[Smitty2919]

Long story short, my wife finally said "Put up or shut up" about me wanting to autocross. So after asking around and doing some research I found my 56K mi full exhaust/short throw shifter/CAI 95 Z28 for $5000. Clean car, no issues and have been having fun with it. I started autocrossing just this season and have been addicted more than I thought I would be (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Within only 1 season I have gone from a stock suspension car to:
Front+rear swaybars
Strano springs+koni SA shocks
LS1 front brake swap
10 spoke SS wheels on V710's (good deal used)
Race seat + 5pt harness
Fays 2 watts link (good deal used)
Full exhaust (from PO)

Looking to get a differential over the winter since the stock one can not hold power to inside rear tire around turns. It did not take me long to do the previous mods because I felt I could out-drive the car. After the differential, it will be a matter of more seat time to fine tune components to get me faster along with just getting behind the wheel.

I have realized that a Miata and a C5 are the best bang for the buck car in terms of price paid and performance. Since I can't look myself in the mirror if I drove a Miata...a Vette it is (plus my father in law and brother in law road race their 67 and 87 vette's so a C5 would be a nice family addition LOL)

I typically fall within the top 25 cars in a group of 80ish cars each event (I'm happy with that only having run a total of 6 events under my belt this season). Plenty of C5's, turbo's miatas, or well sorted/well driven crossfires/evos/lancers are above me. A lot of the people above me have been racing for a while so I know the driver mod is important.

-SO the question to everyone is if I already have my mind set on wanting to get into a base C5 (I couldn't afford a Z) to daily drive and autocross, when would you stop the mods on the Camaro?
-Would you say to autocross for a couple more years in the Fbody THEN step up to a C5?
-If you stayed fbody, what made you keep with it over a C5?

Just curious on people's opinions since I'm sure I'm not the only person looking to do this. I have no goals to go to nationals, nor do I care to build a car toward a specific class. My goal is to get quick times and have a blast in a car I enjoy to drive anywhere yet beat the snot out of on the track and have it perform.

[SuperMacGuy]

If you want to be in the top x% of results at AX, more seat time. Good cars help, but good skills go farther. Sam Strano could get FTD in his Camaro and even beat everyone, even the vettes, at our events (SUSQ region). I was regularly in the 10-15 entrants out of 90-120 at our events, and a few times came darn close to FTD, depending on who's there.
A better car certainly is easier to be fast in. But, maybe you can become better by driving in a slightly lesser performing car and really trying to hone skill and eek every last little bit out of your current car. And save money, somewhat. As others have said, it's addictive and will cost money in almost any class, unless you go street tire and truly stay as stock as you can.
My 2cents.

[trackbird]

If you want to be in the top x% of results at AX, more seat time. Good cars help, but good skills go farther. Sam Strano could get FTD in his Camaro and even beat everyone, even the vettes, at our events (SUSQ region). I was regularly in the 10-15 entrants out of 90-120 at our events, and a few times came darn close to FTD, depending on who's there.
A better car certainly is easier to be fast in. But, maybe you can become better by driving in a slightly lesser performing car and really trying to hone skill and eek every last little bit out of your current car. And save money, somewhat. As others have said, it's addictive and will cost money in almost any class, unless you go street tire and truly stay as stock as you can.
My 2cents.

+1