Recommendations - car for DE
11-20-2009, 06:46 PM
#31
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You could be right, I really don't know. I do know I have a good number of friends who have tracked their Elise/Exige for 4+ years now and I haven't heard any horror stories beyond the usual minor damage fixed at minor cost.
Gary
Gary
11-21-2009, 02:17 AM
#33
Platinum Dealership
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just an fyi on spec miatas- if you really want to race, the top few guys here and there spend WAY over what they should be, lots of testing parts here and there to get an advantage of 2-3 hp or whatever...
I personally went with an MX5 cup instead for scca and nasa racing because it's a "pro series" car so it's equalized, and has history. You also benefit from a great and fairly adjustable suspension (you can figure it out pretty easily) and because at 175ish hp it can still pass a lot of cars if you're on hoosiers (lap times around what a GT3 street car can do). it's also got a great safety cage, etc as all this is mandated by the series. plus, more so than the spec boxster (which is my 2nd choice but 1st if you have to do PCA racing) the parts are CHEAP! they're good enough on gas to be awesome at endurance races as well. I've had mine since last summer and have had zero issues other than body damage from bumping/rubbing in said races.
brake pads- 17 bucks
front bumper- 109
etc etc
I personally went with an MX5 cup instead for scca and nasa racing because it's a "pro series" car so it's equalized, and has history. You also benefit from a great and fairly adjustable suspension (you can figure it out pretty easily) and because at 175ish hp it can still pass a lot of cars if you're on hoosiers (lap times around what a GT3 street car can do). it's also got a great safety cage, etc as all this is mandated by the series. plus, more so than the spec boxster (which is my 2nd choice but 1st if you have to do PCA racing) the parts are CHEAP! they're good enough on gas to be awesome at endurance races as well. I've had mine since last summer and have had zero issues other than body damage from bumping/rubbing in said races.
brake pads- 17 bucks
front bumper- 109
etc etc
11-21-2009, 09:52 AM
#34
Instructor
CJ what class are you in NASA and SCCA with that car, we ran an SM in the 13 hour because we could not find a competitive place for the MX-5 cup car. We will be running an MX-5 cup at the 25 in two weeks with NASA
11-21-2009, 11:46 AM
#35
Burning Brakes
00R001, lots of good advice thus far. Spec Miata, Spec E30, Spec 944 or 944 Cup. All good classes with sizable fields. Since you are already comfortable in a Boxster, Spec Boxster may be your best choice. It is growing quickly in both coasts. Look up Scott Leopold at Werkstadt in Charlottesville, VA and Brad Roberts in LA. Scott's mechanic, Kenny, is one of the best fabricators around. I'm a structural engineer and have looked long and hard at his roll-cages (and driven in one as has TedA) and they are top-shelf. He has two or three for sale. I think he'd like to get $30K, but i am sure that is negotiable.
To build a SPBOX yourself, cars can be had for less than $10k, and the rest of the build will be similar to all of the other Spec classes I mentioned up top. Other than that, the biggest difference will be engines, so don't money-shift.
As for me, I've slowly built my SC for PCA D-Class and NASA GTS2. Doing it yourself is slow and expensive, but you know what you have. Most people I know who have bought race cars have found stuff they weren't happy with and had to change or fix them. If I were to do it over again, I think I'd build my own again. Personal preference of course.
To build a SPBOX yourself, cars can be had for less than $10k, and the rest of the build will be similar to all of the other Spec classes I mentioned up top. Other than that, the biggest difference will be engines, so don't money-shift.
As for me, I've slowly built my SC for PCA D-Class and NASA GTS2. Doing it yourself is slow and expensive, but you know what you have. Most people I know who have bought race cars have found stuff they weren't happy with and had to change or fix them. If I were to do it over again, I think I'd build my own again. Personal preference of course.
11-22-2009, 12:00 AM
#36
Intermediate
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Get an 05 Lotus Elise for $25K. The money you spend up front will be more than be made up in lower setup, maintenance and consumable costs when compared to a 944, 911 or Boxster.
www.lotustalk.com
www.lotustalk.com
11-22-2009, 03:24 PM
#37
Burning Brakes
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944 or 924s is a blast to drive ! It may be a little slow for DE but cant beat it for the money. its A good car to learn all the neccessary race skills on. 10g buys you a very competetive 944spec...a bit more for 944cup.
good luck
vito
1988 924s
1999 911
1972 911
good luck
vito
1988 924s
1999 911
1972 911
11-22-2009, 04:11 PM
#38
Drifting
+1 for E30. We run both SPBOX and SE30 cars. While SPBOX is fantastic and growing by leaps and bounds, getting into a reasonable car is $25k (race prepped). If you want to just DE the boxster to learn it will be about 10k, but plan on another 5k of fixes and such to be ready for the track. Something like that.
SE30 however is $10k ready to race. Lots of cars ( here in Norcal at least ). Cars are cheap to run and fix. You can get a reasonable donor for $1k - $2k and strip/prep it as you want. You could hit the track at around $5k, then migrate to race prepped if thats where you want to go. We bought our donor for $800. ;-).
The lotus comment is interesting.... Pay more upfront but running costs are cheap(er). My father in law runs in the Lotus Challenge and is a hard core Lotus guy and loves them. He doesn't stop raving about them...
SE30 however is $10k ready to race. Lots of cars ( here in Norcal at least ). Cars are cheap to run and fix. You can get a reasonable donor for $1k - $2k and strip/prep it as you want. You could hit the track at around $5k, then migrate to race prepped if thats where you want to go. We bought our donor for $800. ;-).
The lotus comment is interesting.... Pay more upfront but running costs are cheap(er). My father in law runs in the Lotus Challenge and is a hard core Lotus guy and loves them. He doesn't stop raving about them...
11-22-2009, 08:34 PM
#39
Rennlist Member
The 951s are relatively cheap to buy. There was a 951 race prepared car with lots of spares on here earlier for 18k. You will not be left behind in a 951 as you will in a NA car. The car also will handle similarly to the Boxster but it has significantly more torque coming out of the corners which takes getting used to.