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Off Topic - Ideas for cheap track car?
Ollie - December 13th, 2011 at 06:56 PM

After following some mates down to Wakefield Park Raceway recently, I've been thinking more and more about getting involved in giving circuit racing a red-hot-shot.
That's said, I don't want to take the bug, and my chick magnet daewoo lanos doesn't quite cut the mustard!

I discussed the idea with the old man and as it turned out, he was quite interested as well, so we've decided to start scouting to see if we can find something we could take down, thrash around, and drive back on a regular basis.

I've been trying to think of some cars but have you guys got any suggestions? we don't have a large budget, like 7k, and it doesn't need to be quick, just something good to learn on. I was thinking trying to find a decent MX5? Honda Civic? Any drive type is fine really!

Looking forward to suggestions!

Cheers boys and girls,

Ollie

HappyDaze - December 13th, 2011 at 07:06 PM

Formula Vee is one of the best and lowest cost ways to learn, and enjoy the track. There are quite a few 1200 Vees running 2nd GEAR, and Wakefield Park race days. A AASA licence is all that's required. MX 5 is also worth a look.

SuperOwen - December 13th, 2011 at 07:13 PM

By drive back do you mean something registered? Kinda rules out a vee, although I would pay to see you drive one to the track and back!!!!

Ollie - December 13th, 2011 at 07:15 PM

Yeah I think I'd want it to be registered. I haven't got any special licence, just want it to be a street car :)

Formula would be fun, just lack of storage etc :(

Pollywaffle - December 13th, 2011 at 07:20 PM

AE86!

Sides - December 13th, 2011 at 07:23 PM

This is gonna sound really dumb.... but I reckon go for a Hyundai Excel.

Cheap as chips to buy and maintain, and since there were so many of 'em sold heaps of used parts around.

There's a dedicated series running for them here in Qld even, with 30+ cars regularly competing !!!

http://trackattack.com.au/ 

Ollie - December 13th, 2011 at 07:34 PM

Polly- 86's are awesome, but I want something relatively stock, and they've all be 4age'd now!

Sides- I completely agree with you there, just kinda want something with just a tad more poke. I know I've mentioned I'm only starting, just figured it could be better to start with a more performances based car for handling etc

Sides - December 13th, 2011 at 08:04 PM

Yeah, can understand that... my mind is skewed a bit obviously by so many Excels circuit racing regularly up here.

Don't underestimate the handling of the old Excel tho... the guys in 'em who know how to drive are doing 61's round Lakeside, which ain't exactly messing around !!!

:ninja:

A first gen MX5 would be a pretty good bet for doing sprints and hillclimbs, but wouldn't want to circuit race one (have heard panels can be exxy). In stock trim they're a bit underpowered but very nimble (and RWD)... plenty of hop up bits available too as enthusiasm and budget allows. Good luck carting track rims/tyres in the boot tho !!!

:D

1303Steve - December 13th, 2011 at 08:16 PM

Hi

I'm partial to old Skylines and Sylvias 180SX etc, my sons drifts a R31 Skyline, you can do a bit to them to get them cracking.

A friend has an old Twin Cam Corolla, not sure of the model, its front wheel drive but he supersprints it and doesn't spend a lot on it.

Steve

waveman1500 - December 13th, 2011 at 08:17 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Ollie
Polly- 86's are awesome, but I want something relatively stock, and they've all be 4age'd now!



All AE86s came with a 4AGE in them as stock, that's what separated them from lesser RWD Corollas and made them into legendary cars.

If you're on a low budget and want the car to remain street registered, there's only so fast you can go. Using the Beetle which you already have will save a lot of budget! It depends on whether you just want to have fun at track days, or actually race and compete. If you want to be competitive in real races, then you have to buy or build something which fits an existing class. At your budget, I would say that pretty much any circuit racing will be a stretch. The only two obvious categories which I know of that fit the bill are HQ Racing and Formula Vee. If you want to compete in an actual circuit race then having a road-legal car isn't really an option. Personally, I'd be looking at either Formula Vee or go-karts. In fact I have recently been strongly considering both of these options, but have decided it's still too much of a financial stretch for me.

Once you move to an unregistered track-only car, it all gets a lot harder and more expensive than grass-roots weekend speed events. You need a trailer and a car which can tow it, as well as space to store the race car and trailer. So your minimum racing set-up requires commitment of three car-spaces worth of parking. For me that would obviously mean that I would have to drive the tow car as a daily (in my case a Holden ute) and then sell my weekend-driver Beetle to make both space and funds for the racer. A lot of extra effort compared to just taking the Beetle to a few hillclimbs or track days now and then.

bajachris88 - December 13th, 2011 at 08:30 PM

Tarmac circuit or would u be interested in starting in speedway?

eg: like the sigma series? cheap as chips... although dirty and the circuits aren't more than a loop, but none the less would be fun to start on a very basic budget.

Ollie - December 13th, 2011 at 08:40 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by waveman1500
Quote:
Originally posted by Ollie
Polly- 86's are awesome, but I want something relatively stock, and they've all be 4age'd now!



All AE86s came with a 4AGE in them as stock, that's what separated them from lesser RWD Corollas and made them into legendary cars.

If you're on a low budget and want the car to remain street registered, there's only so fast you can go. Using the Beetle which you already have will save a lot of budget! It depends on whether you just want to have fun at track days, or actually race and compete. If you want to be competitive in real races, then you have to buy or build something which fits an existing class. At your budget, I would say that pretty much any circuit racing will be a stretch. The only two obvious categories which I know of that fit the bill are HQ Racing and Formula Vee. If you want to compete in an actual circuit race then having a road-legal car isn't really an option. Personally, I'd be looking at either Formula Vee or go-karts. In fact I have recently been strongly considering both of these options, but have decided it's still too much of a financial stretch for me.

Once you move to an unregistered track-only car, it all gets a lot harder and more expensive than grass-roots weekend speed events. You need a trailer and a car which can tow it, as well as space to store the race car and trailer. So your minimum racing set-up requires commitment of three car-spaces worth of parking. For me that would obviously mean that I would have to drive the tow car as a daily (in my case a Holden ute) and then sell my weekend-driver Beetle to make both space and funds for the racer. A lot of extra effort compared to just taking the Beetle to a few hillclimbs or track days now and then.


Yeah good points :)

Oh and AE86's came with 4ac (or 4k- cant remember) engines in aust, not 4age- Jdm models were equipped with them.

waveman1500 - December 13th, 2011 at 08:41 PM

Righto. I got confused and assumed that you meant Trueno.

waveman1500 - December 13th, 2011 at 08:51 PM

Oh, the other thing that I was going to say is that you shouldn't be fooled into thinking that the cost of a road car equals the cost of taking it racing! A bloke that I work with has a Chrysler Galant Improved Production car. The original base car would be worth less than a thousand dollars, but to build it up to run Improved Production cost him $30 grand. A set of racing slicks will set you back a minimum of $1000 and last for one season at a stretch. If you are competing in a class which requires a roll cage, obviously that will add a few thousand onto your build cost, once you have the cage, seat and harness. Then you need the race suit, boots, gloves, helmet and so on. Almost everyone I've ever spoken to about it has said that it's cheaper to buy a car which is already built than it is to build your own. Try having a look around this place: http://www.my105.com/ 

Edit: Just having a look and spotted an unfinished KE70 Corolla with a roll cage and racing seat for $3000, could be the kind of thing that you're looking for? http://www.my105.com/ListingDetails/tabid/65/p/14/cid/518/id/5761/Default.aspx 

There's also a HQ Racer in Darwin which looks almost ready to go for less than $5000, and plenty of other HQ Racing cars priced between $6-$10k. http://www.my105.com/ListingDetails/tabid/65/p/18/cid/518/id/4934/Default.aspx 

The Excel Cup cars also seem to start from about $5-6k.
http://www.my105.com/ListingDetails/tabid/65/p/19/cid/518/id/5520/Default.aspx 
http://www.my105.com/ListingDetails/tabid/65/p/19/cid/518/id/6092/Default.aspx 

Datsun 1600 Improved Production car is tempting at $5900 but sounds like it needs a major engine rebuild.
http://www.my105.com/ListingDetails/tabid/65/p/20/cid/518/id/2161/Default.aspx 

Ollie - December 13th, 2011 at 09:26 PM

Wow nice finds waveman!

I guess I'm just looking for something relatively cheap, some sort of performance basis, that I can throw around the track with mates. Silvias and skylines are good, but theyve all been boosted etc and I figured I just wanted something stock I can throw some decent tyres on and have fun.

Maybe the excel is a good idea... Though an mx5 is looking like the pic at the mom

Craig Torrens - December 13th, 2011 at 09:51 PM

http://www.carsales.com.au/private/details/ford-falcon-1999-11594068?cr=25&am...
r
http://www.carsales.com.au/private/details/mitsubishi-starion-1984-11580277?v...

http://www.carsales.com.au/private/details/ford-falcon-2003-11437036?cr=0&...

Aussie Dubbin - December 13th, 2011 at 10:33 PM

Early model wrx??? Cheapish plenty of options. Drive to and from. 7k should see you moving around track well and get you home

Flintstones - December 13th, 2011 at 10:52 PM

Why not just get another beetle?

there's plenty of cheap one's about and from the change you can upgrade the suspension and brakes....
then as you get more confident you can then upgrade the power, and as you know, there are heaps of options in that department.
easy enough to rego as well.

Cheers

Ollie - December 13th, 2011 at 11:34 PM

Flnstone I would get another bug but I'm already modifying one bug and I don't really want to have to to any modifications to the car I get, if you get my drift.

Aussie dubbin I was thinking about a rex, but as with Skyrines and Silvias, too many hectic mods have been done to find a really clean one.

And also, (hate saying this :P) could be too much power to learn with?

mactaylor - December 14th, 2011 at 03:14 AM

bmw manual e36, great cars, enough poke, and getting cheap

Phil74Camper - December 14th, 2011 at 06:54 AM

Are you a Volkswagen man at heart? If make doesn't matter to you, then all these suggestions by the other guys are great - BMW, Hyundai, Nissan, Subaru, whatever. They're all OK.

But what if you want to stick with Volkswagen but, as you say, don't want another Beetle?

What about a Golf then? Extremely popular for this sort of thing in the UK and Europe where there are millions of them. Here you'll have difficulty in finding a good Mk1 ('76-'81), as we only got the LS and GLS. The Mk1 GTI was not sold here. As for the Mk2, we got the 77 kW 8V GTI in 1990-92 but there aren't many of them about.

But there are plenty of Mk3s here (1994-98). Our GL models have a 2.0-litre engine with 85 kW - the previous Euro GTI engine in fact. That's 114 hp bog stock, more than enough to start with. Then there are unlimited things you can do to it later to double and triple that. The cheaper CL has a 66 kW 1.8 litre engine. Or of course you could start with the 2.8-litre Golf VR6 - 128 kW (172 bhp). Give Matt at Camden GTI a call http://www.camdengti.com/ 

1303Steve - December 14th, 2011 at 07:11 AM

Hi

Don't be scared of buying an already modified car, you can save the $1000 that other people have blown on a car.

We bought my sons R31 Skyline with a heap of mods already done for a bit over $2000, it had $1200 worth of coilovers on it, race seats, upgraded front brakes, big wheels, extractors with 2.5 system and it was an almost one owner car. It got my son to uni in Wollongong and is now a weekday commuter and weekend drift car.

How about this one on eBay http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Nissan-Skyline-VERY-QWIK-/170747060149?pt=AU_Cars&...

Steve

Sides - December 14th, 2011 at 07:29 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by 1303Steve
... it was an almost one owner car.


:)

That's a bit like being almost pregnant, isn't it Steve ???

:D

It's definitely true... if you don't care what brand/model the car is, you're gonna be better of buying something already modified... we all know you can't sell a modified car for anywhere near what you spend on it.

E36 and a Golf are nice cars and yes you can get them up and running cheap, but being German parts costs will be pretty scary.

Same goes for a HQ... all the good used parts have been used by now, so you're talking new or repoop bits for most everything, which is why the HQ series is going the way of the dodo.

A Sylvia or Skyline would be OK - heaps of aftermarket bits, and you can pick 'em up pretty cheap. Another big benefit is their boot is big enough to carry track rims... only drawback is they go "issh" when you change gears, and Constable Plod may pay you more attention than you want !!!

Craigy's suggestion of an older Ford would be OK - heaps of them built, so parts will be fine.

That Datto could be interesting... ditch the FJ and throw an SR20 in it, and you've got virtually a bullet proof combo that will go great !!!

:tu:

matberry - December 14th, 2011 at 07:48 AM

Crikey, can't believe what I'm reading......well I can really BUT my opinion.....go Volksie, either get another one or play with your present one. If later it's too fast for the street (yeah right), get another one for your driver.
I love Volksies bacause they are not considered fast but can be easily made to go that way. Look at Craigs (EDIT or was it Glen; oops:lol:) 'wrecker racer' now that car didn't cost too much....
any beetle, even a swinger, once lowered with decent tyres goes round corners better than most cars, add to that a 1915, even a second hand one can go well, and your racing.
Good advice getting someones project tho, VW or otherwise, still be the best way on a budget.

JVLRacing - December 14th, 2011 at 08:03 AM

Glenn torrens done a great job with a budget racer vw....and just added what he needed to keep goin....

Sides - December 14th, 2011 at 08:07 AM

Oh I'm with ya Matt that it should be a Volksie, but since Ollie has already decided NOT VW... what can ya do ???

Hilcllimb's and Sprint's are ideal for a worked Beetle, but when it comes to circuit racing I think like how Eric Bana said it... "don't go racing in something you care about".

Oh and wrong Torrens... it's Glen with the wrecker racer.

:spin:

ian.mezz - December 14th, 2011 at 09:01 AM

track cars aint cheap :crazy:

Quote:
Originally posted by Ollie
After following some mates down to Wakefield Park Raceway recently, I've been thinking more and more about getting involved in giving circuit racing a red-hot-shot.
That's said, I don't want to take the bug, and my chick magnet daewoo lanos doesn't quite cut the mustard!

I discussed the idea with the old man and as it turned out, he was quite interested as well, so we've decided to start scouting to see if we can find something we could take down, thrash around, and drive back on a regular basis.

I've been trying to think of some cars but have you guys got any suggestions? we don't have a large budget, like 7k, and it doesn't need to be quick, just something good to learn on. I was thinking trying to find a decent MX5? Honda Civic? Any drive type is fine really!

Looking forward to suggestions!

Cheers boys and girls,

Ollie

Ollie - December 14th, 2011 at 09:49 AM

Steve I'm digging that Skyline!
I just worry that I'll spend money on a modified jap car it and poof! Some shitty FMIC that bob hasn't installed properly will fly off and destroy an engine. Plus if my old man and I did split it, he might drive it to work every now and then, and although he'd hate driving an excel, he isn't a man that is keen on jap cars

I really don't want something that I have to pour money into (Yes, we've all heard that before!), and something that I can just get used to driving quickly around corners.

Mat don't get me wrong I love the dubs, and couldn't agree more, but I know that I'll have to spend time and money getting it to handle and go like something I could already buy. PLUS I'm still trying to muster the funds to complete my 2276cc swap, so all funds and going into that.

That said all this inputs been fantastic, and the golf wouldn't be a bad idea (albeit parts). hmmm....

STIDUB - December 14th, 2011 at 11:34 AM

if you dont want anything turbo'd an early NA silvia will be cheap as chips, and parts cost sfa thanks to the drifting popularity, and yes theres a reason, they handle very nicely, both straight and sideways :lol: - use the lack of interest in the non turbo models to your advantage

Flexibledoor - December 14th, 2011 at 12:06 PM

How about this?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/RACE-CAR-NISSAN-PULSAR-HILL-CLIMB-SPRINT-MOTORKHAN...

Obviously won't have heaps of power, but handling wise could be quite fun. Cut your teeth on it and then sell as a package when you upgrade to another race car.

(no its not mine if anyone is interested, I just love surfing fleabay!!)