Best chassis for motorsport use

[Blakeo]

Hi guys, taking into account: bang for buck, tuning potential,availability, aftermarket support. 

Are R/S chassis still competitive in motorsport, is there a reason why they seem to be more commonly used than say a R35 GTR in WTAC? 

[GTSBoy]

Your question really depends on what you mean by "motorsport". Whether they are competitive or not will depend entirely on the ruleset. WTAC has some pretty no-holds-barred rules where lightness and simplicity can be a benefit. The R35 is nether of those things.

Pick another competition with some other ruleset, and R35 will smash the others. Pick another, and something else will do it.

[Blakeo]

1 hour ago, GTSBoy said:

Your question really depends on what you mean by "motorsport". Whether they are competitive or not will depend entirely on the ruleset. WTAC has some pretty no-holds-barred rules where lightness and simplicity can be a benefit. The R35 is nether of those things.

Pick another competition with some other ruleset, and R35 will smash the others. Pick another, and something else will do it.

So essentially the s/r chassis is better than anything else, unless they make rules against them 😎

Edited October 6, 2024 by Blakeo

[Kinkstaah]

No?

The WTAC rules heavily favour certain JDM manufacturers. Plus, in the world of time attack, these are also the platforms that guys 20 years ago built and built experience from, now that they have hundreds and thousands of dollars of sponsorships and junk behind them and have a ton of R&D.

From another continent we may see things like Lotus Elise/Exige/Porsche GTX and the Corvette platform smash things. The C6 at WTAC had a 160KG weight penalty. Have a look at Gridlife USA where they have a Ford GT absolutely massacring everything.
 

If you look at Clubsprint (which is still a sponsored class) - but the most "bang for buck", not many Nissans there at all. In a field of 39, there was a 350Z in 17th and a R32 GTR in 22nd.

[r32-25t]

The best Motorsport chassis would have to be pretty much any Porsche 911 

[Murray_Calavera]

9 hours ago, Blakeo said:

So essentially the s/r chassis is better than anything else, unless they make rules against them

How to tell me you haven't raced a S or R chassis without telling me you haven't raced a S or R chassis.

[MBS206]

4 hours ago, r32-25t said:

The best Motorsport chassis would have to be pretty much any Porsche 911 

I guess that could be debated too...

Per se against an F1 car?

But then, are we just wanting the best all rounder, hence then we need something that could do rally, in dirt and snow, so the F1 car is gone again...

 

So many variables before you can find "the best".

 

That said, I'd love me a Porsche GT3...

[UWISSH!]

Bang for buck, simplicity and heaps of aftermarket support I would be looking at what BYP are doing with civics and integras.

Really it all depends on what class or what type of Motorsport you are looking to do and also your budget.

Budget to one person might completely different to another 

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

Depends on how extreme, however if you look at SMSP, they're all dominated by Hondas and M cars on amateur/street car events. 

[robbo_rb180]

Best bang for buck at the moment would be a 86/brz.

Good chassis,  plenty of aftermarket support and parts everywhere.

 

I just picked one up with some quality gear and it drives better than my old 180sx. 

 

Also depending on what your doing and budget. 

An a90 supra is my pick if want to spend more. Great chassis, solid motor, gearbox is good. Development potential is crazy. They are doing well in prod sport and time attack.

All the old jdm stuff needs alot of work as most of it all bent and over priced.

[Duncan]

Yeah the question is really too broad, it depends what you want to do with it.

R and S chassis are still good for club racing, but I'm retiring my 32 GTR from rally because I just can't get hold of body parts (at any price) if a repair is needed.  It is still outright competitive but not practical any more

[bcozican]

as above

find out what you want to do with it but extremely general

Id get a more modern car with tech in it - add suspension, brakes and tyres - drive it

if needs cooling add that - drive it 

maintain and have fun

[defari]

whatever takumi's dad built.. use that chassis

[Duncan]

Good news, you can buy them brand new, 10 for $90K USD

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Full-Body-Part-for-AE86-Replacement_1601209302137.html?spm=a2700.details.you_may_like.2.68c330330HaZCH

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

And probably is stronger, with no rust.

[MBS206]

2 hours ago, Dose Pipe Sutututu said:

And probably is stronger, with no rust.

Sometimes Japanese rust is stronger than Chineesium steel...

[robbo_rb180]

I'll leave this here

Owned it for 5 days, changed alignment and its .7 of a second slower than my 180sx up Noosa hill climb.

Mca reds, cusco diff and short ratio, e85, some gktech arms, endless pads and Nankang CRS Tyres. 

I beat a gt3 porsche with an experienced targa driver too.

[GTSBoy]

Boosts?

[robbo_rb180]

7 hours ago, GTSBoy said:

Boosts?

NA not planning on boosting it.

It's my reliable street/fun car while I build s15

[MBS206]

8 hours ago, robbo_rb180 said:

I'll leave this here

Owned it for 5 days, changed alignment and its .7 of a second slower than my 180sx up Noosa hill climb.

Mca reds, cusco diff and short ratio, e85, some gktech arms, endless pads and Nankang CRS Tyres. 

I beat a gt3 porsche with an experienced targa driver too.

There is 100% no denying, a car that doesn't have a lot of power, but has grip, and brakes, can put a lot of cars to shame, especially as you can push them so aggressively, without fear of all the power putting you in the trees.

When you're having to dance around the power, especially at a track you don't get much opportunity to go over and over and over. Lower powered cars that make up for it on the limit for grip are GREAT!

 

IMO, unless you're building a car to race a specific class, the best car for motorsport, is the one you have, and can afford! (Or a cheap car, like a Swift, or Excel, or Corolla)! Then just go do laps and have fun!