Track car or engine conversion?

[Middo]

In the next year i'm thinking about getting a tweeked 172 engine conversion in my car or buying a second car purely to track. obviously theres loads of possible track cars, but im considering a valver/williams/vts/vtr/106 rallye/punto gt/ mk1 172

theres loads of pros and cons about each one, but the main point is that if i did buy a track car i'd only end up changing half of it - like brakes, exhaust, suspension etc.etc. so potentionally if i converted mine, instead of buying 172 parts i could buy upgraded parts which would make the conversion better value for money in a way.

anyone with any thoughts or experience on this would be greatly appreciated on matters such as running costs, insurance issues etc.

 

[Bradharding]

If youdon't mind covering your car in stone chips and changing your tyres every 5 mins. Just keep your eye out for something that's been tuned but going at a reasonable price I would? Bought my car on saturday and it's a valver tuned to 185bhp and it's obviously been used on track as it's got loads of stone chips and stuff. I need to doa bit of work on it as I'll solely be using it as a road car.

 

[makavelli]

conversion dude
as you said if you got a seperate car you would end up changing half of it anyway

 

[Martin]

If youdon't mind covering your car in stone chips and changing your tyres every 5 mins. Just keep your eye out for something that's been tuned but going at a reasonable price I would? Bought my car on saturday and it's a valver tuned to 185bhp and it's obviously been used on track as it's got loads of stone chips and stuff. I need to doa bit of work on it as I'll solely be using it as a road car.

I really hope it's a cammed/mapped f7r or a t/b'd /cammed f7p.....

 

[edde]

If youdon't mind covering your car in stone chips and changing your tyres every 5 mins. Just keep your eye out for something that's been tuned but going at a reasonable price I would? Bought my car on saturday and it's a valver tuned to 185bhpQUOTE]
185hp valver would need a lot of money spent on it.

Anyway back to the question i'd say a scond car My Williams was faster than any normal 172/182 or conversion would be and it had all the modifcations you'd want but it's expensive to run a second car. Insurance was a pain for mine as it had a lot of modifications and a cage (which is nice if you track a lot but difficult for day to day living).

Personally I'd just go on track with yours and accept the few stong chips etc you get mine been on track loads and its not to bad.

 

[Middo]

^ yours is protected by a layer of dirt

seriously though, i'm gonna actually learn how to drive on a track in the 1.2 first and go to a couple of track days, it was watching you go round the track that made me realise you're not gonna get shown up going round in a slower car and its all about learning 'how to drve'. In the long run however i do want summit faster, but not in an immediate rush as theres lots to think about.

 

[Spammy]

I'd go for a cheap honda, spend some £ on susp/brakes and engine. Doesn't matter what it looks like, you wont care if you get a stone chip! And it will rinse a 172! Thats what i'd do anyway...

 

[E-ray_172]

wouldnt say the punto Gt will suit the car for the track if it was 1/4 mile race then yes because its very good value what tuning turbo cars. but your talking about track days and the gt doesnt do it as well.

 

[cK]

Get a seperate track car, at least you'll have a road car when you f**k up the track car.

Your car will take so much abuse on the track if driven hard.

 

[Middo]

i can see your point, but i wont be tracking it that much, and to be honest if i had a track car i'd prob use it more as a fast road car, which is why i'm considering a conversion.

i'm just considering whether it would be economically viable to buy a second car, when i might not use it that much actually on the track? Theres also issues with storage etc etc

 

[d4ve86]

like you said its not all about the engine, i track day my 1.4 and last week at oulton i just had my right hand indicator on most of the time letting all the fast cars fly past, im gunna learn some more about driving then when im 21 and no longer need my car to drive to work next summer, ill hopefully either drop a modified 182 engine in or get a 182 and fit my wheels and suspension to that.
In the long run i will probably be better off just buying a 182 and then tuning that, ill make up my mind when the time comes!

 

[matty w]

i'm having the same dilemma at the minute,i've got a modified 172 and cant decide whether to use this for track days or buy a valver or ex cup car but then you've either gotta keep it road legal and pay insurance and tax or trailer it everywhere an then you need a towing car

 

[Bradharding]

I really hope it's a cammed/mapped f7r or a t/b'd /cammed f7p.....

It's remapped, chipped, power boost valve, decat, uprated leads and I can't think of what else but I'm sure there is more! I'm suprised it's as high as 185 brake but he gave me the dyno print outs to proove it when i purchased it so can't grumble... let's just hope the engine doesn't go pop on me!

 

[edde]

It's remapped, chipped, power boost valve, decat, uprated leads and I can't think of what else but I'm sure there is more! I'm suprised it's as high as 185 brake but he gave me the dyno print outs to proove it when i purchased it so can't grumble... let's just hope the engine doesn't go pop on me!

You'd need more than that the only things there to make more power are the remap and decat you'd be luckly to get 140hp.
You need head work, cams, throttle bodies and more (ie over £4k worth of tunning at least for starters).

 

[Bradharding]

Who knows. God knows what he's done to it. It could be fake evidence or more done to it that he said, but I'm not really bothered to be honest

 

[SOHROB]

dont want to sound a c**k but others will say it,there's no way your valver will be producing a genuine 185 bhp

 

[jamesy]

how about a mk1 clio cup very rare quick and looks awesome there were only three at fcs all on williams clio stand

 

[fmp_]

pick up a saxo VTS for say 2.5, spend 1k on brakes and suspension. strip it, half decent set of tyres, then go have the most fun ever on a track!

simple, and not overly expensive!

 

[Bradharding]

Buy a Nissan Pulsar GTI-r lol! Never had one or even been in one at taht! Just know they're 225bhp standard and very quick

 

[edde]

seriously though, i'm gonna actually learn how to drive on a track in the 1.2 first and go to a couple of track days, it was watching you go round the track that made me realise you're not gonna get shown up going round in a slower car and its all about learning 'how to drve'. In the long run however i do want summit faster, but not in an immediate rush as theres lots to think about.

The best idea if you realy want to learn how to get a car which you can realy feel whats happening in.

I had an R reg Escort for a first car and I recon that taught me more about driving than any other car has you could realy feel what was happening it was a useless slow car the whole sheel used to bend and twsist the suspension was very soft but the feedback was worth it.

I'd definatly buy another one, it wasn't sporty or anything 1.4 8V. If I wanted to start again I'd go for a TD version for cheaper motoring and more torque for the track then strip it out and buy new shocks so there not as soggy as at say 60k there usually gone soft.

 

[edde]

pick up a saxo VTS for say 2.5, spend 1k on brakes and suspension. strip it, half decent set of tyres, then go have the most fun ever on a track!

simple, and not overly expensive!

A Williams would be quicker for les money however more expensive to insure.
A Pulsar or anyhting turbo is likly to be problems I've seen very few turbos which are fine on track days usualy bcause people wack the boost up and the engine blow up or have toruble on track. Its not all about HP or lowering I was out on track on the FCS circuit (where faster cars should be better as its not that technical circuit with many bends) with a load of Saxo's and I was quicker than the VTR's even the ones which were lowered even some VTS weren't up to much not becasue I'm a good driver its just I cna drive on the limit more than they could. My car looses on all area to them HP (I've got 65hp they have what 90)weight (mines standard so 1tones there what 850kg) handling (C of G etc are all are better than me). Ven compaired to some of the RS Clio I could brakes later and corner as quick with less grip.

 

[jamesy]

pulsar's are very quick 220bhp standard but will see 280bhp with the boost turned up however they are too expensive to buy too expensive to run too old for the price paid unreliable and if you look under the bonnet of one well i certainly could'nt justify spending that kind of wedge i think its true to say there a marmite carLOL

 

[d4ve86]

tbh i dont think id want anything more than a 182 engine with full exhaust, IK and remap and obviosuly some top suspension and brakes. when i get a bigger engine ill wait a while for mods like cams, TBs etc or might not even bother with them.

 

[Middo]

i'm probabally looking at a rallye as an actual weekend car, and would track it as well as its already semi stripped and track ready. Also insurance isnt that bad. Has anyone got experience of the facelift s2's?

 

[paul_h172]

i'm in a similar situation, i'm after a valver for the track, its so i can learn to drive properly, its not much use having loads of power if you cant corner properly.

 

[edde]

i'm in a similar situation, i'm after a valver for the track, its so i can learn to drive properly, its not much use having loads of power if you cant corner properly.

You don't need even that much power a Valver is a quick car driven correctly.

 

[pecan]

Just buy a Cup, road and track car in one.

 

[paul_h172]

You don't need even that much power a Valver is a quick car driven correctly.

i agree

 

[Middo]

thats why i was thinking about the rallye, cheap, light and only about 100 bhp. insurance isnt that bad either

 

[JonnyGee]

i bought a cheap valver with a dead engine then put a good standard lump in and used it yesterday,seriously good fun and all that let me down was my power steering pump (sorry to whoever was behind me as it dumped it on the manifold and covered the track in smoke lol) not the quickest thing in the world but i will keep playing with things so i learn.

 

[Serg]

pick up a saxo VTS for say 2.5, spend 1k on brakes and suspension. strip it, half decent set of tyres, then go have the most fun ever on a track!

simple, and not overly expensive!

exaclty what i would be doing if i had more driveway space

 

[Middo]

ive been looking at the vts, because when compared with the gti or a rallye they do work out cheaper. just had a word with mum and dad and they said ok, but depends on how much space we have at the next house *crosses fingers*

 

[SOHROB]

you cant really beat a vts for the money,the williams is awesome but they are getting on a bit and you pay a lot for a decent example.For me a valver doesnt even come into it,there slower than a vts and dont handle well in std form

 

[Serg]

my mum and ad said fine to a track car but i need to fine a garage to rent :S

 

[Middo]

thats the problem i have lol. Just rung up adian flux and they'd insure me for 1200 on a vtr with engine work, on 4k a year really impressed to be honest