Anyone ever used a Fronty SWB for Comp-Safari events?

[CJ]

I'm toying with the idea of converting my 96 Sport S 2.0i 8v to use as a Comper.

Plan would be to remove the hard top and all rear glass, making it a pickup, then using light sheet aluminium to close the rear off to the elements.



Apart from the obvious (Cage, seats, harnesses etc) I'm looking for advice from anyone who has done this before, especially if they have used a Fronty like my one with the same motor.

Things like:

How competitive is it alongside LRs, Suzis etc?
What breaks most often?
What should be strengthened/upgraded?
yada yada yada

Pictures!!!!

All inputs greatfully received.

[Trugga]

Curious.

I've bought my Sport with the intention of entering a Comp Safari (as that is what I have been marshalling on for the past few years.

The Frontera won't be competitive, but should turn a few heads.

Apparently the Army entered a Frontera Sport a few years back - I don't have any details or even know if it finished.

Safety Devices have the pattern for a roll cage (PDF). Looks to be the same as my cage:





These are the guys who run the British MSA Cross Country Championship http://www.marches4x4.com/index.html and here's a video from one of the 2006 rounds: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j99iyAmPlcU

Oh, you'll need a MSA Competitors license, mine came through last week:



Lawrence

(New Trugga website appearing soon)

[CJ]

Cheers Trugga!

Great minds and all that...

I'll not be taking it further than Ireland (too poor!) but our club runs under MSA rules, so that licence is a must have.

Keep me posted on how you get on with yours.

[gregster]

Don't know If the rules permit, but I believe a calibre turbo16v lump will fit on the tranny in a sport..can easy get 200bhp from that, more than a 3.9v8 which was a lot of compers run. Might need a tougher front axle, but I reckon it would be fun trying. I have fast roaded a sport and wasted my mates imprezza,and v8 90 but it was a bit bumpy for the scooby.(we gave up when the 90 broke!!!)
On the quicker/flatter bits you could always run in rwd saving the front end and giving some awesome sideways action-its worth doing just to go broadside for an afternoon!
Some competitors run vitaras and shoguns in comp safari, so if you can shed a few pounds and grow a few horses I reckon you'd be in for some fun.
Besides you could build 20 frontys for the price of a bowler...
Go for it!!

Gregster

[nitromotor]

Its a walk in the park the mighty frontera V6 more Bhp than the rover v8 from stock too
empty the insides, full roll cage and space frame, and lighten some and substitute other panels

[Trugga]

[Road Hog]

[CJ]

I'm not planning to touch the engine yet. Possibly a cam and flow down the line, but as this would be my first foray into competitive driving, I think I'll start slow and see what happens.

A V6 sounds cool though....

Plenty of our club comp Suzi SJs and although they run out of puff on a straight, their giggles can be heard miles away. A 2.0i Sport Fronty has got to be quicker than any Suzi, eh?

[Trugga]

[CJ]

So ES9000's then? Inerested in your choice here.

As for sorst, I'll decat it and get a local chap to knock up a straight through side exit boyo. Roar!

I have a K&N for it, so I might raise it up via a home made snorkel and also raise the breathers etc.

1.5-2" lift all round would be plenty I reckon to clear bricks. Trooper coils at the rear methinks.

[Trugga]

[rangaKoo]

My suggestion on this would be rip out the 8v engine, shove in a 16v redtop from a Calibra and have it properly rebuilt before hand as the 8v is too slow to do the job nicely.. I would also suggest that you get the Calibra ECU to go in as well. Don't bother with the 16v Turbo from the Calibra, it's not worth the extra agro to fit it and upgrade the front axles etc etc etc...

You'll want the roll cage etc...

Ripping off the back isn't a problem, make up a nice frame behind the roll cage rear mounts and weld in your bulkhead, as you're not looking for looks it could be done fairly functionally with a perspex rear window.

UPGRADE the front radiator, twin electric fans (as the motor won't want to have one on it drawing BHP)

Upgrade the front and rear suspension, probably looking at getting the front wound up a little then RE-SET the torsion bars, just putting in new rear springs and some extended shackles will help, with all that you can get a 4" lift with no really dramas.

With the 16v engine you would have more power than suzuki/LR etc without a doubt, you unfortunately have a lot more weight than the suzuki, but you can remove a LOT of stuff to make it lighter.. such as removing much of the interior and replacing with alloy chequer plate etc, things like door trims might only weight 2 or 3 kg each, but that's 6 kg for two, plus all the interior of the rear that you'll be ripping out.. you can change the seats for something lighter and more functional like Carbon Fibre racing seats etc..

Remove the front bullbar, or at least cut it down so it's only he centre section up to the top, ie cut off the bits that go out over the headlights, they would bend in and destroy the wings anyway and they just add weight.

Make sure it's not got a tow bar etc. Remove the rear bumpers and replace with some alloy chequer plate to cover the area. Removing the rear wheel and mount off the tailgate and replacing the rear wheel in to the tray in the back of the new pickup.. Removing EVERYTHING from off the rear tailgate so you've basically got a bare shell with an outer skin on the back and alloy chequer plate on the inside..

There is STACKS of stuff under the bonnet that can be removed easily.. and to help with weight distribution you can move things like the battery back in to the rear of the vehicle, along with the air cleaner box so that you can get your air feed from above the roof line of the truck and not suck in the dust that usually ends up in the wheel arches..

If you wanted a few more ideas drop me a PM and I'll keep going. I could just keep on making suggestions, but if you seriously wanted to do this I'd be willing to help out with trying to set it up..

Get your shock absorbers from Old Man Emu or similar in Australia, I can give you a list of suppliers... you want shockies which are built for TOUGH terrain, ES9000's aren't really built for the sort of thing that you'd be going through constantly, they may be good but OME's will outlast them, there are a few other good bits you can pick up easily from Aust and have it all shipped at once.

PM me as I said if you want me to keep going and give you a break down of bits and pieces to remove, bits and pieces to fit and how to get it all done properly.

Cheers,
Si

[CJ]

Cheers Si - some of that I'd thought of, some not.

But I can't see a red top as a likelyhood.

Looking at the classes, once you exceed 1600cc you're up against the likes of my mates 4.6L highly tuned V8 LR90 he races in BORC. Suzis are not competing in the same class as a Fronty would be.

So the best we could hope for would be to steadily improve and learn in the 8v car, lightened as best as possible.

Still a long way off for me - and my Sport is on Autotrader to see if I get a sniff to raise funds for the LWB RTV project so if it goes, it'll be a while before I can think about getting a racer built.

But if, sorry, WHEN I do, it'll likely be a Fronty as I reckon they're well due a revival.

[Trugga]

Yep, some interesting ideas there.

Another idea would be to relocate the radiator to behind the cab to keep it out of the crud.

Personally, I'm not going out there to win. I just want to have a play now and again, to let my hair down, get it out of my system so to speak. To contend a championship (6 events, 12 days) would be prohibitively expensive.

I reckon it's going to cost a little over a grand to get my Sport to a start line of an event - in that case, that event might not be until next year, but I have a target to aim for.

Lawrence

[Trugga]

As I was marshalling at round 2 of the Britpart British Cross Country Championship this weekend, I made a point of seeking out the championship scrutineer - I found him this morning at the buttie wagon.

Apparently:

FIA "In date" harnesses are not required, although any harness must be at least 4-point and each strap must have it's own fixing point.

Plumbed in fire-kill system is not required, although a hand-held must meet the minimum spec.

Even though my roll cage did not come with a certificate, there should be a serial number stamped on one of the feet - that shout indicate what spec it was built to. Also, as the cage is bolted to the body (not the chassis), as long as there is a 4mm spreader plate on the outside to sandwhich the body with the cage foot, it should be acceptable.

Tip on helmets - he expects the MSA to change there requirement in 2010, so therefore buy one with a red BS sticker (not blue), that has the lining wade from flame resistant material.

Fireproof overalls are not mandatory (cover-alls are recommended), but hey, it's my safety (poiny reinforced by a competitors car being destroyed by a fire on the last stage) - I've seen mechanics seriously burnt.

He said if I can get he Sport to a round of the championship, he'll give it a look over for me (I don't think I'll be taking it to round 2 in Scotland though)

All encouraging stuff.

Lawrence

[brachunky]

Very exciting Lawrence Watching this thread with interest

[Drift]

Intresting.. and Im watching

[Trugga]

On Sunday morning at my marshalling post (junction 13), before the competition got under way, I greeted a couple of official photographers who were looking for that illusive exciting spot.

We chatted and I mentioned that I had heard of a Frontera competing... and wondered if they had any photos they could forward on to me. I had an email this morning with 2 scans from 35mm film:





These were taken in 1996 where the Frontera was competing in a Hill Rally. (A Hill Rally could be considered the same as a multi venue stage rally - it is effectively a number of special stages, perhaps 5 miles long each, driven at speed, with normal road driving section between.)

Although the Frontera does not look anything special (with all due respect), it has provided a lot of inspiration.

Lawrence

[brachunky]

[Drift]

If you using pro comp shocks the best for the lwb will be the es9000 they are stiffer and more suitable for a heavier car.

Nice Pics L