What Track Car Would You Buy? - Starting With A Clean Slate

[JZP]

Hi guys,

There seems to be a really good motorsport brains trust here, so I'd value your input.

Racepace maintan/mod my R32GTR which has seen the track a couple of times. I'd really like to dive into the sport, but don't want to put a great road car on the track only to keep modifying it and diminsh its value. To get a bit more serious on the track, I'd need to do more mods on the GTR to start getting decent times which ends up making the car more track oriented.

Therefore, I'm considering selling the GTR and getting something purpose built for the track (trailer it to/from venues). I like the simplicity of rolling the car on/off the trailer, driving it and maintaining it at my leisure. This way I can minimise costs.

My question is this - if you had a clean slate, what would you guys buy? Some of my considerations are:

1) Cheap-ish entry price to buy - something that won't make me cry too much if I total it. It does not need to be a Nissan

2) A car that does reasonable times on the track without too many mods

3) Easy(ish) maintenance (eg - complicated, or heavy 4wd systems)

4) Something that I can modify (or grow into) as my skills improve

5) Lessons learnt

6) Tracking/lap timing/recording tools

Yes, I've seen quite a few topics, but they focus on specifics. However I'm interested in what you guys suggest in my situation..

[FineLine]

Best bang for buck I saw were the couple of silvias at s/l last year.

Moderate power with good brakes, suspension, and aero and they really laid down some impressive times.

[fatz]

fast for cheap = emo

sell gtr and by a track shitter and hammer it

emo's are gay

[Leif]

Best bang for buck I saw were the couple of silvias at s/l last year.

Moderate power with good brakes, suspension, and aero and they really laid down some impressive times.

When I started looking for a car I could track, I basically wanted whatever was going to give me the most track days per dollar. Not the fastest, but the most cost effective option.

I bought an S13 silvia basically because I read dozens and dozens of times that they're mighty hard to beat for motorsport on a budget. Mine's still a road car but I think the principles below still apply if you're going to buy a track only one.

A silvia probably won't be near as fast as your gtr, but it will cost you a fraction of what the gtr costs to track. With the points you mentioned in your first post:

1) S13's are dirt cheap, in fact S14's weren't much more at last look.

2) Plenty of silvias out there doing good times. EVO's etc are obviously quicker out of the box, but Silvia's have plenty of potential.

3) They're relatively light, so they're easy on tyres and brake pads.

4) They respond well to mods and there's a million people selling a million parts for them. You often don't need fancy brand name stuff either - for example, R33 discs and calipers pull up S13's quite nicely.

5) They're RWD. Good times for learning about driving.

6) I don't know anything about this

Edited April 12, 2011 by Leif

[JZP]

When I started looking for a car I could track, I basically wanted whatever was going to give me the most track days per dollar. Not the fastest, but the most cost effective option.

I bought an S13 silvia basically because I read dozens and dozens of times that they're mighty hard to beat for motorsport on a budget. Mine's still a road car but I think the principles below still apply if you're going to buy a track only one.

A silvia probably won't be near as fast as your gtr, but it will cost you a fraction of what the gtr costs to track. With the points you mentioned in your first post:

1) S13's are dirt cheap, in fact S14's weren't much more at last look.

2) Plenty of silvias out there doing good times. EVO's etc are obviously quicker out of the box, but Silvia's have plenty of potential.

3) They're relatively light, so they're easy on tyres and brake pads.

4) They respond well to mods and there's a million people selling a million parts for them. You often don't need fancy brand name stuff either - for example, R33 discs and calipers pull up S13's quite nicely.

5) They're RWD. Good times for learning about driving.

6) I don't know anything about this

Thanks for your input - it's exactly the kind of considered responses I am after.

[evil_weevil]

What racing do you want to ge into - this will determine a big part on what to get!

if you want to keep doing supersprints there is a wide range of cars do choose from but if you want to get into, say iRace, MRA, IPRA, Prod sports etc - then you need to build it to a certain class - except for MRA and maybe iRace.

As Pete said - an EMO is a great base even as a stocker - performs well!

plenty of mods out there and good bang for buck.

1) My MX5 is cheap - 12k bought 95% complete to race

2) For what it is at the moment - it has potential to be quicker. I have 75rwkw and do 1.14.1 at wakefield, others with 90-100rwkw are doing 1.11.x

3) I have changed rotors, pads, oil, radiator - if I can do it anyone can LOL

4) dont know if you can grow into an MX5 LOL

5) all the time! haha

6) NFI!! LOL

so depending on your budget for supersprints - for 25k will get a decent EMO 7? maybe an 8?

10-15k will get you an awesome s13 and some good s14's

8-15k will get you a log booked MX5

so, what racing you interested in doing or moving towards?

Cheers,

Chris

[JZP]

What racing do you want to ge into - this will determine a big part on what to get!

if you want to keep doing supersprints there is a wide range of cars do choose from but if you want to get into, say iRace, MRA, IPRA, Prod sports etc - then you need to build it to a certain class - except for MRA and maybe iRace.

As Pete said - an EMO is a great base even as a stocker - performs well!

plenty of mods out there and good bang for buck.

1) My MX5 is cheap - 12k bought 95% complete to race

2) For what it is at the moment - it has potential to be quicker. I have 75rwkw and do 1.14.1 at wakefield, others with 90-100rwkw are doing 1.11.x

3) I have changed rotors, pads, oil, radiator - if I can do it anyone can LOL

4) dont know if you can grow into an MX5 LOL

5) all the time! haha

6) NFI!! LOL

so depending on your budget for supersprints - for 25k will get a decent EMO 7? maybe an 8?

10-15k will get you an awesome s13 and some good s14's

8-15k will get you a log booked MX5

so, what racing you interested in doing or moving towards?

Cheers,

Chris

Hey Chris - good feedback.

Ive done a couple of track days at Winton, and have realised that the GTR is easily shown up by 'lesser' cars.

I'd like to spend more time doing track days for now - I'm not sure where it will take me... So I suppose I should probably limit my expenditure to around $10k for now and see where I end up.

[evil_weevil]

10k - S13 / MX5 / Alfa / S14 / VT SS LS1 / VS HSV / R33 GTSt / R32 GTST

I know a bloke who just bought a Corona thats log booked for IPRA under 2L for 3.5k and spending another 5k on a 3sgte motor!

were you going to start out standard or buy something done or half done?

plenty good stuff on my105

http://www.my105.com/ListingDetails/tabid/65/p/3/cid/3916/id/3805/Default.aspx

http://www.my105.com/ListingDetails/tabid/65/p/3/cid/3916/id/3869/Default.aspx

while its a bum dragger, this would be my pick

http://www.my105.com/ListingDetails/tabid/65/p/8/cid/3916/id/1896/Default.aspx

[JZP]

10k - S13 / MX5 / Alfa / S14 / VT SS LS1 / VS HSV / R33 GTSt / R32 GTST

I know a bloke who just bought a Corona thats log booked for IPRA under 2L for 3.5k and spending another 5k on a 3sgte motor!

were you going to start out standard or buy something done or half done?

plenty good stuff on my105

http://www.my105.com...05/Default.aspx

http://www.my105.com...69/Default.aspx

while its a bum dragger, this would be my pick

http://www.my105.com...96/Default.aspx

I like your lateral thinking. I've just spent some time looking at Silvia's. There seems to be heaps of them out there with plenty of mods/variations.

I guess if I could get something half/mostly done, it would save me $$ in the long run.

ha ha... you said bum dragger... but you're right - it seems to be the best 'over all' package.

I recall a few weeks back someone on this forum selling an R33 GTST with roll cage, etc for not too much.

[benm]

Aussie Racing car or a Radical out of the UK.

But if you really do want a car i'd also agree that you can't go past an Evo.

[JZP]

Aussie Racing car or a Radical out of the UK.

But if you really do want a car i'd also agree that you can't go past an Evo.

I've seen some old Evo's with mods starting around $8k going upwards. I guess it's like the GTR's - the later the technology the better the vehicle?

[Tangles]

Ive started by purchasing an R32 gtst sedan (1.5yrs ago) that came with an rb26dett with fresh rebuilt turbos & vl turbo gearbox with HD singlepuk clutch

stripped all unneccesary weight, slipped on big wilwood front brake kit, new thick radiator, turbo-back exhaust setup, then got some gear from Japan, such as raceseat/rollcage/engine-parts.

Bought all parts over a year required to rebuild for track work, currentlly being tuned this week. should be finished then.

Headwork with greddy cams, hks camsprings. Block got bored out to 87mm due to a 'cut' in bore #5 (probably fromm old ceramic exhaust turbine wheel)

HKS dump pipes, new tuned-length manifolds, bigger 2into1 front pipe, new Hardpipe intake kit, z32 AFM's, new coilpacks, new 550c injectors

Supplied all new gasgkets, new 87mm head gasket, 87mm CP pistons, new ATI harmonic balancer kit, N1 water pump, HKS oil pump, tomei sump baffle, mines rocker baffle kit

Went with an external 305lph walbro pump into a small fuel surge tank, a Power-fc to run the show, a variety of guages, swaybars, new coilover suspension etc...........

Pretty much all the oil control mods bar a larger sump, freshly forged engine with flowing head. Limiting factor in this particular setup will be the rebuilt steelwheel turbos

Looking at under 300rwkw but engine should be strong for years for track-only work, will look for better times via the driver (me) not the car tune, once all the little ittynitty bits are ironed out over a few trck days.

Budget was 15k but with the forged motor costs raised that to max 20k for a fully built track car, done myself bar the engine buildup.

Didnt want to keep tracking my road car.

Best of luck with it. R32's & Silvias are pretty cheap, parts are plentiful.

Or import something from japan already done, ie built WRX, cant be rego'd and HAS to live on the track.

[JZP]

It's kind of funny, most of the recommendations are anything BUT a Skyline...

Great input so far... thanks guys!

[rad100]

s14!

r33 gtst brakes, little t28, 14psi, fmic, tune, coilovers and semi slicks will give your cracking times for around 10k!

[Roy]

Pains me to say ... R33 GTS25t. They are so cheap these days, they have reasonable brakes srd. Good suspension, strong gearbox and make easy power if tuned right. They are not that much heavier then an R32, most of the weight is from the gearbod, bigger brakes etc. Grab a cheap one, strip it and just give it good shocks and tyres and it will be quick.

[fatz]

It's kind of funny, most of the recommendations are anything BUT a Skyline...

Great input so far... thanks guys!

cause everyone know if you play gtr's at a race track it costs a bomb

r32/3 gts would be awesome fun with decent power

[Ant97GTR]

No matter which track car you decide to go with the cheapest option is to buy one with the money already spent on it

[Risking]

I have a caged r32 gtst which I'd sell for a reasoanable price.

Good nick straight decent engine.

Also have a VT with a 355 and a 5 speed, being caged currently then sold off.

Or a Gtir which is also being caged and sold off. 308kw at all fours ( dyno to prove it ) loads of good parts also going cheapish.

[phunky_monkey]

No matter which track car you decide to go with the cheapest option is to buy one with the money already spent on it

Wise words!

If it were me I'd buy an S14/S15 for all of the reasons stated above. I wouldn't go as nuts on it as I did with my 180SX, just leave it at:

• Exhaust
  
• Intercooler
  
• Injectors
  
• AFM
  
• Tune
  
• Discs
  
• Pads
  
• Braided brake lines
  
• Clutch
  
• GOOD coilovers w/ camber tops
  
• Rear camber arms
  
• 17's with R rubber
  
• Seat
  
• Wheel
  
• Cage
  

You'll have a reliable 200rwkw's in a nimble, light chassis that is cheap to run and quicker than most other budget track cars.

Alternatively an R33GTS-T is just as good an option if that's what floats your boat. More power and torque, but more weight. Much better gearbox though which is a big +.

[FineLine]

It's kind of funny, most of the recommendations are anything BUT a Skyline...

Great input so far... thanks guys!

Because you said "track car"

Now if you had said Street/track car most answers would be different. I wouldnt be seen dead in a shitbox silvia.

As a track car however they are Light as a feather compared to a skyline and the 4 banga generally costs a 3rd less to get some decent power upgrades from. They are easier on brakes and tyres as well.

It just makes sense for a track only car.