Looking for a fun and interesting track car....on a budget..

Looking for a fun and interesting track car....on a budget..

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SloppyClock

Original Poster:

144 posts

95 months

Monday 26th September 2016
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Big changes in the SloppyCock household (the L is silent)!

I'm selling my Crossfire which is the road car toy and buying a - wait for it - Prius. Can't justify having 2 2-seaters cars any longer, and to be honest £20 car tax and 60 MPG can't be argued with. Plus its a Prius, so I wont want to modify it - partly because its pointless, partly because I dont want to stand out in it.

What this leaves though is my current track car, an MR2 MK3. Thing is, as good a car it is, as easy it is to work on and cheap are its parts - I dont think its very good looking really. Bit of a wet flannel imho.

So I come to you PH'ers. Help me, please.

I'm on the hunt for a track car. I dont mind which WD it is, as long as it has wheels that drive. As long are parts are reasonable, its fairly easy to work on, fairly reliable, has a good base chassis and available power, and as long as it tickles my balls when I see it, I'm happy. Within reason, the last point is the most important.

I think the above criteria might be pigeon holing me into the Japanese marques.

My budget is around 3K.

So far spotted an FTO as a candidate. GPX pulls a supposed 7.3 stock which would no doubt drop with it being stripped inside. Rumor has it with strut braces it can handle quite well. Its FWD though, which I havent driven in over a decade, and even then it was a Fiat Cinquecento with a whopping 40 hp. Might not be a basis of how to expect a FWD car drive on track.

Whaddya'think?

AdamIndy

1,661 posts

103 months

Monday 26th September 2016
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I like FTO's, an under rated car in my opinion though finding a manual car will be hard and expensive. I saw a video of a head to head thing in Japan on a circuit. There wasn't a lot of difference between the teg type r and the FTO. Make of that what you will.

I doubt mechanical parts will be easy to source as they aren't all that common. It would be nice to see something different on a TD rather than the flock of usual clio's and mx5's.

RetroWheels

3,384 posts

270 months

Monday 26th September 2016
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Bugger.. Just read the title and was going to suggest an MR2 Roadster hehe.

Excellent little cars though smokin.

AWRacing

1,710 posts

224 months

Monday 26th September 2016
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Clio 172/182?
Are they in budget?

C70R

17,596 posts

103 months

Tuesday 27th September 2016
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It's an obvious suggestion, but a £3k 1.8 MX5 that someone else has put some work into (brakes, suspension etc.) would be an absolute track weapon. The Crossfire or FTO might be marginally quicker in a straight line, but neither has the chassis to see which way the MX5 went on track.

I would suggest the MX5 as a marginal preference over the MR2 purely on the basis that you get better bang-for-buck by buying a pre-modified car, and reaping the rewards of others' work. There are a LOT more track-ready MX5s on ebay etc. than MR2s, so you're more likely to find the right car.

Something like this would be a complete hoot: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mazda-MX5-Track-Car-/222...

SloppyClock

Original Poster:

144 posts

95 months

Tuesday 27th September 2016
quotequote all
Thanks for the responses so far all.

The MX-5 is a good shout but also raises an interesting point. I'd be looking for something completely stock, so that I can build it from the ground up with my own tastes and modifications.

A really big part of this though is I want to learn more about mechanics. I would do this with the XF but its mint, and I dont want to track it. And the problem with the MR2 is I dont love it enough to bleed over it. Sounds wrong but I'm sure you all know what I mean.

I would love to do it with an XF but after owning one for coming up for two years, I dont have faith that it could withstand track punishment. I guess its one to consider more though.


EvoIV NL

173 posts

158 months

Tuesday 27th September 2016
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Im helping a friend look for a track car in the same budget bracket and the two cars we've narrowed it down to are e36 328 or e46 330ci - reasonable base cars for future development, relatively low cost to maintain, plenty of second hand parts available, wanted rwd etc... Only downside is weight but thinking we can get them down to 1200-1250kg. But its horses for courses.

C70R

17,596 posts

103 months

Tuesday 27th September 2016
quotequote all
SloppyClock said:
The MX-5 is a good shout but also raises an interesting point. I'd be looking for something completely stock, so that I can build it from the ground up with my own tastes and modifications.
In all honesty, this is the least cost-effective way to do it. With a limited budget, you're infinitely better served to buy a car which has had a significant amount of expense already invested. For example, that MX5 has probably had much more than the headline price spent on the parts alone.

Wanting to build from the ground up is a nice dream, but it's a waste of money and slows down the process to getting on track (if that's your bag - perhaps it makes sense). You will still have plenty of opportunities for maintenance and small upgrades along the way, so don't consider something at £3k to be the 'finished article'.

C70R

17,596 posts

103 months

Tuesday 27th September 2016
quotequote all
EvoIV NL said:
Im helping a friend look for a track car in the same budget bracket and the two cars we've narrowed it down to are e36 328 or e46 330ci - reasonable base cars for future development, relatively low cost to maintain, plenty of second hand parts available, wanted rwd etc... Only downside is weight but thinking we can get them down to 1200-1250kg. But its horses for courses.
I've got a 330ci sport, and it would be my last choice of track car at this budget. It's over 1.5 tonnes stock, which would require mega efforts/expense (replacement panels/windows) to get it down to a decent level - see my other thread.

The E36 is marginally lighter (still over 1.4T!), and having driven one I really can't see what the excitement is about apart from cheap parts/upgrades.

CABC

5,533 posts

100 months

Tuesday 27th September 2016
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SloppyClock said:
The MX-5 is a good shout but also raises an interesting point. I'd be looking for something completely stock, so that I can build it from the ground up with my own tastes and modifications.
probably one of the most modded cars. prices are reasonable even for supposedly 'modified' ones. but you'll want to enjoy your own mods, great, low entry price and low modding prices for coilovers, wheels, brakes, bracing and engine. all well understood and also transform the car.

MG CHRIS

9,077 posts

166 months

Tuesday 27th September 2016
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Mx5 mot failure for 500 quid but prepared to have rust they are increasing in prices atm.

General service, new brake fluid, mintex 1144 pads change discs if needed then go do a track day. Find out what you need to do next and carry on. If doing it regular you end up stripping interior half cage seats harness. Adjustable coilovers track tyres the list goes on.

Best bet is to find a turbo charged mx5 a good converted one not hobbled together and use that.

E-bmw

9,105 posts

151 months

Thursday 29th September 2016
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EvoIV NL said:
Im helping a friend look for a track car in the same budget bracket and the two cars we've narrowed it down to are e36 328 or e46 330ci - reasonable base cars for future development, relatively low cost to maintain, plenty of second hand parts available, wanted rwd etc... Only downside is weight but thinking we can get them down to 1200-1250kg. But its horses for courses.
I currently have a e36 328 track day car and have just got back from Spa/Ring, it serves me really well, still has the air con/stereo/electric windows & comes in at 1370 caged & 75% stripped if you are considering one I am potentially selling mine for a new challenge.

C70R

17,596 posts

103 months

Friday 30th September 2016
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E-bmw said:
I currently have a e36 328 track day car ... comes in at 1370 caged & 75% stripped
And that's what put me off an E36 as a trackday car. That car is lugging around an extra 300kg+ over a stripped MX5, MR2 or lightweight hatch!
While you can make up for the power:weight deficit, it's not going to be as responsive or as good on the brakes as a lighter car without spending serious money.

EvoIV NL

173 posts

158 months

Friday 30th September 2016
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C70R said:
And that's what put me off an E36 as a trackday car. That car is lugging around an extra 300kg+ over a stripped MX5, MR2 or lightweight hatch!
While you can make up for the power:weight deficit, it's not going to be as responsive or as good on the brakes as a lighter car without spending serious money.
That's a fair point - what we are looking for is a reasonable budget base car that will have future potential. If we had a fixed budget indefinitely than MX5, MR2 or something like that would be perfect but as a long term project I personally would find those a bit limiting after a while hence the e36 preference.

C70R

17,596 posts

103 months

Friday 30th September 2016
quotequote all
EvoIV NL said:
C70R said:
And that's what put me off an E36 as a trackday car. That car is lugging around an extra 300kg+ over a stripped MX5, MR2 or lightweight hatch!
While you can make up for the power:weight deficit, it's not going to be as responsive or as good on the brakes as a lighter car without spending serious money.
That's a fair point - what we are looking for is a reasonable budget base car that will have future potential. If we had a fixed budget indefinitely than MX5, MR2 or something like that would be perfect but as a long term project I personally would find those a bit limiting after a while hence the e36 preference.
Yeah, I absolutely take your point on giving yourself scope to continue the project in the future.
However, do you not think that it would be more enjoyable (on-track) and financially beneficial to upgrade your base (say to an Elise from an MX5) at a later date, rather than ending up with some kind of compromised "Trigger's Broom" that bears no relation to the original?

EvoIV NL

173 posts

158 months

Friday 30th September 2016
quotequote all
C70R said:
Yeah, I absolutely take your point on giving yourself scope to continue the project in the future.
However, do you not think that it would be more enjoyable (on-track) and financially beneficial to upgrade your base (say to an Elise from an MX5) at a later date, rather than ending up with some kind of compromised "Trigger's Broom" that bears no relation to the original?
Yes you are right, on the financial side of things, as you will never get your money back once you start heavily modifying a car. From an enjoyment perspective its all too subjective but assuming this comes to driving involvement and speed then upgrading your base car is not necessarily the way to go - e.g. as a base car an e36 328 is about 2k an S2 elise 12k. An e36 with 10k ploughed (albeit in practice over a number of years) in to it will be car more capable and 'enjoyable' than a 12k stock elise on track. As said financially you would never get your money back whereas with the Elise you should get a reasonable return.

In my own case, its far too late, ive already sunk 2 elises worth in to an E30 which seems ridiculous but I love it and wouldn't change it even if I was able to start over.

SonicShadow

2,452 posts

153 months

Friday 30th September 2016
quotequote all
SloppyClock said:
What this leaves though is my current track car, an MR2 MK3. Thing is, as good a car it is, as easy it is to work on and cheap are its parts - I dont think its very good looking really. Bit of a wet flannel imho.
If your only issue with it is looks, then do something about that -

















C70R

17,596 posts

103 months

Friday 30th September 2016
quotequote all
EvoIV NL said:
C70R said:
Yeah, I absolutely take your point on giving yourself scope to continue the project in the future.
However, do you not think that it would be more enjoyable (on-track) and financially beneficial to upgrade your base (say to an Elise from an MX5) at a later date, rather than ending up with some kind of compromised "Trigger's Broom" that bears no relation to the original?
Yes you are right, on the financial side of things, as you will never get your money back once you start heavily modifying a car. From an enjoyment perspective its all too subjective but assuming this comes to driving involvement and speed then upgrading your base car is not necessarily the way to go - e.g. as a base car an e36 328 is about 2k an S2 elise 12k. An e36 with 10k ploughed (albeit in practice over a number of years) in to it will be car more capable and 'enjoyable' than a 12k stock elise on track. As said financially you would never get your money back whereas with the Elise you should get a reasonable return.

In my own case, its far too late, ive already sunk 2 elises worth in to an E30 which seems ridiculous but I love it and wouldn't change it even if I was able to start over.
Fair one. In retrospect, an Elise was probably a poor examples.
A Caterfield clone at £7k (possibly with a BE) would be a much more reasonable upgrade, and represent the kind of experience/performance an E36 could only dream of.

But I get your point about evolving a car over time, and enjoying the iterative development process.

CABC

5,533 posts

100 months

Friday 30th September 2016
quotequote all
EvoIV NL said:
An e36 with 10k ploughed (albeit in practice over a number of years) in to it will be car more capable and 'enjoyable' than a 12k stock elise on track.
?

Some Gump

12,671 posts

185 months

Friday 30th September 2016
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OP,

You want to have a low budget, standard to then modify? I appreciate the "journey" aspect, but IMO you'll end up with less than just going for a good westie, or Sylva/Raw Striker / fisher Fury etc at 6-7k. They're brilliant track weapons - and because they're so light, the costs of the day are loads less as well (tyres, brakes etc). You can also modify them, but no-one will notice because all the interesting mods are not cosmetic.

If you are hell bent on making yourself a track car starting at 3k, then IMO those hot Clios are a good FWD choice, a cosmetically bad Boxster might just scrape in there (but running / modding won't be that cheap), MX-5 obvious but slow, or go full retard and get an old Jap saloon job (impreza or similar) that seem popular on track days but I have no idea why.