If you were to buy another car, what would it be, To do what you currently do. RR or AX Options

[ESPCamaro]

If you sold your car and had to buy a NON F-body what would it be. Think of working within your current budget.


I would like a late 80's BMW M3. With a 3.0 or 3.2 M3 engine. A Street Modified car.

With flares and 245/17's.


Or an E36 M3 for BSP. That one would depend on purchase price though.

[rmackintosh]

I would go with the Vette.....I would climb as high up the year/model ladder as budget allowed....probably ending up with a several year old Z06!

Had a street BMW once....never again....BEAUTIFUL CAR......EXCELLENT FIT AND FINISH......HANDLED GREAT......little underpowered.....was in the shop 30% of the time I owned it......people will tell you I had a lemon....but when the BMW service manager.....tired of dealing with me said:

"Have you ever owned a BMW before?"

Me: "No"

BMW: "These are highly sophisticated, high performance machines....this kind of maintenance/problems is normal."

Me: " Get the P.O.S. fixed, I gotta trade it in on something else...."

(IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

[tracknut]

I opted to change cars a few months ago. After 7 years of happy f-body ownership, I decided I wanted a dedicated track car, and bought a Radical SR3. It's a car who's only fault is the nut behind the wheel, which by comparison to the Camaro is satisfying and humbling. I've only had it on the track twice, and am still learning to drive it (aero downforce, huge g-forces, and big slicks are things I'm not used to) but it's an absolute blast.

Randy, who do you run with? I'm surprised I haven't met you before, but we probably have a lot of common connections - Alan Blaine, Julie Bergman, Nick Steel...

Dave

(IMG:http://www.go-fast.org/radical/images/ls031206at.jpg)

[KeithO]

M3 (the above notwithstanding). My wife's car has been a BMW 525i for the last 4 years and I have not had a single problem with it. None.

Beyond that, I would probably buy a Mustang. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif)

[mustbnutz]

As much Corvette as I could afford. Just don't get that special feeling for foriegn cars, wouldn't own a Ford.
Love my bowties.

[94bird]

I'd go the direction that Dave did. Forget trying to make a street car into a track car. There are SO many compromises. I think the closest I would come to getting another street car and making it into a track car would be a Lotus Elise. I worked at Lotus in England when they launched that car and I tried chasing them around the test track for many laps. I was in an Opel Vectra at the time so it was hopeless, but fun none the less.

[rmackintosh]

Mike....yeah, but ask Dave how much that little Radical set him back!... (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

I was looking at those a few years ago...but that is t BIG step up both in money, and time...to learn it, to work on it, and to tune it....THEY ARE SUPER WELL BUILT AND COOL THOUGH!

Dave....I have emailed you a few times building the Camaro....and Alan is ALWAYS trying to get me to a NCRRC event...I just never have the time/money to go to a second series...YOU NEED to bring that thing out to the SCCA and run that thing to the front....that is a lot of car for track days! (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Pat Newton]

I enjoy my BMW ('85 535i), but what I REALLY want is a Holden HSV GTS 300. LS1, 6-speed, 400+hp, huge brakes, four doors for family duty as well as track duty. What more could you ask for? Unfortunately they are RHD, not available here, and hideously expensive.

(IMG:http://www.hsv.com.au/images/cars/vx/gts_front.jpg)
(IMG:http://www.hsv.com.au/images/cars/vx/gts_rear.jpg)

But back to the real world. If I ever do sell my Firebird, what I'll be buying with the proceeds is nine race weekends in my Miata. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

Dave, I still can't believe you got a Radical. You lucky dog.... (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[GM01SS]

The newest ZO6 I could afford! Pretty decent car for the track, and love the LS1/LS6 (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Gary

[94bird]

Pat, what about a CTS-V? I saw my first one on the road today, and once they make it into a V it's a good bit less ugly to me. Granted, it's a little heavy but it's plenty fast around the track and could give pretty much any BMW a serious run for their money on a road course. I'd say any car John Heinricy help set up is going to be a good car.

Randy, I'm sure a Radical is an expensive car, but I didn't mean I'd go with exactly that kind of car. There are some good ones to choose from that are within my price range if I sell my Firebird and get a 2nd job. I'd even consider a cheaper open wheel car.

[tracknut]

Mike....yeah, but ask Dave how much that little Radical set him back!... (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

I was looking at those a few years ago...but that is t BIG step up both in money, and time...to learn it, to work on it, and to tune it....THEY ARE SUPER WELL BUILT AND COOL THOUGH!

Dave....I have emailed you a few times building the Camaro....and Alan is ALWAYS trying to get me to a NCRRC event...I just never have the time/money to go to a second series...YOU NEED to bring that thing out to the SCCA and run that thing to the front....that is a lot of car for track days! (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I have less money in the Radical than I did the Camaro, but maybe that's just me. The Radical will set you back $50-60K, depending on options, so yeah, it's the high end for the sports racer class. But there's virtually no "mods" to make, just get in and drive. So I'm actually hoping it will cost the same, maybe even a bit less to run than the Camaro did. Brakes will last far longer, tires maybe the same. But there's an engine refresh that needs to be done periodically - a bit of a wild card.

For me the main reason to get it is to be able to work purely on my driving skills, with a car that's really made to be just right on the track. Well-balanced, no compromises. Well, I'm sure there's better, but at my level it appears to be no compromises.

Good to hear Alan's out preaching the NCRC story, Randy (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Next year racing for me will be through American Racing Club, the latest venture. So again, no SCCA for me I guess.

Dave

[SSpeedracer]

If you sold your car and had to buy a NON F-body what would it be. Think of working within your current budget.

Spec RX7
Lotus Elise
Lotus/Caterham 7
Subaru WRX STI
GTO

No particular order

[rmackintosh]

Dave,

Ah....yes the ARC....I am sure Alan has mentioned it to me. I wish you well in that endevour...I will watch and may try it....I never say never....

I have just "grown up" in the SCCA....been going to events since in diapers with my dad....

I understand what your group, and others, are trying to do....less beauracracy and more fun....and I agree with it to a point....I myself have been, at times, a VERY VOCAL member at SCCA board meetings and issues I thought were crap....so I know how much stuff you have to wade through some times. But things that other groups are trying such as "run what ya brung" groups and even some of the more structured NASA stuff to me seems a little too nebulous to me....probably haven't spent enough time to research it, and besides....I have a family in the SCCA....LONGSTANDING friends and relationships that make the racing better and more fun!

Good luck, and I will try and come by some time.

[tracknut]

Thanks for the well-wishes, Randy, sounds like you'll have the inside scoop on how we're coming along...

And good luck with your SCCA race season next year too.

Dave

[RedPhenx]

I havent done either rr or ax, but I would like to try in either a 90-94 240sx or possibly a later 1.8 first gen miata. the mods I've doneto my car puts it into a higher group than i would be willing to drive with for my first time out (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Actually I'm hoping to maybe go as a ridealong with steve or some other atlanta area person next season.

[prockbp]

if i HAD to... i would go with an early c4 and run it in prepared class... that would be a lot of fun to build

[WOOS1]

I would have to opt for a C5. Of course, I really feel that Nissan is going to follow history and put a turbo on their 350Z. That would be another viable option for me. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[bruecksteve]

Lotus Elise or C6 Vette when they come out with the NEW Z06.

[mitchntx]

I've watched several races with spec Miata and Legends ...
Those classes appear to redline the fun-o-meter

What I don't like about the F-Body (or most street type cars I guess) is the expense of keeping the car on the track, reliable and semi competitive.

From what I can tell, a $10K investment and $3-5K car budget can put a Miata on the track for 4 or 5 races a year.

It might not be the front runner, but again, it would be fun!

[94bird]

Yeh, but who wants to be on the track only 4-5 times per year? (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) That's what sponsors are for anyway.