Trying to think up a sub 1250kg track car option....
Discussion
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
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
Cheers folks. Have to admit the idea of a classic Sti Type-RA appeals a lot, as does the idea of a turbocharged MX5. Also the turboed MR2.
I'm going to sit on this a bit and weigh up whether I've got it in me to do a shed load of work again that I've only recently completed on the current track car. If I decide the answer is no, I'll park this until next winter. If I decide yes let's do it, then I'll make a choice and go full steam ahead.
I'm going to sit on this a bit and weigh up whether I've got it in me to do a shed load of work again that I've only recently completed on the current track car. If I decide the answer is no, I'll park this until next winter. If I decide yes let's do it, then I'll make a choice and go full steam ahead.
C70R said:
A fair point, but you could probably get that MX5 weight below 900kg with a little work (FG bonnet/boot and lightweight seats), meaning it's going to stop and change direction a LOT more efficiently than the Impreza (all things like tyres and brakes being equal).
The point you're making is sensible, but it's a lot more complex than just looking at power:weight. The most successful hillclimb cars are generally 2WD and VERY lightweight.
With it being class based though, the classic Impreza would be very competitive in its class I think, especially with 500bhp on board The point you're making is sensible, but it's a lot more complex than just looking at power:weight. The most successful hillclimb cars are generally 2WD and VERY lightweight.
I can do most work myself but have a tame specialist who is well known as an Impreza and Evo man for when I can't/don't want to. That said, he's an old school mechanic and could turn his hand to most things I imagine.
My current train of thought it go ahead and do the season on what I've got. Get the M3 finished, then around halfway through the season make a decision which way I want to go, get hold of a base for the next project and take my time deciding on spec and starting work.
In the mean time I may well end up destroying the budget, buying an Elise as a road car and end up hating driving the Impreza because of it
Who knows, I've appreciated all the advice here though and when the time comes I will come back and update with which way I went. C70R said:
Hillclimbs are not all about flat-out speed and power - it's about braking, changing direction, and accelerating. That's why the fastest hillclimb cars are lightweight, single-seaters; not 4WD mega-power beasts.
Absolutely, and that's also why it's a class based system so that we CAN compete in 4WD mega-power beasts But to back up your point, the 182 Clios are going up the hill faster than I am at the moment....
m1dg3 said:
And Shelsley is a 'power hill'. Take that pair to Prescott or Loton and the difference would be even greater.
Size seems to be a significant factor. Hillclimb tracks are typically really narrow so something small can actually run a racing line. Sticking with the 4WD theme, would a Pulsar be significantly smaller or lighter than a classic Impreza? I seem to remember a chap called Phil Oram competing successfully in one a few years ago so you could look up his times for comparison.
Pulsars are actually quite similar to a classic Impreza in weight but far more fragile unfortunately. The wheelbase of it suggests it could be an absolutely awesome hillclimber but I'm not sure it would last long. I have looked into them before. Size seems to be a significant factor. Hillclimb tracks are typically really narrow so something small can actually run a racing line. Sticking with the 4WD theme, would a Pulsar be significantly smaller or lighter than a classic Impreza? I seem to remember a chap called Phil Oram competing successfully in one a few years ago so you could look up his times for comparison.
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