As the title suggests, once my finances have picked up alittle. Ive always been intrested in the idea of making my own track day car. Make it even more intresting by getting a mate to do one as well. The idea is quiet simple a car under £1000 of course the lower the better. I dont want anything over a 1.6 because of insurance as am a young wipper snapper. Now ive noticed alot of people on here go onto track events, that and there is always a wealth of wisdom here. So theres a few aspects i need to nail down.

1. Whats a good car, thats quiet nippy, but still cheap to insure and stuff. I was thinking along the lines of a 106 maybe even a 1.4 shedaxo! Ive even seen a few million mile old shape fabia's for sale for this price range.

2. I would assume my normal driving skills may struggle with my first track events. So i was wondering if its wise to get some advanced lessons in with a pro driver. Or is it a case of stay safe and the more track time the better you will naturally become.

3. Im in derby/nottingham way any good tracks people can recommend.

I would be a massive n00b at all this stuff so if i sound as thick as pig ***t please bare with me . I think it got to me playing Forza on my 360 and i was thinking.....why im i playing it in a game when i could be doing it in real life.

Once again thanks for all your help when am sure it comes

Edited 4 September, 200916 yr by TorqueXIsXCheap

Popular car seems to be the mazda mx5, a good handling rear wheel drive car thats not stupidly fast but whether they would be in budget do not know.

Try and find a novice track day to start off and get a touch of training, they are not that bad.

Driving on track nothing like computer game.

Popular car seems to be the mazda mx5, a good handling rear wheel drive car thats not stupidly fast but whether they would be in budget do not know.

Try and find a novice track day to start off and get a touch of training, they are not that bad.

Driving on track nothing like computer game.

There actually is plenty of old mx5's for my budget and as you said wonderful car to start on. Altho it is just a lotus elan.

And yer i can imagine, it to be nothing like the real macoy. Its an art to feel your cars behaviour. No game no matter how much programming goes into it, gives you that instinct of "if i push alittle harder the front will dive to wide etc.."

Am very excited just cant wait for money to settle down for me

I know you said no bigger than a 1.6...but a 1.8 Focus with rear trim removed, 300mm ST170 brakes, ST170 4-2-1 manifold+de-cat+blueflame cat-back (or OBX 4-1 shorty with standard cat anda Piper cat-back) and Eibach springs? possibly fitted with a set of TD Pro Race 1.2s with decent Parada Spec 2s?

I know you said no bigger than a 1.6...but a 1.8 Focus with rear trim removed, 300mm ST170 brakes, ST170 4-2-1 manifold+de-cat+blueflame cat-back (or OBX 4-1 shorty with standard cat anda Piper cat-back) and Eibach springs? possibly fitted with a set of TD Pro Race 1.2s with decent Parada Spec 2s?

As said nothing above 1.6 because of the insurance. I was thinking more 1.3 KA

I know you said no bigger than a 1.6...but a 1.8 Focus with rear trim removed, 300mm ST170 brakes, ST170 4-2-1 manifold+de-cat+blueflame cat-back (or OBX 4-1 shorty with standard cat anda Piper cat-back) and Eibach springs? possibly fitted with a set of TD Pro Race 1.2s with decent Parada Spec 2s?

Is there one for sale by any chance?

mk2 golf with a 225bhp tt engine in it(now whos building one of those right now?)

mk2 golf with a 225bhp tt engine in it(now whos building one of those right now?)

mk2 jetta+1.8t+GT28...

Get yourself a 205GTI 1.6. They are probably one of the best track cars to easily modify mainly due to the sheer amount of people who track modify them. I'm pretty sure there is a website called trackmypug or something like that. The good thing with the pug is that it will be in your price range, is a far superior handler than a focus/saxo, and the 1.6 has decent power and very low weight. All you need in a track car really. Good luck and have fun.

Get yourself a 205GTI 1.6. They are probably one of the best track cars to easily modify mainly due to the sheer amount of people who track modify them. I'm pretty sure there is a website called trackmypug or something like that. The good thing with the pug is that it will be in your price range, is a far superior handler than a focus/saxo, and the 1.6 has decent power and very low weight. All you need in a track car really. Good luck and have fun.

Mate had a 1.9GTi with lots of bells and whistles, all stripped out, and truthfully i was dissapointed with its performance. Was quick and sounded crazy but it was a case of dont meet your heros, funniest thing was when he once was running late at work and he came pushing it up the road. There was a vauxhall garage on the left and they came out laughing at him we never let him live that down.

Thanks peeps for all the answers but as i said am looking at UNDER! 1.6 for insurance. Im only 20 and to give you an idea a saxo vtr worth £500 will cost me well over £1k and thats third party only doing less than 2k miles a year.

Think am leaning towards the idea of a 106 or paxo just because there cheap as cheeps or even a KA great chassis just a strangled engine!

Performance on a track isn't all about power. I took my fiat Abarth round the ring and was easily outgunned by lots of 205's (and I had a 200bhp 5 cylinder engine) they are so light and nippy. Either way, i'd have to say the 106 out of the 2 you mention. You cant possibly drive a saxo. No siree, never. :rotz:

Performance on a track isn't all about power. I took my fiat Abarth round the ring and was easily outgunned by lots of 205's (and I had a 200bhp 5 cylinder engine) they are so light and nippy. Either way, i'd have to say the 106 out of the 2 you mention. You cant possibly drive a saxo. No siree, never. :rotz:

I know they go against everything i belive in BUT! They are cheap. Also because am a n00b i dont want to much power, just a nice tidy chassis. Even look at some old jap stuff, dahitsu and suzukis etc...

pug 106 rallye

How about a mk1 Octavia vRS?

I know of one that just needs a little engine attention.

pug 106 rallye

Great cars, but rare and thats reflected in cost so i wouldnt be able to afford one.

And no not an octavia vrs. INSURANCE!!!

And before anyone says i dont want a 2.0 fabia. Altho am sure it would take any track like a king

Any cheap old skool hot/warm hatchs will do. Strip it and sell what you can. Find some cheap air fields and go out and have fun. Woundnt bother modding it to start with just make sure you have decent brake fluid. If you bin it or dies. Buy another

Any cheap old skool hot/warm hatchs will do. Strip it and sell what you can. Find some cheap air fields and go out and have fun. Woundnt bother modding it to start with just make sure you have decent brake fluid. If you bin it or dies. Buy another

Airfields? Can you do that :confused:

Ive been having a right good look around and the Ford Ka does seem a good option, and yer i would modify it engine wise for a while just give it a service. But would be stripped caged few chassis tweaks. I would keep a project journel if anyone here was intrested, even been looking at fabias haha

get an old school ford. escort XR3i, fiesta XR2i or RS1800/turbo. or buy an old school cavalier sri or GSI. loadsa stuff available for them, especially second hand if things break, strong engines, and are great fun to drive.

ive had an XR3i, XR2i and a cavilier 1.8 sri when i was your age, and i loved them. suprisingly nippy. and i have very nearly bought another xr2i on a few occasions i loved it that much. you would be able to pick up for way less than £1000 as well. so you could use spare funds to prep them

get an old school ford. escort XR3i, fiesta XR2i or RS1800/turbo. or buy an old school cavalier sri or GSI. loadsa stuff available for them, especially second hand if things break, strong engines, and are great fun to drive.

Altho I appreciate your input my man. Insurance!! as said am 20! To insure a Ka thats just under £1k im thinking it might be worth getting it and setting it up for abit before i put it on the road. Altho ive just found out there is an airfield near were i live :eek:. I bet there will be a massive diffrence to what ever rot box i get and sitting back in my baby fabia

Been to blyton airfield with scoobynet a few times. Cheap at around £40. Normally airfield trackdays are around £100.

Project threads are always good

how much are 100bhp tdi fabia's now? Stripped, remap and cheap coilovers would be good and cheap to insure.

also dont forget if your only going to use it as a track day car and for travelling to and from, make sure you get your insurance know you will only do very low milage, and you'll save money that way. family saloons are always cheaper to insure as well. mondeos handle very well, espeecially with a bigger rear roll bar

I think two of the biggest considerations are:

a) what are you aiming to achieve with a track toy? eg, do you just want to learn how to drive on a track, do you want to master RWD/FWD/4WD, do you want something stupidly quick, etc?

will you need to drive it home at the end of the session in which case you'll need road insurance, to ensure tyres and brakes are not knackered and the car is not bent, road fund licence, etc, or would it make more sense to invest in a trailer and tow it to days?

In terms of driving, I'd recommend having an instructor sit in with you for a few laps, if only to tell you about track etiquette and the suggested braking points and lines through corners.

Btw, if you can get an older car that is covered by "classic" insurance, you'll get a lot of fun car for not much money

Chris

If you fancy a Ka have a read of this thread Track car project. - Detailing World

If you fancy a Ka have a read of this thread Track car project. - Detailing World

Thank you this is a great thread

I think two of the biggest considerations are:

a) what are you aiming to achieve with a track toy? eg, do you just want to learn how to drive on a track, do you want to master RWD/FWD/4WD, do you want something stupidly quick, etc?

will you need to drive it home at the end of the session in which case you'll need road insurance, to ensure tyres and brakes are not knackered and the car is not bent, road fund licence, etc, or would it make more sense to invest in a trailer and tow it to days?

In terms of driving, I'd recommend having an instructor sit in with you for a few laps, if only to tell you about track etiquette and the suggested braking points and lines through corners.

Btw, if you can get an older car that is covered by "classic" insurance, you'll get a lot of fun car for not much money

Chris

I just want a cheap car i dont mind to much what it is, just as long as its cheap to insure on my part. Thats why i cant have anything to flash hense why I want to keep the power side down.

Ive been looking getting it insured for british roads, so it would have to be mot'd. A case of drive there and go home. My mate does have a big patrol for toeing things but i would rather have it insured normally so i can take it on public roads to test new items and settings

I would also like to do something like this , to get some form of mechanical skills as well. Im lucky as there is a garage down the road just incase i have problems. I could practically push it down the road

And Chris i would like to get some track day experince, just things like learning correct lines. And to develop a smooth but quick pace. I am sensible i know my limits even driving my little fab the torque can sometimes get away from me. So i can see the importance of taking my time and not taking up to much. So engine mods would be the last on my shopping list. I think the only thing i would do would be an ashely exhuast and a service.

Thank you chris for replying ive heard your quiet the driving machine