1.3 Stage / Road Rally Micra [was Enduro Rally Car]

Suze

Suze

Club Member (Trial)
As I've mentioned before in my other thread [and Superuno / Matt, aka my fiance, has also mentioned in places], I have a 1.0 Nissan Micra. It was originally bought to do The Preston, a very rough event, but having survived relatively intact I have decided to build it into an Enduro Car. Endurance Rallies are basically events for cars up to 1400cc that are relatively standard - see http://www.endurance-rallying.co.uk

So far, as much weight as is legally allowed has been removed. The rollcage was fitted yesterday so just a little more painting of that to do where it was welded. A few other things eg momo steering wheel, pedal set, rewiring of horn etc have been done / fitted. There are many other parts and things waiting around - new cross member which needs fitting for the MOT at the end of June, bigger better spotlights, extinguisher, new shocks, mudflaps, etc etc etc. I have all the parts to make it Enduro legal just need to get on with it now! :)

The plan is to use it for Enduro events, first one being 5th September [non-championship round] and various other events - I want to do a Winter 12 Car series which is local to me. There aren't many Enduros left this year as most seem to fall in the beginning part of the year, and the only one left after the September one clashes with a stage rally I am co-driving on [but not in a Micra!]. Next year the plan is to do more Enduros and go from there really.

There are some pictures of the car on my website, http://www.suzebisping.co.uk which shows what it's done so far this year - autotests, car trials, scatters etc. Really looking forward to competing in this car [my "beloved Muriel!!"] and there are definitely some better parts to this car than my 1.3 Super S.

Will post some pics of the build hopefully tonight but in the meantime here are some pics:

Car Trial in March before losing both bumpers

DSC00938.JPG


Auotest a couple of weeks ago

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I presume FTW is meant to be read backwards? ???? What's wrong with cable ties?! If they can survive one of or the roughest event the car will ever do....

Only uploaded a few pics last night so here some are.

Before starting to remove everything [though a few carpets had gone]:

P1000856-2.JPG


P1000857-1.JPG


And with the new steering wheel and pedal extensions, and all of the trim removed. A fair amount of trim has to go back in, but needed to get everything out for the rollcage to be fitted

P1000879.JPG


Will post some pics of the rollcage etc soon! They're on my mobile, and not downloaded them yet.
 
Looking good, is it out on the Gymkhana? FTW = For the win.
I'm hoping to get my Enduro micra going soon, too its the white one on my blog! I'm using it at the Gymkhana!
 
These gymkhanas are amateur, PM if you want more info.

Sorry, didn't know what FTW was so presumed it must be WTF....! :)

Pete - red Micra isn't out on the gymkhana - decided against the other cars in class [ie the Rover Enduro cars] it had no chance being a 1.0....!! I am using Matt's rally car, which we're double driving, as fancied a go in that - only used it once before. My Dad had a choice of Micras - the 1.3 Super S or the Enduro car and he decided to go for the 1.3 which is in the standard class. Are you out competing?
 
Suze said:
These gymkhanas are amateur, PM if you want more info.

Sorry, didn't know what FTW was so presumed it must be WTF....! :)

Pete - red Micra isn't out on the gymkhana - decided against the other cars in class [ie the Rover Enduro cars] it had no chance being a 1.0....!! I am using Matt's rally car, which we're double driving, as fancied a go in that - only used it once before. My Dad had a choice of Micras - the 1.3 Super S or the Enduro car and he decided to go for the 1.3 which is in the standard class. Are you out competing?
Click to expand...

Yes I am out in a standard 1 litre micra! should be fun.
 
If it was standard it would've been different but it has to go in the road rally class, so shall be my second event driving the rally rover :)
 
Decided not to put any on until I've finished painting it just where it was welded etc....hopefully be one evening this week or the weekend!
 
Finished painting the rollcage at the weekend and did a few other odd jobs too, such as replacing the navigator's mirror, rollcage padding, etc. Spent a couple of hours on the car last night [and remembered to take pics!] and started refitting trim which you have to have for Enduros, put on some more stickers, etc etc. Plan for the rest of the week is to finish refitting the trim as required, fitting the extinguisher and so on and so forth. Then at the weekend will start tackling some of the bigger jobs hopefully, like the new cross member that it needs for the MOT which is due at the end of the month. I used the car on an autotest last Thursday night and was 6th in class and 9th overall - there were 20 entries in my class and 44 entries overall so not too bad really.

I was out competing at the weekend in an Enduro Rover 214, and my Dad was out in my 1.3 Super S which he really enjoyed, so both my everyday and rally Micra are still competing at the mo!

I'm still on the hunt for 13" alloy wheels as posted elsewhere. Had found some which we were due to collect on Sunday but unfortunately this fell through at the eleventh hour. If anybody has any, then please get in touch! Will get some pics up of the car so far when I get them off the camera.
 
Already have a post in the section, ta. I haven't had a chance to get more pics off the camera yet, will get round to it hopefully one evening this week!
 
So it's been a very long time since I've posted here.....

The car build was finished last year in October time, events during the summer prevented us finishing the car over the summer and using it on the Endurance event in September as per my first post, she's now done around 68k IIRC. I managed to get some wheels after a deal through here fell through, so it's now sat on 13" Renault 5 GT wheels with a few spare in the shed. It's all built to Enduro spec now, just needs the extinguisher fitted. Looking at upgrading the suspension imminently too, as that's definitely needed. Other than that, there's a few smallish jobs needing doing like fitting bonnet pins, sorting a headlight connection issue and the normal checks. Touch wood, the car has proved to be very reliable. I upgraded to bigger spot lights [Cibie Super Oscars] and had to replace the throttle body after The Preston 2009 but other than that no major problems. It also had a new bumper and number plate etc after The Preston as I lost them early on, which meant running with the heaters on full all night just like the year before, because the radiator was full of mud etc. Now run the "sticker" number plate on the bonnet too just incase I lose the number plate again, as I had to make one during the event last year.

Since last summer, I've used the car on a number of 12 cars including last night - I said in my first post I was hoping to do the 12 Car Winter Series and it looks like, with a round to go which I'll be marshalling on, I will have won it overall as don't believe anyone can catch me :D The car has also done a few Car Trials, and a couple of Road Rallies - I did The Preston again which was one of the car's first events, and improved on the previous year's result with 4th in class and 23rd overall. I also did The Carpetbagger in January, which is down in Devon, and finished 4th in class and 18th overall which was great - both of the rallies are known as some of the top rallies of their type so very pleased with the results.

This year, I've entered the Endurance Rally Championship. I can't make the first round as the date changed and we're away, but I'll be doing later rounds. I have also entered the road rally class of the ASEMC Car Trials Championship, couldn't make the first round but the second round is tomorrow in Kent which I've entered. Also going to use the car on a few other events, have entered it for a Sprint at Crystal Palace in May and waiting to hear if I've got an entry. Sure it'll get used for a few other events too! I'm doing other events in other cars too, already navved on a couple of Stage Rallies this year including a 2nd in class at Goodwood, and been driving other cars too - I bought an Eunos last year so used that on a couple of events, including an Autosolo at Silverstone.

Just a recap of the spec of the car:

Car: Nissan Micra Tropic - 1995
Shell: Standard shell, with an OMP cage fitted. Front strut brace.
Engine: Standard Nissan 998cc engine, standard air filter [did run a K&N 57i but found with rallying it has a “tendency to absorb” water leading to issues hence run standard air box with a Pipercross foam filter now].
Gearbox: Standard, OEM 5 Speed box with ‘Open’ diff
Brakes: Standard, with EBC Pads
Suspension: Standard suspension, hopefully upgraded to Spax adjustable all round soon
Exhaust: Standard manifold; standard exhaust system

Will post some pics in a min. My website is currently in need of a major update, but that will be done over the next few weeks - new address [got married last year] is http://www.suzeendean.co.uk
 
Autotest in June last year:

autotest.jpg


Getting ready for The Preston in December:

prepreston.jpg


On The Preston last year, running a bit wide - this particular place was just like a lake, I'd taken it quite steadily first time through, second time thought "yep I'll have this" and got a bit out of shape! :) Photo courtesy of M&H Photography, www.mandh-photography.co.uk:

preston.jpg


The Carpetbagger in January. Photo courtesy of M&H Photography, www.mandh-photography.co.uk:

Bagger.jpg


The finish of a Car Trial on Valentines Day this year. Finished joint 4th in class and won Best Lady:

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Did another event today, this time my first Nat B Car Trial. Double drove the car, Matt my husband was 1st in class and I was 2nd in class :)
 
congrats on a very successful season suze!. just goes to show what a pretty much factory spec k11 can do in the right hands..


and love the look on your co-drivers face in that 3rd pic, classic!
 
Suze said:
Did another event today, this time my first Nat B Car Trial. Double drove the car, Matt my husband was 1st in class and I was 2nd in class :)
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thats very well done there, both on you should be proud. never seen a women being a rally driver. (Y)
 
frank said:
bloody well done suze (Y) (and matt of coarse :grinning:)
any trophy,s or the like ?
Click to expand...

Not for yesterday for me, not enough in the class for a trophy for 2nd in class. Had a few during 2010 though - managed a run of 4 trophies in 4 events back in January [did 7 events in 6 weeks].

For 2008, had a number of event awards and "season / year" awards including the Bodaceia Bowl [Best Woman] and the Paul Brooks-Johnson Trophy [Best Newcomer to Rallying] - both from one of my motorclubs.

For the 2009 season I won a few "season / year" awards in my motorclub as well as event awards - Bodaceia Bowl [Best Woman], Basil Elkington [services to club mag], Road Rally Drivers Championship and, one of my favourites tbh, the 1200 Trophy - it's actually now for cars up to 1400 but me and my 998cc beloved Muriel showed you could do it with less power ;)

It's only March, and I've had probably my best season so far, and there's still 9 months to go :) I'm concentrating on a regional championship and a national championship this year as well as some club events.

And yes, the look on my co-driver's face on that 3rd pic is funny, he thought we were in the trees....that's Matt, my other half. He navs for me sometimes as well as other people - will have had 4 different navs within 4 months this year, but I don't scare them off! It's just who is available when and who does what sort of event :)
 
Awesome topic, I had never seen it before! Congratulations to the both of you !
Cheers !
Seb
 
slyboogie said:
Im guessing it either didnt make it up or didnt like the landing?
Click to expand...

Neither - made it up and was fine on the landing! I think it probably went up that hill 8 times in total - there were a couple of courses used with that hill, one used a 90L just before the hill and the other a 90R. Just needed a bit of commitment and it made it up fine (Y)
 
Few jobs done this weekend including fitting bonnet pins and changing the brake pads. Also added my MSC stickers:

Micrastickers.jpg
 
Did the clutch yesterday on an event.... :( Was doing a Car Trial in Kent, it got rather smelly, let it cool, then it went and had no drive. After letting it cool for ages [and pouring coke on it and removing part of the bump stop] managed to get it moving again, but never made it to the M20 as was slipping too badly - M20 was 10 mins away and so got home on the RAC. More annoyed about the fact they said we'd be classified as finishers, but results came out today and we haven't been.

However, must look forward! Car was supposed to get through yesterday's event and then be off the road for a few weeks for jobs to be done on it. Lots planned, hopefully ordering spax suspension today, and lots else to do....
 
I now know what you mean, as its a rally car, you want to keep the mud and water out, which can cause heat problems. Plus the car has to run to standard being an enduro car.
 
SuperUno said:
I now know what you mean, as its a rally car, you want to keep the mud and water out, which can cause heat problems. Plus the car has to run to standard being an enduro car.
Click to expand...

how much are you allowed to change your car for enduro events? eg engine mods, suspension etc
 
Not much - engine has to be standard, under 1400cc and non turbo [2000cc non turbo diesel]. Suspension has to be as original design but can be upgraded [hence us picking up some Spax from Matt Humphris last week...!].
 
ECU is also free from now.So whatever you can do to the ECU like mapping etc you can.Very sensible as ECU are hard to police but Rally First class on stages don't allow the ECU's to be modified in any way!
 
As Matt said.Bog standard basically.....You are allowed to change the suspension to coilovers etc but no remote resevoir supsension such as Proflex etc. Think the exhaust is free from the manifold back but any car after 1999 I think must retain the catalytic converter.Also,as said before, ECU is now free as well. Can't really think of anything else except every other component must be standard.
 
Hi,
Just had a quick look at the regs and found this;

"The shock absorbers may be of any make and may be uprated from standard. Adjustable spring platform struts are permitted but remote reservoirs are not. Springs are free but must retain their original location."


"Adjustable spring platform struts are permitted but remote reservoirs are not" I'd take this as a yes for standard coilovers without reservoirs.
"Springs are free but must retain their original location" I'd take this as you cant change the ride height, so no point in fitting coilovers if you cant use them fully, but you could use different lb springs softer or harder but you couldnt change them during an event.
 
those photos are epic! i love that hard left one near the top, i didn't know micras could twist so much! very good job. though not my thing as i couldn't stand to be in a standard car, i cant leave anything alone lol, even my Cabriolet has adjustable coilovers!
 
For anybody interested, I am sprinting at Crystal Palace next Sunday 30th and my car will be displayed on the 7oaks club stand on the Monday. It's a two day sprint event at Crystal Palace with a mixture of modern and historic cars with lots for the family, including Roary the Racing Car making an appearance on the Sunday and a Williams F1 car on display. See http://www.motorsportatthepalace.co.uk for more info.
 
Managed to get an entry on The Drystone in just over a week, another new event and new nav for me, looking forward to it :)

Not done many events in this car recently, a few autotests [including a class win] and that's been about it.
 

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