Coochas

Hi All,
I mainly drive my 99 Boxster in DE. The car is set up as a BS-X Spec Boxster which means that it is street legal and has: Bilstein PSS9, aftermarket sways and drop links, R888s, and a roll bar extension (B-K). I also have GT3 seats and Schroth harnesses in the car.
I've thought about adding power to the car this winter with either Jake Raby or doing an engine transplant. I am driving the car as it is fairly well and can keep up with many 'new' Porsches in my run group (White). If I add power to the car it will no longer be SPBOX.
In talking with one of our instructors in DE yesterday at NHMS, I started thinking that SPBOX racing might be a good goal for me eventually. PCA and NASA recognize the BSR class of SPBOX. The difference between BSX and BSR is that I would need a cage and would have the car stripped. I am told that there are about 6 SPBOX cars being built in the Northeast right now and that SPBOX racing should pick up at my local tracks.
My guess is that taking 200 pounds out of the car would make it even more fun!

Here's what I'm getting at. If I convert my car to a BSR racer, what is the downside? The car is my spare car so I don't have to worry about that. I would need to buy a trailer but I'm already strongly thinking about that regardless of my decision.

I know there are probably a bunch of logistics issues that I don't know about because I currently do not haul a car trailer. Even things like how do you fill a race car with gas during the day at the track. I would imagine I could continue to do my own basic maintenance (rotors, pads, fluids). As you can see, I'm a total rookie!

What are the downside issues? Upside?

mooty

there are many TYPES of race cars. but if you are talking about BSR there are not many down side.

1. it hold resale better than some race cars, b/c BSR is a national class, fairly cheap so if you so decide to sell later, not too hard.

2. i am somewhat insane, i have had my BSR since jan 09, i DROVE the damn car to/from track, raced it, won, and drove home. it has no windows, my foot was buried in 1" of water, it has no a/c no heat no defrost so i had to wipe the windshield every so often (good thing it doesnt rain here much), i plug one ear with ipod and just go for it. it's full of racing class decals and has no muffler so pertty loud on fwy. i drove at speed limit and was pulled over. the officer chuckled and let me go.... i guess that's one downside. (though she was kind of young and pretty)

3. some may argue roll cage is unsafe on street. i have no comment, it's your head, so you decide how you like to have it smashed, but now i am lazy and old fart. so i started trailering in august. very cushy....

4. it's very cold to drive it in the monring and very hot to drive it in the afternoon b/c no AC and heat (pls do not keep the AC or heat, b/c if you do, you will have a much heaiver car than others and you wont be competitive unless you are sub 100 lbs)

5. you have NO idea how fun the BSR is compared to BSX. the 400 lbs or so you loose will make it a totally different car. when i bought my donor car, i thought what a POS i bought. i can crawl faster. then when it's done..... i thought my RS is such a cadillac and so quiet... you get the drift.

so do it. but if you want to do it, do it right. build it to spec. don't do a half *** BSR then you wont have fun, wont have resale value and ruined a perfectly fine street car.

Brian P

Downside: racing is even more expensive.

Upside: racing is much more fun

You should expect that there will be a steep learning curve when you transition from DE to racing. Give yourself about a year of racing before you expect podium finishes.

I wouldn't even think twice about this. Go ahead and do it.

Brian P

+1

Coochas

Mooty - You crack me up sometimes! As for your point #2, if that was me I would have ended up telling the story to my cellmate and insisting that he be the wife.. You make some excellent points. I would really like the car to go on a diet: it's a great track car as BSX but 400 lbs less? WOW! I would definitely build it to spec including losing the AC. THANKS.

Brian. Thanks for egging me on. I think I would really like racing but I would still like to bump my driving up another level or two to make sure that I'm qualified and safe out there.

mooty

I know there are probably a bunch of logistics issues that I don't know about because I currently do not haul a car trailer.
==> if you tow with pepper, get an open trailer.

Even things like how do you fill a race car with gas during the day at the track.
==> for BSR, you do exactly what you do right now. nothing changes. i am cheap. i run 91 oct, i dont believe in 100 oct race fuel. if you get trailer get a few fuel jugs (5 gal cans). fill them up at beginning of the event. why??? when you need fuel, so does everyone else. you drive your car to the track pump, invariably it's either broken, or your VISA think some fraud is trying to screw you so they shut your car off, or there's 3 guys in front of you. it's hot or cold in a race car, you got roll bar around you. i am not very big and i cant get out of the car without taking the steering wheel of. so i get out wait, then get in, drive foward one car length, get out wait, get in drive one car length forward.... you get the pix. with fuel jugs, you just fill the car at your trailer. no rush.


I would imagine I could continue to do my own basic maintenance (rotors, pads, fluids). As you can see, I'm a total rookie!
==> yes, all that remain the same.
btw, i used to live in central square when i studied at MIT/harvard. saw you are in cambridge ma, brings back memories... I HATE SNOW...

cgomez

+1, when building a racecar, always aim to have the car prepped to everything the rules allow to make the car competitive. Otherwise, you will be disappointed or always have an excuse.

However, Racing is a much bigger financial commitment, but if you are already building a dedicated track car, then just go all the way and race it.

mooty

yeah, i kept forgetting about the $ part. i am in denial as usual.

you need 2 sets of wheels minimum, i now have 4 sets
one reason i am not in GTC3 or GTC4, else i would have to sell my kids.

Coochas

I will be towing with a Pepper S and am thinking about an aluminum open trailer.
I've been wondering how the hell people fill their cars!
Cambridge is still the "People's Republic" and I fit right in! It definitely snows here.
I'm getting excited about this!

cgomez

3 sets min if you count rain tires.
Not sure about SPBOX, but maintaining and regularly racing / fixing whatever breaks in a modern P-Car (987, 997) prepared to the limit of the Stock/Prepared rules gets you close to C3-C4 running costs. It is just that C3-C4 costs are predefined by service schedules which are non-existing for street based racecars. On the latter, things do break quite often, and you have to fix it right away unless you want to miss the race (therefore loosing your sunk costs for the race weekend).

Out of 6 race weekends (3-4 day events) and one 2 day test and tune session, only after 2 of those the car has not needed something replaced / repaired that is not a consumable (i.e. on top of tires, pads, rotors and fluids.). Yeah, now I have my own nice inventory of parts too (i.e. $ in Race WK).

BostonDMD

Dave......JUST DO IT......

Build the car to BSR specs. and come racing.........

You will never look back..........

(P.S. If PCA allowed me to go racing they will allow just about anyone.......)

Streak

There is no down side

Gut it and race it

cgomez

One thing to consider, since your car is in good shape and fully street legal is to sell it and do someone a "favor" and buy his/hers fully built BSR.
Buying a well built racecar is the cheaper route (save $ and tons of time)

Van

The only downside is that it'll be more expensive to convert your car than buy a car that's already a race car.

But, if you do it to your car, you can do it in stages and spend the money over a longer period of time.

MUSSBERGER

You could always wait the cats out and use all that money you've been wasting on catnip.