What to do about a car to SOLO race with!

Hey I have an opinion question for all you race junkies out there. I got hooked on SOLO racing this summer, but have a dog of a car for my class. What I want to know is what your thoughts on the following four options I'm considering for future racing endeavors.

Quickly here is my car's bio- 2003 Mustang, V6, Auto, nothing special done to it. Ran in G Street

1st option - Do nothing but run what I got.

2nd option - Continue my plans to modify it from the ground up with a Coyote swap in the future.

3rd option - Buy a better car and go from there.

4th option - buy a better starter vehicle and build from there.

Be nice on comments, but give me your thoughts.

Thanks in advance.

I vote for 3 or 4, unless you're REALLY attached to the Mustang.

You have more car than you know. Spend the next year or so learning the car and how to drice it. Then modify/replace.

Seat time is the best investment anyone can make.

Hell, I run junkyard equipped muscle cars and have more car than driver.

^ THIS ^

In reply to Dusterbd13:

I now seat time is a must to get faster, but my little hotrod is at it's limit. One of the guys I race with has the exact same car with tires, suspion mods, a tune on the engine and 5yrs worth of experience. I'm only about 3 seconds off his times with no mods. My little Mustang just can't keep up with the newer cars in my class.

Do a brake fluid flush with good fluid, good pads, trans fluid flush, make sure the tires are up to par, and replace the shocks with at least OEM quality pieces if they haven't been replaced recently. Then drive the poo out of it. Dusterbd13 is right, seat time seat time seat time. I had a bone stock 2001 Bullitt and thought I knew that car pretty well till I let one of the Spec Iron racers take me for a ride in my own car. Needless to say he made me look like I just got my learner's permit.

Depends on your budget and your preferences. If you like the Mustang, and the class, develop the car. If you like the car but not the class, consider the mods necessary to move up. If you want to be on the pointy end of the class, buy the best car for the class and build it to the nth degree. At the end of the day, you are driving quickly in a parking lot for a bit of plastic, a t shirt, or maybe a pint glass. True story, I'm generally a mid pack driver. I decided I wanted to be in the top 10, so I bought a kart. I'm now in the top half of mid pack rather than the bottom and I've been doing this for 8 years. Regardless of my times, I always get out smiling. Often times it's the driver, not the vehicle. Go have fun, speed will come with experience.

Play with the Mustang a little longer. Allow the budget to grow while you get some seat time. Then come back and ask again.

What N Sperlo said. I would just keep running it for a while until you figure out exactly what class you want to participate in and therefore what compromises you're willing do deal with on a daily driver, not to mention budget.

There is more car there than you realize. 3 seconds is a pretty big gap in autox terms. You've got some room to grow before you're really maximizing what you've got.

That said, I personally wouldn't modify an auto v6 S97. The return on investment probably isn't there when you compare it to other cars you can buy outright.

3) Buy a car that is fully prepped and known to be competitive.

9a) Learn. Whatever level you are at - get more seat time with good coaching. The best thing you can do to save money is have someone be faster than you in your own car. Until you can match/beat them you don't need to spend a dime.

Don't go for option #2 no matter what. If you want a Coyote engine, buy a car with one fitted unless you have a lot of experience. Even something as simple as putting a 351 in an SN95 took me months.

While I'm all for a run what you have approach and I'm a fan of modern automatics, I don't think an 03 V6 Auto Mustang is the best pairing of an auto with a performance car.

I'd say run what you have for the time being, but sit down and work out what you really want to do. Do you want a muscle car, do you want a sports car or do you want a sport compact car? Do you want to play in stock, which still has lots of room for development or do you want to play car builder? Will it be your DD? how much do you want to invest.

Give us some more details on what you want to get out of this then we can move forward.

I think the only thing I can add here is "Yes". I ran an elantra in STS(then it became ST) for years until I reached it's limits then moved on to more specific cars. If it was me, I'd spend another year in what you have, get the "skills" down, then go looking for a new platform to start with. If you get the chance to co-drive other vehicles, do it. It's an eye-opening experience and can help direct you to your next car.

Been autocrossing for 10 years and I have a 97 Cobra (Lightly ESP prepped).

Lets talk through this.

First off, some questions. I like to figure in this way.

Q1: How competitive/goals?
1) Fun at local events
2) Able to lead at local events
3) Competitive regionally
4) Competitive nationally (able to shoot for a national championship)

Q2: How much work?
1) Buy car, align/replace tires and worn parts => Drive
2) Some bolt-ons
3) Hold on to your hats, its time for an overhaul! (swapping between years OEM parts to build hotrod and some aftermarket) 4) I pride myself on my car being a higher percentage aftermarket than factory parts in total parts content. and LOVE fabrication.

Q3: Budget. Please quantify expense expectations and limitations. (Note: consider your goals in Q1 and Q2)

You state "Only 3 seconds off", 3 seconds is an eternity. My point isnt to slam you as a driver, it is to point out that I doubt 3 seconds is all the car. If you have the chance, have a known hot-shoe (national level if possible) drive your car. Ride along with them if at all possible. If you are just starting out, I would wager that you have further to go then you think. Hence, seat time, seat time, seat time. Dont fall into thinking you have plateaued when you havent. After 10 years and being considered a fast driver, I have a friend I can count on to be a half second faster (at least) than me in my own damn car! (that said, he did get a fancy jacket in Lincoln the other year)

That being said. I would stick with the car and get some seat time for now while figuring out what platform you would really like to get into. This is even though the Mustang isnt the best learners platform. Just keep an open mind that it might teach you some habits you have to unlearn. At the very least if you do change cars, dont go mod crazy for a few years.

An SN-95 Mustang isnt a good platform for SCCA these days. IF you are considering 3 or 4 on question 1...

GS: the Focus ST will mutilate you.

FS: (if V8) Newer mustangs and camaros will mutilate you.

STU: As if! Not a chance.

ESP: Got $15,000 to develop a car (and install V8) that may not be relevant shortly due to newer ponycars filtering in with big power? oh yeah, a set of tires is $1300+

SM: Good luck beating the AWD boost buggies.

CP: Gut and totally reengineer, removing any resale value in the car whatsoever. Seriously, start with a salvage gutted car and reinstall as few factory parts as possible.

Those are some of the reasons that my Mustang is in storage right now and I am racing my Miata in STS. If I had it to do again, now that street tires happened to stock, I would do an ES Miata or MR2 Spyder.

If picking a new car, best advice... read some forums for upcoming cars and read the most recent nationals results. Pick a car that you like that at least trophied at nats in a street/stock class and go from there. That is, if you want to be competitive. THIS IS YOUR BEST BANG FOR BUCK OPTION. (especially when you consider that the car retains resale value)

Hope you enjoyed my novel.

If you are having fun, just keep driving it.....

3 seconds is minutes in SOLO.

So you have at least 3.1 seconds of improvements to make to your Mustang. But seriously, do you start all over with another car or improve what you have? If your car is stock, there is always room within the rules for improvement.

Option 1 + Pro AutoX instruction (Evolution or the like)

Replace tires and brake pads, spend as much on event entry as you do in upgrades and you'll see a WORLD of difference!

HAVE FUN!

For 2015 I beleive that car is moving to HS. Buy a good set of shocks and tires (Falken RT615K comes to mind). Look closely at the rules for wheel and sway bar changes, you could pick up used GT parts for a cheap and easy upgrade if it's allowed. The cheapest car to autocross is the one you already own.

Let's cut him some slack. 3 seconds isn't unbeatable unless you're already at 10/10 as a driver and car prep. For example my son (who is 12 and has never operated any machinery on his own until last April) has dropped 23 seconds off of his autox times this season . We keep roughly the same course all season for driver development. He is now 8 seconds off of a 15 year old kid who has been doing this for 4 years. He can vary by a second on each run.

In reply to Apexcarver:

TY for your very informative and thought provoking reply. I appreciate everybodies input as well.

To answer a few questions that where thrown out there!

First off I know my skills can improve and I'm going to work on that. But I also know that the car without major future mods will be dog. Maybe a faster dog, but still a dog! I don't have to win each and everytime, but I want to be competive at least.

I love the SN95 bodie style and I know they can be made quick and fast. I do love working on my cars so doing the mods would be enjoyable and fun for me.

As for gradualy turning the car into a dedicated racer to run CP that isn't a huge issue to me in the long term, but the class I'm eyeing more so is the CAM (Classic American Muscle) class. I want the maxium amount of lee way to modify the car.

Do you want to be competitive in your region or nationally? How many events did you race? Like the others have asked, we need a little more info.

First, if you want to win a fastest time of the day or fastest PAX in your region, you should still not box yourself into your current car. There can and will be some other cars that you think are ugly or not your style, but you like racing more and are faster in than your Mustang. You also have to consider that even in the new CAM class, the cars that are lighter or have a better chassis, may end up being the fastest car, ie the 5th and 6th generation Mustang GT.

Second, make sure to have fun, and do 8 events before you do any mods. Also, ride with some of the fast drivers in your region to learn from them and to see which cars feel much better than your own.

Okay, I can't believe somebody really asked if I wanted to be competive. Well yeah, that's what the basic issue behind the question I posted.

My goals,

1. To have fun doing this!!!!

2. To be competive in my local area as I develop a car.

3. Advance to regional competion and be competive.

4. To go to nationals and run for the win.

Those are my basic goals. I'm not looking for an overnight success story, but I am looking at a time line I want to be on. Deciding about the car is the first decsion. As for a budget to work with on a car I guess I'd be like most the do it for fun. A little here and there and the big exspenive upgrade once a year type thing. What I'm after is input on vehicles out there that will get me to my end goal that won't break the bank just getting it to it. Otherwards no GTRs, 911s, or any other exotics. I'm more down to earth, Miatas, Mustangs, Camaros, S2000s, WRXs or even a nicely entry priced corvette.

So I hope clearified some of the questions as for my goals and finacial direction.

Kia Forte SX in STF? Seems to work pretty well and makes a great Daily Driver.

Considering your timeline, you seem to want to be a top driver at some point in the future. The best way to get there is drive what you have in stock and get as much seat time as possible. Also hook up with a fast guy in your area to give you driving tips. You will be surprised how fast your current ride can be.

Only then start your modifications or change your ride.

Modifying the car too soon will make your car faster, but you will not have nurtured the seat of the pants feel or subtle driving tactics that will place you on top.

Let an experienced autocrosser drive your car at the next event and you will see what I mean.

Of course, seat time is important, as long as you've been instructed in the proper late apex lines and not just repeating the same incorrect early apexes over and over. But I have a suspicion that your transmission is a limiting factor. I once drove two identical Honda Civics back to back, and found that the one with the manual trans was 2 seconds faster that the auto-equipped one.

A manual swap using junkyard parts would keep you in stock (street) class as long as the final result matched factory specs.