!!
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a74/nswmccbob/th_DSCF0013.jpg (http://s9.photobucket.com/albums/a74/nswmccbob/?action=view¤t=DSCF0013.flv)
And here's the aftermath!!
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a74/nswmccbob/DSCF0014.jpg
We were stoked with the result. The car we equalled was a commodore who didn't have to stop mid stage, and the three cars that beat us were all actual rally cars. They gave us an encouragement award of a $500 voucher for Sideways Action Rally School, which I will use as soon as I have a car worthy of doing the course - I don't think I'd learn that much in the road car!!
The excel is still my daily driver - complete with the rally signwriting - just in case I need it again:D
I'll be at the open day again this year, and hopefully may be able to start building a car in the near future. Either way, I'll be involved somehow. Hope to see you all around.
My name is Bob, and I'm a Rallyholic.
My path towards rallying is a little windy, but I'd like to think I'm nearly there. My best mate in High school was Escort mad, and he'd always talked about building a rally car. I was more into the V8's etc and didn't really have much interest in any small cars except for Minis. Fast forward a few years and I finally bought myself a Mini, and joined the Mini Car Club of NSW merely to get a discount on insurance. At my first meeting, I heard about this "Khanacross" thing they were having that weekend, and decided to go for a looksee.
Where had this been my whole life?!!?? If I had known about car clubs when I was 17 or 18, I may have spent my money on rallying and stuff then instead of doing up a sh!tbox commmodore!! Anywho, I've been hooked since then (that's only about 2 years ago), and I'm now very involved in the Club - I'm on the Committee and the Competition department, and have been trying to involve myself any way I can. I've been getting my officials gradings - I'm now V3 (rally), C3 (Command) and just need to be assessed to be B3(steward), and I've serviced for another club member.
I campaigned the Mini in Motorkhanas and Khanacrosses with a little success - First Rookie and 2nd in class at the Hay Mini Nationals and a class win in a Group 7 Khana, but after going to the last Narooma Booma (2005), rallying was where I wanted to be. I was going to go the traditional route and buy an old Datto or something, but heard about the Excel series. At first I baulked at the idea, having always bagged Excels for being Korean shopping trolleys, but the more I heard about them and the series the more interested I got. I went to last years open day, and decided it was definitely the way to go for me. I got rid of the money pit that was my Mini, and promptly bought an Excel as my daily driver - hoping to be able to add another to the stable as a rally car later.
Having just built a house, and having a mortgage that looks more like a phone number, and getting married later this year, it may be a little while before I can seriously look at having a rally car. Because of this, When I heard about the Bay Starters Rally last year, I jumped at the chance!
With a bit of help - Thanks to Glen Farrant for the 4 wheels and Tyres he Donated, and Darryl Easton from our club who lent me a Terratrip, and minimal preparation - basically a Sump Guard and not much else - we Rocked up to the Bay to give it a go. My Co Driver was the best mate I told you about from High School - Steve Hinwood. He hadn't been able to compete in any rallies yet either, so jumped at the chance to compete with me.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a74/nswmccbob/DSCF0002-1.jpg
We had an absolute blast, and were getting more and more confident as we went. We finished equal 5th out of 13 starters despite blowing a tyre mid stage 3 and having to finish on a retread - I only had the four rally tyres. Luckily the service break was next and I was able to get a new one fitted.
Here's a video of me blowing the tyre. What are the odds of doing 80 km competitve and having the tyre blow at the speccie point where my missus was standing with the digital camera??!!
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a74/nswmccbob/th_DSCF0013.jpg (http://s9.photobucket.com/albums/a74/nswmccbob/?action=view¤t=DSCF0013.flv)
And here's the aftermath!!
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a74/nswmccbob/DSCF0014.jpg
We were stoked with the result. The car we equalled was a commodore who didn't have to stop mid stage, and the three cars that beat us were all actual rally cars. They gave us an encouragement award of a $500 voucher for Sideways Action Rally School, which I will use as soon as I have a car worthy of doing the course - I don't think I'd learn that much in the road car!!
The excel is still my daily driver - complete with the rally signwriting - just in case I need it again:D
I'll be at the open day again this year, and hopefully may be able to start building a car in the near future. Either way, I'll be involved somehow. Hope to see you all around.