The Car

Yes, you need a car of course. What car you use isn't exactly important, although for the most part it must be a production car and not something you've cobbled up in your garden shed (the regulations are long and complex on this, and have recently changed, but let's keep it simple for now!).

Cars are split up into classes during an event. You compete for overall position on the rally with everyone else, irrespective of the car they are in, but you also compete for position in your chosen class. How the car classes are chosen depends on the event organisers. Typically they split cars at a high level on two wheel drive and four wheel drive. Within each of those categories, they then run capacity classes based on the size of the engine - up to 1400cc, 1401 to 1600cc, 1601 to 2000cc and 2000cc+. Turbocharged cars either run in their own class, or have their real engine size multipled by 1.33 to a 'pretend' size, and run in that class. e.g. a turbocharged 1400cc car would be classed as 1867cc.

Once you've got the basic car choice out of the way, essential things for your chosen rally car are :-

• MSA Log Book
• MOT certificate (if needed; ie. 3 year old or more)
• Homologation Papers (if you are entering a controlled class)
• Road Fund license (unless event doesn't need it - ie. is run on private land)
• Approved safety cage
• Plumbed-in fire extinguisher
• Hand-held fire extinguisher
• Fixed race seats, FIA/MSA approved
• Safety harnesses, 4/5/6 point
• Internally and externally-operated fire extinguisher trigger (pull cable or button)
• Internally and externally-operted battery kill switch
• First aid kit
• Warning triangle
• Navigators horn button
• SOS/OK board
• Fuel tank guard / underbody protection of brake lines and fuel

The following items are not actually mandatory, but strongly recommended :-

• Intercom
• Sump guard
• Mud flaps
• Navigators footrest
• Navigators trip computer
• Additional driving lamps (if competing in the dark!)
• Map light (as above)
• Roll cage padding
• Communications radio + operators license (internationa/large events only)

Some classes will allow changes to be made to the car. In reality, this is most classes at club level - it is only large events with controlled classes that restrict what you can do to the car. Some areas of the car that may be controlled would include :-

• Uprated clutch
• Uprated brakes
• Fly-off handbrake
• Bigger wheels/tyres
• Controlled tyres - only fit one make or pattern/compound
• Lightweight composite body panels
• Uprated/strengthened exhaust system
• Lightweight polycarbonate side and rear windows (the front must always be laminated glass)
• Limited slip differential
• Alternate gearbox ratios
• Removal of interior trim to lighten car