Rally Car question

[levemircento]

I have been watching some old video of rallying from circa 1995 to 2003 this evening, and I have a question:

Why are most rally cars left hand drive?

I have no idea why, although maybe is it because the base shell maybe cheaper in left hand drive? or maybe because a lot of rallies are overseas? apart from that, why?

thanks

 

[StevenRB45]

in most competition cars left hand drive is used because the shell is designed for left hand drive so the steering route is the most direct as are pedals e.t.c. but as most rally cars are japanese in origin where right hand drive is used, I can only guess its convenience and driver preference, 100% of the current top drivers have been born and raised on left hand drive cars, so why handicap them? also like you say most events are in countries where left hand drive is the norm.

Thinking about it again most of the cars in the field would be designed as left hand drive so the first one only subaru has to swap it over...mitsi and toyota arent there anymore

 

[serin]

beacuse most of the drivers are used to LHD? there arnt hoards of british rally drivers any more, which are the only ones in the top teir who woulda used RHD

it is weird tho, as especially a little while ago, most WRC cars were british registered

 

[faster4_tec]

because most of the countries on international circuits are gonna be LHD, only japland and prescottland that I can think of that drive on RHD?

also, the manufactuers make beefed up shells based on the model, which is normally built in LHD< only RHD for UK import, so no need really

 

[serin]

because most of the countries on international circuits are gonna be LHD, only japland and prescottland that I can think of that drive on RHD?

also, the manufactuers make beefed up shells based on the model, which is normally built in LHD< only RHD for UK import, so no need really

one problem, rally cars dont race on "circuits" they run on rally stages which arnt split into lanes, they also arnt looped, so you could gain nothing from being sat on the inside track anyway

And rally cars arent beefed up at the factory, but the Engineering firm that builds them. They start out as basic shells.....

AND as most are/were brit built (see fords being built in Dovernby, and the Imprezas being built in Banbury, etc) thus meaning that the shells have to be delivered from miles away, so it wouldnt really matter if it was LHD or RHD

I just think its down to what the driver prefers, its a small price to give them LHD if thats what theyre used to

 

[sledge]

Its nothing to do with bodyshells or driver preference. It simply makes space for the gearbox and makes it easier to remove. The majority of top flight rally cars have the clutch housing on the LH side (drivers view) meaning the g/box is fitted to, and has to come off from the RH side...... and its much easier to accomodate the box and quicker to remove it if there is no steering column in the way.

 

[serin]

solves that one then

 

[faster4_tec]

I mean circuit as in, circuit of events, not circuit as in round track


as for interfearance issues, uno turbos' are perfect examples, for RHD versions the brake master cyl is operated via a remote lever arm from the other side of the car, theres a few VW's (lupo?) like that.
and the audi urS6 (1996-1999) in the UK was a 2.3 5pot turbo, rather than a 2.3 5pot supercharger. as there simply wasn't space on the RHD of the engine for the supercharger/steering rack/pulleys, so they had to basically redesign the whole damn thing

 

[serin]

what about the Scoobs then? theyre designed in Japan(RHD), and built in the UK(also, RHD), yet Solbergs car is LHD

 

[sledge]

What is under the bonnet of Solbergs car is not what is under the bonnet of a road car, engines may be a similar physical size but those 4WD 6 or 7 speed sequential gearboxes they use are at least twice the size of the standard roadgoing item, add in the 4WD sytem and uprated shafts, brakes and suspension and you quickly start to run out of available underbonnet space.

 

[serin]

but then if its custom made, then they can decide where everything can go?

 

[rallycinq]

WRC cars are LHD because that is what the drivers are used to, end of story. If you are wanting to place your car mm from a tree at 100mph you need to know instinctively where the corners of the car are.

Drivers wishing to make progress through the ranks get themselves into a LHD car as soon as possible. Some of the Fiesta ST championship drivers are already using LHD in the hope of making it all the way.

The cars have to be homologated and the homologation includes where the driver sits. Subaru do homologate a RHD version of their cars.

Cheers

D