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Old 3 Feb 2009, 19:28 (Ref:2387646)   #1
Colin McKay
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Colin McKay should be qualifying in the top 10 on the gridColin McKay should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
'Historic' track car - recommendations?

Here's a conundrum I've been wrestling with - I'm hoping to fit in much more track time before races this year, particularly as there a couple of new circuits on my calendar. Not wanting to knacker the race car before the season even begins I'm thinking of getting something fairly modern which I can drive to circuits, do a few laps and (hopefully) drive home again.

Front engine, rear wheel drive and a heater are the very bare essentials, room for a set of spare wheels would be nice.

It's not that easy! A Caterham would be good, but nowhere for the spare wheels. An XJS might do it, but the manual cars are getting a bit long in the tooth . Assuming the budget is in four figures, what would you choose?
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Old 3 Feb 2009, 20:02 (Ref:2387666)   #2
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old fords are still affordable . . .MK2 or 3 capri . . .escorts are expensive by comparisson and anything older is overweight or expensive

the only other accessible RWD. . . . BMW? Merc?!
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Old 3 Feb 2009, 20:30 (Ref:2387677)   #3
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terence should be qualifying in the top 10 on the gridterence should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
Three litre Capri,easy maintenance,rear seats out and you'll get a set of four wheels in.Bit of a play with the suspension and it'll be plenty quick enough for some fun.
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Old 3 Feb 2009, 20:54 (Ref:2387690)   #4
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Bit of a play with the suspension and it'll be plenty quick enough for some fun.
Ah, that's the bit I didn't mention - I don't really want to spend precious time prepping a practice car when I haven't really got the time to prep the race car! Hence the modern bit, it really needs to be recent enough to be both quick & reliable. OK, forget the XJS.
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Old 3 Feb 2009, 21:13 (Ref:2387703)   #5
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8 series bmw!
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Old 3 Feb 2009, 23:17 (Ref:2387793)   #6
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MX-5?
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Old 3 Feb 2009, 23:33 (Ref:2387805)   #7
Colin McKay
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Colin McKay should be qualifying in the top 10 on the gridColin McKay should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
The MX5 might be a good bet, after all the purpose is to learn the circuits, not set blistering laps but is there space inside for the wheels? Anyone got experience of the Porsche 928 or the cheaper 944? They look eminently practical, but what do brakes & tyres cost?

Keep 'em coming!
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Old 4 Feb 2009, 07:49 (Ref:2387944)   #8
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simon drabble should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridsimon drabble should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridsimon drabble should be qualifying in the top 3 on the grid
is this in the right forum? I wonder if you will get more traction in the club/national racing forum?
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Old 4 Feb 2009, 07:53 (Ref:2387946)   #9
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3 series BMW? Or if you are adventerous how about a 3rd gen manual camaro, few cheap on eBay, 250 + bhp to play with.

Last edited by Al Weyman; 4 Feb 2009 at 07:57.
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Old 4 Feb 2009, 07:59 (Ref:2387952)   #10
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is this in the right forum? I wonder if you will get more traction in the club/national racing forum?
Or indeed the TRACKDAY forum? Where it shall go now.
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Old 4 Feb 2009, 13:15 (Ref:2388150)   #11
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Colin McKay should be qualifying in the top 10 on the gridColin McKay should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
I had thought about the beamer, ticks all the boxes, doesn't it? B*gg*r.
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Old 4 Feb 2009, 21:18 (Ref:2388468)   #12
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Nissan 180/200sx tick most of your boxes if you can find a decent one.
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Old 4 Feb 2009, 21:54 (Ref:2388503)   #13
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I had fun in an XJS for many year. Big engine, rear wheel drive. However it became too much in the end; couldn't work on it ourselves, it had to go to a specialist. Which was fine, but it was easier and cheaper to work on something ourselves. Hence the move to an MGB.
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Old 5 Feb 2009, 07:38 (Ref:2388693)   #14
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I'd expect a Beemer to be a similar problem to that Adam.

Certainly the historic bit is interersting. What year would be considered "historic"?

If we look at no later than (say) '85, we've got the usual suspects of Mk1/MkII Cortina GT or LC, the MGB or Midget.

Al's Chevy or a Mustang (what about a Boss version?), Rover P6 or SDi Vitesse, Toyota Celica Liftback, Dolly Sprint, the 5 series or M3 Bee Em, Superspeed Anglia?, XJS of course, Capri Mks 1, II or III. What about a Starion Turbo?

These are off the top of the head but there must be many others.

Come on guys!!!
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Old 5 Feb 2009, 11:08 (Ref:2388926)   #15
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Just a few other possibilities I thought of whilst dodging work ;

Alfa 75 3.0 a fabulous engine
Datsun 240/260/280Z whichever falls within your budget
Fiat 131 mirafiori sport if you can find one that's not a pile of oxide!
Isuzu Piazza if you can find one at all!
Mazda RX-7
Triumph TR7 2.0, Sprint or V8 .
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Old 5 Feb 2009, 11:13 (Ref:2388932)   #16
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I think all those cars you have listed Pete are or are becoming classics so probably be too expensive for this use, personally as I value my neck track day or not (the barriers are still as hard!) I would look out for a little ex racer buzz box on eBay ready to go, I have seen some nice little R5's and Fiestas on there for reasonable prices lately.
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Old 5 Feb 2009, 11:50 (Ref:2388960)   #17
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I think we are straying

Quote:
Originally Posted by Colin McKay
..... something fairly modern......Front engine, rear wheel drive and a heater are the very bare essentials, room for a set of spare wheels would be nice. ....
A Beemer or Alfa would seem the best place to start, they seem favourite as 'Ring instruction cars for good reason...
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Old 5 Feb 2009, 17:55 (Ref:2389217)   #18
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Whilst I know nothing about Alfas, the suggestion of a Mirafiori brought back memories of one that my brother used for autotests in the 70's. Brand new, drove it to the meetings on salty Scottish roads, swept it up and brought it home in a bin liner . The 131's too old for this purpose anyhow, but Italian unreliability does appeal more than German practicality. Are there any recent RWD Alfas?
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Old 5 Feb 2009, 18:06 (Ref:2389227)   #19
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Its got to be a Porsche 944 - S2 or Turbo - or a 968. I have just seen a Sport version of the latter advertised at £8.5K & I'd be very tempted by that. A Club Sport with the creature comforts put back in.
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Old 5 Feb 2009, 19:52 (Ref:2389293)   #20
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...... Are there any recent RWD Alfas?
The 75 with the 3 litre V6 seems to have a bit of a following; there's a red one on Pistonheads classifieds for guidance, nothing to do with me I hasten to add !
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Old 6 Feb 2009, 21:29 (Ref:2390011)   #21
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RX8 s are getting cheaper,you may need a tanker for the fuel though.
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Old 7 Feb 2009, 08:53 (Ref:2390201)   #22
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Welcome CGM.
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Old 7 Feb 2009, 12:41 (Ref:2390419)   #23
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What about that rear drive corolla hatch? And I like the tr7/v8 route, possibilities there,
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Old 8 Feb 2009, 13:49 (Ref:2391065)   #24
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Right, progress report.

I spent Saturday looking at a few cars selected off the web and stopped at every second hand car dealer we passed looking for inspiration. This had one result that I hadn't intended, it seems I'm now also buying an MX-5 for my daughter (although what she really wants is the MGB we stumbled across).

However, back on topic and this is what we found:

Porsche 944 S2, excellent prospect but way overpriced. Might try again next week if its unsold.

XJS 4 litre manual, outboard rear brakes (facelift), plenty room for wheels, tools and extra fuel.

MGB roadster, rubber bumpers but excellent condition, already mildly tweaked, not really enough room for wheels etc and Amy would never speak to me again.

Jaguar X300 4 litre, don't laugh, I've raced against these and they can be very quick. Would need a manual conversion to be perfect, but this isn't hugely expensive.

BMW M3, proper one, expensive, and I can't seem to get over my prejudice, I just don't like them. But it is exactly what I need.

At the moment I'd probably go for the XJS, but the 944 was nice. And the MGB.




And the M3.
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Old 8 Feb 2009, 14:27 (Ref:2391077)   #25
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trackday classics

We bought a E30 BMW 325 for exactly the same reasons, it was already a trackday car with good suspension, rollover cage, bucket seats and harnasses, and it costed us only £ 2,000 Graham from Moto-build has an excellent Nissan 200SX, prepared for trackdays, for sale at around £ 4000 if you want something quicker. Hope this helps, Emile
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