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Lets talk Open Wheelers/Lightweight NA track cars.

No Crust Racing
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benm
benm

You can hold hands with your mates when you get back to the pits

benm
benm

Provided nothing breaks and you dont damage the body pieces (by running off the track or over curbs) my Radical would be as cheap if not cheaper to run per regular trackday as an MX5. This year (so

LSX-438
LSX-438

We've run a Stohr WF1 for a few years-- by far the fastest car per dollar you can drive.  54's - 56's at Wakefield, 1:25's to 1:27's at EC.  Some of the numbers earlier in thread ($3k per day?) are se

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No Crust Racing Grand Master

No Crust Racing

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lol I like the idea of an Evo, but it would be a chunk more spending for likely minimal gain over the current car. 

I think an MX5 warrants a closer look, in terms of light, NA, and capable, it seems to top the charts. 

In the meantime, as was suggested, I'll track the Silvia some more. 

Edited by ActionDan
No Crust Racing Grand Master

No Crust Racing

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They vary widely like any car with multiple models across multiple years and types of usage. 

The attraction there is that being lighter, and NA, the running costs (time and money) will be lower overall than another boosted tyre, fuel, and brake hungry beast.

I already have two of those :D  

 

 

Neil Grand Master

Neil

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Here's a cool open wheeler,,, just across the ditch, dry sumped and lots of fruit. Left shifter for your convenience.

 

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/specialist-cars/competition-cars/auction-1202180099.htm

 

Cheers

Neil.

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  • 5 weeks later...
V28VX37 Veteran

V28VX37

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On 15/11/2016 at 8:52 PM, V28VX37 said:

...

I've been entertaining the idea of offloading the 34 though it's way too far gone in terms of time and cost over the past five years. It's the only car and keeping the balance between family friendly (=safe) and track friendly (=quick/reliable) is tough - I've just about tipped it over the edge with the 1.5-way. Sounds like DJBarnstar is familiar with that story :)

Anyway if you replaced it with a 2-car combo you could optimistically do a ~10k family diesel wagon (how exciting) and a ~10k track toy, but you don't get much for that money. MX5's are very appealing but a sorted turbo example wouldn't fit the budget. Though heaps lighter it'd be hard to go NA for the lack of power (at least on paper) but that said ditching the turbo would also mean reliability & heaps less ongoing cost.

...

I've been investigating the MX5 option a bit more just out of curiosity, window shopping is fun. There's heaps for sale on CarSales and mx5cartalk, and a few more track focused ones on my105 and TrackSales.

If I had the space for a trailer a well sorted racer (even non-turbo) would be sensible but since I don't it really would need to be registered. This would leave a couple of options:

  1. Club rego: Find an existing early NA project with mostly NB S1/S2 parts and other required track upgrades; ideally a turbo conversion too ;) There are a few around but many interstate, and getting them regoed in Vic is probably an engineering job = $$$
  2. Full rego: Find an NB (turbo) or NC that is registered but with a track focused setup. Newer car = theoretically less hassles but more rego cost

So essentially it's the good old 'streetable race car' dilemma, with a bit of 'is old but highly modified better than newer but more stock' thrown in.

Besides the purchase price a primary factor would be ongoing cost. I'd really prefer something that is reliable and cheap to track (haha oxymoron) over something that is fast but in bits half the time (already have one of those). If there was a measure it would be lowest $ per lap say over a year. Essentially, how to get the cheapest seat time?  

Darn you Greg for making me think about this :huh:

260DET Experienced

260DET

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An alternative which I don't think has been mentioned yet is something like a RX7 with a LSx engine, there have been a few conversions like that done so picking up a completed one is a possibility. But of course a decent one is going to cost a lot more than some of the other suggestions here. Thing is though you get a powerful, nice handling car that should be low maintenance, to each their own but running something like a MX5 would get boring real quick, there is no substitute for power and all the interesting challenges it brings to the track.

V28VX37 Veteran

V28VX37

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An alternative which I don't think has been mentioned yet is something like a RX7 with a LSx engine, there have been a few conversions like that done so picking up a completed one is a possibility. But of course a decent one is going to cost a lot more than some of the other suggestions here. Thing is though you get a powerful, nice handling car that should be low maintenance, to each their own but running something like a MX5 would get boring real quick, there is no substitute for power and all the interesting challenges it brings to the track.

Nice. I'd love an LS swap for easy reliable power but never seen one on the street - I'm guessing they're pretty tough to get engineered?
Kinkstaah Grand Master

Kinkstaah

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I stupidly suggested to my gf that a MX5 would be a perfect car for her to get a head start in, learn on, use, etc. 

Now I want one, with a small turbo albeit.

LS Swapped FD would be great, but if you want a ~1250-1350kg car with an easy to use 250-270kw then you start looking into options like, oh I dunno, a RX7.. or a jap turbo import made by Nissan...

I have this discussion with my housemate who got an E36 328i with plans to put a LS1 in.

 

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260DET Experienced

260DET

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The OP is interested in NA options, he already has a turbo and the LS/RX7 conversion is popular because their rotor motor blows up regularly whereas a properly lubricated LS will go forever. The LS has other advantages too, low C of G, compact, parts availability, aftermarket support and relatively light in weight.

V28VX37 Veteran

V28VX37

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Posted
The OP is interested in NA options, he already has a turbo and the LS/RX7 conversion is popular because their rotor motor blows up regularly whereas a properly lubricated LS will go forever. The LS has other advantages too, low C of G, compact, parts availability, aftermarket support and relatively light in weight.

Sidetrack but the new owner is racing my old Monaro and it's onto its third or fourth LS now so they're not bulletproof either... Granted he's pushing close to 400rwkw naturally aspirated in a high G environment but still.
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V28VX37 Veteran

V28VX37

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58 minutes ago, 260DET said:

Lubrication. Other than abuse, pretty well every LS engine failure/premature wear situation can be traced back to inadequate lubrication.

Hundred percent. He's gone a dry sump setup now, hopefully less dramas in the future.

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