Cheap Track car?

[CocoPops]

Oh Knowledgable guys of hexus.....

I'm wanting to buy a cheap (£2000 or less) car that will be suitable for the track.

It must be road legal and fairly easy to insure etc.
I wanna buy it now and get it ready for the spring.
I've got garage space just sat waiting, so I need a car to fill it.

I've been thinking about tracking my 182, but as it's my everyday car and I rely on it for 2hrs of motorway travel I can't afford for it to get knackered.

So ideas please.

[Moby-Dick]

track days or actually racing ?

[Lowe]

R5 GTT
Clio 16v

[Moby-Dick]

http://www.sxoc.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=114829

[Moby-Dick]

http://www.sxoc.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=114927

[Moby-Dick]

http://www.sxoc.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=110358

[Moby-Dick]

http://www.sxoc.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=114603

[XTR]

buy a cheap megane coupe.... some can be had for £1500....
1.6e........

And then drop in a Clio 172 engine and brakes

Ta'da!!!! That'll be some boy!!

I know a lad that has already put a 172 engine into his Megane, and it doesnt half shift.... Its at 185bhp now!

[schrickvr6]

Jetta gti 16v for sure, you can pick up a minter for less than £600, £3-400 would get you something perfect for the track. They have better balance and grip levels over a golf as well due to the extra weight and over-hang over the back wheels. Spares and upgrades are plentiful and reasonably cheap.

Saying that tho a few of my mates just picked up a golf 16v for £200.

[Shad]

And now for my biased opinion...

£2k will buy you a good Mk2 Honda CRX, 1.6 16v or a VTEC model, however for track/racing use the 16v is better because you don't have to work hard to keep the engine in the VTEC range.

The cars have a racing history if you look back to the late 80's and early 90's, and are very easy to tune. They are also very light (900kg for the 16v) and do 0-60 in 7.4 (16v again). Handling wise... drive one. Honestly, you will be (should be!) impressed

With a new manifold, Mugen ECU and induction kit you will be lapping faster than Civic Type R's, as well as many others

All I can say is don't knock it until you've tried it!

[CocoPops]

shad,
the crx is on my list already (spent my early years going to every Honda CRX Challenge race, father works as lead tech consultant for honda).

moby,
I'm guessing the sxoc links are to 200sx's, they too are on my list. Seen a few in the 'trader.

[Shad]

shad,
the crx is on my list already (spent my early years going to every Honda CRX Challenge race, father works as lead tech consultant for honda).

Any chance of cheap Honda parts then?

[CocoPops]

Nah, he works for nissan now
But It was superb fun as a kid to get to spend soo much time at circuits, hence my love of cars

Some of the S13's look very good value, might have to spend some time at sxoc.
Got any 200sx related advice moby?
Rear wheel drive sounds fun, only ever owned FWD cars.

I'm guessing they last well, jap engineering and all that. Tuning parts seem easy to come across due to popularity etc.

[Moby-Dick]

The RX-7 is the real steal on that list of cars - £400 for a very very drifty car

the S13 is cheap and cheap to tune , but as is the case with all 10+ yr old Performance cars... you can choose any two of cheap , fast and reliable !

Stage 1 mods are very cheap and will see you to about 210 bhp.

Known problems with the S13 are rust and bottom end bearings , always worth finding out if they have been replaced - its not too much of a job if you get someone to help.

ensure that the turbo isnt smokey either

the SXOC forums are very cheap for getting parts off to. I'd prefer to buy a car that someone has spent the cash on already.

RWD cars are fun , you just have to show them a bit of respect The later models of the S13 came with an LSD as standard but I got one fitted from the board for £200.

if you are going to be tracking it , then standard wheels are a lot cheaper to replace tyres on

oh and just for shad....
http://www.sxoc.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=114605

grab me on MSN if you need any more details.

[Vimeous]

If you're inexperienced in track-day work and will be running on a limited budget while you are learning Golf/Jetta GTi 16v all the way.
They are cheap to buy, cheap to tweak, reasonably reliable, and there have been hundreds of them converted for trackwork so there's a massive wealth of expertise out there.
Remember once you've fitted semi-race tyres, lowered the suspension, fitted a roll cage and bought your own safety gear there will be very little of your budget left.

Although the 200sx is a superb car and certainly cheap for track use I'd suggest it'd cost more to run than you might imagine and you may be better learning your track-craft in a more forgiving motor. 200bhp under your bum will sure be exciting (Moby's car is v quick and not hugely expensive) but you may spend more time learning the car than learning how to drive the track itself.

Zak is probably the most ably equiped peep to give the final word.

It may be worth noting what the racing schools use/used for track-teaching cars. Golf GTi, Pug 309GTi, BMW 318i, Focus 1.8, Integra Type-R & Accord Type-R (ok the last 3 are way to pricey in this case). Last weeks Autocar had an article on converting a 309GTI into a track car for £1000, it might still be in slower news agents (has a pic of the updated Vanquish on the cover).

[Zak33]

309 GTi is a good piece of advice...but so is any 205 GTi cos cages and stuff are also easily available and they do go well.

Uno Turbo maybe a thought...

but for me if its a track car you gotta learn new stuff that ya wouldnbt dare do elsewhere....

SO its gotta be rwd.
its prob gonna be Jap

Corolla GT if you can find one....old MR2 cos its a right handfull when going really fast....Nissan Silvia Turbo cos they is cheap.....

or ....hold on.....front wheel drivers due...

a Cav GSi or Astra GTE 16v


but most likely laugh of the year is an Imported MX5 with the sticky diff....

it would be athe most howls per mile

just go in the rain