Rusty Racing - Kar 73

Welcome

Vehicle

About Us

Comms

Sponsors

The drivers (and navigators, mechanics, support crew and general roustabouts) for this venture are David and Michael. We are colleagues at a University in Melbourne. We heard about the Kidney Kar Rally from the media in late 2011 and it got us thinking - not for very long mind you, and we registered for our first event.

Both of us are technically minded and have been playing with cars, machinery and electronics (anything really) for some time. Having watched the Redex, Ampol, Repco and other trials, it is something that we have always wanted to do.

So here we are trying to raise money for the Kidney Kids camps and other charities as well as trying to create awareness and get a few sponsors.

Please help us help the kids. Donate from our link located on our Welcome page.

All donations of $2 or more are fully tax deductable and a receipt will be issued immediately.

If you would like further information or to contact us our email address is rustyracingaus@gmail.com


David		Michael

Past events:

2023 Kidney Kar rally - Mudgee to Narrandera via Batemans Bay - Event raised $400,000+
2^nd place outright
Days 1 & 2 winner

Click on the Image to See a Larger Version

2022 Kidney Kar rally - Cairns to Dubbo via the Gold Coast
1^st place outright
Days 3 & 8 winner

Click on the Image to See a Larger Version

2021 Kidney Kar rally - Mudgee to Young via Swan Hill - Cancelled due to Covid-19

2020 Kidney Kar rally - Mudgee to Young via Swan Hill - Postponed due to Covid-19

2019 Kidney Kar rally - Port Macquarie to Armidale via Capricorn Coast
3^rd place outright
Days 2 & 8 winner

Click on the Image to See a Larger Version

2017 Kidney Kar rally - Griffith to Wagga Wagga via Tibbooburra
3^rd place outright
Day 8 winner

Click on the Image to See a Larger Version

2016 Kidney Kar rally - Bathurst to Taree via Dubbo
         23^rd place outright - Alternator failure on the last day.
         Winner day 3 & 7 and Teams award
2015 Kidney Kar Rally - Alice Springs to Moama via Coober Pedy
         1st - Outright Winner

Click on the Image to See a Larger Version

2014 Kidney Kar Rally - Gundagai to Cootamundra via Mt Gambier
         14^th place outright
2013 Kidney Kar Rally - Tamworth to Armidale via Bundaberg
         31^st place outright and 2nd in the Repechage
2012 Kidney Car Rally - Mandurah to Bendigo via the Nullarbor
         16^th place outright and "Rookie of the year"
2012 Drive for Life - Melbourne. Raising money for youth suicide prevention projects.

Previous team members:

Ivan		Laszlo "Les"


Adam		Peter

Ivan completed the Drive for Life rally with Michael in 2012. Both Ivan and Les joined us as team members in the B73 Backup vehicle for the 2013, 25th Anniversary, Kidney Kar Rally. Adam and Peter joined us as team members in the B73 Backup vehicle for the 2014 Kidney Kar Rally.

While participating in the Kidney Kar Rally, there are certain safety items which must be included.

One of these main items is a UHF CB radio. This will be used throughout the rally for safety reasons (break downs etc) from car to car.

As Amateur radio operators we based the original theme of the Landcruiser, in 2012, on the Australian Echidna. The reason being we installed many antennas on and around the vehicle. Although somewhat larger than an Echidna it did have some resemblance to it, with the antennas representing the quills on the back of the Echidna. The number for the vehicle (73) was chosen as this is amateur shorthand at the end of a conversation for "Best wishes" so we have continued with that number. Although we are "Rusty Racing" now and not "Team Echidna" the car is still covered in antennas, no matter which one we are driving.

We have fitted the following equipment:-

UHF 40 channel CB radio. Rally requirement.
2 x UHF handheld radios. Just in case
27MHz SSB CB radio.
Rally Safe unit.
Power distribution box.

An Icom IC7000 SSB HF radio which can be hooked up to the Byonics TinyTrack4 modem. This radio is only installed if we feel that it will be of use.

This will send out GPS data on the 30m band into the APRS network and you can track us (live), as we travel, on the internet. Go to the "Track Us" page. This has been supersceded by the Rally Safe system which satellite tracks our progress and displays it on the web.

An amateur 2m band FM radio as backup for the APRS and general amateur talk radio on 145.45MHz We have a special call sign that we use for this event. It is VK3KKR

We also carry various GPS receivers.

A new device as of 2019 was the Rally Safe computer and tracking system. This device effectively replaces our own tracking system which used the Icom IC7000 and Byonics modem. The Rally Safe systems are installed in all cars on the rally

This is the screen of the Rally Safe computer

Equipment setup in the Bluebird.

The Bluebird setup includes 27MHz CB radio located between the front seats with a power distribution box attached to it as well. In the photo you can see the Terratrip rally computer, top left on the dash with a GPS navigator to its right. A bit further to the right is the GPS Heads Up Display (HUD) which displays speed. Centre top (above the vents) is the USB power distribution panel. Below that is a custom oil pressure and water temperature pod. Again, below that is the heater A/C controls, and Pioneer stereo. Below that again is the UHF CB radio with custom switch panel and voltmeter. The orange light to the left of the centre console is the 2m VHF ADI amateur transceiver and next to that is the ICOM IC-7000 transceiver which is used for the APRS tracking (when installed).

Click on the Image to See a Larger Version

Here is the updated setup in the Bluebird from top left to right. Rally Safe screen, Terratrip 202 plus rally computer, TomTom street navigator and behind that is a dash cam, just to the right you can see the HUD (heads up display) speedo. On the next row next to the pens we have two timers. The left one is set as a count-down timer and the right one as a clock and stop watch, if required.

Equipment setup in the Landcruiser.

Here is part of the rally and radio setup. On the left is the 27MHz SSB CB radio, just to the right is the head for the Icom IC-7000 multi-mode multi-band HF radio. In front of that is the 40 channel UHF CB radio (rally requirement). Above all of this and lit up is the Brantz rally trip computer.