What would a GRM Daytona Prototype/LeMans race car look like....?

I had some time on my hands and was noodling about a prototype endurance racer built for something like Challenge money.   I'm assuming a steel tube frame, fiberglass body, but what sort of drivetrain do you think would be most popular?  Longitudinal?  Transverse?  Inline?  Flat?  Or would you keep it easy and use a tube frame front/rear arrangement like a Panoz?  

In my opinion, it would be hard to beat the Formula 600 recipe as the basis for a 'cheap' to build (and run) purebred racecar. Simple steel (no expensive structural CF) tube frame, heavily restricted (no expensive car/driver development for high downforce) aero, rubber puck (no expensive shocks) suspension, kart style (no expensive differential) axle, and combined engine/transmissions units that are cheap, plentiful, and easy to performance restrict/equalize. Just cover the tops of the tires, and voila, it's a 'prototype' sports racer. 

I always wanted to take a Beetle body and just keep the greenhouse and lower lower it down about two feet while keeping the fenders at about the stock height but wider. It works in my head. 

I'm thinking a two seater Endurance car.  Something like a Porsche 904/904.  By today's standards, underpowered but relatively lightweight and very reliable. 

A leftover pile of washing machines hammered into car shape and powered by a formerly reliable engine made explodey with junkyard go fast parts.

 

Grizz said:

A leftover pile of washing machines hammered into car shape and powered by a formerly reliable engine made explodey with junkyard go fast parts.

 

THAT'S the spirit!  :)

Take an old Yamaha Banshee and make a Formula Banshee out of it.

Like Mazdeuce said, it works in my head.

As long as it looks good, like a prototype from the 80s, not these turret topped sail boat fin things they race these days. Bleh.

A C-4 Vette With a Claimer 604 engine/400 hp 5 speed, down to 2400 lbs. Less than 2000.00  but for an engine, the claimer engines are cheep! and RELIABLE. But you can build them for Half That.

In reply to GTXVette :

I'm not familiar with a Claimer engine...  More info, please?

In reply to stroker :

It's a dirt track term. To keep people from cheating, in some classes, you can claim the motor of the podium and usually 1 other guy in the field for a set amount. Usually $500-$1000 depending on the class. So they use the word claimer for a cheap motor that can make a good amount of power. 

If I was left to design it...it would look like a dumpster and some playground equipment had angry sex in a junkyard.

Bruce

Now Day's just go to a GM Dealer and buy a# 602/ 350hp engine or a 604 / 400 hp the engine's are sealed with special Fasteners that can't be Molested so ALL engines Dyno the same, with Designated rebuilders. Not really a Claimer because they should all be the same . But Inexpensive and make up a lot of Limited and Late Model Round track Series rule books.

  So that gives an inexpensive start, Then a Chassis  C-4's are everywhere but Canadian Stock Car makes a Chassis that is SUPER Safe and uses Lot's of Factory style Parts that can be Upgraded for Endurence racing and would accept other bodies made of Glass or Steel.

Cut to the Bone and with H D parts for a stockish class just under 10 Grand.

Not New Parts but race worthy 10ish to 12.

I can see an all New car for about 15 grand ,very  T/A  NASA looking cars

That's G R M all Hands on Deck doing it your self.  Then do it as a weekly at your local Road Race Track ,And Offer Cash Insentives to Build, Race and come back each Week,  Like Local Round tracks do.

Something like this:

Can't believe it took this long

Maybe like this Chevy cannibal that raced in imsa Wsc in the 90s

Grizz said:

A leftover pile of washing machines hammered into car shape and powered by a formerly reliable engine made explodey with junkyard go fast parts.

 

This is pretty close

Design inspiration should draw heavily on "the Homer"

complete with rack and peanut steering, of course.

It would be...above reproach.

NickD said:

Something like this:

Can't believe it took this long

Not seeing a lot of Prototype in that...  :P

Ha, I was just going to recommend the Cannibal. I visited Fantasy Junction a few months ago, and we discussed that car. It was based on a GTO Oldsmobile. There's a little info here.

Look what I found,,,

Grizz said:

A leftover pile of washing machines hammered into car shape and powered by a formerly reliable engine made explodey with junkyard go fast parts.

 

The driver for this is chosen not because of skill, but because they weigh the least so it goes faster.

In reply to T.J. :

1000x this because he IS us.

I came to say Consulier but T.J. Beat me too it. FWD transverse engine/box from a hot hatch with LSD. Foam core and fiberglass monocoque.