Your ideal cheap Race Car?

[jedge1.8t]

We all sort of want one, A old miata, MR2, AE86 rolla. not because of how luxurios and smooth they are, but mainly becasue of there chassis. It wont be a daily, or even street legal for that matter, just flat out track built car. the whole idea is you can pick up a miata for $900, gut it out and throw in a LS1 all under 5k.

So I ask you, if you had one super cheap RWD car you could buy, what would you choose and what engine would you fit? and if you have one please share.

Ill start it off with these:
Toyota AE86 - I feel a typical toyota boosted engine would do


Nissan 180sx - black top, enough said.


BMW E30 - never looked into Bimmers, but a bored straight 6 seems to be the tradition


Mazda Miata early 90's - my favorite, if it were to me id probably go LS1


Toyota MR2 early 90's - second fave, mid engine layout makes me beg for a boosted VR6 3.2

[Senna_]

[mike02467]

Miata all day every day any day what day is today?

[slikaznricer]

Miata all day every day any day what day is today?

Miata day. duh

funny this comes up. Im debating on a track toy. i have a miata, but might look towards 240's with an SR20.

hopefully someone can show me a good alternative

[jedge1.8t]

well theres alway this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63k8H..._8&feature=sub

[mike02467]

well theres alway this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63k8H..._8&feature=sub

I honestly thought the entire shop was going to blow up at 1:30

[EvilGTI]

Check out the Grassroots Challange held every year.... def see some fast/interesting rides(badass Minivans, vacuum vette....etc) built for no more than that calender year ($2001....$2011-$2012....etc)

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/events/2012challenge/

[patrikman]

Formula Vee, because real race car.







Engine? Proud of Boxer.

[DTMTrini]

Damnnn...forget "The manifolds are glowing!!" the damn things are on fire!

[C4 A6]

I don't think OP understands the definition of cheap.

My vote goes towards a stock NA Miata which can be had for $2k.

[McBanagon]

A god**** mother****ing MEV Exocet is the only ****ing way to ****ing roll!

[slikaznricer]

A god**** mother****ing MEV Exocet is the only ****ing way to ****ing roll!

I dont wanna get hit right after putting mine together.

[danny_16v]

E30

[Dr. Woo]

A god**** mother****ing MEV Exocet is the only ****ing way to ****ing roll!

[spitfirevr6]

I've been dreaming about getting a small buggy/big go kart frame and putting a street bike engine in it. It primarily would be an off road type set up, but i could see it being fun anywhere.

If you're lucky you can get everything you need from a junk yard

[SpecialFX]

While not cheap in the sense that the op meant, a k20 swapped classic mini would be cheap compared to what it could compete with

[curvedinfinity]

Not cheap, but not expensive ($20k):



NEMESIS!

[MolotovMan]

Miata day. duh

funny this comes up. Im debating on a track toy. i have a miata, but might look towards 240's with an SR20.

hopefully someone can show me a good alternative

2nd gen RX-7. You'll love it, I'll sell you my '91 Turbo car with 86k original miles.

[sandrunner]

Formula Vee, because real race car.

Agreed, I'll be about 6K in when all said and done with a fullly restored, monoposto legal vintage vee. "Track day" cars are nice, but I prefer wheel to wheel competition instead of just doing laps.

[slikaznricer]

2nd gen RX-7. You'll love it, I'll sell you my '91 Turbo car with 86k original miles.

are you located in the DC area? is it cheap? nearly race ready?

pm me

[notso2slo]

Not RWD, but we sure did pass a lot of RWD guys.



About $4000 for the total build, cage, seat, engine and all. All from scratch.
just a 2.slo, but well tuned. Am faster than Miatas and e30's. Especially in the rain.

[curvedinfinity]

Am faster than Miatas and e30's. Especially in the rain.

When it rains it roars

[MolotovMan]

are you located in the DC area? is it cheap? nearly race ready?

pm me

In NoVA. Pm'd you.

[Pf3il]

i LOVE my miata, but i'd pick a different car for a track build. something with a fixed roof.

[Omnilith]

$100 initial purchase, and five races later, it still puts a massive smile on my face.

[RacingManiac]

Probably doesn't need that much money to get it running again....but now it'll be out of my own pocket...so not as inclined to do it...

[Big Dac With Fries]

$100 initial purchase, and five races later, it still puts a massive smile on my face.

[img]hp://www.omnilith.net/carathevan/cara_infineon_3.JPG[/img]

More info please?

[Cousin Eddie]

A god**** mother****ing MEV Exocet is the only ****ing way to ****ing roll!

Built with bear ****ing hands of course!

[B3passatBMX]

First gen Focus + V8.

[jedge1.8t]

THis thread went straight to go-karts...

I would much rather have a real car, or even a kit car so if i drove it on the streets there wouldnt stand out to much, not that it would be legal. but i would still rip it down my near by highway.

I found a crazy miata sr20det swap the other day and must say its a great build. using heavy boosted 4 bangs probably be better than running V8s do to weight.

[Chris16vRocco]

[freedomgli]

My ideal cheap race car is the one someone else built to be fun, safe, reliable and competitive but is now selling at a huge loss.

[freedomgli]

using heavy boosted 4 bangs probably be better than running V8s do to weight.

"Heavy boosted" 4-cylinder motors, especially those that have been half-ass swapped into another chassis, are recipes for disaster when pushed hard on track for 20+ minutes at a time. Not to mention most turbocharged 4-cylinder motors weigh as much as an LSx. Give me a low-stressed, naturally-aspirated motor any day of the week for track work.

[MrMoon]

My ideal cheap race car is the one someone else built to be fun, safe, reliable and competitive but is now selling at a huge loss.

this

[Sentinelist]

944 Spec what?

Did it really take a full page before this was considered? SHAME! Miatas are great, but they're not the only game in town. $5k can get you a race-ready runner to join the racing poor for weekend battle.