Trying to think up a sub 1250kg track car option....

[TroubledSoul]

I’m currently running my Impreza STI as a track and hill climb car and had no plans to change that. However, it does bother me on track that it is such a heavy car. It’s a Newage so weighs in about 1450kgs stock, and we have reduced that a tiny bit by removing the air con and fitting buckets etc. but the class we compete in means keeping the interior trim etc.

I’m running about 350bhp and it’s fairly quick. I’d like something for around £5k but could go up to £10k if the car justified it. I’m also considering changing my road car and just keeping the current track car as is and coping with it. Really I’m just weighing everything up.

A couple of options I’ve come up with:
Classic Impreza - I know the cars, I like the cars. I’d have to spend significant money to get it where I want it though.

Modified MR2 Roadster - Again, know the cars, would have to turbo it to have the sort of pace I require and be competitive. I wanted to run one with the Celica 2zz 190bhp engine but it seems this wouldn’t be permitted in the class we’d want to race in. The regs say induction is free though, so a turbo kit would be permitted oddly.

Honda S2000 - Absolutely no experience of these! But they’re within the criteria and they are adequately quick if not quite as quick as I’d like. Anyone know what they are like on track?

Toyota MR2 Turbo - Something else I’ve owned many of and love.... Doesn’t handle as well as a MK3 and would cost same as a MK3 and a turbo kit Bit of a pain to work on. Most need new sills.

Interested to know what else that’s fairly quick, rwd or 4wd, and is under the weight limit is available? Give me some ideas PH

[Krikkit]

Do you compete on track or hill climbing?

If a climber I'd look at 4WD for the traction advantages, on track then maybe the mid-engined balance of a Mk.3 with an engine swap?

[ghost83]

Can they be modified? I had a corsa c that handled bloody well that was 1000kg and similar power to yours

After me it then had a scooby engine and 4wd put in

Search corsaru online or YouTube

[TroubledSoul]

Think the Corsa example is a bit too modified

You can have uprated brakes, suspension and engine internals so there is plenty of scope for putting a decent package together.

[Johnny 89]

How about an Elise or VX220?. Elise may be out of your upper budget but VX should be attainable.

[Actus Reus]

Yep - you could get a supercharged 2.2 VX220 (just) - 900kgs and 230 - 250 brake.

[iguana]

E36 bimmer.

Mx5 fettled or with boost.

2OOsx

Ginetta

[peekay74]

Mgb gtv8 ? Approaching 300 Bhp, standard engine <900 kg or push it further and get 400 bhp on a non standard flat pane crank... great fun ....

[HustleRussell]

Caterham. No brainer.

[300bhp/ton]

Murtaya maybe. Not sure what they go for. Best of both worlds then.

[TroubledSoul]

Caterham is a no. Wife wouldn’t go for that. I’ve considered a VX220 but not seen many good ones in budget and don’t they have the same problem as an Elise; if it gets a whack you’re in for a couple of grand to repair the body work?

[TroubledSoul]

iguana said:

E36 bimmer.

Mx5 fettled or with boost.

2OOsx

Ginetta

MX5 is good shout if something decent comes up. No Ginettas I fancy on the market currently. 200SX is a good idea if there’s any left! E36 is a funny one as I still have one in bits

[C70R]

HustleRussell said:

Caterham. No brainer.

For £5-10k?

As the others have said, there's a reason why MX5s are so prevalent/successful at these kinds of events. I'd imagine that a supercharged 1.8 NA or NB (220+bhp is easily achievable on your budget) would be very competitive, and free of response-sapping lag that you'd find with a turbo.
Up a narrow hillclimb course in the dry, it would absolutely wipe the floor with your Impreza.

[C70R]

300bhp/ton said:

Murtaya maybe. Not sure what they go for. Best of both worlds then.

Absolutely useless advice, as ever. Not only are they almost never offered for sale, but the only one I could find for sale was £36k.
Almost surprised you didn't suggest a Foxbody Mustang.

[Actus Reus]

TroubledSoul said:

Caterham is a no. Wife wouldn’t go for that. I’ve considered a VX220 but not seen many good ones in budget and don’t they have the same problem as an Elise; if it gets a whack you’re in for a couple of grand to repair the body work?

Yes, GRP clam so doesn't like being 'whacked'. A small whack might be fixable, but a big whack is a new clam and a £2.5k bill or more.

[HustleRussell]

C70R said:

HustleRussell said:

Caterham. No brainer.

For £5-10k?

Easy if you know where to look. I bought one for less than £7k in 2009, and a 9 year old one for £11.5k in February this year. Both were sold for what I paid for them after some hard racing.

[C70R]

HustleRussell said:

C70R said:

HustleRussell said:

Caterham. No brainer.

For £5-10k?

Easy if you know where to look. I bought one for less than £7k in 2009, and a 9 year old one for £11.5k in February this year. Both were sold for what I paid for them after some hard racing.

It's November, so values should theoretically be low. Let's see some links...

[HustleRussell]

C70R said:

HustleRussell said:

C70R said:

HustleRussell said:

Caterham. No brainer.

For £5-10k?

Easy if you know where to look. I bought one for less than £7k in 2009, and a 9 year old one for £11.5k in February this year. Both were sold for what I paid for them after some hard racing.

It's November, so values should theoretically be low. Let's see some links...

Didn't realise you were in the market, in fact I'm pretty sure you were trying to laugh me down for my very suggestion- so although I have direct experience and many years of ownership of cheap Caterhams, and there are currently three for sale at less than £10k on the easy to find race club for sale page and another, a 140bhp LSD- equipped car for £10,750, I'm going to stop short of linking it for you. Wouldn't want to make it that easy for you.

[Humour]

You could get an e36 to your weight goal and 300+ with the correct engine swap but ot will cost you over 10k for a full car build, plus i dont think the wheel base is the best for hill climbs.

Mx5 like this....looks a fresh build too...

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2...

Humour

[C70R]

HustleRussell said:

C70R said:

HustleRussell said:

C70R said:

HustleRussell said:

Caterham. No brainer.

For £5-10k?

Easy if you know where to look. I bought one for less than £7k in 2009, and a 9 year old one for £11.5k in February this year. Both were sold for what I paid for them after some hard racing.

It's November, so values should theoretically be low. Let's see some links...

Didn't realise you were in the market, in fact I'm pretty sure you were trying to laugh me down for my very suggestion- so although I have direct experience and many years of ownership of cheap Caterhams, and there are currently three for sale at less than £10k on the easy to find race club for sale page and another, a 140bhp LSD- equipped car for £10,750, I'm going to stop short of linking it for you. Wouldn't want to make it that easy for you.

Given that this place is supposed to be a publicly-available information source for car enthusiasts, I thought it might be helpful to back up your point for those who might be looking. I've scanned PH Classifieds, Ebay and Autotrader, and can't find a single road-legal Caterham for "£5-10k".

If you'd rather say "If you're intelligent enough, you'll find it yourself, so ner ner." that's cool too, but not super constructive or mature.