Another thread seeking the collective wisdom of GRM: Lower-cost HPDE car.

I'm looking for opinions about a car that can serve both as an HPDE car and as a summer backroad carver. Does not need to be a daily driver. Here are the parameters.

1. Want to spend less than $7,000 on acquisition and any mods.
2. It must have a roof.
3. I like lighter, tossable cars. I have owned and loved an NB Miata, 07 Civic Si, 85 CRX, and 92 SE-R. I prefer RWD, but only a little. I also really like LSDs.
4. I don't want anything with expensive on-going maintenance. Had a E46 sedan as a DD for a few year, and it was wonderful except for the continual drain on the wallet. Thought I wouldn't mind given it wasn't expensive to buy, but I came to resent the car for it.
5. I like cars with high outward visibility.
6. I'd like something with more power than the NB Miata.
7. I don't want to install forced induction in a non-FI car.
8. I'll probably fly and drive to get a car from outside the salt belt. So rarer cars are OK.

Right now, the Focus SVT is at the top of my list. What would you guys see as comparable or better choices?

the cleanest most rust free AW11 that you can find, with money left over for a suspension refresh and coilovers.

C4 corvette? 240sx MR2

I lusted after the AW11 for most of my teen years. Is there much more power available from the engine without going FI? If I recall, they have around 115hp stock.

http://www.billzilla.org/4agmods.htm

headwork, cams and even ITBs can make power before going FI. There are factory S/C'ed versions as well (as I'm sure you're aware of) but there's something about a 4AGE screamer.

There's not a lot more available without going FI, over ~160hp the mods get very expensive, beyond 200hp you'd need to spend Plaid Dollars.

I'd say +1 for looking for an SC'd model, but a non-rusty SC is a unicorn that would demand top dollar.

captdownshift wrote: http://www.billzilla.org/4agmods.htm headwork, cams and even ITBs can make power before going FI. There are factory S/C'ed versions as well (as I'm sure you're aware of) but there's something about a 4AGE screamer.

Blacktop AW11 if you want factory reliability screamer. They're not really that expensive (the motors I mean).

Just another idea...

Wanderer wrote:

captdownshift wrote: http://www.billzilla.org/4agmods.htm headwork, cams and even ITBs can make power before going FI. There are factory S/C'ed versions as well (as I'm sure you're aware of) but there's something about a 4AGE screamer.

Blacktop AW11 if you want factory reliability screamer. They're not really that expensive (the motors I mean). Just another idea...

Were those sold in the US or do you have to import them? Looks beautiful with the ITBs.

You've already had one, but Civic Si might be the ticket, given your parameters. If you can find the unicorn that is an unmolested Integra GS-R, that would work too.

You could just get the 87-89 SC model. Or and SW20 turbo car.

Four grand, cheap consumables, adjustable suspension and 1500 pounds wet. http://www.facebook.com/SalvageW0N/

I'm going to add the AW11 to the list. Is the GS-R sort of like a Type R light?

nderwater wrote: Four grand, cheap consumables, adjustable suspension and 1500 pounds won. https://www.facebook.com/SalvageW0N/

Now that is ridiculously cool looking. Are they road legal?

captdownshift wrote: the cleanest most rust free AW11 that you can find, with money left over for a suspension refresh and coilovers.

Is the white and orange autocross/rallycross AW11 still available? It came with its own trailer and spare wheels, with plenty of budget headroom left to add moar powahr! Look on the Open Classifieds board - the only thing stopping me from buying that was already owning my current toy.

This one. Better look soon.

Duke wrote:

captdownshift wrote: the cleanest most rust free AW11 that you can find, with money left over for a suspension refresh and coilovers.

Is the white and orange autocross/rallycross AW11 still available? It came with its own trailer and spare wheels, with *plenty* of budget headroom left to add moar powahr! Look on the Open Classifieds board - the only thing stopping me from buying that was already owning my current toy.

The thread is still active as of today, so looks like it is still available. I'm waiting on a buyer for my current summer car (NB Miata), and Miata selling season is rapidly closing up here in NE Ohio. Since it is rust free, looks ideal.

There was a TT-ified MR2 turbo advertised a little while back on MR2OC that (I think) fitted your budget. You can pick up a cheap turbo for well under your budget almost everywhere in the country. A good one, not so much, though. They require searching for.

1) Buy STC Civic or CRX for $4500 or so 2) Engine swap of your choice with remaining $2500 3) Enjoy fast track car?

DLC wrote:

Wanderer wrote:

captdownshift wrote: http://www.billzilla.org/4agmods.htm headwork, cams and even ITBs can make power before going FI. There are factory S/C'ed versions as well (as I'm sure you're aware of) but there's something about a 4AGE screamer.

Blacktop AW11 if you want factory reliability screamer. They're not really that expensive (the motors I mean). Just another idea...

Were those sold in the US or do you have to import them? Looks beautiful with the ITBs.

The 20 valve motors weren't sold in the US, but they weren't hard to find from engine importers last time I looked - nor are they that expensive. Not exactly big power, but still the easy button for NA performance in the AW11. Should feel faster than your Miata once past 4K rpms at least.

ProDarwin wrote: 1) Buy STC Civic or CRX for $4500 or so 2) Engine swap of your choice with remaining $2500 3) Enjoy fast track car?

That's an interesting idea also. Since the Civic is really popular in STC, there must be a big market. Where do those usually trade? I imagine on an SCCA or Honda board?

The 20 valve motors weren't sold in the US, but they weren't hard to find from engine importers last time I looked - nor are they that expensive. Not exactly big power, but still the easy button for NA performance in the AW11. Should feel faster than your Miata once past 4K rpms at least.

Wow, they are not necessarily very expensive at all. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Silvertop-20V-4AGE-JDM-Engine-from-Jarco-Clip-32k-miles-w-Ignitor-/171538272672

With a 7K budget I would be looking at 2K cars with 5K left for repairs/mods.

Nick_Comstock wrote: With a 7K budget I would be looking at 2K cars with 5K left for repairs/mods.

I've never done heavy mods before. I've been wondering whether doing something like taking a $2K Neon and putting $5K of mods into it yields a much better car than, say, an SRT-4 you could by for $7K? Or is it more about being able to make it very track focused? I'm looking for something that will continue to be streetable.

24V swapped e30s are fun and in your range.

DLC wrote: Is the GS-R sort of like a Type R light?

Sorta, but not really. The GSR isn't nearly as track-focused in stock form. They don't look that different on paper (25hp difference/slightly heavier), but there's a lot of little differences that add up. The ITR's shorter-geared LSD trans is a big one that gets overlooked.

I have both a GSR and an AW11. For what it's worth I prefer daily driving the Integra and tracking the MR2, even though the little guy is probably slower. That said, they both happily see autocross and DD duty. It's a close fight sometimes (in my mind at least ).