$500 E30 + WRC =???? 3rd place - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

AE_Racer · 03-22-2010, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Bill Caswell, an unemployed Chicago racing freak, entered the Mexico round of the World Rally Championship in a 1991 BMW 318i that he found on Craigslist. The car cost $500. One year ago, Caswell decided that he wanted to go rallying with Rally America. Two months later, he crashed a car and blew up an engine five minutes into his first event. Four events later, he found a loophole in the FIA rules that let him enter a twenty-year-old car in the same event as guys like Ken Block and former F1 driver Kimi Raikkonen.

How A $500 Craigslist Car Beat $400K Rally Racers - Rallying - Jalopnik

Now THIS, is awesome.

NINJASPY · 03-22-2010, 01:58 PM

Awesome... I read the whole thing, but no mention of the "loop hole" in the fia rules.

**ThatGuy** · 03-22-2010, 02:03 PM

Absolutely incredible.

***CrimsonRockett*** · 03-22-2010, 02:29 PM

Very bad ass.

Reminds me of that Top Gear episode where they bought a stock BMW and tried to do the 24 hour race.

s13silvia123 · 03-22-2010, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrimsonRockett

Very bad ass.

Reminds me of that Top Gear episode where they bought a stock BMW and tried to do the 24 hour race.

then they found out it runs diesel LOL

az_240 · 03-22-2010, 03:21 PM

Awesomeness! I love it! Great read.

mattsauto95 · 03-22-2010, 03:28 PM

Read this earlier. It was awesome.

tanks13 · 03-22-2010, 03:30 PM

amazing this shit was dope

Gnnr · 03-22-2010, 03:36 PM

Awesome! What class was he running in?

jzepol1985 · 03-22-2010, 03:38 PM

wow
so awesome

SimpleS14 · 03-22-2010, 04:31 PM

wow...that is an awesome story!!

AE_Racer · 03-22-2010, 04:57 PM

After more research i've gathered he wasn't actually competing in a WRC class, part of the Rally America series instead, which ran alongside WRC in the Mexico event. Still an awesome story though. More pics I found from SnoDrift in MI

Gnnr · 03-22-2010, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AE_Racer

After more research i've gathered he wasn't actually competing in a WRC class, part of the Rally America series instead, which ran alongside WRC in the Mexico event. Still an awesome story though. More pics I found from SnoDrift in MI

Ahh, I understand now. So the loophole is that he could run in the Mexico event and get points for Rally America which he needed since he missed out on some races due to the crash. Is that right? Still Awesome!

AE_Racer · 03-22-2010, 04:58 PM

And story from the co-driver of the E30.

Pirating WRC Corona Rally Mexico Rally America | World Rally Sport

HyperTek · 03-22-2010, 05:31 PM

interesting.. as cool as it may be, hope the WRC doesnt turn into a bunch of ratty shit looking cars tho lol

I wonder how much of this story is "glorified"
people been rally racing E30s for decades, this one is just standing out because it was ran same week as a wrc event so people tie it in.

WanganRunner · 03-22-2010, 06:05 PM

I hate stories like this (not really) because they make me overconfident.

The owner of this E30 is obviously a deity among men when it comes to mechanical aptitude, with his ability to quickly diagnose/fix just about anything on the fly with minimal tools, build a competitive car from nothing, etc.

Stories like this are like "Courage Wolf" for wrenching. They make me think "Hell, this guy can run against Team Citroen in a beater he's patching with RTV and tape, so I can totally get that MX73 trans swap done out in my garage". It momentarily relieves me of the reality that I'm a total fucking boob, a reality that will promptly re-assert itself when I drop a transmission onto my chest by accident and end up in the ER.

But yeah, this guy's a rockstar. Go him.

chitownguy · 03-22-2010, 08:30 PM

Haha this story is so cool. Even if he didn't compete against WRC cars, I'm pretty sure his competition was old WRC cars and well built sponsored rally cars. So to finish third in some janky BMW is still awesome.

Bubbles · 03-22-2010, 08:31 PM

So, do you win any money?

Mister.E · 03-22-2010, 09:15 PM

this is guy is on a whole other level. truly epic

the gas tank patch had me cracking up.

allmotorking · 04-01-2010, 05:56 PM

Rally America had a deal w/ the Mexican national rally series organizers to allow entrants from the RA series to run in their series alongside the WRC event. Bill was put in the open class running against newer FIA spec Mitsubishi evo's and Peugeot 206's because the car had an s14 (e30 m3) motor swap.

We are sponsoring the Jalopnik $500 Craigslist Rally Car T-shirt Design Contest to get Bill Caswell back into his rally car for the rest of the Rally America season. Winner will receive an xbox360 and a copy of forza 3 from us. The XBox will be wrapped in the winning T-shirt design using a special adhesive vinyl as well.

Here are the logos to use for this contest. Good luck and we'll be holding that Xbox360 for you 'til then.

Download Live Sockets Logo Here.

03-22-2010, 02:03 PM	#3
ThatGuy Admin Asshole Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Retired Age: 41 Posts: 20,394 Trader Rating: (0) Rides Gallery: ThatGuy Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Absolutely incredible. __________________ "Speak softly,..." -Pres. Teddy Roosevelt "Be polite, be professional, ..." -Gen. James Mattis

03-22-2010, 03:28 PM	#7
mattsauto95 Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: East County San Diego Age: 29 Posts: 409 Trader Rating: (3) Feedback Score: 3 reviews	Read this earlier. It was awesome. __________________ 2004 Ford Mustang Mach 1 1995 Nissan 240SX Coupe

03-22-2010, 03:30 PM	#8
tanks13 Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Highland Park,CA 90042 Age: 33 Posts: 1,008 Trader Rating: (13) Feedback Score: 13 reviews	amazing this shit was dope __________________

03-22-2010, 03:36 PM	#9
Gnnr Post Whore! Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: S. FL Posts: 3,960 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Awesome! What class was he running in? __________________

03-22-2010, 04:31 PM	#11
SimpleS14 Post Whore! Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Philly Age: 38 Posts: 9,185 Trader Rating: (0) Rides Gallery: SimpleS14 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	wow...that is an awesome story!! __________________ *Goals are dreams with a deadline.* L.H.O.O.Q.

03-22-2010, 01:58 PM	#2
NINJASPY Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: So-cal Los Angeles 626 Age: 40 Posts: 1,009 Trader Rating: (13) Feedback Score: 13 reviews	Awesome... I read the whole thing, but no mention of the "loop hole" in the fia rules.

03-22-2010, 03:21 PM	#6
az_240 Post Whore! Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Phx Posts: 3,097 Trader Rating: (41) Feedback Score: 41 reviews	Awesomeness! I love it! Great read.

03-22-2010, 03:38 PM	#10
jzepol1985 Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Fresno Posts: 481 Trader Rating: (5) Feedback Score: 5 reviews	wow so awesome

03-22-2010, 04:57 PM	#12
AE_Racer Zilvia Addict Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Lost in the woods of FAILorida Age: 33 Posts: 777 Trader Rating: (9) Feedback Score: 9 reviews	After more research i've gathered he wasn't actually competing in a WRC class, part of the Rally America series instead, which ran alongside WRC in the Mexico event. Still an awesome story though. More pics I found from SnoDrift in MI __________________ http://tougestars.net

03-22-2010, 04:58 PM	#14
AE_Racer Zilvia Addict Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Lost in the woods of FAILorida Age: 33 Posts: 777 Trader Rating: (9) Feedback Score: 9 reviews	And story from the co-driver of the E30. Pirating WRC Corona Rally Mexico Rally America \| World Rally Sport __________________ http://tougestars.net

03-22-2010, 05:31 PM	#15
HyperTek Post Whore! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Cali Posts: 13,222 Trader Rating: (3) Feedback Score: 3 reviews	interesting.. as cool as it may be, hope the WRC doesnt turn into a bunch of ratty shit looking cars tho lol I wonder how much of this story is "glorified" people been rally racing E30s for decades, this one is just standing out because it was ran same week as a wrc event so people tie it in. __________________ Keep it Classy

03-22-2010, 06:05 PM	#16
WanganRunner Nissanaholic! Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: DC Metro Area Posts: 1,655 Trader Rating: (1) Feedback Score: 1 reviews	I hate stories like this (not really) because they make me overconfident. The owner of this E30 is obviously a deity among men when it comes to mechanical aptitude, with his ability to quickly diagnose/fix just about anything on the fly with minimal tools, build a competitive car from nothing, etc. Stories like this are like "Courage Wolf" for wrenching. They make me think "Hell, this guy can run against Team Citroen in a beater he's patching with RTV and tape, so I can totally get that MX73 trans swap done out in my garage". It momentarily relieves me of the reality that I'm a total fucking boob, a reality that will promptly re-assert itself when I drop a transmission onto my chest by accident and end up in the ER. But yeah, this guy's a rockstar. Go him. __________________ SELL ME CLEAR ZENKI CORNERS: http://zilvia.net/f/wanted-buy/40034...rs-junyan.html

03-22-2010, 08:30 PM	#17
chitownguy Zilvia Junkie Join Date: May 2006 Location: San Antonio Age: 32 Posts: 466 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Haha this story is so cool. Even if he didn't compete against WRC cars, I'm pretty sure his competition was old WRC cars and well built sponsored rally cars. So to finish third in some janky BMW is still awesome. __________________ ShakotanOscar.blogspot.com

03-22-2010, 08:31 PM	#18
Bubbles Post Whore! Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Location, Location. Posts: 3,320 Trader Rating: (2) Feedback Score: 2 reviews	So, do you win any money? __________________ For all the world knows, my vagina could be moist with desire as we speak.

03-22-2010, 09:15 PM	#19
Mister.E Post Whore! Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Las Vegas Age: 36 Posts: 4,590 Trader Rating: (53) Feedback Score: 53 reviews	this is guy is on a whole other level. truly epic the gas tank patch had me cracking up.

04-01-2010, 05:56 PM	#20
allmotorking Zilvia Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: California Posts: 250 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Rally America had a deal w/ the Mexican national rally series organizers to allow entrants from the RA series to run in their series alongside the WRC event. Bill was put in the open class running against newer FIA spec Mitsubishi evo's and Peugeot 206's because the car had an s14 (e30 m3) motor swap. We are sponsoring the Jalopnik $500 Craigslist Rally Car T-shirt Design Contest to get Bill Caswell back into his rally car for the rest of the Rally America season. Winner will receive an xbox360 and a copy of forza 3 from us. The XBox will be wrapped in the winning T-shirt design using a special adhesive vinyl as well. Here are the logos to use for this contest. Good luck and we'll be holding that Xbox360 for you 'til then. Download Live Sockets Logo Here. __________________ Live Sockets - I Survived Chasing the Touge!

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