Track Car Build

[coled91]

hey everyone i am a 17 year old junior in high school. at my school every senior has to do a senior project to graduate which you basically start at the end of your junior year and work all your senior year on it. it is a very large project and is supposed to be something that really interests you. i wanted to try to build a beginner track car for a beginner time attack, race, autocross, etc. Something like that. My dad owns a car maintenance shop so one of the guys there could help me with the build and be my "mentor" during the project but i was wondering the type of budget that a "low end" or "beginner" track car would cost? i hope its not too much because i would love to do it but i can only get a little financial support from my dad and i was wondering what you guys thought would be an estimate overall cost. And also what type of track cars do you think are great beginner cars? Thanks alot for all your help

[MZR_47]

17 FTW. a fellow youngin!

If you dont mind it breaking about twenty minutes after you start it, get a 1g or 2g DSM. Eclipse GSX or Talon TSi. You can find one for 4-5k if you look hard enough. There are a few around that price range, but you cant go wrong with AWD and boosted. But they arent very reliable... at all.

Or go to a wrecked car place and get a newer one there that you can fix up. If you really want to work on it alot and lose some fingers in the process, get a wrecked VR-4 or TT Stealth

Or I can take a bat to my Balt and you can buy it for 10k

[VR43000GT]

VR4's actually tend to do well if you maintain them right and don't run a water-thin oil in the motor. The only bad thing is gears grinding on mainly the 5 speeds. Getrag 6 speeds FTW! However, I will say they are not cheap cars to maintain, to insure, or buy parts for. That is to be expected for a near $50k car in 1994.

[coled91]

thanks guys well what about something that is maybe a little more reliable haha. and also i am looking at about the $4000 range for the actual car maybe a tiny bit more but like i said im still in high school so i aint makin that much

[Polygon]

The 3S is very reliable, however it is heavy and I don't think I would use it as a dedicated track car. I would go with something lighter. I'd go with a 240SX and drop in the SR20DET.

But please don't turn it into a drifter.

[GForce957]

Doriftos!

/Grumbly Japanese voice

You can get an s13 or s14 (personally I think the 14 looks better) 240sx for that price with the engine being pretty high in mileage, but you wouldnt have enough left over to swap it immediately. You could ride around with the k24 in it for awhile, or even turbo that.

[CivRacer95]

It depends on what type of track car you are looking for? Auto X or 1/4 mile? It makes a difference knowing what you are planning to prep for. But, I say, if you are just going to be a beginner, why not go the easy route first. Eventually you can sell the project and move on to bigger and better things.

Anyway, 92-95 Honda Civic hands down. It's where I picked up and started when I was 18.

Parts are in abundance. They are cheap cars to be had. Cheap for the parts. All around very basic car to learn with and if someone who is just beginning can learn the in and outs very quickly. Plus, for the 4 banger sitting in the engine bay, there is quite a bit of room to work around and it's simply done.

You won't find that with a 3S or a DSM. I've owned a DSM, and had the pleasure of dealing with my father's 3S when it came to maintenance.

[MZR_47]

But just so you know, if you go civic route and put a huge wing on it, we will all hunt you down and brutally skin you alive.

I just got lucky and got the Balt as my first real performance car. Not too shabby for a 17 year old kid. But like he said, there is an abundance of parts for them, as long as you sift through the ricey ones first!

B16 turbo swap FTW... I know a kid who has one of them that can take down C5s.

[CassiesMan]

FC shell, gutted interior, cheap ass seat welded to the floor. No carpet, no other seats, no back seats, no door panels, nothing but your seat, instruments, and required control systems. LSx motor with bolt ons, good tune. Really really really really really really really good tires, cuz you will need them.

[GForce957]

haha, cause he def needs a 11-12 second car at 17, my minivan was fast back then, I think I would have shat myself daily if I had an rx7 ls swap. He won't be able to do it for 4k either most likely.

[VR43000GT]

^^Lol exactly. Though I would not have said this at the time, I am glad I didn't recieve a fast car for the first car I owned...especially since I started driving to school at age 14 lol. I honestly can't imagine what it would have ben like if I'd been given a fast car....maybe dead?

[MZR_47]

Well I dealt with a 93' honda accord for my first car, and got the bitch to 130 I might just have gotten lucky, who knows. Because trust me when I say we did some absolutely retarded stuff in that car... (Ice skating, played soccer, innumerable amounts on drifting, bike paths, etc.)

But he did say a track car, so I doubt a minivan would suffice then again.... Swaping the engine out for something else might be fun... SR20DET?

[CassiesMan]

Originally Posted by GForce957

haha, cause he def needs a 11-12 second car at 17, my minivan was fast back then, I think I would have shat myself daily if I had an rx7 ls swap. He won't be able to do it for 4k either most likely.

Sure he does. If he builds it himself (with some help of course), he'll learn the value of hard work, puting your own time and effort into something, and how to save/spend money responsibly. It will teach him to respect a powerful car, which will put him ahead of about 75% of the people around to day who own powerful cars. It will teach him to respect something he made with his own hands, and the pride in "built not bought", so to speak. He'll learn how to drive it in a safe and controled enviroment of the track. He'll be working with his father, or at least in his father's shop, so it'll foster a good bonding experience.

I've been handling firearms since I was 10, and I promise you I am far more qualified with them than half the former "Super DeltaSEALSAS-Rangers" with all their high speed low drag thigh holster black ops mall ninja bullshit. Why? Because my father started me on a Browning Buckmark .22 when I was young. I go to the range and see this ex/retired military types who sweep the range, hardly follow range rules, and have the trigger discipline reminiscent of that seen in an FPS.

I have an amazing problem with someone going out and buying their 16 year old can't find his way out of a paper bag kid a 500hp V10 M5. I have absolutely no problem at all with a 16-17 year old working hard to get some money and build up his own fast car. Start 'em young, and let them learn early on the value of these things.

Its a slow start, but its a good way to change our world for the better if you ask me...

[-The Stig-]

Values? What are those?...

[CivRacer95]

Originally Posted by -The Stig-

Values? What are those?...

It's that thing every guy gets after he loses his virginity...

Maybe?