Decisions Decisions Decisions...

[GTR_STEALTH]

Hello all,

You're gonna have to bear with me as this is gonna be a complicated question...

I've been eyeing your years calender and would love to join up and get involved in some of the racing action, so i guess this question would apply to Vic members around that scene moreso....

What car to buy to get involved in some track work?

-R32 GTR

-R33 GTR

...or a cheap thrash box? Maybe one thats already modded

-Silvia

-180sx?

-Any other cheapy im missing out here?

I've searched around the forums and noticed that most are GTR's....

Some points to consider...

-ABSOLUTE MAX budget is approx 30K <--But prefer if it wasnt!

-The possibilty of an accident; hence the cheaper Silvia/180 so i wont cry!

-I already have 2 cars (VR + R33 GTS-T)...so having it off the road isnt too much a prob.

-Ongoing costs; running costs; modification cost;

-Approx insurance costs?

-Anything else im missing here?

Your advice is greatly appreciated!

<--hehe i love that smilie

[phunky_monkey]

Have a look through the motorsport section, there's a few threads in there about the same topic. Also the motorsports section on Nissansilvia.com.

Personally, I'd go for a 32 gts-t, or an S13 as when modded correctly they are quick, handle well, light, parts are a lot cheaper than GT-R's etc

Ultimately you will go quicker in a GT-R, but not on a limited budget.

[Snowman]

That's a really difficult question to answer because it depends totally on what you want to get out of it.

If you want to be fast then the answer is a GT-R. You don't need to spend HUGE $$$ to be faster than most cars. Scotsman's R33 GT-R has run 1.21's around Sandown with some basic handling mods, exhaust, ecu and good tyres. However - the on-going running costs especially in things like semi-comp tyres is a factor. Initially I'd say you could easily get 6-8 track days from a set of semi's but as you get faster and harder on tyres that drops down to around 4.

But if you just want to have some fun then you don't need much at all. Ant nearly won the 2005 SAU Vic club championship in a GTS-T running on street tyres and minimal modifications. And he could do lap after lap without any problems at all.

Ryan is having fun in his 180 and is only now starting to look at getting some better tyres to get some faster times.

So it's really a case of what you want to do. You can pick up an R32 GTR for $20K and save $10K for on-going costs which you are most likely going to need. Or else go cheaper and get something like a 180 or an R32 GTST and have Brisby coming around and sleeping in your bed.

[GTRgeoff]

You have asked some very good questions which not everyone would consider as usually they take out what they have. If this is to be an extra car then I would suggest get a trailer and buy a Skyline imported for race/rally only. That way it is much cheaper since it isn't really road registerable. Either a 32 or 33 would be fine. Essentially the same running gear and you can strip down the extra weight and fit a cage.

I have found that Skylines can be hard working on so I'm going the RX7 or Miata with a V8 route and will trailer to the races. I've had some fun racing the GTS25t but it is registered so i wouldn't want to destroy it. My expected setup costs for either would be 12K plus the trailer. then it would be a gradual improvement to bring the best out. Buying already modded is a good idea, but if it has been raced the price usually goes higher than you would expect.

Budget what you can afford to completely destroy, but it has to bring the smile to your face. Forget insurance for a race car. Consider having a couple of sets ot wheels and tyres, plus a set of stockers to park the car on. if you haven't raced before then do a few days on normal radial tyres then go to semi-comp rubber. Set the car up to run on PULP and not exotic race fuel. Set the brakes up as soon as you can and get rid of any ABS as it can cause you to keep a high speed through sand traps rather than locking and bogging in to a stop before a nasty wall.

Consider that you may want to race in a class going door to door, so keep your mods in line with what that may restrict you to. If you go overboard you may have to de-modify the car later, but if you decide to just do sprints where anything goes then you can build up to it.

I'm near Epping so drop by sometime and we can discuss further.

[GTR_STEALTH]

LoL, yer it is a dificult question!

I guess im looking more at the fun factor whilst still being competitive.

I've looked in the Motorsport section and browsed through 6 pages of the 15 but didnt find anything as specific....but thanx for the advice so far....

In going for a 32 GTR would it be fair to say that as they're getting old, and the likely hood of them being thrashed on a circuit is higher would it be safer to go with something else????

[Belsil80]

If you have 30g to spend on a track car, then go a 'cheapy'. If you buy a solid base car, such as a 180 or silvia or gts-t, then put your remaining funds into bits and peices to go fast. That wont be hard. Buy the time you get more power, wheels, suspension bts and tyres, you will be well on your way to 30g's.

[GTR_STEALTH]

So far im leaning towards a Silvia, due to the fact that generally its cheaper than a 180SX...Approx 7 - 12K.

That leaves plenty of room for tyres, trailor, modest mods, etc...

Would i still be elegable to join and race with SAU with a Silvia???

[R31Nismoid]

SAU-Vic = any car you want

We have Subie's, Mitsu's, everything. Its not a car specific club.

Personally i'd get a cheaper car. GTR Racing isnt cheap, and if things do go wrong your going to be in big money problems trying to fix it.

30g is a stock R33 GTR.

20g can be a silvia with some handling mods and tuning and lots of tyres for a few years.

[paulr33]

also take into consideration if you get an r32 gtr and take it on the track with stock turbo's expect failure of them or at least have some money on the side.

you are very likely to see the exhaust wheel(s) fail which will end up meaning a rebuild. it may even pay to rebuild it before you start with steel wheels to avoid that nasty possibilty. as with 15 year old + ceramics heat will be the killer. dont just run 1 bar and hope for the best, cos its probably going to fail sooner or later

also there are some inherit oil issues in the head, which is covereed in a few threads in forced induction, so be sure to read those before you fang around the track.

[phunky_monkey]

LoL, yer it is a dificult question!

I guess im looking more at the fun factor whilst still being competitive.

I've looked in the Motorsport section and browsed through 6 pages of the 15 but didnt find anything as specific....but thanx for the advice so far....

In going for a 32 GTR would it be fair to say that as they're getting old, and the likely hood of them being thrashed on a circuit is higher would it be safer to go with something else????

Here is one of the threads I was talking about: http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/in...howtopic=108727

[GTR_STEALTH]

Thanks phunky_monkey, i did see that thread ...cheers.

hrrrmmm...

....so far a Silvia is looking pretty good. Looks like you might be seeing a bit of me in a few months time.... :sorcerer: Gonna have to do a bit of research on em first for their most common probs as i havent really payed attention to them cars....

Anyone around here racing Silvia's? ...or would i be the bottom of the barrel?

[R32gts-t]

yes, there are a few people racing s series nissans in the sau/wrx championship.

next year i hope to be out there from day 1, and as far as i know there is a s14, a couple of 180's and an s15 or 2 out there already, not to mention the gts-t's, it's going to be an exciting year for the rwd boys

[phunky_monkey]

By no means bottom of the barrel mate. I plan on showing a fair whack of GT-R's my rear end next year.

They may be one of the cheaper cars to race out there, but are by no means the slowest. 'Cheap' being a relative term though, as it still made me dead poor for 6 months of the year, and continues to do so even when I'm not driving it!

[NickR33]

eww don't get a Silvia they sound like farm equipment;) hehe

R32 GTSt with RB25 conversion running HKS ProS, GTR panels, 10inch wide rims, stripped and caged, with lightened flywheel, drive shaft etc and big ass brakes... well that's what I would do if I had 30g's... actually that would be more like 50g's:(

ps. bottom of the barrel!? ... nah that honour is reserved for teh whales!

[GTR_STEALTH]

Phunkey_Monkey, i take you owned one....Why did it make you "dead poor",LoL, are they that riddled with probs?

...surely there's exceptions out there? yes/no?

[Roy]

Or else go cheaper and get something like a 180 or an R32 GTST and have Brisby coming around and sleeping in your bed.

A 32 GTST with some running gear from its bigger brothers woudl be a good thing. Pretty quick, reliable and not that much money really.

But i sincerely think the best car you can get for the money you have would be an S15. Or one of the old supercharged MR2s.

[NickR33]

S14a > S15 for track stuff... then spend the $ you save on mods

[KamikazeR33]

r33 gtr.. u can have one imported/complied for under 25k

[Roy]

S15 will get you close to 200rwkws with std turbo and bolt ons.Has a good diff, 6 spd and tight chassis std. Friend had an S14, and his was quick. But the newer your track car can be the better

[R31Nismoid]

You want a JDM S15 if your going to get one.

Although, the 6 speed is a weak point in the car as is the diffs from the outset.

I'd get the S14 honestly if i had to choose S13-14-15.

Whilst i think they are ugly, if you dont mind them then go for it

I've been driving a 6-speed S15 lately, and with a clutch behind it... it just doesnt feel right for some reason. Nothing like the RB25 box and its 4-5 years newer