I'm near 70. I've got two projects. One is a Jag XJS group 44 tribute car for the race track. I love racing.
The other is my MGuar a MGTD body around Jag V12 pieces. Intended for the street maybe a little autocross. I've been planning this for years
Realistically it will take me more than a year to build either one plus every spare dime.
Likely one won't be built.
So how do you decide?
If either one is going to cost every spare dime, that won't leave any dimes when you're done to actually pay for taking the Jag to the track, presumably.
So build the one for the street, which you will be able to drive around and enjoy even if you don't have much cash left.
In reply to irish44j : once finished the dimes can start piling back up again and maybe the next year I play.
On the other hand a street car is more practical except I have a MGTD that has been restored for the street already. OK 54 horsepower isn't as exciting as 520 horsepower.
My dad turned 73 today. We had this very same discussion if you change Group 44 tribute with Pro Street Chevelle. A Group 44 tribute car will just be an expensive thing you don't want to crash and it will be the reason you DON'T RACE rather than the enabler to go racing. And you will be 71 or older when it's done.
If you love racing, rent a race car and get on with it while you can still pass the physical. Racing has never been about the car when you get right down to brass tacks. It's about racing.
Personally I'd do the street car. I have never had real time to get to the track so I try to enjoy my commutes as much as possible.
I ruined more great street cars than I like to admit by turning them into 'race cars'. I never enjoyed driving my race cars on the street anymore, and I don't get out to the track enough. Some people do get to the track enough.
It took me a while to find out which kinda person I was, but I bet you know which you are already.
Dimes excluded how often are you realistically going to be able to use the track car once its built?
In reply to Jaynen : track days , vintage races, ( local clubs aren't as concerned about provenance as car counts) SCCA night racing.
If nothing else I'll take it autocrossing, Total race events, maybe 2-3 times a year if I'm lucky.
In reply to Robbie : I have lust in my heart for track time. But it's not about any car. It's gotta be something I built so that if I wreck it I fix it or scrap it depending on how bad things are
In reply to Brian : I think racing on the street is very foolish and asking others to take risks they didn't sign up for. That includes back country roads.
I've found that track time calms me down and makes me more careful on the street.
Anyone else read the thread title as, "when do you decide to street race a car?"
In reply to The Artist Formerly Known as Giant Purple Snorklewacker :
That's part of the reason I have to build my race car rather than rent one. If I wreck it I can just park it until I have the funds to repair it. Worst case I scrap it.
I'll have less than $5000. Maybe less than $ 3000 in it ( depends on how good I still am at scrounging things) I've raced on a shoestring budget all of my life so it's no hardship.
Chance are pretty good someone will want me to prep their car and get it to the race track so much of my racing expenses will be covered.
Apple Cougar Mellonseed said:Anyone else read the thread title as, "when do you decide to street race a car?"
I hope that's not the question I asked.
I've got to decide to build a race car or a street car. The race car likely will have less power than the street car.
I think the race car will cost less than the street car.
It not. My brain thinks faster than I read so it tries to fill in words in anticipation.
It not. My brain thinks faster than I read so it tries to fill in words in anticipation.
In reply to Apple Cougar Mellonseed :that's an indicator of dyslexia
I have it really bad
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