Looking at getting a project

[LCplParks]

Looking at getting me a project car!
I know there's some guys on here with vast experience that could give me some good suggestions.
I'd spend the money on my twingo but I can't rip that to pieces because I don't want to break it and I need it for my everyday car

I want something to tinker with so I can learn a bit about cars.
I'm thinking of going one of two ways (currently leaning towards option 1):
1.Track car - which would be good because I'd like to learn how to drive on a track, so 2 birds with one stone
2.Off road machine - never really done any off roading before (other than landies)

Either way it would have to be:
-something fairly cheap to buy to start off with (£1-1.5k)
-something fairly amateur friendly (not too friendly as I would like to learn haha)
-something that I can get plenty of parts for
-and obviously something that would be good at being 1 or 2

Sooooo any suggestions?

 

[Daveyb133]

Track car - 106 1.4 xsi. Can get em for bugger all, easy to work on and cheap to modify. Light weight and a bit of power for a 1.4.

Off roader - suzuki sj (as turbo mentioned) rr suzuki jimny. Again can get em for next to nothing, off road mods are cheap and u can do most things yourself

 

[TURBO]

off roading is much easier to get into and much much friendlier but i aint gona lie it aint cheap.

cheap to start, get a disco for £500ish, 2nd hand lift kit and tyres and off u go but u will break things even when going easy ul need wheel bearings etc every few weeks and thats only the start
once u get hooked ul need winches,snorkle,slide plates, diff locks on and on and on

track cars are more from the off, mx5/civic are prob the cheapest way in but then track day fees are a fair bit and again tyres are a must, if you opt for slicks ul need a cage in most places then coilovers on and on and on

a standard disco will get u a fair way and put a massive smile on ur face, if you go with a local club u will get help and lots of members will have spare tyres etc

a standard 172 cup would b the best bet if going tracking, strip it and just play but u will have the fees to pay and some track days arnrt exactly social :?

oh and then theres the fuel

bang for buck and pure smile factor id go get playing in the dirt.
if you can find a suzuki sj they are mega cheap to run/repair and will go ANYWHERE but they are getting rare so harder and dearer to buy :?

u ever considered going in with some mates?
spred the costs

 

[LCplParks]

Yeah got a mate who would be jumping in on it with me he seems a lot more centred on the track car side of things than an off roader to be honest bit I'm not sure if he's considered the off road scene yet it's such a tough call!

 

[JoeRS133]

Some sort of 106gti/saxo vts.

Decent engine 1.6 16v n/a
Light
Very very cheap
Loads of parts and i mean loads

Can be made to be really fast even sticking with n/a 160bhp is easily had with usual mods plus cams.

Handle very very nicely too.

 

[waitey]

Yeah got a mate who would be jumping in on it with me he seems a lot more centred on the track car side of things than an off roader to be honest bit I'm not sure if he's considered the off road scene yet it's such a tough call!

An old scooooby!

 

[mrbushrat]

I have a mk1 Clio track car that is for sale that would be a good starting project and has a lot of good bits on it . It's also easy to work on etc pm if interested. Only for sale due to needing space.

 

[TURBO]

Yeah got a mate who would be jumping in on it with me he seems a lot more centred on the track car side of things than an off roader to be honest bit I'm not sure if he's considered the off road scene yet it's such a tough call!

An old scooooby!

Depends on budget , but good luck with that for a cheap toy

 

[Dazza1]

Yeah got a mate who would be jumping in on it with me he seems a lot more centred on the track car side of things than an off roader to be honest bit I'm not sure if he's considered the off road scene yet it's such a tough call!

An old scooooby!

Depends on budget , but good luck with that for a cheap toy

What happened with your scooby turbo??

 

[waitey]

Yeah got a mate who would be jumping in on it with me he seems a lot more centred on the track car side of things than an off roader to be honest bit I'm not sure if he's considered the off road scene yet it's such a tough call!

An old scooooby!

Depends on budget , but good luck with that for a cheap toy

True, you can pick up a Mini Cooper s cheap! They're easily tuned and abit different to the every other 106, Saxo or Clio 182 track car out there.

 

[JoeRS133]

Problem is they aren't na and most trackdays i do theres always at least one blown turbo.

Also with the cooper s they aren't particularly light and that strong or tuneable really .

Ive always wanted to try a mid engined toyota mr-s roadster thingy.

 

[waitey]

Problem is they aren't na and most trackdays i do theres always at least one blown turbo.

Also with the cooper s they aren't particularly light and that strong or tuneable really .

Ive always wanted to try a mid engined toyota mr-s roadster thingy.

Standard 160bhp can easily get 240bhp lol

 

[mrbushrat]

Mr-2 roadsters are 140 bhp and are a pig to tune unless u do an engine swap for a vvtl-i engine or turbo the vvt engine both of which ain't cheap!

 

[JoeRS133]

Sure 240 is easy but i'd rather na any day hence the mr2

 

[JE_GT]

My friends selling a 200sx if youre interested lol

 

[waitey]

My friends selling a microwave if youre interested lol

Edited for accuracy.

 

[DrDrew]

If I was looking for a cheap track car my shortlist would probably have MR2, Clio 172 and MX5 on to begin with

 

[LCplParks]

My friends selling a microwave if youre interested lol

Edited for accuracy.

Damnit with the inside microwave joke again!

P.S whizzed a PM y'all about the respective cars (bushrat and JE_GT)

 

[LCplParks]

yeah I've looked at mx5s I've heard they're sweet little things to have a play with also from reading matt's thread kinda made me want one haha

 

[JoeRS133]

A 106/saxo on aftermarket suspension can get some ridiculous cornering speeds. I could mix it with Ginetta race cars and all sorts at Brands Hatch and that was with some hopeless driving and racing lines!

The fact that they are so small and low to the ground makes them ridiculous fun and you can feel every little joint in the road. They are also quite quick as standard and with some basic tuning and stripping 200bhp/tonne is very easy.

Consider a focus rs is around 203 bhp/tonne and you see what i mean.

I never dyno'd mine when it was running cams but it was almost a match for astra vxr's in a straight line and much much faster in the corners!

Mx5 would be very similar except rwd.

I would say for track car you want to spend no more than £1000 and then maybe £4000 Track prepping it etc.

Its such a buzz and addictive having a toy. You will find yourself working on it every spare second makingnit faster and shaving off every gram you can

GO FOR IT