E30 Coupe vs E36 Compact Road Rally Car

[hsr2.6]

Mike thats the fastest bm over here, the new mk2..............FPMSL.........

[avtovaz]

Well, the S2000 seems to have all things for all men;

Unstressed 240 bhp (don't have to use all of it all of the time)
RWD Configuration with 6 speed direct top gearbox as standard (could be swaped for a straight cutter)
Jap reliability
IIRC Alloy block
4 pot (Road rally rules)
High £:BHP ratio

Also (apart from you using one) why do you say compact so diffinitively?

The E30 lighting (4 beam issue) does not bother me in the slightest as there are top 10's full of escorts and golfs etc. with only a pair of H4 headlamps and a pair of spots

TBH the weight difference is favouring the E30 and i can't see many reasons (except availability) for choosing the compact over one.

I'm more than willing to listen to any suggestions either way

imho, the e30 is good but getting bits for them now is hard, the compact and e36 there is still loads of them left, so you will be buying a much cheeper, newer car for not a lot. If you look at car transplants web site there is a 318ti there for £400 wants a headlight. Ok thats got a m44 engine in it not the m42, but thats not a lot of difference. Nice cheep base car, dosnt want welding, you could almost go and rally it as it is tomorrow.

The headlight ruling is handy too, but as you say there is loads of escorts out there same as the e30.

The e36 is on 5 stud 15" wheels too, i know you can change that but imho it makes your brakes easy, just get some 328 vents cheep as anything and that will stop the car very well.

If you are going to go downt he jap route, the motor bay in the e36 is wider too...

E36 makes more sence, plus the bonnet opens the right way.

[alan1272]

The headlight ruling is handy too, but as you say there is loads of escorts out there same as the e30.

fail.
escorts are H4 are they not (like mk2 golf)? e30 outers are H1. escorts and golfs have the advantage.

e36 has the same lights as an e30, but beacuse there is a piece of plastic over both of them they are allowed to use both and the E30 is not. the rules are a joke.

[avtovaz]

ah ok i see, failed. But do you think the E36 is a better car mate? Not as retro looking if that is what you want but they will be a true classing ...

[alan1272]

if i was going to start building a road rally car from scratch today, i'd go with an e36 compact; it's the only sensible choice.
i started 6 years ago when e30's were cheaper and more abundant than compacts, so back then they were the sensible choice.
i don't think there's a better car as they're both pretty similar out of the box.