Bang for your buck in a track car

[APXD 30]

fasthonda wrote:

PS my civic turbo, at under 2200 with driver and 320+ whp is insanely fast; i've always run it with cast off junker tires, and still i can run with the big dawgs in the red group. with fresh tires and brakes it would run at the 'pointy' end. and yes, darren is right, fuel is a BITCH to pay for in the honda; i run C16 ($12 a gal) and it gets about 6 mpg. when i bring it back out of retirement, it'll be running on E85 ($1.80 a gal!).

Todd,

Why the BP at these prices vs. a Sunoco 110 leaded for 50% less? I'm ask b/c I don't know. I thought that dragster ran the C11, 12, & 16. That stuff is pricey.

[APXD 30]

Aaron,

My low cost set-up came complete with a need for a trans.   So now I'll be learning how to take swap one of those.   The parts will be far less than a P-car.

Regarding car choice, I thought of many, many cars.    I think that the M Roadster with the 333hp M3 motor would be a hoot but they're hard to find and still cost more that a C5 Z06 in the low $20s.    The M3's are great and mentioned previously.   

Remember the BMW tii hatchback?   They made them with the 2.5 litre good for almost 200 hp in a small car.   They are also from the mid-90s and fully depreciated.   I'm thinking that they must be comparable to a 986 for <half the money.   

I saw this lower powered 318 track car with a cage and Motons which sold for under  $4k. 

 http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayIS...MEDWX%3AIT

[Darren]

I doubt it really sold, I'm sure it was rebought.  Ugh I hate auctions


Although my Integra is for sale for slightly more that a case of beer.

[AMoore]

I actually started this post, not because I was deciding on a new car, but because I thought it would be a good forum topic.  I have already decided to pick up either a C5 Corvette Z06, or a used C6 Corvette with the Z51 suspension package.  It will be a part time track car that I can drive regularly.  Yes I know it is a compromise but it will be fun.  My RS America is still for sale through Dave Coughlin at carconnectionsusa.com.

[fasthonda]

APXD 30 wrote:

Todd,

Why the BP at these prices vs. a Sunoco 110 leaded for 50% less? I'm ask b/c I don't know. I thought that dragster ran the C11, 12, & 16. That stuff is pricey.

hi!

for a couple of good reasons, i like to run the VP C16: my engine is a totally stock K20A2 (RSX type S) motor, except that the head has been ported and shaved, and it is running a 'Mugen' thin head gasket. remember, i used to race this car in the Honda Challenge, which required all stock honda parts for the K series in H1. it's compression ratio is very close to 12:1, and tuned up real well it used to make 206 whp at 8500 rpm (awesome for a stock honda powerplant, yes? ). then, a few years ago, i decided to add the Greddy Turbo kit; it's my own custom install, and due to space and cooling considerations, i am running no intercooler (instead i run a custom ReidSpeed water injection system). so, i have a stock motor, on stock internals (no forged pistons or rods) running close to 12:1 compression, with boost upwards of 13 psi (when i was testing it at the Glen, i ran only 7 psi; by the time i got to NJMP, i was at 13!!!). if i ever experience any detonation with my stock motor, it'll just go 'pop' and that will be the end of the ring-lands/pistons, or worse.... therefore, i have been using the C16, which is very resistant to detonation (but darn it is expensive!).

E85 should be extremely detonation resistant too, but at the time, i didn't have big enough injectors nor the right programming knowledge to set it up. now, i have found an 'E85 expert' down in washington, and i also have gotten a hold of some 750cc injectors and a bigger fuel pump. so, soon it'll be E85 'green' power for me!

todd

[Mike Andrews]

AMoore wrote:

I actually started this post, not because I was deciding on a new car, but because I thought it would be a good forum topic. I have already decided to pick up either a C5 Corvette Z06, or a used C6 Corvette with the Z51 suspension package. It will be a part time track car that I can drive regularly. Yes I know it is a compromise but it will be fun. My RS America is still for sale through Dave Coughlin at carconnectionsusa.com.

Good choice. It's hard not to put them on the short list of best bang for the buck. I'd also put the E36 M3 on that list. Depending on your level, and expectations from the car, they can be run with very minimal upgrades.



Talk with Paul, Geza and Dwight about what they've done to their cars to get a feel for future upgrades.

[Darren]

fasthonda wrote:

E85 should be extremely detonation resistant too, but at the time, i didn't have big enough injectors nor the right programming knowledge to set it up.

Gene uses e85 in his RX7 turbo, I think mixed 50/50 with 93 octane. He was told by his tuner he could do that without changing his air/fuel mapping. I don't know whether that is true because of the ratio or because of his boost level, however.

[Racingswh]

Drew's old 996 Turbo was nice.  It was/is a finished car. 

C5 Z06 with mods already done.  Find a completed car.  Don't waste money on a build.  Jim and I were running 1:01's me in Keith's 99 C5 FRC Z06 lookalike and Jim in his Yellow 01' C5 Z06.   Both fast street cars. 

Paying for mods is like piling your money up and burning it.  Most of the time the performance gain is minimal and the decrease in reliability is MAXIMAL  for the money spent.   Spend money on safety, tires and good brakes. 

You can look to Steve Meenan as the best example of what to do!!  I am dead serious too.  He buys already FAST cars ready for the track for the right money that are reliable and cheap to run and maintain.   All he has to do is put gas in, sort them out a little and maintain them.  When he sells them he gets as much or more than he paid.  Best track car concept I have seen yet. 

[George3]

Racingswh wrote:

. . . Drew's old 996 Turbo was nice. It was/is a finished car. . . .

What ever happened to Drew?

[Racingswh]

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-corve...thing.html

There you go. 


Check out the torque curve!  Over 300 rear wheel torque from 2800 rpm to 7000 with a max of 406.  Sounds like you could get that car for around 20K or so.