What budget track car?

[dr matt uk]

Morning, I've not posted on this section before and orginally put this in GG - but thought you good people would be able to help steer a newbie in the right direction? Cheers



OK, I'm seriously considering getting an old car and spending a few quid on some sensible mods to make a decent enough track car also capable of getting me and a mate to the 'ring for a weekends hoonage, and back again.

Looking at £1k to buy and £1k to mod as required to get it up to scratch.

Also, I'd also be looking on this project as an opportunity to start exploring the oily bits of cars and would plan to do work on it myself, so I want a car that’s easy car to work on, with a good supply of cheap parts and upgrades and that's fun and reliable to drive on a track. Cosmetic condition is of no interest as I'd ditch the interior anyway.

Ideas so far are rather obvious, but I do like them all.

e30 325i
Mk2 Golf GTI
Pug 205 GTI
Toyota MR2
MX5
Nissan 200 SX?

Any thoughts?

[chrisr29]

Easiest and cheapest to buy/fix/mod out of that list is the Golf. Make very good track cars as well, very forgiving if you get it wrong. If my budget was 2k all in then that's what I'd go for.

[teabagger]

be a man,

e30 325 all the way!

[BenElliottRacing]

my vote would be for either the mx5 or mk1 mr2. not huge power but great economical track cars that are very rewarding to drive. Nice and reliable too from what i'm told.

[furtive]

Has to be an MX5. Light, easy to control, fun, reliable, cheap to run

[System-G]

I've been running MK1 MR2's on track for 4 years now. Can't fault them really other than they're getting on with age so you need to keep on top of rust issues.

1st track car cost £250.00 over 3 years I spent £1200.00 on it improving handling and braking (although the money also included an engine swap shortly after picking the car up.
I did the big end on the replacement engine thanks to shortsightedness of not checking oil levels before going on track and knowing the dizzy had a small leak. However this was after more than 25 days on trasck and 3 years of daily driving.

2nd car cost £60 (what was left on the tax disc) back in Jan. Spent £200 on welding & MOT. Swapped over suspension & brakes from old car. Drove it to Cadwell - it survived the abuse. Drove it to Spa, did 360 miles on circuit in two days and drove it back. It didn't skip a beat. We resprayed it ourselves and now also use it in a small sprint series.
We've done another 8 track days since including another recent trip to Spa - still not skipping a beat.

I know we're not the fastest on most circuits, but we're not by a long shot the slowest either Bang for £££, you won't get better

[BoxheadTim]

Another vote for an MX5 - cheap to buy, cheap to run, reasonably cheap to mod if you so desire, well balanced and handles very well.

Basic mods on mine are uprated brake pads, plus I stuck a set of Gaz coilovers on. Both will fit in your budget with a few hundred left over if you do the work yourself.

[chris7676]

To avoid repeating the same stuff again:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[Xaero]

mx5 or 205.

[davedlr]

Personally, I went down the Honda CRX route. (Mk2 1988 car, 1.6 16v) Quite bulletproof and good fun if FWD is your thing. Just like race cars, its cheaper to buy a pre-prepared one, so I would look to find a car thats already started to be transformed into a track car, they usually cost the same as an equivalent road car and you get lots of the bits already in place.

[smckeown]

This topic is like groundhog day!

[shoestring7]

Add the Porsche 924S or 944 to your list. Lots of specialists/specailist breakers for parts, solid engineering so no major mods needed. Lots of prepared cars already avaialble (much cheaper than doing it yourself!).

C>

[projectpug]

Hi,
I would add a 205 GTI to that list easily modded if needs be . Cheap 195/50/15 profile tyres, suspension upgrades are relatively cheap too.

I am biased though

Phil

[sniff petrol]

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/669152.htm

[projectpug]

Nice car, Couldnt go wrong at that price

[sniff petrol]

projectpug said:

Nice car, Couldnt go wrong at that price

Thanks Phill, bit gutted to be getting rid to be honest after a lot of hard work on it but I just won't get the time or money to use it over the next year or two.

[Pentoman]

A Merc 190E 2.6 is another option (for groundhog day bypass). Sportline model if possible as it's much stiffer suspended. What it has over the other cars is it's very easy to work on, everything comes apart nicely and it shouldn't be rusted to buggery. It's all very solid too - Chain cam engine, and you can straight swap the engine for a 3.0 as well. Really really benign handling - that's not to say understeering benign, but just very predictable and unscary. Don't really think it'll be as fast as the MX5s and BMWs but you never know.

[Pentoman]

Pentoman said:

A Merc 190E 2.6 is another option (for groundhog day bypass). Sportline model if possible as it's much stiffer suspended. What it has over the other cars is it's very easy to work on, everything comes apart nicely and it shouldn't be rusted to buggery. It's all very solid too - Chain cam engine, and you can straight swap the engine for a 3.0 as well. Really really benign handling - that's not to say understeering benign, but just very predictable and unscary. Don't really think it'll be as fast as the MX5s and BMWs but you never know.

You'll have to register but http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?t...
sportline, manual, only 74k miles, bust sunroof and interior not great but no probs for track! And has the cosworth kit for a bit less lift and a bit lower drag coefficient (getting geeky here...)

bloke said:

1990 G reg, 190E with factory fitted cosworth kit. 2.6 manual, rust started to show from under body kit on arches. full factory fitted sportline interior and suspension, drivers seat has a bit of wear and drivers arm rest is sagging. rest of interior is pretty much mint.

in black, 74k miles with all mot's to prove. just had £800 spent on replica exhaust system made in stainless from headers back.

needs attention to window and sunroof electrics. original bill of sale.

open to offers as i dont know what its worth.

pictures to follow, just needs some TLC to make it a brilliant car again.

if interested call tel; 07730878198.

steve

Ad dated June though so might be gone!