This week, we’re taking a little break from the JNC challenge, which you can still contribute to here. During the break, I wanted to consider a simple, but possibly controversial question:
“Which JNC took on grassroots rally racing the best?
This isn’t a focus on WRC pro rally, we want to know a good story of local rally racing and the JNC that helped get people into the sport. I know there are some crazy races in Central America and even Africa so bring out your best! If you have a pic, attach or link it! We wanna see J-tin duking it out!
The most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW: Take the JNC Challenge, Part 2.
Last week, there was discussion over what we would do with the Honda Shuttle now that it was chosen as our DD for $2,000 or less from part 1. When asked what kind of scene to focus the Shuttle on, many pointed out that the obvious choice was to make it a show and shine car. Keep it clean, and reliable.
Nowadays, keeping a JNC, even one that is not as popular as a drift rocket, buzzing rotor or Italian-designed work of art needs a healthy supply of spares. After all, JNCs will be JNCs and become scare much sooner than later. The fact is, many thought of them as junk, and quickly tossed them to the crusher rather than replace a head gasket. So, Sedanlover’s post seems to be following this same line of thought. We don’t wanna be stranded on the road just because Napa or AutoZone doesn’t carry our gasket set or clutch master cylinder. We can address the power needs and go-fast mods in due time.
…After that, I’d want to get it serviced (if needed) and start gathering spare parts for known issues.
Considering this is the daily driver, I wouldn’t be spending a heap on mods right away. It’s all about making in reliable and comfortable. I’d love to make it more practical, by adding roof racks and a basket. In terms of social outings with like minded enthusiasts… this could be good and bad. Great for sourcing parts and making friends, but I guess you always need to be telling yourself, “it’s just the daily driver and doesn’t need more power”.
Omedetou, your comment has earned you a set of decals from the JNC Shop!
The AE86 has been analogous with drifting, both inside and outside Japan for the past two decades. However long before drifting became mainstream it was used by many in grassroots rallying, and it still is being used in many parts of Europe! (Belgium, Finland and Ireland it is still one of the most used rally cars)
In the 80s, the two door notchback was the most popular choice for rallying and TRD offered any modifications for the AE86 in their catalogue. This allowed many grassroots rally enthusiasts to become more competitive. In 1984 Team ACP (Masahiro Uchida and Masaru Kubota) competed with a Toyota Levin AE86 in the infamous Paris-Dakar rally (after completing 1981 and 1982 in a Toyota Carina AA60), but they have to give up and don’t finish the rally. In 1985 Masaru Kubota and Kiichiro Yokota join the rally again in a kouki Levin, but also this year they had to give up.
When the 4WD cars began to dominate rally championships, the Group-n class was created in 1989 for RWD cars with a smaller displacement than 2 liters. The AE86 dominated this class and won the first three years consecutively. It may have been made obsolete by the Impreza and Lancer Evo, but the AE86 remains a very popular car with rally enthusiasts. It is the Japanese counterpart of the RWD European Ford Escorts, but then with a factory installed Twin Cam.
Coincidentally Jalopnik posted a very nice post about what the AE86 is best at (next to drifting):
http://blackflag.jalopnik.com/everyones-favorite-toyota-corolla-drift-car-makes-an-in-1791894174
Interesting article on the 1961-63 Honda effort in the Spa-Sofia-Liege Rally. The article is short on race details, but offers insight into the early days of rallying and the extreme conditions they endured. Early rallying could be very dangerous and is borne out in the this story as well. Was this effort by Honda the best rallying effort, probably not, but it was about gaining respectability in the car world with their then first production car as the test bed.
Lot’s of pictures.
http://spa-sofia-liege.com/liege-sofia-liege/vintage-cars/honda.html