Thinking about building a rally-inspired winter driver, anyone ever do this?

daveblaney

daveblaney

That was unexpected...
We've been blessed here in Western PA with a snow-free and relatively mild winter that has allowed me to drive my X almost everyday. Yesterday, however, the snow moved in and I found myself driving home from school in quite a squall, cringing as the non-skid and salt covered my new-to-me, and very nice, '81. This got me thinking- I've got a '78 body that's in so-so shape, a few spare engines, and probably enough parts to build a complete car if I wasn't looking to build something too fancy. Could I build a sort of rally-inspired X1/9 that would make a good winter beater? Something that would do well in snow? I'm thinking of the old Baja Bug style. Just a bit taller with rougher tires to keep me up and out of the deep stuff, undercoat paint on all the wear areas, driving lights, etc. I'm sure there would be some fabrication involved, and a lot of shade tree engineering, but can it be done? Has it been done? Or have I completely lost my mind? I know there are those who will say- "just get a 4x4", but I already have a big Suburban and a '77 Bronco. What I want is a winter X that looks the part, drives reasonably for what it will be, and keeps me X'ing year 'round. Ideas? Examples? Phone number to a good shrink?
Thanks in advance.
P.S. Found this pic online of a 914. This is what I'm thinking...

 
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This is a great idea. I had thought about it when I got my '74, but it turned out to be too nice of a car. My thought was to use Scorpion springs and struts to raise the height. Add some black fender flares and mud flaps. And a full array of driving lights. Sorta Baja biggish. Roll cage of course.
 
Baja Big'ish...

I like that description, Mark. I never thought to use Scorpion struts and springs; that would bring an X up, wouldn't it? Trim back the fenders, add rubber wheel arches and mud flaps, some old-school wagon wheel rims like the Subaru Brat sported, and that would make the look. I'd have to do without a roll cage, though, unless I went with an exo-cage, as at 6'4" I barely fit as it is.

So, I'm not crazy after all. Or... we both are.
 
I've gathered that skinnier tires are better (with aggressive grip, snow tires) and you'll want more weight up front. My X's front looses turning ability in ice instantly, it'll go through snow nice, it just can't turn or stop, not good qualities in a winter car. After the drifts get tall, seeing what's coming at intersections becomes impossible!
 
Yep..

...skinny tires for sure with the X's weight. Maybe even studs all around. And ditto on the weight in the front to stop the ice-dancing. Driving home yesterday was an adventure I'll not soon forget. Maybe I shouldn't forget to check the weather, too, so I won't find myself in such a predicament again. If the snow drifts are too big, I'll have to drive the Suburban. That beast will go through just about anything I'd ever care to drive in.
 
Change the thermostat to a higher heat range, add a couple of bags of kitty litter to the front trunk, and get some 155/75/13 snow tires and you should be good to go. Ask me how I know, (hint Bemidji, MN early 1980's).
 
Snow-mobiles

daveblaney said:
....Winter X accessories. For those of us crazy enough to drive 30-something year old Italian sports cars in the snow!
Click to expand...

Or even crazy enough to drive 44-year-old Italian "sports cars" in the snow? :grin:

mammoth128.jpg


This had me wishing I hadn't lowered the car a few months earlier! :wall:
 
Lift

You could then get it even higher with 128 springs and some long shocks such as the Rabbit KVB inserts, couldn't you?

Correct static camber with camber bolts.
Camber curves would be funky, but who cares for fun in the snow. :)
 
Finnish Jouko "Jokke" Kallio has had couple of race X's and he has driven on ice, snow, gravel and tarmac with X1/9's and many other cars.
http://www.jokkekallioracing.com/
Jokke's four wheel drive X:
x_1_9_neliveto.gif


I have driven one winter with my X, and it was warm and very fun to drive. European model is high enough to normal finnish winter conditions and with studded winter tires it is good drive, but you'll have pay attention all the time.

Limited slip differential would be nice, Lada Samara's torsen diff is cheap and possible to fit in five speed gearbox with a little machining.

In Finland we have ice racing and winter rallies. And if you want to spend plenty of money, you can go to Mäkelä Auto-tuning's ice racing school: http://www.mat.fi/racing/7
 
up and down

Jeff, my 128 wagon is slowly working it's way back up after some mild lowering. The roads here are so bad that I need all the suspension travel I can get. You just need your winter suspension "kit" and the warm weather "kt". Not hard to swap out front struts and rear lowering blocks.

I often think of making a 124 like this...for the same reason as above. Pretty easy to do with a spider, just use 2L springs and no bumpers, the car will lift 2".....some steel rims, skinny tires and rally mudflaps and off you go.

carl
 
Yep...

Some of the best fun I've ever had with an X!



Australian rallies rarely see snow, but pretty much every other condition you can imagine. Go for it!!! :wink2:

Cheers,

Rob
 
"Limited slip differential would be nice, Lada Samara's torsen diff is cheap and possible to fit in five speed gearbox with a little machining."


Hi,
You are correct about these LSDs being cheep. Do you have details of the machining needed to fit this to a 5 speed gearbox.
The output shaft connections do not look like they have splines as per the fiat unit.
Thanks
Andy
 
lidox19 said:
"Limited slip differential would be nice, Lada Samara's torsen diff is cheap and possible to fit in five speed gearbox with a little machining."


Hi,
You are correct about these LSDs being cheep. Do you have details of the machining needed to fit this to a 5 speed gearbox.
The output shaft connections do not look like they have splines as per the fiat unit.
Thanks
Andy
Click to expand...

Ville Vieri have fitted Samara's torsen diff into Ritmo/Strada gearbox, which is similar to X 5-speed gearbox.
Basic instructions from Ville's gearbox Project:
http://www.villevieri.com/egbox.htm
 
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