I've been debating which of the following would make a half decent track day tool on a budget of around £1500

toyota mr2 turbo
peugeot 306gti6
mazda mx5 (girlfriends suggestion..)
205 gti (if a solid one can be found)
seat ibiza cupra R

Recomendations and other sugesstions welcomed..

I'm guessing the Mr2 will be a good one. And all the pugs go well. How about a mitsubishi FTO, its my daily runner and at 130000 miles has blown up yet, drives very well, 200bhp, and variable valve timing to 8000 revs on a V6. Spose its a slightly biased view, but i'll bet you can find one on the bay for 1500.

What's wrong with your Indy? Are you thinking of selling it?

Phil

No won't be selling the Indy Phil, just fancy something cheap and cheerful for use when our unreliable weather turns bad...

A reasonable 205 gti should run £500 which leaves a bit in the pot for any repairs and tyres etc.

Ratbag Fiesta XR2's always seem to do better than they should on trackdays.
Something like linky

[Edited on 8/3/08 by iank]

Been there with the FTO Chris, We weren't that impressed with ours although I never tracked it wouldn't it be a bit wallowy. Good car though all said and if you can get a mivec for 1500 now they've come down loads, ours went for 4600 but it had the full vielside kit..



[Edited on 8/3/08 by marco]

quote:

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Originally posted by marco
No won't be selling the Indy Phil, just fancy something cheap and cheerful for use when our unreliable weather turns bad...

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Suppose they can be a bit wallowy, less you drop it and poly bush it. It don't move much now. Still if you've been there already then i'd prob go for Mr2, couple of mates had them and loved em, imports will be cheaper too!

Locost Builders discount???

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=84593

Discount - how cheeky!

I've u2u'd Marco, and of course I think it would make an excellent alternative to his original suggestions, but then I would say that....

Thanks for the promo,
Ad

200SX ???

S13 is 171Bhp and S14 is 200Bhp. Rear wheel drive and highly tuneable.

My old S13 is probably one of the most fun cars I have ever owned.

I bought a 1.9 205 gti last summer to use as a track car while I finished my locost. It was awesome fun. for that money you'd get one with an mi16 engine. the handling is simply put.... AWESOME! great fun cheap as chips, solid enough and they don't rust as they have galvanised chassis...

Infact I loved it so much I sold my 4x4 and used it for 6 months commuting and everything. Only reason I got rid of it was because my wife had yet another baby in Oct and couldn't fit a double buggy in the boot

Rev3 MR2 turbo.....

Thanks for the u2u Adam but not quite what i'm after..

Never thought of the Nissan, I do like the idea of Jap reliability though and I'm favouring the MR2 at the moment for size,power, rwd a bit like the Indy.

Having never been in one though am not sure how they handle, any one got or owned one?

quote:

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Originally posted by andrews_45
I bought a 1.9 205 gti last summer to use as a track car while I finished my locost. It was awesome fun. for that money you'd get one with an mi16 engine. the handling is simply put.... AWESOME! great fun cheap as chips, solid enough and they don't rust as they have galvanised chassis...

Infact I loved it so much I sold my 4x4 and used it for 6 months commuting and everything. Only reason I got rid of it was because my wife had yet another baby in Oct and couldn't fit a double buggy in the boot

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Worth a try.......

I've heard the 200SX has been tuned to 450Bhp - Look at Norris Designs.

Some have LSD as standard. its light, fast, rear wheel drive and reliable

Cheap as chips as well.

You will be pushed to find a decent MR2 Turbo for under £1500. They are crap anyway, I sprinted one in 2005, always causing problems. The best sprint car I ever had was a Vauxhall GTE. I agree with Andrew Pug GTi 1.9 is the choice.


[Edited on 8/3/08 by LBMEFM]

[Edited on 8/3/08 by LBMEFM]

Another vote for the 205. They punch well above their weight. Awesome little cars and brilliant fun around the track. We were out enjoying the wet trackwhen all the 7-esque cars had gone home!

what about an Impreza.

There is one on The "for sale" section on the LADS forum.

text as below...NTDWM.

MY92 silver classic wrx, import, tax and test. as stated before
i cant fathom photos to computer and beyond, does have a
few minor blemishes (herself and hammer) apart from that
it is pretty good, i would say.
extras:: 5-Zigen back box (centre cat removed)
upper/lower strut braces
sunroof
3 gauge pod, no ashtray
22B replica front bumper
dump valve
HKS t/timer

need cash for HGV license
£1575.

If you do genuinely want it for when the weather turns bad and you'd use the Indy for dry track days, then I would also say a Scooby.
They do cost a bit in consumables for TD's but still loads of fun and then the Indy in the dry...

Steve

I have just prepeared a 205 GTI for the track.

Things could have been done cheaper but time was of the essence.

Its not for me its for a friend of mine.

1.9GTI £450
Roll centre full cage £250
New cobra buckets £200
fuel pump £10
Front yoko tyres £60
Harnesses £40
Service items £70
CV boots £12
Bottom mount £10
Front disks £40
Front pads £30
Rear beam rebuild £250

Total £1422

Just within your budget.

Not tracked it yet but it should be ok, no douby there will be bush changes etc after its first outing but that shows it can come in under budget.

Its going for MOT too in the next fortnight so it will be road legal too.

Nice solid summer track/road fun for less than 1500 quid.

Hw about an jag? Iv never been to a track but i have been quite sideways a couple of times and its so easy to hold. Although if i were looking for a trackday car i would probably go for an xjs manual. You could get a pretty good one from the 80's well within your budget

steer clear of the MR2 if you are considering track days in the wet, far too twitchy in the wet, in the dry brilliant, but in the wet it an no no. If you are want a JAP car, I would go for the 200SX, great car for not a lot of money.

Anyway, just my 2 pence worth

Cheers

Scott

for £1500 you could get a Nissan 200sx, S14, maybe even an S14a. Very reliable power at 200bhp and easy to get more from them. Most have already had the basic tuning so could be up to 250 bhp...

Well worth a look, A friend of mine used to have one and it went very well and handled well.

Peugeot 205.

i hillclimbed, sprinted and tracked one last year, it was awesome.

the handling was superb, it did have all the right bits on it though and with toyo 888's it was faster on the twisty bits than my Indy R1 by a long way.

MI16 engine running twin carbs is the way to go or if you can afford it TB's. My engine was pushing out 195+ at the wheels and it embarassed plenty of scoobies a few evos and few ferraris.
Make sure it has all the right bits to start with such as the MI16 conversion, roll cage, good seat and harness etc. you can upgrade the suspension and brakes failry cheaply, koni shocks and willwood brakes will do the trick. ther is always a few on pistonheads worth a look. cheers Paul

We picked up a tired 1.6 GTI (187,000 miles, 17 owners!) for £80. Bought a whole heap of 1.9 parts (engine, rear beam, alloys etc) for £150. We stripped it out of everything apart from the seats and the steering wheel, and it flew. I have never had so much fun in a car. It stuck to the road like glue, and with the 1.6 box mated to the 1.9 lump, it just loved to be thrashed. I overtook a few Scoobs (and a couple of 7s) on a trackday. I miss her...