Budget drag car?
Discussion
Right, took my car onto a strip for the first time on Sunday (Crail, good fun!) and whilst it's not a proper drag strip (non-sticky surface, runway), it was brilliant.
I went with a lcoal forum and 3 of the guys used a £1000 EJ Honda Civic that they have spent around £500 on and they were running 14.8 runs. Now, this sounds good fun to me.
Very tempted to get a budget build on the go for next year. Only thing is, what to choose?
Honda, Volvo T5 saloon? (not an MX5, fun, but slow, as I found out
)
I went with a lcoal forum and 3 of the guys used a £1000 EJ Honda Civic that they have spent around £500 on and they were running 14.8 runs. Now, this sounds good fun to me.
Very tempted to get a budget build on the go for next year. Only thing is, what to choose?
Honda, Volvo T5 saloon? (not an MX5, fun, but slow, as I found out
)MR2 turbo?
You can buy one for about £1500 and it should be fairly quick out of the box. I'd guess it'll be under 15 seconds for a standing quarter mile. Fairly easy to tune, too, since it's already turbocharged.
The RX7 might be worth a look if you can stretch to one. They can be tuned for silly power.
You can buy one for about £1500 and it should be fairly quick out of the box. I'd guess it'll be under 15 seconds for a standing quarter mile. Fairly easy to tune, too, since it's already turbocharged.
The RX7 might be worth a look if you can stretch to one. They can be tuned for silly power.
Edited by kambites on Tuesday 16th October 10:26
To be honest, anything that does sub 15 second runs in standard form is a good basis to start from, the fun then is getting the times lower.
You will get better at launching the car, make the car lighter, tune it etc etc but make sure you run it down the strip standard so you have your bench mark.
You will get better at launching the car, make the car lighter, tune it etc etc but make sure you run it down the strip standard so you have your bench mark.
MR2 sounds like a good shout due to weight distribution and RWD. Avoid FWD if possible, you don't want the driven wheels losing traction when you accelerate...
Old beetles too if you aren't afraid of rust. They weigh nothing and all the weight is on the rear wheels, so if you squeeze a bigger engine in there, they can be very, very quick. Subaru engine conversion, simple Legacy non turbo will be quick, full on Impreza turbo engine will be very quick. You'll need to work on the transmission too if you want to do more than one run with some power.
Old beetles too if you aren't afraid of rust. They weigh nothing and all the weight is on the rear wheels, so if you squeeze a bigger engine in there, they can be very, very quick. Subaru engine conversion, simple Legacy non turbo will be quick, full on Impreza turbo engine will be very quick. You'll need to work on the transmission too if you want to do more than one run with some power.
Edited by SturdyHSV on Tuesday 16th October 10:31
Only issue we would have is classes for competitions. They aren't the best though out. You get:
FWD NA
FWD FI
RWD
4WD
So RWD would go from my 115bhp MX5 up to the 800BHP skylines and supras.
RX7 would be great. But i'm looking at getting one as an every day car
I do have an MG that I may be selling over the next couple months. Tomcat rover turbo engine conversion?
FWD NA
FWD FI
RWD
4WD
So RWD would go from my 115bhp MX5 up to the 800BHP skylines and supras.
RX7 would be great. But i'm looking at getting one as an every day car
I do have an MG that I may be selling over the next couple months. Tomcat rover turbo engine conversion?
t load of nitrous oxide.Ah so you actually want to be competitive? That, I'm guessing, means expensive in any class.
Probably something large engined, reasonably aerodynamic, and FWD then. How about strapping a large turbo or supercharger to a Corrado VR6?
Or maybe a Fiat coupe 20v turbo, or Alfa GTV V6 with a turbo?
Probably something large engined, reasonably aerodynamic, and FWD then. How about strapping a large turbo or supercharger to a Corrado VR6?
Or maybe a Fiat coupe 20v turbo, or Alfa GTV V6 with a turbo?
Edited by kambites on Tuesday 16th October 10:42
Weight is the most limiting factor in drag racing, how about a Rover Metro with a K series swap or something similar? Can be done on the cheap, makes reasonable power for the weight of the car and I've heard they are quite fun to drive as well.
Or an old Nova with a 2.0ltr "red top" (forgot the engine code, the one from the Calibra/Cavalier GSi2000 C20 something) again, cheap conversion low weight and readily available parts?
Lots of options in FWD classes.
Or an old Nova with a 2.0ltr "red top" (forgot the engine code, the one from the Calibra/Cavalier GSi2000 C20 something) again, cheap conversion low weight and readily available parts?
Lots of options in FWD classes.
MGZRod said:
ut the danger to my manifold may make my floor fall off 
okay... I'm only trying to offer advice thanks for the reply back... 
I've done the budget rwyb car, Golf VR6, £900, ran 14.6 all day long and 0-60 in 6 flat no problem. Just a standard car stripped out and a gutted exhaust.
Here, watch it dick a 350z
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MKN88SCfVABig heavy cars IMHO, are a no no. Little car, big engine, then make it lighter and grippier.
Get a cheapo E36 328, strip the living hell out of it, scour ebay for a nitrous kit and try a 100bhp shot first, maybe work up to a 150 shot. Gotta be a 13 in that.
Fiat Coupe turbo could be another good one.
MK2 fiesta 2.0 zetec turbo CONVERSION, cvh turbo
AUDI S2
Civic turbo
Punto , 20v turbo conversion
R5gtt with nos
All these cars will blow the socks off most cars in the same price range give evos/scoobys a shock!
All relatively cheap for what you can get from them, set of big flat hoosiers on the front, traction all day long!
AUDI S2
Civic turbo
Punto , 20v turbo conversion
R5gtt with nos
All these cars will blow the socks off most cars in the same price range give evos/scoobys a shock!
All relatively cheap for what you can get from them, set of big flat hoosiers on the front, traction all day long!
MGZRod said:
Only issue we would have is classes for competitions. They aren't the best though out. You get:
RX7 would be great. But i'm looking at getting one as an every day car
Even better! RX7 would be great. But i'm looking at getting one as an every day car
Think of the spares, if you have a problem with one you have a full car of spares on the drive.
I wouldn't be dragging an RX7, the stresses are gonna send that up in smoke pretty quick.
Sturdy, light FWD platform with a good engine as standard and aftermarket options available for big boost. That's what makes a good drag car.
Anything else is going to need big bucks spent on it to get near.
Crail is a nightmare, it's about a second slower than proper drag strips.
Gimme a shout next time you're going up Rod, i fancy seeing what the Porker can do. My mate is up with his daft Mr2T all the time. They are good for dragging but as you know, the competition is big so you have to spend money to compete there again.
Sturdy, light FWD platform with a good engine as standard and aftermarket options available for big boost. That's what makes a good drag car.
Anything else is going to need big bucks spent on it to get near.
Crail is a nightmare, it's about a second slower than proper drag strips.
Gimme a shout next time you're going up Rod, i fancy seeing what the Porker can do. My mate is up with his daft Mr2T all the time. They are good for dragging but as you know, the competition is big so you have to spend money to compete there again.
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