How much to convert a road car

[mrs phil dicky]

Could someone give me a rough idea how much it would cost to convet a road car to Dunlop Tuscan Challenge spec. I accept the engine will be the big expense but what about the rest?

[Phil Dicky]

Sorry thats me asking the question not Mrs PD

[Chassis 33]

From buying my Chimaera to racing it for a year I spent around £20k all in from buying a £8500 car in June 2005 to finishing a full Tuscan season and doing the Brikett 6hr in October 2006. Probably the better bet is to buy that dark blue Chim thats on eBay/PH Classifieds from time to time for around £7500.

The break down of that is about £1k for the cage, £1k for the other safety gear, plus all the fuel money, consumables etc etc. In theory probably £2500 would get you on track, but things never quite seem like that.
Regards
Iain

[Phil Dicky]

Chassis 33 said:

From buying my Chimaera to racing it for a year I spent around £20k all in from buying a £8500 car in June 2005 to finishing a full Tuscan season and doing the Brikett 6hr in October 2006. Probably the better bet is to buy that dark blue Chim thats on eBay/PH Classifieds from time to time for around £7500.

The break down of that is about £1k for the cage, £1k for the other safety gear, plus all the fuel money, consumables etc etc. In theory probably £2500 would get you on track, but things never quite seem like that.
Regards
Iain

Cheers Ian, reason I was aking is there's 350 on ebay which shouldn't be too much to buy, is a Cat D. So the main costs are a cage and safelty bits and bobs for around 2k. What about upgrading to a competative engine?

[Chassis 33]

What's the budget, and what is your interpretation of a "standard" Rover V8

Regards
Iain

[trackcar]

Phil Dicky said:

Chassis 33 said:

From buying my Chimaera to racing it for a year I spent around £20k all in from buying a £8500 car in June 2005 to finishing a full Tuscan season and doing the Brikett 6hr in October 2006. Probably the better bet is to buy that dark blue Chim thats on eBay/PH Classifieds from time to time for around £7500.

The break down of that is about £1k for the cage, £1k for the other safety gear, plus all the fuel money, consumables etc etc. In theory probably £2500 would get you on track, but things never quite seem like that.
Regards
Iain

Cheers Ian, reason I was aking is there's 350 on ebay which shouldn't be too much to buy, is a Cat D. So the main costs are a cage and safelty bits and bobs for around 2k. What about upgrading to a competative engine?

Starting with a Wedge is probably a bad way to do it.. especially one which looks in good condition. I actually bought a Wedge off a series competitor to stop him turning it into a race car! it was too good to do that to

Also a wedge is going to cost you a bomb to make a good race car .. there have been exceptions likes john sumner's car which used std wishbones and just chnged the bushes springs and dampers and did very very well it has to be said, but if you want to recreate a rose jointed car you'll be looking at thousands and thousands of pounds just on the chassis. Our tasmin was fastest tasmin at several circuits and was the result of a year of continued development. it's sold now but that would have made a good car for you .. it went for just over 1000 pounds minus engine, it would probably cost you 10k to recreate that car set-up with all the development time and parts.

If youre wanting to get involved follow Iain's advice .. buy the chim that's already converted or buy john sumner's wedge if you want an older car . it's a lap record holder and former race winner so you know it's a good base to start your racing career with

joo

[Graham]

Having Built one car from scratch (wedge) and done an engine conversion on another existing race car, and helped build two others I's say its always going to be cheaper and easier to buy an existing race car than to build one from scratch.

That chimaera really is a steal at 7.5k, even if you stuck 5k in for a stonking 5ltr motor its still one heck of a deal.


(5k is just a figure plucked out of the air but 3-5 should get you a stonker) so 10-12k would see you on track with a 5ltr chim.

4-4.5k would see you on the grid with johns 2.8 tasmin. ok not a v8 but its a heck of a good car with a strong motor, special ratios in the gear box etc etc.... both john and I freely admit it was much faster than my tasmin that i beat him to the class win in 2004 with.


Building from scratch is great as you know everything on the car, but its also a long haul,much easier to buy something running and improve it..

My tuscan was a halfway house. an existing race car but with no motor. I bought the car, and fitted an engine and dry sump kit and by the time it hit the track I reckon on 14k.

When i was looking for the tuscan initially I wanted a chim. I was looking for accident damaged and to repair accident damage and prep for racing i was budgeting 5k.

Incidentally a griff 500 rolling chassis has turned up today for around 2k

G

[Phil Dicky]

Graham said:

4-4.5k would see you on the grid with johns 2.8 tasmin. ok not a v8 but its a heck of a good car with a strong motor, special ratios in the gear box etc etc.... both john and I freely admit it was much faster than my tasmin that i beat him to the class win in 2004 with.

I would perfere to start with a smaller out lay, then If i don't enjoy it etc I've not too much money tied up. Would the Chimp thats knocking about be a better starting point to increase performance etc if my abilities improves?
Or is John's car the better way forward?

[GeorgeC]

I agree with the rest of the guys building a race car from scratch costs far more than picking up an existing car. The costs can escalate rapidly and even if the base car is cheap you can end up spending 20K which in my case means doing less racing, which was the whole point. All those little extras can really add up.
I probably should have bought the TMS racing Griffith which, although it seemed expensive at the time, was not as it turned out.
The important thing is to pick up a well sorted and well put together car which some known history. It may not be perfect but it will get you racing and you can then work towards getting it right for you so you are more compettative in whichever class it is in.
It is great to be able to race what you have as a road car but not always the best route.

George

1. 66

[Graham]

Phil Dicky said:

I would perfere to start with a smaller out lay, then If i don't enjoy it etc I've not too much money tied up. Would the Chimp thats knocking about be a better starting point to increase performance etc if my abilities improves?
Or is John's car the better way forward?

Both of those cars represent excellent value imho

John's tasmin is well developed and should go out and be competitive in its class from the off, but there is no defined upgrade path for it if you decide you want to go faster.


The chim has a 4ltr motor in it currently i believe so there is an easy upgrade to a 5ltr if you want to go faster, but it may not be competitive at the sharp end of class B from the start. although there should be some good competition at the lower end of the class, and with the fastest C runners.


Tasmins are a good car to learn in, very strong, and with a relatively low power to weight you have to learn to 4 wheel drift the car to maintain corner speed. The chim with its v8 will have a lot more punch out of the corners.

any help

G


any help

[Phil Dicky]

Graham said:

Phil Dicky said:

I would perfere to start with a smaller out lay, then If i don't enjoy it etc I've not too much money tied up. Would the Chimp thats knocking about be a better starting point to increase performance etc if my abilities improves?
Or is John's car the better way forward?

Both of those cars represent excellent value imho

John's tasmin is well developed and should go out and be competitive in its class from the off, but there is no defined upgrade path for it if you decide you want to go faster.


The chim has a 4ltr motor in it currently i believe so there is an easy upgrade to a 5ltr if you want to go faster, but it may not be competitive at the sharp end of class B from the start. although there should be some good competition at the lower end of the class, and with the fastest C runners.


Tasmins are a good car to learn in, very strong, and with a relatively low power to weight you have to learn to 4 wheel drift the car to maintain corner speed. The chim with its v8 will have a lot more punch out of the corners.

any help

G


any help

You may well laugh Mr Walden, its your fault I'm in this position, you and the collective drivers at Team Wright Racing

Edited by Phil Dicky on Friday 1st June 11:40

[Graham]

Phil Dicky said:

You may well laugh Mr Walden, its your fault I'm in this position, you and the collective drivers at Team Wright Racing

He he i must admit sometimes i do feel like a drugs dealer... go on you can handle it, you can stop at any time,it wont take over you life.. go on try it...

[sam.mnc]

As one of the new lads, i feel i should respond. The racing is awesome, beats the sh** out of any track day ive ever done, as far as having a faster car as ability improves, i feel this is not really an issue as you can get on the grid and race with a sorted taz, or a full on saggie race car, its all down to budjet, not really driving skill, i have been lucky enough to have been in the fast lane for a while, one way or another, and i can honestly say that this lot are a great bunch of people, and i get a real kick out of chasing cars that are more recent than mine, with more power than my old tazo.
You just gotta get out there, forget about the fast car thing, it is WAY COOLER to make a slow car go fast.
Regards

Sam www.forgeracing.co.uk

[wedgeman]

Phil Dicky said:

You may well laugh Mr Walden, its your fault I'm in this position, you and the collective drivers at Team Wright Racing

Grief - is Graham joining our team?

[kg55]

Phil give me a ring on 07889485595 i still have my turbo tasmin going at a very sensible price you will need about a £650 to fix it up. Once it is sold i can start the T350 build for next season.I will be snett to see everybody

[Guillotine]

just done this too mate.

a breakdown is on www.tvrmonster.com in the "Challenge" and "who are we" sections.

a most have said, its much cheaper to buy a competitive race car.

http://www.tvrmonster.co.uk/challenge.html

http://www.tvrmonster.co.uk/monstergriff.html

good luck

andy
car 89
(first races two weeks ago!)

[pistol pete]

If you plan to build a car. any car, for any series, it will cost twice your initial budget. Unless you have a strange desire to build your own car (like I do...), then buy one ready prepaired.

Pete

[Phil Dicky]

kg55 said:

Phil give me a ring on 07889485595 i still have my turbo tasmin going at a very sensible price you will need about a £650 to fix it up. Once it is sold i can start the T350 build for next season.I will be snett to see everybody

Kevan yhm

[Graham]

Phil Dicky said:

kg55 said:

Phil give me a ring on 07889485595 i still have my turbo tasmin going at a very sensible price you will need about a £650 to fix it up. Once it is sold i can start the T350 build for next season.I will be snett to see everybody

Kevan yhm

You might be better to call Kev, I think they ration The Internet connection in Norfolk so everyone gets a go