best bang for your buck race car?

[rocknrace03]

so im wondering just to see what you guys think would be the best production car to turn into a race car at low cost, basically stripping interior, adding a racing seat, roll cage, simple suspension,engine mods and just having a good old time =]

edit: for autocross/road racing

[Big_Jim]

First question I dont see answered is this:

What type of racing do you want to do? Drag, road, autocross?

[jpalamar]

^ this.

[oneday]

Really depends on what your goals are with said car. Do you want to compete? Are you just going to do track days? If you want to compete, decide what sanctioning body(s) you want to run in, buy the rule book(s), choose a class, pick a car and build to the rules. Without a goal or class anything can be a race car, from a Yaris to a Porsche.

If you want to just do track days then pick your favorite car and build it.

[rocknrace03]

autocross, road racing, im really just asking for general boredom, i dont intend to build anything, just thought itd be fun to see what people thought is the all around best road race car. i think it would be 2dr 98-01 impreza 2.2l or 2.5rs with a good set of coil overs and sway bars

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

IHO...

Drag: C5 corvette (can picked up cheap and the LS2 makes huge power stock/na even before modding)

Auto Cross: Miata (the proverbial Auto Cross king, inexpensive, well balanced, and short turning radius)

Road Course: Evo VIII or IX (very well balanced power & handling, huge aftermarket, has been known to beat exotics on road courses)

[Scapegoat]

2011 mustang gt

capable of handling the above three mention types of racing and will do very well within it's stock class.

[Got Insulin?]

Depends on your budget and how competitve you want to be. I know of a realitively local MINI that consistently beats up on Porsches and Lotuses (Loti?) on the track, and it's the non-S version and a daily to boot. The same argument could be made for any make or model though.

[Scapegoat]

wait for the 2012 boss 302.

[jpalamar]

IHO...

Drag: C5 corvette (can picked up cheap and the LS2 makes huge power stock/na even before modding)

Auto Cross: Miata (the proverbial Auto Cross king, inexpensive, well balanced, and short turning radius)

Road Course: Evo VIII or IX (very well balanced power & handling, huge aftermarket, has been known to beat exotics on road courses)

C5 Vettes have an LS1(C6 05-07 had the LS2 and 08+ is LS3)... makes me sad you don't know this being your a Vette owner...

2011 mustang gt

capable of handling the above three mention types of racing and will do very well within it's stock class.

Sadly, I agree and I've been an anti-Mustang guy for a long time but they really have a solid car for 2011.

[Scapegoat]

C5 Vettes have an LS1(C6 05-07 had the LS2 and 08+ is LS3)... makes me sad you don't know this being your a Vette owner...



Sadly, I agree and I've been an anti-Mustang guy for a long time but they really have a solid car for 2011.

well, to be fair... the 2010 and 2011 suspension is exactly the same. granted, the 2011 puts down about 80-90 more hp to the wheels and that obviously is a huge difference in making it a very formidable race car for stock classes

[jpalamar]

well, to be fair... the 2010 and 2011 suspension is exactly the same. granted, the 2011 puts down about 80-90 more hp to the wheels and that obviously is a huge difference in making it a very formidable race car for stock classes

Thats pritty cool. Didn't know that about the suspenision. I had a 2011 A6 V6 in my eye but just don't feel like pull the trigger on any more debt.

[marshallpre1]

240sx. Good chassis, great aftermarket, cheap to fix if you mess something up. At least that's my reasoning...

[Scapegoat]

Thats pritty cool. Didn't know that about the suspenision. I had a 2011 A6 V6 in my eye but just don't feel like pull the trigger on any more debt.

yup! and the slight HP increase for the 2010 and that suspension are from the bullitt set up.

of course, there is always room for improvement.

I've got my eyes on the 2012 boss 302... perhaps in 2013 or 2014. that is if i don't just sell the mustang to get a cheaper car and start saving for my dream vehicle

[jjm4life]

miata.

/thread.

[lepichichi]

miata 13B bridgeported PERIOD!

[92awdtsi]

Note: my opinions are for a practical persons budget. Obviously you can find better cars, but for the average persons wallet I think these are your best bets.

Drag : (hard to say since I love corvettes) Camaro/Firebird comes with factory LS1 and they run low low low 13s out of the box. You can pick them up for under 7k

AutoX : Miata hands down.

Road Course : Trying not to be biased here since I like dsms but, talon/laser/eclipse/galant vr4.... all come factory awd and turbo. An excellent base to build from and you can find them cheap.

[oneday]

thought itd be fun to see what people thought is the all around best road race car. i think it would be 2dr 98-01 impreza 2.2l or 2.5rs with a good set of coil overs and sway bars

As long as you don't mind losing at whatever kind of racing you enter you wouldn't be wrong....but if you want to be competitive you are very wrong. :cry:

As mentioned before, a Miata is never a wrong answer (unless you are lame and like drag racing--even then just drop an LSx and you will win). New Mustangs are great, C5+ Vettes are also good (particularly the Z06).

The Elise, STI, Evo, Mini, Integra, Civic, 350Z all make for stout starting points to build a race car from.

If I were to pick one brand new car to dump money into and convert to a race car it'd be a 911 GT3 RSR. The great thing is I wouldn't need to spend any additional money to make it competitive...the bad news is it costs twice what my house did.

[jjm4life]

911 gt3 rs is an awesome bang for the buck racer considering what you get... but you got to have the bucks.

i want a "regular" 997 gt3 next.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

C5 Vettes have an LS1(C6 05-07 had the LS2 and 08+ is LS3)... makes me sad you don't know this being your a Vette owner...



I meant early C6 pre-LS3, they are pretty cheap now and make a ton of power. That said- I'm relatively new to the Domestic scene, this is my first V8 vehicle and certainly my first Corvette. I'm loving that it blows away my previous modified STi's performance in EVERY category even in it's stock form- including 0-60. Once the cam/heads are done this spring it should be putting down 500 to the rear tires.

[Fujito]

Definitely a Miata or a cheap used Evo.

[ein]

Miata. They're cheap and there's a ton of racing to be done with them. There are classes for many different levels of prep and experience and they're cheap. The more loot you save on racing the more racing you can do.

Did I mention they're cheap. :mrgreen:

[mckpat03]

wait for the 2012 boss 302.

New Boss 302 is gonna dominate.

[Scapegoat]

New Boss 302 is gonna dominate.

it's going to be very very hard for me not to trade in my 2010 for one...

[Sublime1304]

Challenger srt8 with slicks and a supercharged 426

Needs to be put on a diet first

[Spocknasty]

Challenger srt8 with slicks and a supercharged 426

Needs to be put on a diet first

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR6mtW4CtCyuUaCV9jwuWkdMaz-xsM4lOzcW6WnLbyI0c_eKehl

Thread title is bang for the buck not fan boy dream

Look upon thy death
http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:7fr53HL9nnv5oM:http://img421.imageshack.us/img421/4018/firsttestfitls1fergemailcopysi.jpg&t=1

[Sublime1304]

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR6mtW4CtCyuUaCV9jwuWkdMaz-xsM4lOzcW6WnLbyI0c_eKehl

Thread title is bang for the buck not fan boy dream

Look upon thy death
http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:7fr53HL9nnv5oM:http://img421.imageshack.us/img421/4018/firsttestfitls1fergemailcopysi.jpg&t=1

Got a problem?

[Scapegoat]

Got a problem?

the problem is an srt8 with a blown 426 is no where close to being close to best bang for your buck race car.

that car will be useful for drag racing... but so much out there could be faster/as fast for cheaper

[92awdtsi]

the problem is an srt8 with a blown 426 is no where close to being close to best bang for your buck race car.

that car will be useful for drag racing... but so much out there could be faster/as fast for cheaper

like a bone stock 04-05 zo6 with a 100 shot

[Sublime1304]

the problem is an srt8 with a blown 426 is no where close to being close to best bang for your buck race car.

that car will be useful for drag racing... but so much out there could be faster/as fast for cheaper

I'm just saying that's what id like to see. Personal preference. That is all

[11secdsm]

Hard to beat a higher mileage Evo 8 that can be had for under $10k these days. Great in all three categories.

[Scapegoat]

Hard to beat a higher mileage Evo 8 that can be had for under $10k these days. Great in all three categories.

i know i wouldnt mind one!

grrr... private sale value of my car, according to edmunds is just over 26k lol

i could really use having a lower car payment...

[Sublime1304]

I think as I was writing my original post, I forgot about the title lol

[11secdsm]

i know i wouldnt mind one!

grrr... private sale value of my car, according to edmunds is just over 26k lol

i could really use having a lower car payment...

I know you love your car, can't blame you. And as much as the '11 strikes your fancy even more, it's very hard to to overlook the performance to dollar value an Evo can give you. ****, i've even though about getting another one. :lol:

[92awdtsi]

I know you love your car, can't blame you. And as much as the '11 strikes your fancy even more, it's very hard to to overlook the performance to dollar value an Evo can give you. ****, i've even though about getting another one. :lol:



DO IT DO IT:partyman::driving::rally:

[Scapegoat]

I know you love your car, can't blame you. And as much as the '11 strikes your fancy even more, it's very hard to to overlook the performance to dollar value an Evo can give you. ****, i've even though about getting another one. :lol:

i adore my car. but the more i see people buying stuff for their car the more i'm disappointed in my rash decision to buy it. I really cant afford to mod the car, which is good... and bad.

i owe less on my lien than edmunds private sale, and more than the dealership trade-in value. it really isn't financially intelligent to get rid of the car unless i can sell it outright and trek around in one of becky's vehicles till i could save up a few grand.

ultimately, it just isn't feasible. but it's probably a very good thing i can't afford to modify the vehicle right now (paying rent and a mortgage kinda hurt!) because i'd be tempted to do it myself... and i tend to get burnt out and half ass it haha

[mcperson2k]

One of my brothers friends just put a downpayment on a new Boss. he ordered the orange one. (I know nothing about mustangs)

[FocusDude]

Evo or Miata.

Newer Mustang's are pretty well rounded though, if you want to splurge.

[itwillboost]

Bang for your buck = dsm, miata, 240 /thread. Things like a z06 or an evo would be nice but look at what he said, clearly that's far out of his budget. For 8 grand you can have any of these cars running great.

[JERRYM1997]

Good in all categories: High mileage Trans Am ws6... trying not to be biased. They are under 10k now and there fast cars and handle well.

Drag: A 5.0 Mustang LX or GT... Im not a Mustang fan but they are extremely cheap and their aftermarket is huge and cheap.

Autocross: Miata

Road Track: Cheap evo or sti

[RedBowTies88]

As much as I hate fords I have to say that for drag racing an old notch would be tits.

autoxing a miata is awesome...ive done it


road course you're gonna want something with more power and IMHO rwd... you can make the ls1 camaro/firebird do well but i think a c4-c5 vette would be great. or if you can afford to mod the balls off previous miata

[Foolinaround]

Drag:DSM
Autox:miata
Time attack:Anything really awd,subie/dsm/evo.

[Sublime1304]

For the strip, supra gets my vote (and not because I love that car to death)

[RedBowTies88]

dude i dont wanna be rude but have you ever drag raced?

im not quite sure you know what it takes to make a car go fast on a budget..

[Sublime1304]

dude i dont wanna be rude but have you ever drag raced?

im not quite sure you know what it takes to make a car go fast on a budget..

Yes I have

[jpalamar]

For the strip, supra gets my vote (and not because I love that car to death)

Dude, your first car in this thread was an SRT8... you posts later saying you mis-read the title of the thread after people pointed out budget build... now your saying Supra.

Come on man.

[DaBombDiggidy]

Anything with SRT on it is $$$ to mod and they typically underpreform compared to equally modded cars in their class.

Not to mention, it is the opposite of bang for the buck.

umm not really.. srt 6 and the nsrt4 is cheap and cheap to mod. id say 13s on stock turbo with supporting mods and a driver isnt too bad for a car that started under 20k. they havent gotten making the 8s down tho.

id actually vote for the nsrt. (yes im partial), but they make alot of power from the 4g64 and mod for mod is the fastest FWD 4cyl car.

[RedBowTies88]

yea but if you were going for just dragging/tracking ide stay well away from fwd... no matter what you're just not gonna 60' like rwd/awd... autox is another story

[SleeperGoat]

dude i dont wanna be rude but have you ever drag raced?

im not quite sure you know what it takes to make a car go fast on a budget..

Lol agreed let alone to pick up a supra it's gonna cost ya a pretty penny.


Drag - I'd agree with the notch back stang

Auto x or road course I got no idea.

[clubken]

yea but if you were going for just dragging/tracking ide stay well away from fwd... no matter what you're just not gonna 60' like rwd/awd... autox is another story

not always true.. http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?4978941-Fun-night.&highlight=fun+night
i would consider a 1.6x a pretty good 60' for a 200ish hp car. but then again it has some serious weight reduction.

[oneday]

Actaully, thinking about it some more...if this were to be for road racing only, the NSRT-4 ACR or even the regular Neon ACR is an awesome starting point. The Ford Focus (non-SVT) is a decent platform. Old Rabbits/Golfs/GTI chassis are fun in IT classes.

While I agree that a WS6/C5/F-Body/Fox/S197 all are decent platforms and their chassis are easy to come by and cheap on most parts, when considering a racing budget an often overlooked aspect are expendables...no not Sly or Dolf....tires, brakes & gas. All these big cars are, well...big. They eat brakes and tires and fuel isn't cheap. So, nothing beats the Miata for road racing/autox in the bang for buck category.

[RedBowTies88]

not always true.. http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?4978941-Fun-night.&highlight=fun+night
i would consider a 1.6x a pretty good 60' for a 200ish hp car. but then again it has some serious weight reduction.


thats a good dig cant take that away from him but i feel that if all the effort was applied to a similar weight/HP/wheelbase rwd car it would of been even better

[jjm4life]

when considering a racing budget an often overlooked aspect are expendables...no not Sly or Dolf....tires, brakes & gas. All these big cars are, well...big. They eat brakes and tires and fuel isn't cheap. So, nothing beats the Miata for road racing/autox in the bang for buck category.

quoted for truth.

lotus also known for being easy on expendables... just sayin :mrgreen:

[oneday]

quoted for truth.

lotus also known for being easy on expendables... just sayin :mrgreen:

May be...but, even an 05 Elise is $20K...then getting it prepped for racing (even just track use) will set you back another $5K....Plus your Lotus burns 93, has decently big tires and requires a mortgage if you run out of talent and graze some armco.

A Miata burns 87, has 205 (maybe 225)/50-15s and has a never ending supply of replacement fenders and donor cars for pennies on the dollar.

[mcperson2k]

A Supra??? Is this guy a troll or what!

[RedBowTies88]

A Supra??? Is this guy a troll or what!

eh... give him a break, i just think hes new to the game and a little overzealous

[jjm4life]

^^^ lotus was a joke. most of the guys running lotus as track cars are replacing 911 variants. and youre right, when you run out of talent the bill gets expensive very fast. i only mentioned lotus cause its funny to think of it as a low buck track car.
fwi lotus is tuned to run 91 from the factory, and the "ideal" track size tires are 15f/16r. they are very track worthy from the factory, especially track pack equipped ( adjustable bilstiens, harness and a few other goodies) so 5k might be a stretch...

either way a miata is hands down the best autox/road race car for every reason you and i have mentioned. infinitely upgradable, easy to replace, cheap on consumables, can race in nearly any series ect ect ect.

[EklipzGSXkid]

1g awd dsm for the 1320. Pay $1,000 or less for the car, And run 12's for under $300.... Parts are extremly cheap used, And there is an unlimited market of cheap used dsm parts. You can have an extremly fast 1g awd dsm for peanuts. Not even 1/4 the cost you would pay for some of the cars in stock condition, Listed in this thread. They also handle very well for alot of different event's being AWD and turbo to begin with.

[Got Insulin?]

if you run out of talent and graze some armco.
.

Hands down, that may be the best way I've ever heard to describe driver error.

I think that DSMs are almost like the AWD entry to the Miata's RWD. They're cheap, plentiful, you can beat the piss out of them, have excellent response in stock and non-stock form, and although they burn 93, if you get a Cali spec ECU or tuning software, you could theorhetically knock that back, too.

As for the Supra comment, even though I know Mike was talking about the MK4, I think some people forget that the Supra has been arround for a while. A MK3 with the 7M can make power, and then when it gives up the ghost, get a 1JZ and call it a day.

[Scapegoat]

an 5.0 LX would make a great autocross and road course car as well w/ the right suspension set up.

A supra is a lousy drag car. whats the saying? whats the same about a 300 hp supra and a 700 hp supra... 12 second 1/4 mile times.

an neon srt-4 is a great all around car as well. 5-10k get's you in the ballpark of 400-500whp and suspension. (used parts are a dime a dozen and modded neon's are cheaper than stock)

the turning radius of the neon blows nads though, i hated it on mine.

the biggest bang for your buck is going to be a gutted older civic hatch w/ the right tires and PRACTICE. at least for autox.

for a track car... i'd have to go with a miata close to spec miata specifications. Faster on a course than vehicle three times as powerful, and its a ton more fun to lay into a corner full throttle!

for a drag car, i'd have to give it up to an old fox body mustang. 5.0 parts are cheap and those motors will handle nitrous. get an auto, get the rear to stick, and haul ass.

for an all around car, an evo seems to be the choice. Not sure why, but i don't think of the sti as an all around auto-sport car.

Or, if you want just go get a new '11 v6 mustang for 24k and beat on some subbies!

[ReVision]

A Supra is a terrible bang for your buck race car....ask me how I know ;)

[daewoo]

miata/civic/integra

[Slick 87]

miata is clearly the budget choice. If you dont want to undertake big mods though, you could splurge a little more on the upfront purchase, and consider an early model 00-01 s2000. Weight reduction, along with coilovers, sway bars, and a 4.77 rear gear, your set.

[DTownHemiD]

Drag: American vehicles

[telopyros]

I'm am going to base my choices on being able to use the car for all platforms of racing and maybe even drive it home!

ENTRY LEVEL:
1. Miata- As said 100x in this thread, good performer, cheap on the wear and tear items and parts are endless. Power can be made, and the car is so light so it doesn't need to be 500rwhp to compete, 250rwhp makes a hell of a car.

2. 240sx- cheap buy in, parts are everywhere. RWD- and the numerous amounts of proverbial "performance" engines that have been swapped into this chassis are endl

[Bdub215]

Miata, mr2, corolla, legacy

[94integra]

91-94 sentra se-r

[sean3]

Going straight: fox body
Turning in parking lots: Miata
Turning on race tracks: C5Z

[boostjunky]

1G Dsm. End thread **** haters. Im drunk.

Sent from my Garminfone using Tapatalk

[92awdtsi]

wooooooooo hoooo im drunk too. dsm ftw

[inteva6184]

Kind of surprised no one suggested the s2000.

[supraghost]

91-94 sentra se-r

^^this. best handling fwd car of the 90's

[94integra]

^^this. best handling fwd car of the 90's

i agree. i drive my dads se-r all the time and i love the way it handles. makes me want to build the shell thats in the garage.

[Fujito]

New Boss 302 is gonna dominate.

I just looked it up. Looks mean. How much will those go for? $40k?

[DaveSTi]

Ariel Atom.

[mckpat03]

I just looked it up. Looks mean. How much will those go for? $40k?

I forget if they've released pricing yet, but I know they were saying its Going to be right between the GT and GT500, so yeah, pretty much 40-41.

[SleeperGoat]

I forget if they've released pricing yet, but I know they were saying its Going to be right between the GT and GT500, so yeah, pretty much 40-41.

Though if it's gonna be a special edition type of thing or make only so many each your, your gonna be looking at a nice markup.

[oneday]

Kind of surprised no one suggested the s2000.

Still too expensive to be a true budget racer. With the right suspension mods they are a very good track car.


i agree. i drive my dads se-r all the time and i love the way it handles. makes me want to build the shell thats in the garage.
^^this. best handling fwd car of the 90's

The problem is that they are scarce. Between rust and wrecks there are very few examples worthy of owning--even to convert to a track car. My dad bought one new in 91, blew the first motor in 94 and totaled it in 96. Come to think of it, that was the first modern, manual transmission car I ever drove...good times.

[rocknrace03]

i believe theres gonna be a limited edition of the boss 302 call the R edition ( i think) dont quote me on the exact specs but i know it comes factory with a roll cage, better suspension no engine? or more horspower, can remember, but i know that its not street legal....

edit, found the link, and its even better then i remember reading. here vvvv

http://www.automobilemag.com/auto_shows/detroit/2010/0912_2011_ford_mustang_boss_302r/index.html
pretty sick! but at only 50 cars made, and 80g, sucks =/

[cavillac95]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/PTUNING-Scion-TC-Race-Car-/110631148870?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item19c2215d46

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/E30-M3-M3T-JP-GTS2-Race-Car-/140493106069?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item20b60aab95

[supraghost]

Still too expensive to be a true budget racer. With the right suspension mods they are a very good track car.





The problem is that they are scarce. Between rust and wrecks there are very few examples worthy of owning--even to convert to a track car. My dad bought one new in 91, blew the first motor in 94 and totaled it in 96. Come to think of it, that was the first modern, manual transmission car I ever drove...good times.



the se's are everywhere. and sr20's are a dime a dozen now. for the money put in, you can build a great cheap racecar

[94integra]

i have a 92 se-r shell ill sell for cheap

[igo4bmx]

best bang for the buck is a miata wtf is everyone saying in here?

[RedBowTies88]

best bang for the buck is a miata. wtf is everyone saying in here?

word



best bang for the buck is a miata? wtf is everyone saying in here?


http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/7675/youdumb.png (http://img266.imageshack.us/i/youdumb.png/)


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