Hello from Colombia - Tarmac Rally Build

[Ezracer56]

Hi Guys,

Expat now living in Colombia doing a Tarmac Rally build. I just bought the car, a 2017 Black US Spec FiST. The car has 6k miles on it and its perfect but Im about to ruin it. Given the roads in Colombia are mostly unpaved, dirt, gravel (and the fact that I have an R34 Skyline GTR as my track car) and that in my area Hillclimb events are fairly common Im going for a unique build. I've seen a few guys on this Forum who are like minded, raising your car vs lowering is a rarity here. Regardless, happy to be joining the forum. (and this is a fun little car btw)

 

[Business6]

Sweet, welcome, I look forward the hill climb action!

 

[M-Sport fan]

WELCOME and CONGRATS

I'm guessing that you are implying a GRAVEL rally type build, as tarmac rallying is run exclusively on PAVED roads, albeit not always very track-like, glass smooth pavement.

I am sort of going for a very rough pavement type tarmac suspension myself, which will not be a crazy high center of gravity ride height (like close to factory ride height), to maintain some decent handling on the street, but with enough damper travel, ride height, and STRENGTH to handle the crazy rough gravel stage rallies which I work/volunteer on.

I am having an impossible time finding a suitable suspension to achieve all of the above, mainly due to just what you said about the 99.999% on here (and in general) who only want to slam these things to the ground for the 'stance', so the manufacturers refuse to build anything that does not.

The exception of course are the M-Sport Fiesta R2 class, 3 way adjustable tarmac Reiger coil overs, but at almost $8K a set , that ain't happening for me (but if I had the coin, they'd already be on my car! LOL ).

 

[D1JL]

Dave

 

[FocusedSlayer]

Welcome 🙏

 

[flbchbm]

Welcome to the machine.

 

[Ezracer56]

Thank you!

 

[Jabbit]

Welcome and pics of the R34 please.

 

[M-Sport fan]

I actually spotted a 'Godzilla' yesterday in Warminster, Pa., but not sure which number model it was.

It looked like an R33, or R34, but not sure.

 

[Ezracer56]

WELCOME and CONGRATS

I'm guessing that you are implying a GRAVEL rally type build, as tarmac rallying is run exclusively on PAVED roads, albeit not always very track-like, glass smooth pavement.

I am sort of going for a very rough pavement type tarmac suspension myself, which will not be a crazy high center of gravity ride height (like close to factory ride height), to maintain some decent handling on the street, but with enough damper travel, ride height, and STRENGTH to handle the crazy rough gravel stage rallies which I work/volunteer on.

I am having an impossible time finding a suitable suspension to achieve all of the above, mainly due to just what you said about the 99.999% on here (and in general) who only want to slam these things to the ground for the 'stance', so the manufacturers refuse to build anything that does not.

The exception of course are the M-Sport Fiesta R2 class, 3 way adjustable tarmac Reiger coil overs, but at almost $8K a set , that ain't happening for me (but if I had the coin, they'd already be on my car! LOL ).

Actually, for my daily set up, it will be a tarmac set up and I am looking for EXACTLY what you are @M-Sport fan and its been extremely difficult. I've been snooping in on some of your posts so I know your dilema. I've also spoken with Reiger here in South America (Argentina) and nearly choked at the prices, scouring for used sets and giving up, seen the FA stuff and really want inverted, chased down 1 man suspension company leads (service sucks and thats pre-sale) and I think (big think) I finally have a solution through a suspension company here in Colombia. They make custom suspension for the Road Racers but also all of the RallyCross racers here. It will be a complete custom job BUT given the USD to COP exchange rate will be very affordable even with external reservoir. Anyway, I will jump on your other threads re: this topic.

Nice to meet everyone.

ps, R34 pics below.

 

[M-Sport fan]

Yeah, that is also one of the drawbacks for me about the FA 500s/510s, that they are not inverted in the front, like a true rally damper always is.

But yes, at least they will build a NOT forced slammed, adjustable to a functional factory ride height setup for our rides, unlike pretty much all of the rest of the coil over offerings for us.

Since so many of these coil overs are built for smooth roads and tracks (regardless of their front damper being inverted or not), I seriously doubt their strength/resistance to blowing out on BIG 'hits' (i.e.; MUCH MUCH worse than merely the curbing on a road course ), and have had this confirmed by some of their tech people directly, telling me to NOT use their coil overs for this use.

IF I knew that I could trust Panda to actually deliver on their rally spec, supposedly rally capable Silver Neomax based setup (which IS inverted in the front), instead of just taking my $1500.00 and running, they'd already be on my car.

One member on here who actually does compete in ARA rallies with a Limited 2WD class FiST has these on his car, and as far as I know has not blown them out, or had any problems with them.
They are NOT remote reservoir, nor are they currently adjustable for rebound or compression at all.

 

[mindmaster]

Me perdí. El R34 está en Colombia? Ya está en el club de STs Colombia?

 

[Dpro]

Welcome and Nice R34 . Eager to hear about your build Rallycross rules.

 

[Ezracer56]

Me perdí. El R34 está en Colombia? Ya está en el club de STs Colombia?

Hola. El R34 no esta aqui esta en los EEUU mientras lo construyo. Yo estoy en Medellin. Si, ya estoy en el club ST. =)

 

[E34less]

Yeah, that is also one of the drawbacks for me about the FA 500s/510s, that they are not inverted in the front, like a true rally damper always is.

But yes, at least they will build a NOT forced slammed, adjustable to a functional factory ride height setup for our rides, unlike pretty much all of the rest of the coil over offerings for us.

Since so many of these coil overs are built for smooth roads and tracks (regardless of their front damper being inverted or not), I seriously doubt their strength/resistance to blowing out on BIG 'hits' (i.e.; MUCH MUCH worse than merely the curbing on a road course ), and have had this confirmed by some of their tech people directly, telling me to NOT use their coil overs for this use.

IF I knew that I could trust Panda to actually deliver on their rally spec, supposedly rally capable Silver Neomax based setup (which IS inverted in the front), instead of just taking my $1500.00 and running, they'd already be on my car.

One member on here who actually does compete in ARA rallies with a Limited 2WD class FiST has these on his car, and as far as I know has not blown them out, or had any problems with them.
They are NOT remote reservoir, nor are they currently adjustable for rebound or compression at all.

Would the Flatout Suspension gravel coilovers be a possibility? I've found next to nothing about them on the forums, but they list the mk7 ST as an application on their site. Looks expensive though.

 

[M-Sport fan]

Would the Flatout Suspension gravel coilovers be a possibility? I've found next to nothing about them on the forums, but they list the mk7 ST as an application on their site. Looks expensive though.

Yes, they would definitely be a very viable possibility, except I don't have $3k sitting around for a suspension budget right now.

But they are reasonable when compared to the Reigers, especially since I do not necessarily need the overkill of those true rally coil overs.

 

[Ezracer56]

Thats a little tougher for me. Im open to spending $3-$4k but Flatout has had a very checkered past. (really bad products and not standing by warranty). Now they do have new ownership (since 2019/2020) so its not fair to judge them on their past but even assuming I disregard their past that means they really have about a 1 to 2yr of actual product development. Thats a big gamble for suspension. Also, I noted their GR system for fiesta has a top Camber adjustment (boo). But given the lack of options they have to be a real consideration.

 

[M-Sport fan]

^^^I did not even know, or ever hear about any of their past problems or disasters before you just mentioned them.

But yes, an indestructible, 'nuke-proof', solid and cannot be knocked out of alignment type front top mount is critical for any rally spec damper setup.

 

[EcoBoostN]

The R34 is the best looking of the skylines imo. Good luck with the build!

 

[Remi]

R34 pics below.

Bienvenido!

Beautiful R34. That's one of my dream cars. But seeing where Skyline prices are here in the US, the R34 is going to be insane when it reaches 25 years.

I can attest to the conditions of a lot of roads in Colombia. My wife's family is from Bogota and Cali, so I'm fairly familiar with the roads and the drivers lol.