£500.... track day car. Ideas?

[Skoze]

Gotta be an MX5. 

 

No doubt you'll be dubbed a homosexual for life but they're probably the only real drivers' car you'll get for your budget. 

[New POD]

Given my growing Mx5 Obsession, I'd suggest £500 is probably not going to get you a solid one.

 

The point of a track day car is what ? It's not a race, so it must be about having fun, so you want something that is slow, but with decent brakes, and handles a bit shite, with a hard roof.  I assume you'll fit a roll cage.

 

I could have bought a rally prepped Rover P6 with RAC blue book, with 2.0 Single carb engine back in 1992, for £200, but erm didn't. 

[Pillock]

surprised nobody said golf gti mk3, easily pickupable for 500 smackers

Actually, good point. They're a bit flabby but the 16v models offer 150bhp, easily repaired with secondhand parts, and a lot of the weight is trim that can be binned.

 

Also, stripping it out will help with the monthly weldfest.

 

You need to look up the drag coefficient of a roofrack with a pineapple on though.

[purplebargeken]

Hmm, Golf. Ladyboyz and Gentleman I think we might have a winnah. 

 

MX5 would be ace but too difficult for me to physically deal with (back and leg probs don't forget). 

 

Thanks everyone.

[cobblers]

As lardy as they supposedly are, my mk3 golf  (1.9 NA diesel) with ebay coilovers was really quite capable. The total lack of power and terrible brakes meant I was forced to just carry speed through corners, and it really could take it.

 

I could throw that thing around like no other car I've ever owned - every day home from work I would lift off oversteer round the roundabouts on the industrial estate, getting it further and further out to the point where I wore a pair of back tyres out before the fronts. It was hilarious but always catchable.

I miss that car.

 

Also OBV suggestion of 106GTISaxoVTS but watch the back axles for being shit, and they aren't that reliable.

 

MX5 also good but IMO the engine (Even in the most powerful late 1.8 guise) is about 40bhp short on power to keep up with the chassis and I found mine really frustrating in that regard. Try not to get one with an open diff because any sideways antics are totally unpredictable. Also they are all rotten to the point of snapping in two and if you leave it stood outside it will end up wet and stinking and mouldy because of the fact that all soft tops are shit. Quite reliable though, you could thrash the hell out of one all day and it wouldn't complain.

[Pillock]

I think they're only lardy compared to the Mk2, it fitted perfectly into the idea that each new generation Golf GTI was heavier, only as powerful, so slower. Mk1 had 112bhp, the 8v in 1995 had, erm, 115bhp. Only the 16v rescued it but they were quite rare, not sure if they priced it out of the market.

 

I liked my ex-Sporty 8v. It was honest, easily fixed and quick enough for daily fun. Well, easily fixed mechanically.... The rust got it. Had a lot of good times in that car.

[Jim Bell]

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=141496425930

 

British track car of distinction.

[Lacquer Peel]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2000-NISSAN-SERENA-2-3D-OCCASION-RED-/271716339064

[purplebargeken]

Now that would be a laugh.

[hairnet]

 

2001 civic 1.6 se vtec

 

[Parky]

I would go with a Civic, purely because the suspension is set up for the track to start with. Plus the JDM boys will be able to assist viz tuning parts.

 

Plus being wide and low they look like they will handle properly. I have memories of magazine articles showing mark 3 Golf GTi's cornering on three wheels and wondered if missing a quarter of your tyres would affect the grip levels. No? Just me then.

 

early Clio 16v / Williams would be a hoot but for £500 you will be looking at something borked bodily or mechanically.

[Ghosty]

Late '90s Civic 3 door. Old man has a 1.4 auto and even that's a hoot.

[laser wheels]

Puma 1.7. They're ace. Mine was less than £500 and apart from the galloping rot has been bullet proof despite caning the nuts off it whenever opportunity arises.

[twosmoke300]

Any civic from 90 to 01 will be good . Solid basic suspension set up. 500 quid may get a 1.8 vti in aerodeck or hatch form .

[Hawkeyethenoo]

Puma 1.7. They're ace. Mine was less than £500 and apart from the galloping rot has been bullet proof despite caning the nuts off it whenever opportunity arises.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ford-puma-1700-track-day-day-or-make-rally-car-/161531044554?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item259c0022ca

 

Must go down as a chance?

[Station]

Mot failure MR2 mk1 must be best track use car? There's not many cars that be plumped with F40, Testarossa, and Porsche 911 in best cars of the 80's (road a track magazine). It was basically a Lotus chassis, an amazing revvy engine and huge Toyota development budget. Check YouTube Nurburgring vids, they destroy everything on corners.

[dugong]

I was going to suggest a rough Citroen Saxo VTR, a N13 Almera GTI (or P10 Primera GTe) or a Mazda MX-3 V6 with a lot of the interior removed. 

[Honey Badger]

Drift yo?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LEXUS-SOARER-2JZ-/281533130465?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item418caea6e1

 

Fat Supra

 

 

Low fat Supra

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Toyota-Paseo-1-5-ST-BLUE-MOT-JULY-28TH-2015-48-MPG/221618507377?_trksid=p2047675.c100010.m2109&_trkparms=aid%3D555012%26algo%3DPW.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140221143405%26meid%3Ded986bc80f0d4920b42e1d690b323d31%26pid%3D100010%26prg%3D20140221143405%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D24%26sd%3D131380834545

[Billy SR]

Drift yo?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LEXUS-SOARER-2JZ-/281533130465?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item418caea6e1

 

Fat Supra

 

 

Low fat Supra

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Toyota-Paseo-1-5-ST-BLUE-MOT-JULY-28TH-2015-48-MPG/221618507377?_trksid=p2047675.c100010.m2109&_trkparms=aid%3D555012%26algo%3DPW.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140221143405%26meid%3Ded986bc80f0d4920b42e1d690b323d31%26pid%3D100010%26prg%3D20140221143405%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D24%26sd%3D131380834545

 

 

+1 on the paseo. cheap as chips and the starlet boys rip them apart for the engines! someone on the starlet forum turned one into an autograss car, it is awesome

[Ghosty]

Any civic from 90 to 01 will be good . Solid basic suspension set up. 500 quid may get a 1.8 vti in aerodeck or hatch form .

Already suggested the VTi on another thread. They're worth closer to a bag now, the cheapest one I've seen was £600 on an eBay auction a few months back - the only way to get one under a bag. Typical eBay prices are £800-1200 and dealers charge £1200 up.

[philibusmo]

What you really want for track use is an Austin Princess, and I just happen to know where you can pick up a fully road worthy example for just £500.

[Hertz]

£500 budget?

 

You are probably right to be fair, there are none left nowadays and those that do come up are fetching £1k upwards. You might get a bit of a project for a monkey.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1988-Renault-21-Turbo-Breaking-Or-Complete-Car-/161535510253?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item259c4446ed

[The Moog]

Any civic from 90 to 01 will be good . .

Not if R75 MMO is its reg. 1.6i auto is dire and slow. The thought of taking it on the track is scary

 

405 estate is quicker and much more fun 😊

[Crusty Sills]

How about a 6th gen Toyota Celica? There's a few on the Bay at a lowish price.

[purplebargeken]

Some really interesting suggestions folks but matey is holding out for something MG ZR/ZS shaped after all as he wants to do MGOT stuff and as he will be contributing to the whole thing......

 

Cheers

 

Ken

[Christine]

I hammered a ZS 180  around Thruxton , pretty impessive performance .. There's pair of out of date, but  have never been used,  Sparco glassfibre race seats here....weigh about as much as an egg box !  A mere £150 the pair !

[purplebargeken]

I doubt I'd get in them, if I did I wouldn't be getting out. Imagine a human snail but with a racing seat shaped shell. Yep. 

[sierraman]

You could easily spend another £500 on whatever you buy getting it useable for the track, new tyres, pads etc...

[purplebargeken]

That would be reasonable for decent bits and pieces, that would be spread between 2 or 3 of us. Hardest part is getting the right car, or so it seems. We will prevail. 

[Taff]

am I wrong in thinking 924?