Track cars

[Sam Linssner]

Also making the car as light as possible first is the best way to go faster without putting more strain on the engine. Strip it out, fiberglass doors etc, lightweight seats, remove ac and airbags etc. All ads up...

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

If you're thinking of spending money making a Clio faster you might as well just buy a Megane in the first place.

 

[...]

If you're thinking of spending money making a Clio faster you might as well just buy a Megane in the first place.

That goes for any track car ever bought by anyone.

The best cars to achieve performance per £ are very light and use tunable engines that have reasonable upgrade costs

Usually out of the ford stable in terms of engines.

The most raced/tracked car in the world is the lotus 7 so anything styled around that I'll with a blue ovaled engine

That's the best advice I can ever give anyone re track cars

And Cheap is a relative thing a decent fast reliable track car is never cheap

A 250bhp blue oval engine is going to cost 3 to 5 k on top of a base engine.


Oh and I truly believe track cars should not rely on forced induction for many reasons

Despite 2 of the fastest and most memorable track experiences being in a mugen twin turbo NSX and an RS 500 Cossie


Because nothing touches a caterham with north of 500bhp/ton for fun

 

[Adam G]

F4Rs don't really like being opened up.
As Harv says, Ford Duratec or Zetec or Vaux XE are the engines that seem to take being opened up and altered pretty well.

 

[...]

F4Rs don't really like being opened up.
As Harv says, Ford Duratec or Zetec or Vaux XE are the engines that seem to take being opened up and altered pretty well.

And all have been for nearly 20 years

Duratec is really the new kid on the block and decent xe's are getting long in the tooth now

Look around any club race paddock and see what's being used

K20's and Kseries were pushed as the next new thing but k series are made of cheese and k20 expensive to get power as they are jap . And lack torque

 

[JackJack]

K20's and Kseries were pushed as the next new thing but k series are made of cheese and k20 expensive to get power as they are jap . And lack torque

K's are a known strong engine. And has got near on the same torque as my fiesta st. Agree about being expensive though.

 

[...]

K20 ? Or k series

 

[Pacman.]

Couple of grand on a cheap 172 or 182 would be a good start.
Don't waste money on a meg engined Clio as from what I have seen they will at some point suffer an engine issue and if that happens at the start of the day then it will ruin your enjoyment of trackdays.

Also if you are just starting out on trackdays you want something to learn in, not spend the whole day tip toeing round fearful of bashing it.

So a 172 would be a good start and over time just keep adding to it as you are adding to your driving technique.

 

[Coops Mk1]

to chuck my ten pence in on the turbo thing as well, I went from turbo to n/a for my track car purely due to reliability reasons.

when a boosted engine is working, and working well, its a great laugh, but its just very expensive to get it working consistently reliably and not overstress everything else, particularly drivetrain. found mine usually lasted one or two track days before something needed replacing, upgrading or repairing.

with the n/a lump, done around 10 track days and all I've done is change the oil.

I'm not saying a boosted engine can't be good on track, but it requires a lot more work, money and time to get it right.

 

[Martin.]

If I started all over again. I'd keep the block standard, and bolt on some ITB's. Fit some ASTs, a Diff and lose as much weight as possible. Job done.

 

[alistairolsen]

I wanted a track car and went through a similar process. In the end it boiled down to some requirements:

• I didnt have time to build a car before using it, so it had to be 'done', although I didnt mind sorting bits out between trackdays
• I wanted it to be n/a as my experience is that stock turbo engines are a bit dull and modified ones, or converted N/A motors are either expensive or unreliable, no exceptions
• Sensible running costs meant 195/50 15 tyres as several series use them and they are commonly available partworn.
• Those meant it was going to be a ~2ltr hatchback, so the emphasis was on handling and braking

I bought a Clio with a cage, buckets, coilovers, nice pads and a few other bits for £2500 and got on with using it. It was enough money to buy something effective and little enough that I dont bother with track insurance (which mounts up quickly). It's light on fuel, brakes and tyres and good fun.

Could I have spent 6k? Of course. Would it have been any more fun? Probably not!

 

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Was spending more than 6 k more fun ? hell yes !

Would I change anything if I did it again ?

Not much though I have had lots of track cars as I did my first trackday in 1989 and still on occations now

All I would do now is add another 50bhp and a sequential box