Sterling Doc wrote:


Yeah the year of the car you choose is mostly down to personal perference. We have designed the rules to make such that any car from 83-88 can compete on an equal level. Either the differences are too small to notice on track or you can swap parts. Bigger drivers might do better in earlier or 924S chassis as these tubs tend to be a bit ligther. There is no clear reason why, but it seems to be the case. I like early cars 83-85 and then tend to swap over 87/88 924S parts as most of these fit up.

In the end the fast guys are no the guys with trick cars, but the ones with great skills. The best you can do with a build is to make it reliable so that you spend less time at the track fixing and more time driving.

It is pretty rare for new driver to be on pace with class leader due to driving experience alone. Build the car safe and build it reliable and you will do well.

Most cars cost 7-10k to build if you can do alot of work at home. A shop build car can cost more given the need to pay shop labor. However building these cars and even rebuilding motors does not take super mechical skills. The build work consists of pretty basic stripping of interior and all bits that don't make the car run. Unbolting and rebolting on the suspension and brakes. The motor rebuilds consist of taking it apart, cleaning and reasseble with fresh seals/gaskets. The only machine work is on the head which pretty basic as all you need to is to ensure it is to factory specs. So if you are willing you do alot of work yourself at home and limit costs.

On my car for 10+ years of track use I have only farmed out the cage work (I don't know how to weld and don't want to learn on a roll cage) and head work. Everything else including paint, minor body work, aligment and engine builds have been done at home. This means should something happen at the track I have the knowledge to fix most things and since my labor is free it cuts my costs to level I can afford. Parts cars and other used parts are also great ways to limit costs.

Buy a project car that works for you. My racer had had an engine fire following a cracked oil pan when the PO hit a curb. We purchased the car, sleaved the wires that were burnt in the fire, slapped a new oil pan on, stripped the car, did the cage and safety items and went racing.

I didn't finish the suspension build for another 6 months. I wasn't by any means competetive with a street suspension but the seat time really is what is important. As it is this summer I will be putting the last parts of the build in (upgraded to final configuration sway bars) after 4 years+ of racing. This was truly racing on a budget build.

My point is do the safety items and what you can do up front, but don't think you have to have a front running car before getting on track. The seat time gets you the experience you will need.

(My car is an 83 for reference)

I've been looking for cars in my general area and have found many and different conditions.

Found one listed for $800 but the owner has not had the motors running and said before is quit it was "making noise"???????

Found another in the $1700 range that also the owner has not had the engine running, said the previous owner did have it running, thinks it is ECU related?????

Certainly, I would have no plans to take a 100K mile engine with no work out to the track but I'm wondering what the typical project is starting with for a motor. I guess the worst thing to consider is if you decided to do a complete build overhaul. I'm familiar with prices on corvettes and SBC engine but not these.

It's probably safe to assume a complete job on the head to expect to pay $300-450 I assume? But what about a bottom end build if most all the rotating assembly was still good, just really replacing rings, bearings, t-belt and having a shop build the lower end rotating assembly? Ideas?

Just not sure if it makes sense to try to start with a car priced at maybe $700-1200 with the thought that the engine has to rebuilt, or do you go up market for a car in the $2000-2500 range that you can drive home? Still seams that the car that is driven home if going to get much of the same engine attention????

Thoughts

I would try to get something that is running if at all possible. That gives you some idea of what you'll be dealing with.

If budget is the real concern, buy a built race car - you'll almost always come out better buying a car already built.

I was in the same situation. I had been looking for a donor car for a few months and most were around 1-2k. I figured it would take me a year and about 7-10k to build it the way I want. I then looked around for a prebuilt car where my main concern was finding a minimally built spec car but with a decent cage. I found a nice one for 5k so just the time it saves me from building it was worth it. Good luck in your search!

My opinion (valued at what it is costing you ) is that if you can find a spec car at the right price, go for it.

By "right price", I mean one that gives you full value for what you will leave as is and does not cost you for things you will "redo" anyway.

For me, that is tough to do because I will not drive a bolt-in cage or a typical "race" seat. I want a welded cage and a full containment halo seat. I also want a fresh car so that I minimize breakdowns that cost me track time (which is money). I want the wear items fresh and want an engine that I am confident in. The car needs proper gauges, etc. etc. etc. Many of the built cars have little that I can keep/use as is that their value, to me, is low. However, for those that are happy with what a built car has in it, they are a great value and get you out on track RIGHT NOW and that has it's own value to it. Seat time is most important in learning how to race.

As for an engine, I always rebuild the engine anyway. At the minimum I would think that one would replace the timing belt unless you know that it was freshly done by someone reputable. If the engine runs, you could leave the head for later but my worry is that destroying the bottom end could destroy the block so I like to do the bottom end. By that time, why not do the head as the "extra" cost is minimal when the engine is out of the car anyway - and on and on and on with a "new to me" car.

Jim