What track car?

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Discussion

Buzz word

Original Poster:

2,028 posts

209 months

Tuesday 4th January 2011
quotequote all
Over christmas my mates and I were discussing the idea of getting a track car each and going to do a few days this summer. Things stepped up when one found an almera gti and bought it for a very tidy £250. Now this sets the bench mark for what I am looking at. I want to spend about £700 max on the car as it will need some money and attention to get it up to scratch but I would like some ticket on it for that price.

I like my mates almera but the weight is a bit high at about 1200kg. I would like something a bit lighter and running smaller tyres to try and keep costs down there, so no e36 suggestions as the tyres will be a big running cost. It has to fit in my garage so a small hatch is ideal the B car kind of thing. The other concideration is that I don't want a v engine and I don't want any kind of forced induction. Performance should be about the same as his so 0-60 in about 8 or less.

It seems a tall order but my current thoughts are:
206 gti
mk3 golf 16v
vts saxo

I would love a mk3 fiesta but they seem a bit out of range for the quick ones at this price.

bencollins4

1,099 posts

206 months

Tuesday 4th January 2011
quotequote all
You might just be able to find an early Clio 172 for the budget.

Buzz word

Original Poster:

2,028 posts

209 months

Tuesday 4th January 2011
quotequote all
Interesting call. I had a quick lok but they seem to start from about £1100 from what I can see in the classifieds. Shame as I bet they are a good drive.

Herman Toothrot

6,702 posts

198 months

Tuesday 4th January 2011
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With those constraints I finding myself suggest a saxo vts.

Matt UK

17,696 posts

200 months

Tuesday 4th January 2011
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Tatty MX5?

RWD and very cheap and easy to work on.

Buzz word

Original Poster:

2,028 posts

209 months

Tuesday 4th January 2011
quotequote all
Mx5 is a good option. If I could find a pre modified one I would go up to about 3k if it was prepped. I think i could probably find one with a few goodies for that money.

Guvernator

13,153 posts

165 months

Tuesday 4th January 2011
quotequote all
What about an e30 BMW? Much smaller than the e36, in fact probably about the same size as the hatches you are looking at and it's rwd. Parts are now plentiful and still relatively easy to work on.

rallycross

12,790 posts

237 months

Tuesday 4th January 2011
quotequote all
On such a low budget the best thing you could do would be go halves on the almera with your mate;

Then you will have double the funds to improve it (tyres/brakes/suspension) and track day entry fees will be halved (almost) and you will not miss out on any track time as 2 people sharing one car gives more than enough time to drive both drive it.

harryowl

1,114 posts

181 months

Tuesday 4th January 2011
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106?
205?

FamilyDub

3,587 posts

165 months

Tuesday 4th January 2011
quotequote all
I had the same chat with a mate at xmas.

Personal choices would be either 1) Peugeot 205 GTI, or 2) MKII Golf GTI.

DuncanM

6,182 posts

279 months

Tuesday 4th January 2011
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Toyota Celica ST182 with 158bhp and a good FWD chassis for that money smile.


TTwiggy

11,537 posts

204 months

Tuesday 4th January 2011
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Try and find a 205gti with a knackered engine and drop an Mi-16 in it.

Adam205

814 posts

182 months

Tuesday 4th January 2011
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This:



For £1k.

http://retrorides.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=FS...

It meets every criteria, you can hop straight in and have endless fun! When you've found the limits of the car with 85bhp (a lot further than you'd think) add a saxo VTS engine.

Edited by Adam205 on Tuesday 4th January 17:07

Adam205

814 posts

182 months

Tuesday 4th January 2011
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It has a TU in it. 1360cc ali block TU3S engine, straight out of the XS.

Edited by Adam205 on Tuesday 4th January 17:17

EDLT

15,421 posts

206 months

Tuesday 4th January 2011
quotequote all
Buzz word said:
Mx5 is a good option. If I could find a pre modified one I would go up to about 3k if it was prepped. I think i could probably find one with a few goodies for that money.
If you would go up to £3,000 for a prepped car then there is:

Race winning MG Maestro
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2161931.htm

Corrado VR6
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2252073.htm

306 GTi-6
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2242085.htm

B3Svert

553 posts

192 months

Tuesday 4th January 2011
quotequote all
Mate of mine has a 106 GTI "The Bean Can", totally track sorted and still road legal. I would be looking there given your criteria.

Although as above I wouldn't rule out the e36. I have had a few e30's and it's hard to find a good example that isn't being eaten away with rust. I am part of a group of 4 that pitched in for a crashed, shabby e36 saloon this time last year. We completely stripped it and rebuilt as a budget track car, it's been great fun working on it and we've done about 5 track days so far in it. Total spent on ours including petrol, track days, all parts/consumables etc. trailer hire the lot has been less than £3k between us.