1½ hour of groupe B madness

[beepbeep]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1370390418907086777&q=group+b

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

awesome

[dd74]

Very cool!

Are people still allowed to stand that close to the course?

Renault R5 Turbo - one of my favorite cars.

But the Quattro was kicking ass. So was the Mantra for such a large car.

[Don Ro]

I went there earlier, too many mb's, I thought.
Now I need to look.
.
Far too many bystanders were killed standing too close in Group B.
.
I had two Renault R5 Turbo II's.
Here I am bragging about them...and my other Renaults.
.
OT: A French car?
.

[dd74]

Don - how were the R5s? Good cars? Predictable? Finiky? I hear power was good - IIRC, 185 hp, but I'd be more concerned with handling and weight. How high do the engines rev when stock?

Thanks.

[RickM]

Great video. Was that a Lancia Scorpion?

[Steve PH]

Was that a Lancia Scorpion? Well sort of! The Lancia 037 shared some basic components with the Montecarlo/Scorpion and was clearly designed to look similar.

[svandamme]

i used to go to the stages every year in the Ypres Rally, when i was a kid... the 911's the Lancia Stratos the Audi's and all the rest, right untill they ditched B , i went back once , it was like watching an episode of Beverly Hills 90219 when you were expecting pr0n... i've never gone back to watch a rally again...

[Aurel]

Did Porsche ever make a groupB 911?

Aurel

[svandamme]

Originally posted by Aurel
Did Porsche ever make a groupB 911?

Aurel

sortof
the 959.

[pmajka]

And kids think drifting is something new.....

[Porsche virgin]

Great video!

If you can't get into this, you don't like driving cars.

[Don Ro]

Originally posted by dd74
Don - how were the R5s? Good cars? Predictable? Finiky? I hear power was good - IIRC, 185 hp, but I'd be more concerned with handling and weight. How high do the engines rev when stock?

Thanks.

Taxing my memory, you are.

Stock redline is ~ 6,200+, as I recall. Advertised (185) hp @ 6,000 rpm.
The 210 hp motor rpm is more than likely close to that.
Weight is ~2,100 lbs.

Motor is not finicky at all, but she'll let you know of the slightest trace of a vacuum leak.
Fine tuning is no more involved than any other rig of this genre.
Very strong turbo hit, but not annoyingly sudden...just rapid.

The cars have very solid (rally designed) chassis, drive, steering, & brakes.
Scooting around town, she's as smooth as greased velvet - not an overly tightly-sprung (buckboard) feeling.
If engaging in serious driving/handling it will take a bit of delicacy for that sweet spot between rotation and spin-out.
1.3 g's skid (advertised)...other publications say .864 g's.

In serious situations she had super grip (tire-dependent) and she stayed fairly flat in transitions.

Excellent handling/suspension ... unequal-length control arms at all corners, with front/rear sways.
Short/direct turbo tubing > very little lag > a middie 40/60 with good available power oversteer/rotation - if you're into that. Controllable rear swing-out by using throttle.
Non-assist rack/pinion > excellent feedback/direct feel.

The seat/pedals/steering wheel/gauges/shifter ensemble fit me well - I'm 5' 10".
Excellent heel/toe set-up.
I liked the upright seating, the short hood, and the greenhouse view.

Tough little cars - nothing broke, rattled, or squeaked on either one of mine (second owner of both).

I'm not an active track racer, so the cars brought far more to the occasion than I did.
.
Other stuff:

Seats were simple yet comfy/supportive, but the doors sounded light upon closing/slamming.

The only three serious glitches I heard about:
- faulty distributor drive gear - I only heard about it - never had the problem.
- engine compartment exhaust fan was an open unit which tended to fail early on (mine didn't), so I replaced it w/a larger closed unit.
- a couple of reported engine compartment fires due to sub-optimal stock oil line routing.
I replaced all with re-routed SS lines, larger Earls 19 row cooler, and twin remote filters.

On two occasions, when I let her sit for a couple of months, the clutch disc adhered to the flywheel.
I did what we all do when that happens.

Hinged rear side windows easily swung wide open (thank God!) for more engine access.
Marvelous fuel/oil/heat aroma with that motor a few inches from my back - loved it.
.
I sold my last (second) one ('85 w/9,600 miles) about 12+ yrs. ago for $21,500.
That particular Turbo II was one of the Maxi 5 homologation series of 200 cars w/an aluminum roof and the 1,433 cc engine as opposed to the standard Turbo II w/steel roof and 1,397 cc engine.
More "special" than the other T-II's, IMO.

Some say that the first run T's (T-1, '80 - '82) are more collectible - a bit lighter in weight.
But that ugly art deco interior - Yuck!

Total built ('80 - '86): Turbos - 1,364. Turbo II - 3,499

Yet another car I wish I could have kept ...but the stock market siren was singing.
I'd give $21,500 right now to go back to that moment I signed her away.

Sports Car International Magazine Top Sports Cars of the 1980s... #9: Renault R5 Turbo.
Without a doubt, the most serious car I have owned.

HTHs.

Is there one in your future?
If so, give us a report 'n pics, please.
Most of them in USA are in SoCal.

Best,

[dd74]

Thanks, Don. The R5 is one of the few cars I truly lust after. I've always liked boxy shapes, and at one point (pre-Porsche) saw one for sale in a little Peugeot shop on Broadway in Santa Monica. I was making some serious dot.com cash those days, and should have jumped on that shizzle from the moment I saw it. Boy, did I **** up!

Anyway, in my future - sure, well...maybe. It's rare when I see any for sale down here. I check now and then, but haven't lately. Ideas?

Thanks again.

[svandamme]

used to drive an R5 , mothers new hubby had one , don't remember what engine , but it was fuel injected, fast, and handled pretty decent...
better then the stock Peugeout 205 gti from its era.. that one had nasty handling ... plain twitchy at best...

then i got in an R5 Turbo... scary little trickbox...
the R5T i'de kill myself in, the normal one is just to... well uninspiring...

i'de be more interested in a 205 Turbo16 , then a R5 Turbo




dad had one of those... stupidly fast
i'de probably kill myself in that one as well , but i just like it more then the R5T, more exclusive too

[Don Ro]

Originally posted by dd74
The R5 is one of the few cars I truly lust after. I've always liked boxy shapes, ...
Thanks again.

Me too.
Seems like for me, the more bizarre the looks, the more attracted I am. To a point.

First time I saw one in the raw was at Jim Lucas used car parking lot one night in Palo Alto back in the late '80's.
A dark blue T-2.
I was driving by, saw its broad rear-end under the lights...damn near locked up my brakes.
I went back a few times to drool - but just didn't have the spare money.
A year later I saw a red one (generic Turbo II) tooling around - followed the owner home in Portola Valley.
A few days later, she was mine.

Slammed her into a steel light post head-on on an off ramp. Kept her in the garage under a cover for 4 yrs. - painful to look at.
Sold her to Jerry Fink back east.
Bought the "special" black Turbo II a few months later...sold her a couple of yrs. later.

Let me think about some contacts for you in SoCal.
Will dig through my old R5 files.
.
Sweet little box, eh?

[dd74]

Major schwing.

I appreciate the help, Don. If you can, give me a ballpark figure about pricing.

Screw the Subies and Evos. That Frenchy kicks ass.

[Don Ro]

Originally posted by dd74
Major schwing.

I appreciate the help, Don. If you can, give me a ballpark figure about pricing.

Screw the Subies and Evos. That Frenchy kicks ass.

LOL...yeah, you got it bad.

Man, I'm so outa the loop on cars in general and the R5 T's...no clue as to pricing.
If I was looking today, I'd want as close to stock as possible.

I just looked in my file. I have pages of R5/T club member's info from the past.
Most are down your way...you might dial them up for info.
Someone will have contact info/news for you.
Most owners, like me, follow these cars...'know who bought them and who bought them from them.
If you wish, PM me an addy, I'll copy this members list 'n mail it to you.

And if you land one, I have some data for you.
Can send you a parts microfiche for you to photocopy, etc.
.

[Aurel]

Those are french cars. Aren`t you guys boycotting them?

Aurel

[dd74]

Okay, Don. I'll PM you a little later on. Work suddenly came up.