Keep building or buy something better?

[No Crust Racing]

At a cross roads with the S13, I've done up a parts list for what I need/want to take the car to the next level and there's easily 15-20k in parts and labour for a built motor, box and diff swap to handle it, and brakes to slow it all down + misc bits. Then there's the time required to do all of those things as I always do the bits I can myself.

For that money I could buy another S14/S15 track car with the vast majority of that already done (motor/box/diff at least), but with the risk of it not being done properly or being a time bomb - I have made the call to stick with S chassis/Nissan as I like the fun/challenge of RWD and it's a platform I know and can support. 33 or 34 could also be an option. 

The end goal would be VTAC/WTAC in Clubsprint + various other sprint type events, and maybe some enduros, and to be in the upper end of the field where possible. Time attack series means the cars must retain brand of engine/cylinder count from original chassis. 

How the hell do people make a call on how far to take the current platform vs knowing when to get into something else?



 

[260DET]

It depends on a few things including how much spare time you have but it sounds like you would be better off buying a suitable track car at the right price and going through it in between races. One thing I have learnt with a modified car is not to trust other peoples work unless you are familiar with the quality of their work, the things some people do with a race car is unbelievable.

[No Crust Racing]

And that's always a risk, how well it's been done, but it would be unfair if me to judge others knowing I have been learning along the way.

Keeping in mind the current car is already a dedicated track car, just low powered CA18, stock box, minor diff upgrade and skyline brakes all round. 

The next steps are all costly ones other than just doing a mild forged SR swap and leaving all else as is til it breaks.

 

 

[260DET]

Bugger being fair, with a race car you are putting your life and others on the line.

[No Crust Racing]

Lol I just mean I have used cable ties rather than buying custom billet brackets etc

[BakemonoRicer]

get an s15.

suspension geometry beats s13 and chassis is so much stiffer 

i have obviously driven both

 

[No Crust Racing]

Current car has full s15 rear end with reinforcement plates welded in. Solid subframe mounts, whole thing tucked up for better role centre geometry, angled for better anti squat.

All adjustable front with roll centre and bump steer correction.

The last s15 at our track was 2s slower on wider tyres (315s!) with more power 245 vs 185me). S13 chassis is heaps lighter remember.

My interest in S14/15 isnt about it being a better chassis, it's that there's more of them "done" with fully built motors, RB25/z32 box swaps, good diffs and big brake kits. All things I need to step up.

Lots of S13s are thrashed drift cars

[admS15]

Keep the s13 and go ls1. Im sure you've seen that orange one that's done some rounds in that series you're doing.

Plenty of cheap replacement engines, easy to achieve 300rwkw without turbos or e85, just a nice cam and thrash.

[No Crust Racing]

Yeah I know Peter's car, the red/blue/white one is faster

Ls1 means ineligible for clubsprint classes for VTAC and WTAC.

Also same question really, ls1, box, diff, brakes, or buy car with it all already done.

[Duncan]

well....my point of view is spend as little as possible on the car, and as much as possible on entering interesting events in it.

I promise there will always be someone at every event who has spent more money than you have to go faster, so just go and enjoy motorsport with what you have

[No Crust Racing]

Fair point Duncan, but the current motor is a stock bottom 29yr old lump, she's getting tired and If I pull it out I might as well put something better in.

[Duncan]

wrecker motor.

anything else is a slippery slope that ends with a million $ time attack car that gets driven once a year and comes second.

[No Crust Racing]

LOL you sound like you've been burnt before mate

[admS15]

As Duncan said and honestly who gives a crap about time attack rules, getting as much seat time as possible is where it's at.

 

I vote keep the ca and freshen up, larger turbo for 250-270rwkw, leave everything else as is and just drive the thing.

 

Keep it simple and if a ready built track car becomes available down the track jump on it then. My 2c.

 

 

[Leroy Peterson]

so we have come full circle ActionDan...

you were tossing up engine swap or build the CA. decided to swap and build SR. now tossing up replacing the car.

 

Last time you were this troubled, you were comparing R-chassis to S-chassis to Evo to Euro, sold the R34 and bought an AU falcon.

There is no telling where this one is going to wind up.

 

I'll put $5 on S-chassis LS1 conversion by 2020

[admS15]

Turbo on AU, problem solved..

[No Crust Racing]

9 hours ago, admS15 said:

As Duncan said and honestly who gives a crap about time attack rules, getting as much seat time as possible is where it's at.

 

I vote keep the ca and freshen up, larger turbo for 250-270rwkw, leave everything else as is and just drive the thing.

 

Keep it simple and if a ready built track car becomes available down the track jump on it then. My 2c.

 

 

I care as I'd like to enter those events and I can't enter them without adhering to the rules...

Question isn't CA or not, CA is going, too hard to support with spares/performance bits. SR is much easier longer term and actually cheaper for spares and wrecker motors because you can find a working wrecker SR easily, CAs are all 29yrs old and f**ked. 
 

9 hours ago, Leroy Peterson said:

so we have come full circle ActionDan...

you were tossing up engine swap or build the CA. decided to swap and build SR. now tossing up replacing the car.

 

Last time you were this troubled, you were comparing R-chassis to S-chassis to Evo to Euro, sold the R34 and bought an AU falcon.

There is no telling where this one is going to wind up.

 

I'll put $5 on S-chassis LS1 conversion by 2020

Not really,  made the call to swap out the CA, too hard to support now. Sold all my CA performance parts/spare engine and bought an SR donor with the profit. 

Tossed up S Chassis vs Evo, made call to stay S Chassis. 

Tossed up R34/Euro, made the call to go with neither and stick with motorsport, sold the 34 and made bank. 

Wanted to do more interesting events and get the missus involved, Bought an AU to thrash - 2 events since buying it a few months ago, 1 of which she drove the whole day, was awesome. 

It's a car forum, if you don't like discussing cars f**k off? Yes I ask question =s and like to discuss shit, I also bring back results, share data and testing. If it's just my threads you don't like, again f**k off

9 hours ago, admS15 said:

Turbo on AU, problem solved..

haha, nah, will keep the AU simple, means more events with less hassle. 

And Duncan, I've done 5 sprint rounds in the last 6 or so months, (and 2 AU events) so I'm getting seat time. Next event is the 6th. 

[GTofuS-T]

42 minutes ago, ActionDan said:

f**k off?

 

43 minutes ago, ActionDan said:

f**k off

No need to get upset! Just like you're airing all your thoughts, other people have the right to air their thoughts back at you! This in infact a car forum not a safe space

 

I think what Duncan is saying is to do more interesting events not just more seat time, doing 5/6 of the same thing each year can get repetitive and boring and once you plateau on times you feel that need to upgrade.

I wouldn't worry about WTAC/VTAC, those are just overpriced over-e-famed events for bigger (and sponsored) players, browse through Duncan's or Niel's build threads to see the events they do, many more and way more interesting, a bit more travel, different formats, different tracks for a fraction of the price, sounds way more fun than building up for a major event then having something fail on the day and that's it.

[No Crust Racing]

Always happy to hear useful opinions etc, but Leeroy tends to offer little and complain that I'm asking the question. Not the first time. I just found the block/ignore function so we're good

 

I get what you mean re interesting events.

 

The car still needs a fresh motor either way and I'd like to go faster than I am.

 

The time attack events aren't the only thing I'm keen on, I'd like to look at some enduros as well and whatever else is around, that was more context in terms of build style/speed required etc.

 

 

 

 

[admS15]

Well, about the CA. You've come to the realisation the SR conversion done properly is going to cost you 15-20k and you don't like it. The CA is the simplest road forward and is easy enough to get horsepower out of. Do the math, its a no brainer. Will still be eligible for time attack efame. Win win. For me the cost of changing to an SR and the performance benefit doesn't stack up. Think about how many years your ca has been going, a simple freshen up should give you many more. Im f**king off out of this thread now, good luck with your deliberations.

 

Another option, buy an Evo. K bye.