This weekend I ran a track event with PBOC at Sebring in our $500 Miata. Had a blast, but what what a fast field. Lots of people brought Porsches: The GT3, GT3 RS and GT3 Cup were very popular choices. JG asked if there were any Z06 Corvettes in my group. Oddly, no, but there were a few tube-frame Vettes. I think I saw an ALMS Cooper Lites car streak past.
So, a question: What is your personal ultimate track car? Or is a Miata still the answer?
properly modded FD RX7
Do I have to pick just one???
Aerial Atom
Lotus Exige/Elise
Corvette Z06
Miata
I could go on and on.
Having never driven a single lap on a track, Id want something that I could afford to ball up and not go bankrupt. Also, consumables would have to be relatively inexpensive or Id never put a mile on it in fear of it costing me too much to maintain.
Im really thinking about building a no nonsense 1st gen S10 track toy - RWD, plenty of space up front for whatever I want to stuff into it, "dropped" and "V8 ready" examples are all over craigslist, and a real body-on-frame style construction leaves plenty of room for imagination regarding the build
Ive also been thinking about buying my first honduh...parts grow on trees, theres a million aftermarket options for whatever you want to do, and knowledge is abundant.
An 04-06 GTO, or an E36 M3 both seem like a great out of the box option at a decent pricepoint. Drive to the track with a small trailer in tow carrying a set of performance wheels/tires, pads, and a tune from a netbook - all should be swap-able in under an hour in the parking lot.
Something I don't own or have to pay to maintain.
Caterham 7 R500.
fidelity101 wrote: Something I don't own or have to pay to maintain.
or that I can ball up and walk away from financially, for me that would be the Merkur 
Cayman/Boxster
E36 M3
Elise/Exige
C5 Corvette
David
Tough choice but in terms of just fun I'd go for an S3 Exige or C6, either one with Serious Aero, as a beat-everyone car I'd go for a Caparo T1.
None of those are very grassroots, for a grassroots option I'd go for an S1 Elise with S2 body panels (just for looks), serious aero again, and an Ecotec + 6spd swap. That should fit under the Unofficial $30k Grassroots Barrier.
David S. Wallens wrote: This weekend I ran a track event with PBOC at Sebring in our $500 Miata. Had a blast, but what what a fast field. Lots of people brought Porsches: The GT3, GT3 RS and GT3 Cup were very popular choices. JG asked if there were any Z06 Corvettes in my group. Oddly, no, but there were a few tube-frame Vettes. I think I saw an ALMS Cooper Lites car streak past. So, a question: What is your personal ultimate track car? Or is a Miata still the answer?
So, did you pass anything?
jstein77 wrote: So, did you pass anything?
Tech
jg
Exocet with a 5.0 
JG Pasterjak wrote:jstein77 wrote: So, did you pass anything?Tech jg
Literally laugh out loud!
RS200. I prefer a dirt track, too. 
My ultimate track car is probably a former Grand Am BMW, Porsche, Caddy, or C5R.
Z06 though I wouldn't want to feed it.
It depends on the budget, as right now I can't really accommodate a dedicated track toy. If I did, I'd like to have another C4 Corvette with the Z51 suspension package - it seems like it would have made a much better track toy than daily commuter (which is what I was using it for). Although given my (lack of) driving skills, it would probably make more sense for me to start off with something a bit less powerful and more forgiving, like maybe a CRX with a stock-ish motor and decent suspension mods.
MadScientistMatt wrote: It depends on the budget, as right now I can't really accommodate a dedicated track toy. If I did, I'd like to have another C4 Corvette with the Z51 suspension package - it seems like it would have made a much better track toy than daily commuter (which is what I was using it for). Although given my (lack of) driving skills, it would probably make more sense for me to start off with something a bit less powerful and more forgiving, like maybe a CRX with a stock-ish motor and decent suspension mods.
I think the thing I like most about the C4 is that even though it's crude, loud and obnoxious... it's relatively easy to drive and as long as you're not a tard easy to catch. Sitting at the rear wheel gives you as much warning about wanting to trade ends as anything I've driven.
Price-no-object - an ex-JGTC NSX (I'm sure actually buying one and importing it is simple, right? 
)
Realistic if I started making a bunch more money - Exige SC
Realistic on my salary - swap a 20v 4AGE or 3SGE BEAMS motor into my mk1 MR2, install the GC sleeves/springs I have sitting around, appropriate pads, and maybe some mild aero development.
On my current budget, the ti.....if I ever have berkeley you money, it'd be some type of ex/current GT car from Le Mans.....like a Saleen, Ford GT, F430, F458, Panoz, Porsche rsr, bmw m3 gtr, etc.
dyintorace wrote:JG Pasterjak wrote:Literally laugh out loud!jstein77 wrote: So, did you pass anything?Tech jg
as did I .....
Atom? No, I've been lucky enough to try it on track. There's better out there.
My personal ultimate track car trailer would have a Caterham 7 R500 and a GT3 RS in it. When I think about it, they're both the ultimate expression of models that have been honed with decades and decades of racing experience.
how 'bout one of those ex-cup cars that Tim did an article on a while back when he drove one at Road Atlanta .. those big hogs have got to be a blast on a road course
Probably the TVR I just sold, but with a 331 in it.
Other than that, I'll have to let you know when I find it.
I honestly don't know... I bought my E30 for this reason, but now I don't trust it to drive to work, I definitely wouldn't trust it to stay in one piece on the track. I really don't have any interest is a pure "track toy". Whatever car should be prepped for some sort of competition class. A possible exception to this would be if I happen to come across a car for a Challenge build.
Cost no object: something vintage... like an old T/A car or something.
Cost is an object: something vintage again, but cheaper... and/or an F500.
You'll need to log in to post.
