BEC as an all year round track car?
Discussion
So after considering everything from a Monaro to Caterham as a majority track car I'm looking at possibility of a Westfield BEC. The noise and possibly mechanical fragility don't worry me as much as the weather....
With the weather being as unpredictable as it has been, how unpleasant would one of these without a windscreen be for driving through rain and puddles? It would be used for driving to and back from the track, unfortunately the nearest track is 2+ hours from me so a decent drive on a track day.
Could someone talk me into one for year round use or would something like an Elise be a decent compromise?
With the weather being as unpredictable as it has been, how unpleasant would one of these without a windscreen be for driving through rain and puddles? It would be used for driving to and back from the track, unfortunately the nearest track is 2+ hours from me so a decent drive on a track day.
Could someone talk me into one for year round use or would something like an Elise be a decent compromise?
Get a one piece waterproof suit and it wouldn't be any worse than any other 7 with an aeroscreen.
I've driven reasonable distances in the wet in mine getting from A to B and it's not massively fun but certainly doable. A wet trackday would be fine, just the transit that would be a bit tedious.
Ear plugs or music in and just deal with it being a bit unsuited to motorways. Depending on gearing the high revs on motorways/dual carriages can be a pain. Mine does 70 at around 7k rpm...
I've driven reasonable distances in the wet in mine getting from A to B and it's not massively fun but certainly doable. A wet trackday would be fine, just the transit that would be a bit tedious.
Ear plugs or music in and just deal with it being a bit unsuited to motorways. Depending on gearing the high revs on motorways/dual carriages can be a pain. Mine does 70 at around 7k rpm...
Originally I bought my Caterham with the intention of driving it to and from track days. However, it soon became a pain in the arse, especially the drive home when your tired. Even though I happily do big trips in the car, clocking up 200+ miles in a day I wouldn't entertain a track day without the trailer.
Some folks manage fine but the majority trailer Caterhams and such like.
Some folks manage fine but the majority trailer Caterhams and such like.
your garage shows comfortable fast cars. what experience do you have of raw cars?
2hrs to & from track days - dark early morning starts & later return drives in traffic can be (very) wearing. if a great track were 3hrs+ away would that put you off? One of the great things about track days is visiting new tracks even if that occasionally needs 4 hrs one way in the UK and obviously further to the continent. Be a shame to do one track day a month initially and then see use fade as you just cant face the drudge of getting there.
test drive an Elise/Exige. they are very civilised really (earplugs not essential but useful for long term protection on mway) and obviously very track focussed. I'd love a BEC but i'd be realistic for myself and only do it with a trailer and then enjoy it everywhere.
2hrs to & from track days - dark early morning starts & later return drives in traffic can be (very) wearing. if a great track were 3hrs+ away would that put you off? One of the great things about track days is visiting new tracks even if that occasionally needs 4 hrs one way in the UK and obviously further to the continent. Be a shame to do one track day a month initially and then see use fade as you just cant face the drudge of getting there.
test drive an Elise/Exige. they are very civilised really (earplugs not essential but useful for long term protection on mway) and obviously very track focussed. I'd love a BEC but i'd be realistic for myself and only do it with a trailer and then enjoy it everywhere.
CABC said:
your garage shows comfortable fast cars. what experience do you have of raw cars?
2hrs to & from track days - dark early morning starts & later return drives in traffic can be (very) wearing. if a great track were 3hrs+ away would that put you off? One of the great things about track days is visiting new tracks even if that occasionally needs 4 hrs one way in the UK and obviously further to the continent. Be a shame to do one track day a month initially and then see use fade as you just cant face the drudge of getting there.
test drive an Elise/Exige. they are very civilised really (earplugs not essential but useful for long term protection on mway) and obviously very track focussed. I'd love a BEC but i'd be realistic for myself and only do it with a trailer and then enjoy it everywhere.
I think you've made a valid point.2hrs to & from track days - dark early morning starts & later return drives in traffic can be (very) wearing. if a great track were 3hrs+ away would that put you off? One of the great things about track days is visiting new tracks even if that occasionally needs 4 hrs one way in the UK and obviously further to the continent. Be a shame to do one track day a month initially and then see use fade as you just cant face the drudge of getting there.
test drive an Elise/Exige. they are very civilised really (earplugs not essential but useful for long term protection on mway) and obviously very track focussed. I'd love a BEC but i'd be realistic for myself and only do it with a trailer and then enjoy it everywhere.
At the moment I don't have space for a trailer and another car. Whatever house I purchase next will definitely have more car storage space so the plan was to stick to my closer tracks - Anglesey, Pembrey and Llandow until I move.
I don't have any experience with raw cars but lots with the roads to and from the tracks I plan to visit.
Other option is to overnight near to the circuit, takes a lot of the pressure off.
I've done karting in full wet gear and you still get soaking wet when its chucking it down, I can't see 7s being that much drier. Get a decent dry bag and take a change of clothes.
As long as its built properly and you look after it, it should be fine. Always a risk with any car or bike you drive to/from the circuit that it'll break/crash and you'll be stuck waiting on a trailer to get home.
I've just brought a BEC (MK Indy Fireblade) and I'm planning on driving that to/from the circuits. If I don't get on with it I'll then buy the trailer. No point missing out on the experience that a BEC offers on something I may or may not get on with.
I've done karting in full wet gear and you still get soaking wet when its chucking it down, I can't see 7s being that much drier. Get a decent dry bag and take a change of clothes.
As long as its built properly and you look after it, it should be fine. Always a risk with any car or bike you drive to/from the circuit that it'll break/crash and you'll be stuck waiting on a trailer to get home.
I've just brought a BEC (MK Indy Fireblade) and I'm planning on driving that to/from the circuits. If I don't get on with it I'll then buy the trailer. No point missing out on the experience that a BEC offers on something I may or may not get on with.
IMO an Elise by miles! Its awesome on track but comfy enough to dawdle home in. It's light on brakes and tyres too.
I left Bedford one day after a TD and the guy in front had a Caterham. I was knackered and thought to myself 'Thank fk I am not driving that home!'. Caterham's are, IMO, too hardcore to drive to a track and then back as well as driving on track all day and as most are spaced around the country you'll be doingt a lot of driving to get to and from tracks.
Alternatively buy a trailer!
I left Bedford one day after a TD and the guy in front had a Caterham. I was knackered and thought to myself 'Thank fk I am not driving that home!'. Caterham's are, IMO, too hardcore to drive to a track and then back as well as driving on track all day and as most are spaced around the country you'll be doingt a lot of driving to get to and from tracks.
Alternatively buy a trailer!
Babw said:
At the moment I don't have space for a trailer and another car. Whatever house I purchase next will definitely have more car storage space so the plan was to stick to my closer tracks - Anglesey, Pembrey and Llandow until I move.
I don't have any experience with raw cars but lots with the roads to and from the tracks I plan to visit.
lovely circuits near you. and if you might move to somewhere with space for trailer later then you have a plan!I don't have any experience with raw cars but lots with the roads to and from the tracks I plan to visit.
later, with a caterfield you *should* want to experience Cadwell, Dony, Oulton and Brands. And then Combe, Snett, Bedford, Croft.
I have a Duratec engined Westfield with Aeroscreen which gives the 'raw' driving experience you are looking for. The bad side is that when it rains that 'experience' includes sitting in a bucket seat in a puddle of water with the front tyres hosing more rain in. I am a biker and you get much wetter in the Westfield, so even in 'all in one' rain gear you will be guaranteed to be wet and cold if you travel to and from many track days. The upside is the 'experience' of sitting 4" off the ground in a very quick track car.....
I strongly suggest you invest a grand in a trailer and if necessary rent a garage to store the car and trailer, which is what I do. You can sell the trailer any time in the future for pretty much what you paid for it and you have a dry place to store the car.
I did Silverstone yesterday but was able to drive in the warm and dry to and from the track and had somewhere warm to sit in between driving. I could also take tools, food, spare clothes, petrol, etc. with me. If the car had broken down I would have been able to get it home too.
A BEC car will be great fun on the track but I would be concerned about noise, which is becoming more and more of an issue and will effectively rule you out of lots of venues.
I strongly suggest you invest a grand in a trailer and if necessary rent a garage to store the car and trailer, which is what I do. You can sell the trailer any time in the future for pretty much what you paid for it and you have a dry place to store the car.
I did Silverstone yesterday but was able to drive in the warm and dry to and from the track and had somewhere warm to sit in between driving. I could also take tools, food, spare clothes, petrol, etc. with me. If the car had broken down I would have been able to get it home too.
A BEC car will be great fun on the track but I would be concerned about noise, which is becoming more and more of an issue and will effectively rule you out of lots of venues.
As someone that runs a turbo exocet kit car and in south wales If you want a kit car then any sore of trailing to and from a track day you want a trailer. Yes we have llandow pembrey and combe around an half hour to hour half journeys but going further afield puts in 3hr journeys each way in a kit car no way.
If you can get a trailer then what about an elise/vx220 or if you want a kit car with a bit of practicality a gtm libra.
Where are you in south wales btw?
If you can get a trailer then what about an elise/vx220 or if you want a kit car with a bit of practicality a gtm libra.
Where are you in south wales btw?
I used to own an aeroscreen Zetec Fury. I did a couple of wet trackdays and bought a proper motorcycle drysuit in preparation, it's not much fun though and even an hour's drive to my local track was extremely wearing. It's like climbing into a two-inch deep bath of cold water for your drive home, most unpleasant! I like the challenge of driving in the wet (less grip, easier on the tyres and brakes) but it was cold and horrible after a few hours.
The #1 criteria for my next track car is "Must have proper roof" - the Elise / Exige is perfect IMHO. Don't understand why Zenos couldn't engineer some sort of roof onto their offering, I can't be the only trackdayer who doesn't want to faff about storing / using a trailer but to most manufacturers "track focused" seems to be synonymous with "don't bother with doors, roof or a windscreen". It rains for about 300 days a year in this country!
I love Caterhams, and do find myself wondering whether their weather protection is good enough to make it usable year-round. These cars are all about the top-down driving though, and there are so few guaranteed sunny days I think you'd be forever thinking about whether you needed to velcro the tent on top or not before you took it anywhere..
The #1 criteria for my next track car is "Must have proper roof" - the Elise / Exige is perfect IMHO. Don't understand why Zenos couldn't engineer some sort of roof onto their offering, I can't be the only trackdayer who doesn't want to faff about storing / using a trailer but to most manufacturers "track focused" seems to be synonymous with "don't bother with doors, roof or a windscreen". It rains for about 300 days a year in this country!
I love Caterhams, and do find myself wondering whether their weather protection is good enough to make it usable year-round. These cars are all about the top-down driving though, and there are so few guaranteed sunny days I think you'd be forever thinking about whether you needed to velcro the tent on top or not before you took it anywhere..
I found a local farmer willing to store my trailer in one of his little used barns on the understanding he could also use it if needed. He never did for the two years I owned it.
I also know someone who parked his covered trailer in a local caravan storage yard between trackdays, although I dont know what the cost would be where you live.
I also know someone who parked his covered trailer in a local caravan storage yard between trackdays, although I dont know what the cost would be where you live.
Why not buy a westie with a roof? You can also make a windscreen detachable if you wish. Much cheaper than an Elise to buy (year and mileage)
I have owned an Exige and currently own a Westie btw. It's trailers to the track.
If you go trailer route, you may alos need the correct lisence
I have owned an Exige and currently own a Westie btw. It's trailers to the track.
If you go trailer route, you may alos need the correct lisence
I have an aero screened Westfield and drive it too and from track days. I would not use it all year round after getting minor frostbite on my forehead.
Also the path for water from the front wheels is over the edge of the car straight into the crotch. Regardless of waterproofing worn the plums get damp.
Also the path for water from the front wheels is over the edge of the car straight into the crotch. Regardless of waterproofing worn the plums get damp.
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