alexaqui

Curious what the minimum cost to entry is to start the development of a SPB for a 2 year to competition timeframe.

I am assuming at a minimum..
-donor car
-safety equipment (how much does a cage run installed?)

What else is mandatory to get on track?

I originally built an E36 M3 which I crashed. I then tried to move into Spec Miata and realized I have sizing/fitment issues with most pre-built car's cages.

While I would love to buy a car for the mid 20's I see listed on this site, my budget cannot stretch that far this year (due to the loss of my M3). Rebuilding a new M3 with my salvaged parts will run me ~$12-15k. Would that same $15k get me decently down the road of putting together a SPB? I can then sell off the $8-10k worth of M3 parts I have lying around.

I am considering this new path because the E36 M3 has classing issues it seems. What attracted me to Spec Miata are the large fields. It seems like SPB is really picking up and can be a lot of fun.

Andrew.M.Cox

Seems like 25k - 30k is the minimum, plus the cost of a few hundred hours of your time. I'm building one now, and I would have just purchased one used if my wife would let me. The only benefit in building from scratch is the pay as you go plan, plus you get to truly know the car.

Cage in Minneapolis area is 4k - 5k.
Spec box suspension alone is over 5k.
Engine refresh parts - flywheel, clutch, IMS, etc are close to 3k.
Hardtop shipped is 800 - 1k
Rotors/pads/bearings, etc - 1k

Plus a whole other pile of crap - seat, accusump if you want, tow hooks, 3rd radiator....

There are lots of similar thread here with more details. I've seen people post build sheets with costs.

alexaqui

Thanks! This is pretty much what I expected. I also need to go on the pay as you go plan... Definitely cheaper to buy one done though!

Will look at the build lists. Appreciate the response.

HoBoJoe

I was going to do a slow build and start off using it as a DE car. When I priced out just getting a car, suspension, and safety gear I decided to call my builder and buy a car he had available. Financially it made more sense to buy the completed car and jump off the cliff instead of sliding down the mountain.

PGas32

Who's your builder? I'm local to you and will be looking for a cage and some other work soon.

I'm figuring $25k for my build, including the donor car. But I lucked out and found a car that already came with a factory hardtop, new clutch/flywheel and AOS, and a 3rd radiator kit...all for about the same $$$ as I was expecting to pay without all those things.

HoBoJoe

PM Sent.

Frank 993 C4S

No - I've been contemplating my racing activity for next year back and forth and figured that $25k is the absolute minimum for a reliable SPB car. Good cars are actually $35k+ and I found it cheaper to buy one that's already built. Excellent cars at $40k+.

$15k gets you a good SP2 or Sp3 car with a good tire and maintenance budget.

alexaqui

Thanks. I'm looking at $15k or so the first year to get the car up and running for DEs, not including tires/wear items/event fees/travel etc. I'm not sure I care how fast the car is; safety is my first priority.

I am of average mechanical skill (e.g., built my M3, parted the car out) and will need help with major engine and transmission work, and any fabrication/welding. Hopefully that will keep costs down.

toddlamb

Let me know if we can help with anything. We can source cheap donor cars and we do cages in house. Just sold our SPB and we are starting two new builds next week.

Gary R.

Frank nailed it, top cars will have a data system like AIM MXL2 which adds about $3k+ installed with sensors, SmartyCam HD another $1k, fire system close to $1k installed. Add at least one extra set of wheels and it adds up quick. Can you race without any of these things? Absolutely, but...

HoBoJoe

The costs will continue to pile, stop adding them up and just start building.

Gary R.

Yep, if building from scratch I would just find a 97-99 Box, add a cage, hard top, 5 lb extinguisher, new RR's and halo seat, then learn to drive it. Add PSS9's, GT3 LCA's, Tarrett drop links next, then new AOS, PS reduction pulley, and L&N IMS and your almost there!

mjj0000

I would argue that SPB is one of the easier classes to wade into slowly. This is especially true if you are patient and don't mind getting your hands dirty. A doner car plus about $10000 will get you a pretty nice track car. You can start driving and adding extras as your skills improve. Of course, the tow vehicle and trailer are extra.

Greg Holmberg

Here's my spreadsheet of parts costs.

Greg's Spec Boxster Parts

As with all race cars, you can buy a used one for less than you can build one. And if you assign a value to your labor, then way less than you can build one. On the other hand, maybe building cars is your hobby and you enjoy it. Personally, I'd rather drive it than work on it.

PLNewman

After a little less than a year in the SPB class, there are few things left unsaid that I wish someone had told me a year ago:

1- Once built, SPBs are surprisingly inexpensive to operate. But they still need tires ($1,000 per set per race weekend), pads, rotors, and fuel.

2- They are a dream to drive; beautifully balanced and tame. They rarely surprise. Great for a DE, if you don't mind getting eaten up and devoured by the expensive self-driving, nanny-minded, budget-busting super cars.

3- Driving them in a competitive manner is extremely difficult. You must be exceedingly aggressive with your braking, and exceptionally early on the throttle. In a low-power car (195 HP), first out of the turn, wins. This means from the apex out, the car must be dancing on a razor-thin edge of adhesion. You must have extraordinarily fast hands. You must, quite literally, leave NOTHING on the table, in order to be competitive. SPB is all about scrubbing as little speed as possible, carrying it through a turn, and exiting with a head of steam. This is probably not the way you are currently driving. Be prepared to spend a year or two learning the technique. And this type of driving is not for everyone.

4- SPB is THE MOST COMPETITIVE class in PCA. You can drive really, really well...and you will still finish near the back of the pack. The guys who have mastered the platform are on a different planet. Know that going in. Your ego is about to be crushed. You think you can drive? You can't drive like these guys.

5- PCA racing ain't cheap. But it's addictive. Take your budget and double it. Maybe even triple it. And that's if you don't lose it into a tire barrier.