I'm looking to setup a car for next summer. What's a good car to build up for the track. I would like to aquire a second car that I can use for scca events and the track. It won't be a daily driver and my budget is some what limited. I'm considering:

95-98 m3, or 325, 328
ITR
3rd gen rx7
c5 vette
mustang gt
???

I haven't done much research yet, so I don't know what kind of prices these cars demand. I think the ITR and BMWs would be the easiest to find?? What do you guys think?

 

Wow, that's not what I would have called a "somewhat limited" budget.

The least problematic asskicker of the bunch is the C5, but you're talking $30k at least.

The 3rd gen 7 can be had for about $10k - 15k depending on the car. With about $4k in mods, the 7 will beat the C5 handily, but you will need to know what you're doing to deal with the 7. I'd recommend against it. If you get aggresive with your fuel tuning, you'll blow your engine. Engines are about $4k stock, installed.

Next best is the M3, it's heavy though, and you'd have to strip and mod it to compete with the C5 and the 7. Parts are expensive. Consider an E30 M3, it would be much cheaper, and it's lighter, but you're stuck at under 300hp. Great handling car though.

My next choice would be the ITR. The handle great, and stripped you can get some real speed out of them.

The mustang is a bad idea. The GT has a solid rear axel. You're going to want to rip it out, weld in an IRS, get coilovers, etc. It's a lot of work, and the car's a pig. It can be made faster than a stock C5, but at a high price, and at the end you still have a mustang. I'd get the C5 first.

 

here is the ultimate weapon - mine should be arriving in about a month..... it outran everything (except for a dual motorcycle powered super 7) including the 911 turbo and some other beasts in the UK recently.

Suzuki GSXR1300 powered. for about $34k you can probably get on fully put together with roof, etc..... or for about $27,500 you can put it together yourself (not me)

 

o ya... i think that is probably not a correct

 

Thanks guys!

Fluxen: I'm leaning towards the ITR. I think I can find a used one for about $15k and spend another $5k on roll bar, seat, suspension, tires, etc. I'd like to find an rx7, but I'm worried about reliability. I mean this is going to be a track car, but I don't want to worry about replacing the engine. By limited budget, I'm thinking $15-20k, on the track.

 

You're almost allways better of buying some else used race car rather than building one, especially if it's your first time building a race car. The SCCA mag has LOADS of ads for used race car, check it out.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by boka
[B]What's a good car to build up for the track.

 

I would get something cheap and rear wheel drive.

It will start out as a your charished racecar but after you get on the track it won't matter what it is...it just becomes a tool. Once you get up to speed you won't care too much about it when you are trying to beat the guy next to you.

Believe me I know.

 

...and a spec miata will flat-out crush a stock S2000 through the curves.

 

Also, save enough $$ to get alot of spares. The more the better.

Lots of spares = good luck. No spares = lots of broken stuff.

Depending on the type of car, you'll want extra final drive gearing, clutch, brake components (like all of them), wheels, tires, engine electronics, fuel pump, ignition parts, ect, ect.

Any specialty tools for that type of car and lots of regular tools.

Nothing worse than driving to a distant track and breaking in the first practice session...and not havig the stuff to fix it!

How about a enclosed trailer or at least a big "Holiday" canopy and some cheap indoor/outdoor carpet.