Purchasing a 951 for auto-cross and open tracking.
10-05-2011, 08:15 PM
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Purchasing a 951 for auto-cross and open tracking.
Hello all - Been doing research on 944's and 951's. I'm very interested in picking one up.
Background:I have a 2006 Mustang GT that I was going to convert to a "Race car first, street car second" project. I picked up a supercharger and did some suspension work in preparation of the next racing season. However, my GF is now prego and I need to cut my racing budget down quite a bit and get a more reliable DD. So I'm trading in the Mustang on a new DD and selling my yet unused parts for the supercharger build. I'm going to have about $4500 after I get rid of all my supercharger parts and supporting modifications. I am also selling my old DD, which is a Ford Ranger, and should get a return of around $3000-$3500 on it fairly easily. I'm a fairly skilled mechanic as I was a Master Certified Ford diesel tech, before I got tired of the dealership life.
The questions: Should I be able to buy and prepare a 951 for such a cause on a $7500 budget? I don't want a show car, so I'm not really concerned with how the interior looks our what kind of shape the paint is in. However, I would like one that doesn't have many mechanical problems to begin with. Don't care about A/C because that will be getting ripped out. I'll be using a "Cool Shirt" in the summer as Iowa has pretty nasty days 90-100* F with really high humidity.
What will I need to be worried about on a 951 with roughly 150k miles on it? This is what I'm seeing that is in the price range I'm looking for ($4500-$5000).
Should I worry about upgrading the brakes or should a good set of rotor's and mild track pad's be sufficient?
Will a 951 with the kind of mileage I'm going to be looking at be realiable enough to race at least one season without worry?
The goal: In the end I would like to have a 300RWHP car that looks ok, handles great and is dead reliable. I'm budgeting $1000 a season for consumables including brake pads, rotors, fluids and the like. Also, this will eventually be a pure track car that will be trailered to events once I can afford a trailer and a truck to tow it. Keep in mind I'm not putting the car first, by any means, or running on the ragged edge of my income just to race the car.
Thanks in advance, any and all advice is appreciated.
Jake
Background:I have a 2006 Mustang GT that I was going to convert to a "Race car first, street car second" project. I picked up a supercharger and did some suspension work in preparation of the next racing season. However, my GF is now prego and I need to cut my racing budget down quite a bit and get a more reliable DD. So I'm trading in the Mustang on a new DD and selling my yet unused parts for the supercharger build. I'm going to have about $4500 after I get rid of all my supercharger parts and supporting modifications. I am also selling my old DD, which is a Ford Ranger, and should get a return of around $3000-$3500 on it fairly easily. I'm a fairly skilled mechanic as I was a Master Certified Ford diesel tech, before I got tired of the dealership life.
The questions: Should I be able to buy and prepare a 951 for such a cause on a $7500 budget? I don't want a show car, so I'm not really concerned with how the interior looks our what kind of shape the paint is in. However, I would like one that doesn't have many mechanical problems to begin with. Don't care about A/C because that will be getting ripped out. I'll be using a "Cool Shirt" in the summer as Iowa has pretty nasty days 90-100* F with really high humidity.
What will I need to be worried about on a 951 with roughly 150k miles on it? This is what I'm seeing that is in the price range I'm looking for ($4500-$5000).
Should I worry about upgrading the brakes or should a good set of rotor's and mild track pad's be sufficient?
Will a 951 with the kind of mileage I'm going to be looking at be realiable enough to race at least one season without worry?
The goal: In the end I would like to have a 300RWHP car that looks ok, handles great and is dead reliable. I'm budgeting $1000 a season for consumables including brake pads, rotors, fluids and the like. Also, this will eventually be a pure track car that will be trailered to events once I can afford a trailer and a truck to tow it. Keep in mind I'm not putting the car first, by any means, or running on the ragged edge of my income just to race the car.
Thanks in advance, any and all advice is appreciated.
Jake
10-05-2011, 08:22 PM
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been there done that. Of course my cheap 951 turned into a 25k + build. Turbo + autox = fail. Unless your region makes some large autox courses the turbo sucks. My n/a was way faster since the gearing is higher and the lag is too much. I attended DE events w/ mine and eventually worked my way up to instructing for the PCA. On the track its awsome and stock brakes w/ some super blue fluid and hawk blues all around are crazy good. The lighter you make the car the better. Personally if you are just getting into the porsche scene i would get an n/a and autox it and figure out what you want- much cheaper. You can pick up used spec 944 race cars for fairly cheap- definitly within your budget w/ everything already done.
10-05-2011, 08:31 PM
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been there done that. Of course my cheap 951 turned into a 25k + build. Turbo + autox = fail. Unless your region makes some large autox courses the turbo sucks. My n/a was way faster since the gearing is higher and the lag is too much. I attended DE events w/ mine and eventually worked my way up to instructing for the PCA. On the track its awsome and stock brakes w/ some super blue fluid and hawk blues all around are crazy good. The lighter you make the car the better. Personally if you are just getting into the porsche scene i would get an n/a and autox it and figure out what you want- much cheaper. You can pick up used spec 944 race cars for fairly cheap- definitly within your budget w/ everything already done.
Your advice is much appreciated however.
10-05-2011, 08:33 PM
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10-05-2011, 08:36 PM
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I don't expect a $4500 car to be dead reliable. But after I've had it for a few seasons and have gone through it, in the end I would hope it would be that way. Or would it be a never ending battle even if I were to replace the OEM parts with more heavy duty aftermarket parts? Or is there such a thing for 951's?
10-05-2011, 08:36 PM
#6
Sounds like financial suicide to me. If you read around the threads here about what people have to do just to keep their street cars on the road....they're not cheap to own.
What about a mazda miata? I used to auto-x in high school and the miatas dominated every time.
What about a mazda miata? I used to auto-x in high school and the miatas dominated every time.
10-05-2011, 08:49 PM
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Sounds like financial suicide to me. If you read around the threads here about what people have to do just to keep their street cars on the road....they're not cheap to own.
What about a mazda miata? I used to auto-x in high school and the miatas dominated every time.
What about a mazda miata? I used to auto-x in high school and the miatas dominated every time.
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10-05-2011, 08:50 PM
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The only way I could justify my build was an adventure into the world of automotive engineering. But yea, you may as well get a low to mid powered NA like a miata, 240sx, 325is, etc...
10-05-2011, 09:01 PM
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10-05-2011, 09:03 PM
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Keep in mind, I'm not against getting a 944 over a 951, but I would like to be very informed about my purchase either way. I'd hate to buy a 944 just to find out I want more power and should have gotten a 951 in the first place.
10-05-2011, 09:23 PM
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Maybe I should also state that I'll be doing all the labor myself in a very well prepared shop.
My uncle and cousin's are all drag racer's. I'm the one who likes turns in my diet.. I also tune the EFI car's. Have experience on many stand alones and a few "factory" calibration style software sets.
My uncle and cousin's are all drag racer's. I'm the one who likes turns in my diet.. I also tune the EFI car's. Have experience on many stand alones and a few "factory" calibration style software sets.
10-05-2011, 09:48 PM
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BTW everyone...he went to the Nats in Ohio and I believe was 5th overall IN HIS FIRST season!
10-05-2011, 10:16 PM
#14
Three Wheelin'
Wow, well others have already stated the realities pretty well. An to put a nail in it a 951 in auto x is like bringing a knife to a gun fight!
And DD good luck with that! It's always going to be something! I'd say you'll need that shop!
Those that have these beast love them but most of us are realistic, the 150,000 mile is no biggie it's just the other stuff that is getting old and worn.
I think a S2 would be a better choice. But DD and autocross!
And DD good luck with that! It's always going to be something! I'd say you'll need that shop!
Those that have these beast love them but most of us are realistic, the 150,000 mile is no biggie it's just the other stuff that is getting old and worn.
I think a S2 would be a better choice. But DD and autocross!
10-05-2011, 10:18 PM
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yeah i got rid of my turbo w/ over 370rwhp and went to a 130 some hp n/a as a race car. Now i have two! It all depends on who you are on the track with. I do miss chasing down gt3's but the rush is the same.