oeps, we did it again we drove a rally!

[Z-point]

Back to the roots of rallying.

We have done the www.hornelandrally.nl, a rally of 900km long.

What a night! The no1 car started Friday at 14.00 hours, we with our number 99 did that ninety-nine minutes later. I left my house at ten Friday morning to be on time in the ‘parce ferme’ at noon, by then I did not realise that I would see my bed the next evening!

Still it was very nice to participate despite the bad weather conditions, lots of rain and heavy wind made the Belgian Ardennes difficult to drive through. The Ardennes are full of clay/mud so one and one is two.

Many off road accidents occur. One made roll over in the grassland, one hit a light mast and many where driving to fast and wend off.

Is was my first semi speed rally although the regulations say a speed limit of 50km per hour…..

Speeds of 70 – 90 km on slippery roads where no exception. They brought us all the way to France, the capitol Reims was the turning point in the rally. This was indeed tru: ."Colourful fearsome cars were roaring in the woods again. The sight and sound of the mighty Datsun 240Z's will long be savoured" LOL

Only two stops off 40 minutes (!) (yeah it was sure back to the roots) where allowed to feed the human body <if you where on yime> the rest of the time it was chocolate, syrup waffles and water.

we finished forty-eighth, kept the car in one piece and are very satisfied with that place.:classic:

There are plenty of photographs to see at their website including start and finish lists, also check this website, www.fotojpa.com, on the upper left side for Horneland

[HS30-H]

Good to hear that you are using the car properly Guus.:classic:

On a road rally like this under your local rules, do they classify finishers by class / category, or just overall? What was your finish position? Don't be shy!

Is there anything that you can do to change the car or its components that you think would make you faster or more competitive? Maybe an LSD ( have you got one? ) or a different diff ratio? Maybe different brakes? I'm interested to know what you think would make a difference on your car for this kind of event.

Thanks for the report.:classic:

Alan T.

[Fun_in_my_z]

not many pics of zs in there dang it.

[Z-point]

Hi Alan,

I’m not shy I only just forgot. We finished 48.

If you look at this page, you will find all the information. They made an overall list, it does not matter what kind of car you have. It was an open rally with free roads from point to point. The only thing was they gave you a copy of a Michelin map scale 1:100.000. This is very hard to read especially in the Ardennes! Because at this scale only the ‘main’ roads are printed. Sometimes they gum out roads to make it more difficult and harder to find the quickest road. Therefore, you have to measure, measure and measure. Then there is the pressure of TC’s (time controls), if you are late it will cost you points! And points are converted to time, so the quickest will be number one!

http://www.hornelandrally.nl/index.php?option=rally&sub=rallysport04

According the regulations your average speed is 50km/u. With out making mistakes this is fast, but the more mistakes you make the faster you have to drive.

Therefore, you are speeding up. However, I still got that one brain cell that tells me “what the hell are you doing, you worked on your car for many years and for a lot off money”.

The other cells tell me to go on, because it is great fun after all. However, it will break me up when I crash. And I have ‘seen’ many people doing so this rally! One MG made a roll over, one Healy hit a light post because of a steering thing broke of and many people hit the dirt:(

I do have a standard 180 diff, standard brakes although the four pods are coming shortly, a 5-speed gearbox. But it is not speed, which I’m concerned about. I still think it is skill, navigator performance, luck, ???

Willy Cave, navigator and winner last year ended this time place 34???:stupid:

Pictures:

http://www.hornelandrally.nl/index.php?option=photo

http://www.fotojpa.com/2004/2004_ihhr/2004_ihhr_1.htm four pages see below page 1

sorry billramsey2002,

Yes, I am still the only Datsun in the field! The 240Z is much unknown in Holland and most of the ‘snobs’ prefer an English or Italian type of car. That gives you status, they think???? But then again a Japanese worrier hunts them. Therefore, this is all what you see at pictures

[Fun_in_my_z]

oh the poor car looking at it wants to make me ummm.......well...hummmm wait i got it. laugh!

never realy liked porche(spelling) reminds me to much of VW

[v12horse]

Hi Guus, your car looks great. I saw that picture in the gallery and it looks like a works car!!! There is some awesome cars in that race too. Some rare ones, the turbo 2002 and the fulva. I especially like the mini. I have a soft spot for those. Not as soft a spot as for the Z's. If only there were rallies like that here in the states. Sigh. My car could still not do it. hehehehe. Take care, and post more pics of your beautiful Z.

-Ben:classic:

[Fun_in_my_z]

back in the fiftys thay had thos rallys here.

but there was a driveer (i cant think of his name) any way he lost controll of his jag(i can remember the car .) he went into a house and it killed the family that was sitting at the dinner table, the driver and the machanic died as well.

the congress band off track sports car racing shortly after.

(so said the speed channel)

[TomoHawk]

We have those rally races here in the U.S! We just call them 'Beer run' or 'scavenging hunt.'

[Z-point]

Does not matter what kind of car you have, this hurts.