Griffith as a track toy?

[deadscoob]

As per post. How good are Griffs on track? Selling a part owned track toy and have always fancied a Griffith, so am wondering how they go on track? I guess they're a lot of fun, but how effective are they?

Would be looking at an early 500, unless there's no real difference in performance between a 4.3 and 5.0.

And what are the day to day running costs like? Know absolutely nothing about the specialists etc, but am happy to work on cars myself.

cheers in advance

[Guillotine]

can be done, but not with standard cars.

buy one with lots of work done already. ie new shocks (nitrons) polybushes, 16" wheels and some engine work would be good.

from the name i guess a scooby is where you were, well you'll have to work harder, drive better but you will have lots more fun and feel MUCH faster tho you will be slower (to start)

as a combination car its where it shines.

fab looks
fab sound
fab social
fast (160mph autobahns)
can go on posey hols in the sun
euro tracks...drive there!

track fun
RWD
lots of grunt
lots of power slides
heel and toe
weight to deal with!


if you can't drive you'll find out
if you can you'll have a blast!

oh yes...everyone loves TVRs, especially griffs
its like a Cobra (car)...no enemies. would say e-type but to stockbroker!
maybe healey 3000!

do it


PS Loads cheaper than a scooby to run on track!

all IMHO :0
drifting (proper not round cones!)

[k77-widow maker]

Guillotine said:

can be done, but not with standard cars. buy one with lots of work done already. ie new shocks (nitrons) polybushes, 16" wheels and some engine work would be good. from the name i guess a scooby is where you were, well you'll have to work harder, drive better but you will have lots more fun and feel MUCH faster tho you will be slower (to start) as a combination car its where it shines. fab looks fab sound fab social fast (160mph autobahns) can go on posey hols in the sun euro tracks...drive there! track fun RWD lots of grunt lots of power slides heel and toe weight to deal with! if you can't drive you'll find out if you can you'll have a blast! oh yes...everyone loves TVRs, especially griffs its like a Cobra (car)...no enemies. would say e-type but to stockbroker! maybe healey 3000! do it PS Loads cheaper than a scooby to run on track! all IMHO :0 drifting (proper not round cones!)

I kmow just the car you need !!!!!

[catretriever]

You'll probably need some extra silencing too as most track days are too quiet for a Griff

[jamiet]

Guillotine said:

can be done, but not with standard cars.

Eh, What? Track days cant be done in standard cars? If thats what you mean I beg to differ. Loads of people use standard Griffs on track days. Of course, any car would benefit from upgrades - especially properly configured shocks when it comes to Griffs - but the standard car is a great track car to start with. Speak to GarryM, I think he may have put Nitrons on his recently but I know he has done loads of track days in his 500 as pretty much standard and is about to embark on sprint events too. As far as I'm aware he hasnt upgraded the engine at all.

>> Edited by jamiet on Tuesday 3rd May 11:39

[nztrev]

jamiet said:

Guillotine said: can be done, but not with standard cars. Eh, What? Track days cant be done in standard cars? If thats what you mean I beg to differ. Loads of people use standard Griffs on track days. Of course, any car would benefit from upgrades - especially properly configured shocks when it comes to Griffs - but the standard car is a great track car to start with. Speak to GarryM, I think he may have put Nitrons on his recently but I know he has done loads of track days in his 500 as pretty much standard and is about to embark on sprint events too. As far as I'm aware he hasnt upgraded the engine at all. >> Edited by jamiet on Tuesday 3rd May 11:39

I think Guillotine means as a Track day tool?(where there is so much scope to sort these cars out and have some fun too) not the death trap that came out of Blackpool.
Can't agree to being cheaper to run than a Scooby on the track though,but Tivs have SOUL.

[deadscoob]

Not had a scoob for a while now. Got rid after I kept blowing them up, hence my username

got this now

[url]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=18308&item=4547280884&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW[/url]

This made me relaise how dull Scoobs are. A Griff won't be anywhere near on track, but like mentioend aboe, as an all round package it's very hard to beat. I am concerned about reliability and running costs, but am hoping (stupidly?) that an older car is more likely to have the major problems ironed out?

If anyone fancies a part ex, let me know

cheers

[starmist]

You might also be intersted in mine, in the classified. I've upgraded it specifically biased towards trackdays, but no so much that it's a pain in the arse on the road. Not cheap, but add up how much has been spent on it!

[jamiet]

You're selling? Got something else in mind?

[griffter]

deadscoob said:

As per post. How good are Griffs on track? Selling a part owned track toy and have always fancied a Griffith, so am wondering how they go on track? I guess they're a lot of fun, but how effective are they? Would be looking at an early 500, unless there's no real difference in performance between a 4.3 and 5.0. And what are the day to day running costs like? Know absolutely nothing about the specialists etc, but am happy to work on cars myself. cheers in advance

IME (passengered several times in a Scooby on track, driven my own Ausi S2 quattro + 4.3 Griffith on track) the Scooby is the more effective car, the Griffith the more fun. The Griff will probably outdrag the Scooby on the straights but the Scooby will lunch it through and out of corners and in the wet. The only exception to this which I have first hand experience of is a 500 I watched with full racelogic traction control which could be driven at 10/10 through the corners (or maybe I'm just too chicken) and was ballistic. But where's the fun in having electronics do all the work for you?

Performance wise the 500 is quicker - BUT the 4.3 may be more revvy (all cars differ etc etc). The 500 will be quieter - most precats break 100dB.

Running costs are fine if you attend to the little things yourself and don't mind the fuel costs. But they might not be so different to the Scooby.

I'm not sure about your theory of an earlier car having its problems ironed out. I'm most of the way through ironing out the problems on my car - almost all of which have been caused by previous owners or cack-handed maintenance.

[Guillotine]

jamiet said:

Guillotine said: can be done, but not with standard cars. Eh, What? Track days cant be done in standard cars? If thats what you mean I beg to differ. Loads of people use standard Griffs on track days. Of course, any car would benefit from upgrades - especially properly configured shocks when it comes to Griffs - but the standard car is a great track car to start with. Speak to GarryM, I think he may have put Nitrons on his recently but I know he has done loads of track days in his 500 as pretty much standard and is about to embark on sprint events too. As far as I'm aware he hasnt upgraded the engine at all. >> Edited by jamiet on Tuesday 3rd May 11:39

apologies jamieT, didn't mean to be dismissive of "standard cars", but if you've ever driven ANY track prepared car, compared with the stock article, you will understand what i mean. this guy has had some seriously quick track cars, and any griff could be disappointment if he was comparing it to a westy or scooby...UNLESS he was after a fun, posey, noisy hairychested road car that almost everyone loves!
as a track tool it needs alot of work.
as do the following if you want to track them.
ferraris, porkers, beamers, jags, mercs etc etc

unless you buy the track versions...stradale, GT3, etc etc.

road cars are road cars / track cars are track cars!

no offence

[Hoover33]

Hmmmmm look at this thread

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=175617&f=9&h=0

This car is in bits and could built to the spec you want..... may be worth a chat with the owner.

[powelly]

I've done @ 6 track days in my griff now, recent upgrade to ohlins has made it a much much more enjoyable car to drivys, theye on the track.

Ignoring the investment in suspension, I reckon on average it has cost me close to £200 per track day in maintenance/tyres/brakes etc.. i.e. I have managed to make a set of tyres last 4000 road miles and 3 track days (you sort of lose count intentionally!!).

As Guillotine says, they are an awesome track car despite being a great day car to..

But I can't help feeling that I am due to progress onto a caterham/radical derivative at some point.

[Guillotine]

exactly, bang for buck you can't beat a CaterField!

which is why i've spent a fortune making my Griff quick

just CAN'T bring myself to sell it, so had to make it quick!

[deadscoob]

So am I going the wrong way then? Westies are great for trackdays, but for all the time you spend on the road, they're quite limited. Especially my one as it doesn't handle speed bumps well!

I'm not expecting a Griff to be as good on track, but I do want something that I can take to trackdays, have a blast, hope it won't break too badly and drive home. And won't cost a fortune to run on them......

Am I barking up the wrong tree?

[RichardD]

deadscoob said:

So am I going the wrong way then? Westies are great for trackdays, but for all the time you spend on the road, they're quite limited. Especially my one as it doesn't handle speed bumps well! I'm not expecting a Griff to be as good on track, but I do want something that I can take to trackdays, have a blast, hope it won't break too badly and drive home. And won't cost a fortune to run on them...... Am I barking up the wrong tree?

What are your priorities between road and track?

XTR to Griffith is quite a jump between track and road. How about a Griffith for purely road days and a lightweight kitcar for the track and b road blasting? All down to priorities and budget. A less focused lightweight car would give a better road/track balance than the XTR whist still giving the driving experience (minus the aerodynamics) and lower costs that come with a lightweight machine.

Of course purely on the road, you'd prefer the Griff experience

[GarryM]

jamiet said:

Speak to GarryM...

You called Hi Jamie!

I'm no expert but I do enjoy driving my Griff on track. I've struggled with the idea of buying a Caterham as I've always loved them but the Griff is just so "right" in other areas - looks, sound, comfort and all out grunt.

They are great fun on track and as Guillotine says, with a few mods they are even better. I don't feel the need to mod the engine (yet!) but brakes and suspension are very worthwhile IMHO. With adjustable shocks you get the best of both worlds.

My brother said to me once after a Castle Combe day - we were driving home with the roof off - "I can't believe this car can be driven like that on track and still be such a wonderful car to drive home in". I think he's right.

[deadscoob]

My priority is to get the best balance I can for my budget. The XTR is 50% shared, so what I get for the car will dictate what I can afford. I know I won't be able to get anything that's comparable on track (not that's also road legal) for my budget, so I want something that's fun on track and road, whilst not necessarily excelling at either, just being a good compromise. I can't think of a better car than a Griff. An Elise is a bit limp wristed, doesn't look as nice, doesn't sound as nice. It's all down to running costs and reliability.

Have heard plenty of horror stories, had a friend with an early Speed Six Cerbera and this put me off TVRs for a while!! But I think Griffiths are more reliable. Or maybe I'm trying to convince myself they are!

[Alex]

Like I said on the other thread, I went the other way.

A Griff is actually a great trackday car.

However, it gets very expensive. I used to get through a set of front pads every trackday, and through a set of tyres every two trackdays. That's around 700 quid!

Plus servicing, and fuel (around 12mpg on-track).

[Guillotine]

deadscoob said:

So am I going the wrong way then? Westies are great for trackdays, but for all the time you spend on the road, they're quite limited. Especially my one as it doesn't handle speed bumps well! I'm not expecting a Griff to be as good on track, but I do want something that I can take to trackdays, have a blast, hope it won't break too badly and drive home. And won't cost a fortune to run on them...... Am I barking up the wrong tree?

nope, this is exactly the right way!

as GarryM said, great hairy ar5ed fun on the track, and cool as hell to drive home in.

bonus is you can develop it as funds appear.

Tyres last me a season, as do pads, discs a couple of years. not too bad, and MUCH cheaper than scoobs. will need getting used to after an XTR, but nearly as much fun. in fact more fun, i found shaving another 3 tenths of times boring, and thats all your left with on a full track car. more opportunity for power slides, drifting etc in a griff.

try one first, atleast get out in one as a passenger.