Best sub £5K 2.0 N/A car for track toy & hill climbing

Best sub £5K 2.0 N/A car for track toy & hill climbing

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Discussion

BenLowden

Original Poster:

5,965 posts

176 months

PH Marketing Bloke

Thursday 11th February 2016
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I've got a Clio 182 Trophy as my current weekend/track toy, and I'm hopefully going to take part in some sprint events this year. As I'll be falling into a 2.0 N/A category, I was wondering what else would be suitable?

If I really get into it, I may look to buy and build something dedicated for sprints and hill climbing. Another 182 seems the obvious choice, but what other naturally aspirated 2.0 engined cars are there I should look at?

Krikkit

26,500 posts

180 months

Thursday 11th February 2016
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Integra DC2? Quite a light bodyshell, potent engine, LSD already fitted. Strip, cage, sticky tyres. Sorted.

vtecyo

2,122 posts

128 months

Thursday 11th February 2016
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EP3.

250bhp is relatively easy n/a. Strip it out. Lsd. Sticky tyres. Done.

Edited by vtecyo on Thursday 11th February 16:22

EnglishTony

2,552 posts

98 months

Thursday 11th February 2016
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1.9 205 Gti?

Calza

1,979 posts

114 months

Thursday 11th February 2016
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Krikkit said:
Integra DC2? Quite a light bodyshell, potent engine, LSD already fitted. Strip, cage, sticky tyres. Sorted.
I was thinking this too if a 1.8 is acceptable.

Krikkit

26,500 posts

180 months

Thursday 11th February 2016
quotequote all
Calza said:
Krikkit said:
Integra DC2? Quite a light bodyshell, potent engine, LSD already fitted. Strip, cage, sticky tyres. Sorted.
I was thinking this too if a 1.8 is acceptable.
A 182 would be cheaper all-in, though possibly less competitive.

Crusoe

4,068 posts

230 months

Thursday 11th February 2016
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s2000 usually do pretty well in that category, quite hard to strip a lot of weight out of them though.

vtecyo

2,122 posts

128 months

Thursday 11th February 2016
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Crusoe said:
s2000 usually do pretty well in that category, quite hard to strip a lot of weight out of them though.
Pushing it for 5k. Will be a dog.

SamR380

725 posts

119 months

Thursday 11th February 2016
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Can you get some kind of Lo-cost 7 type thing for 5k? Surely much more of an 'experience' than a Clio.

Crusoe

4,068 posts

230 months

Thursday 11th February 2016
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looks good for the mileage http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/h...

Get quite a bit for the seats second hand and the roof and motor if you were stripping them out.

BenLowden

Original Poster:

5,965 posts

176 months

PH Marketing Bloke

Thursday 11th February 2016
quotequote all
Plenty of love for Honda here! Looks like S2000 for the win as stock, but could be pushing the budget for any additional prep needed. With £5K I could buy a Clio 182 for £2K and spend £3K on prepping it. Equally around the same for an EP3 Civic, although probably need to spend a bit more on the car first hand.

I'd be interested to see what the VTEC is like low down in the rev range, as low down grunt/lack of torque will be an issue for hill climbing, unless you can keep in screaming. At least with a Clio it's workable with cams or an RS2 manifold, but I know absolutely nothing about Honda's so more research is needed! Thanks all so far.

BenLowden

Original Poster:

5,965 posts

176 months

PH Marketing Bloke

Thursday 11th February 2016
quotequote all
vtecyo said:
EP3.

250bhp is relatively easy n/a. Strip it out. Lsd. Sticky tyres. Done.

Edited by vtecyo on Thursday 11th February 16:22
Any tips on how the 250bhp is achieved? Throttle bodies I'm guessing?

df76

3,614 posts

277 months

Thursday 11th February 2016
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Before buying anything, you need to read the rules carefully. If competing in "road going" the interior will have to stay.

If Lotus Elise's are allowed in the class (some clubs allow this), this is what you'd probably need to win.

rich85uk

3,312 posts

178 months

Thursday 11th February 2016
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BenLowden said:
I'd be interested to see what the VTEC is like low down in the rev range, as low down grunt/lack of torque will be an issue for hill climbing, unless you can keep in screaming. At least with a Clio it's workable with cams or an RS2 manifold, but I know absolutely nothing about Honda's so more research is needed! Thanks all so far.
fairly nippy and about 140bhp from memory but peak power is about 7500rpm, but its fairly easy to keep the EP3 and FN2 in VTEC

Flashpro (lowers VTEC and slightly more power)cams, FD2 throttle body and manifold should give nice gains

Calza

1,979 posts

114 months

Thursday 11th February 2016
quotequote all
BenLowden said:
I'd be interested to see what the VTEC is like low down in the rev range, as low down grunt/lack of torque will be an issue for hill climbing, unless you can keep in screaming. At least with a Clio it's workable with cams or an RS2 manifold, but I know absolutely nothing about Honda's so more research is needed! Thanks all so far.
I think they come with a gearbox.

TameRacingDriver

18,047 posts

271 months

Thursday 11th February 2016
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rich85uk said:
Flashpro (lowers VTEC and slightly more power)cams, FD2 throttle body and manifold should give nice gains
This if you go for a Honda, very easy to keep in VTEC especially with the very low gearing.

I'd see if I could find a JDM EP3 and a Flashpro, if not, cheap UK EP3 with an LSD and flashpro.

I had a DC2 for 3 years, but I wouldn't recommend it for hill climbing, the engine is a bit peakier and its not as nimble as something a bit smaller - they're light but quite long and big (mine looked as big as my mates E36 328 when we had them side-by-side).

Clio Trophy might be a good shout, I've had the Clios (not a trophy) but they are a bit smaller and more nimble so better for tight twists and turns IMO.

Huff

3,140 posts

190 months

Thursday 11th February 2016
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Go watch a few prints and hillclimbs and see what does well in your anticipated class before buying anything.
Based on watching the last decade here in the near-SW, its far more about the set-up and the driving than 'the most horsepower for the money' or 'its a revvy engine on the road.' A marked lack of S2000s or other hondas in similar classes, too... otoh I've often seen, for example, a stripped 205 running nothing remotely exotic that goes blindingly-well at Gurston Down. That said, 2litre classes are entirely *owned* these days by devices running blown <1400cc bike engines (2litre by equivalence formula).

Grab the MAS Blue Book as a download and read it, too.

Axionknight

8,505 posts

134 months

Thursday 11th February 2016
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vtecyo said:
Crusoe said:
s2000 usually do pretty well in that category, quite hard to strip a lot of weight out of them though.
Pushing it for 5k. Will be a dog.
Yep, prices have bottomed out and seem to be going the other way - best to spend more for something like that IMO.

The older ones are a handful too, no traction control on pre model year 2006 models and despite "only" having 240bhp they have the ability to surprise you - I wrote mine off on a wet road, driving like a tool and I'm not the only one hehe

I'd say a DC5 Integra if a 1.8 is OK. Otherwise choose an EP3 yes

vtecyo

2,122 posts

128 months

Thursday 11th February 2016
quotequote all
BenLowden said:
Any tips on how the 250bhp is achieved? Throttle bodies I'm guessing?
No. The k20 is very strangled to meet emissions regs.

Air intake, inlet manifold, throttle body, full exhaust and a map from tdi north / eurospec on a k100 ecu and you're about there tbh.

LordHaveMurci

12,034 posts

168 months

Thursday 11th February 2016
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I've hillclimbed a fairly standard 172 Cup for 5 seasons, great fun but not really competitive (in the dry anyway).

With a bit less weight & a bit more power (not cheap or easy on a Clio) it could be really competitive.

Have competed against modded 205 Gti, S2000 & well sorted DC5, all competitive cars in SW. Sadly 1.6 & 1.8 FI cars fit in same class down here so NA stuff doesn't stand much chance any more.