3000M - track day car?

[ChilliWhizz]

Bit of a fantasy this, but not out of the question... I've been trying to buy a particular 3000m for about two years now, but the lady that owns it didn't want to sell it. It's been outside now and not been moved (or started I suspect) for the three years since I first saw it, and I suspect a few years prior to that... My original thread on it from two years ago..
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

I'm going to have last attempt to buy it, however, if successful I then have to decide what to do with it. I see the options as follows.... (bearing in mind this would be a complete nut and bolt ground up resto)
1. Restore to original spec
2. Restore but replace engine/box, drive train, suspension/brakes etc with uprated bits and a V8
3. Restore into a full on track focussed but road legal track day/race car - lightened/stripped out/full roll cage/built in extinguisher system/seats/full harnesses etc etc....

I'm heavily biased towards the track day car option, I think it would look awesome in such a guise and be a seriously fun track car... but, the question is, should one refurbish and retain the original engine and drive train, (Essex V6 etc), or look at other options??? V8? T5 box? Or something else....

Leave cost out of the equation here, this would be a labour of love with a reasonable budget to complete any of the three options above...

What would you guys do if you managed to save a golden but rotting oldie from the scrappie?

[phillpot]

Drop the body on a Chimaera/Griffith chassis..... instant engine, drive train and brakes up-grade

[GTRene]

does that fit (bolt on) ?
if so then perhaps a evo chassis of such type will also fit, that's even stronger, more updated I guess.

[ChilliWhizz]

Major issue (if it's different) would be the wheel base, shirly?

[GAjon]

Right now, if I picked up an unmolested M, albeit a rotter, I'd rebuild it as original as possible.

[phillpot]

Don't call me Shirley



When I say "drop on" there may be a little more work required

[Brummmie]

Cosworth v6?

[ChilliWhizz]

Would that be the 2.9 Cologne lump as per the Scorpio? Around 200bhp IIRC?

[Alexdaredevils]

Stick a VAG 3.2 v6 in, its small, powerful and sounds the bogs dollocks

[Brummmie]

ChilliWhizz said:

Would that be the 2.9 Cologne lump as per the Scorpio? Around 200bhp IIRC?

Yes, 4 valve head so can't be difficult to pep it up a bit, but I have never done anything with them.

[phillpot]

ChilliWhizz said:

Would that be the 2.9 Cologne lump as per the Scorpio?

Bits are getting scarce and expensive for those engines, if a compact powerful V6 is your thing you could do worse than.... clicky?


That still leaves crappy Triumph based steering, brakes and driveshafts etc to sort out