cheap track car

[ColinMacC]

Now that I've settled into the c250, I'm back on the hunt to get a cheap track car. Looking at 182 clios, but would love something rwd what would you guys recommend? My budget is about £3000

[GravelBen]

The obvious answer is MX5. Its the obvious answer for a good reason.

[Pennyroyal Tea]

Surely the obvious answer is E36 328i?

[rex]

Just taken my 25 year old jap import MR2 on the track at snetterton. I have been doing track days for about 10 years in a track prepared e36 M3 and have to say the MR2 was great fun. It is slightly modified by the previous owner. The turn in was excellent and you had to be smooth with it compared to the M3 as it is much more twitchy at the back but was very rewarding to drive. A most pleasant surprise. I had only brought the car for a road trip and never intended to track it bur a friends car wasn't ready so I let him take the MR2. Will now consider keeping it after the road trip as it was so much fun

[eltax91]

That money would probably tempt me out of my scruffy mx5. It's had the one mx5 criticism addresses, as its supercharged.

Oh and it's on some decent coilovers too.

[Escy]

MR2 Roadster with a 2ZZ-GE engine swap. Can pick one up already converted for 3k or build one yourself for peanuts. Mid engine handling, low kerb weight, 190bhp, revs to 8200rpm, LSD as standard. Perfect for a cheap track car.

[skyrover]

Some sort of Locost kit car

Can be had for around 2k or less.

[Jasandjules]

Some kind of stripped down MR2?

[eltax91]

skyrover said:

Some sort of Locost kit car

Can be had for around 2k or less.

£2k? What the hell do you get for 2 grand??

[Oldandslow]

eltax91 said:

£2k? What the hell do you get for 2 grand??

Well it wouldn't be a Caterfield and it'd be an older pinto probably and maybe needing a bit of work but it's doable. Also a st load of fun but impractical for anything but track and hooning.

[wemorgan]

I think you'd want a £1k trailer if going down the kit car route.

I found my mx5 good fun on track and ok to drive to and from the track. Tyres and brakes are cheap too.

[DonkeyApple]

I would have thought that the best bang for buck would be an old 3 series and a few litres of industrial biohazard cleaner to make useable.

[skyrover]

Oldandslow said:

eltax91 said:

£2k? What the hell do you get for 2 grand??

Well it wouldn't be a Caterfield and it'd be an older pinto probably and maybe needing a bit of work but it's doable. Also a st load of fun but impractical for anything but track and hooning.

Indeed.. plenty out there for sub 3k.

I've actually got one myself as a weekend toy. Paid £2200 for it complete with freshly rebuilt 2.0 pinto.

[radical78]

an ex 750mc locost race car would make a great and cheap to run track day car

[eltax91]

skyrover said:

Oldandslow said:

eltax91 said:

£2k? What the hell do you get for 2 grand??

Well it wouldn't be a Caterfield and it'd be an older pinto probably and maybe needing a bit of work but it's doable. Also a st load of fun but impracticality al for anything but track and hooning.

Indeed.. plenty out there for sub 3k.

I've actually got one myself as a weekend toy. Paid £2200 for it complete with freshly rebuilt 2.0 pinto.

Cool! So, what's the crack with finding them? I just bunged 'locost' into flea bay and got nothing of note back.

Is there a builders forum or something?

[rallycross]

eltax91 said:

Cool! So, what's the crack with finding them? I just bunged 'locost' into flea bay and got nothing of note back.

Is there a builders forum or something?

Looks good what are they like to drive? Is it a tubular frame with Ford suspension (Sierra type bits?)

[skyrover]

eltax91 said:

skyrover said:

Oldandslow said:

eltax91 said:

£2k? What the hell do you get for 2 grand??

Well it wouldn't be a Caterfield and it'd be an older pinto probably and maybe needing a bit of work but it's doable. Also a st load of fun but impracticality al for anything but track and hooning.

Indeed.. plenty out there for sub 3k.

I've actually got one myself as a weekend toy. Paid £2200 for it complete with freshly rebuilt 2.0 pinto.

Cool! So, what's the crack with finding them? I just bunged 'locost' into flea bay and got nothing of note back.

Is there a builders forum or something?

I got mine off gumtree.

There are a few on there right now.

Try searching for kit car.

[Evangelion]

Early 2.5 Boxsters are getting really cheap.

[ColinMacC]

I'doe early boxter route, but parts prices scared me off...The mk3 MR-2 is a serious consideration, I'm on the lookout for a lightweight trailer as well, and a detatchable towbar for the Merc. What are the Locust kit cars like, how do they compare to the Caterham?
I'm looking for something cheap to get a feel for it, something that if I did have an off due to lack of exterience,it wouldnt be the end of the world..At the same time, I want a car that will challence me and help me to improve my skills, rather than flatter me!!

[james_gt3rs]

mk3 MR2 just works out of the box, standard brakes are good, nice balance, much less rust than an MX5.