Kevin B

K reg Escort 1600 Zetec Ghia be as a stripped out track car?

OK I expect a whole shed load of type smilies but here goes...

It is being offered to us at a very reasonable price and we were just thinking if we stripped it out completly it might make a distinctly average track car to learn in?

I realise it wont be fast or out handle an Evo, however will it be 'OK' do you think?

If it will be really p155 poor we wont bother - just interested in what people think?

Jamz

It'd probably be ok but you'd get bored pretty quick I would have thought. Just use your cossie, you probably won't do enough track days to warrant a full on track car.

Big Will_

Get a dirt cheap 2.0 Zetec engine and stick that in and it'd be alright

GARETH T

it could be a great car to learn circuits and track skills in

its not about being the fastest

TrevCannon

Not saying the cars slow by saying... its better to learn slow than fast round on track!

true saying.. i recall

Kevin B

Jamz - Now come on mate - you know me better than that to suggest driving my cossie in anger anywhere - let alone on track

Would be bought between 3 of us to keep cost to a min (hopefully)...

As posted by others - just thought it might be alright to learn lines in etc, build up a bit of skill, and get used to pulling over out of peoples way LOL

Its either the Escort or a 2litre multi-point injected Cavalier - just thought the Escort would handle a little better and be a better car to use?

RichardPON

Awful.

It wont really teach you that much, as it'll be such an undeersteery barge, you'll just be throwing it into corners far too aggressively for it to have any worth, as you'll be bored out of your mind.

I know this, as once when I hadn't got the cossie ready, I did Bedford in my mum's Astra TD, and did exactly that.

If you want to start stripping out a car to use on track, buy a 205 for a few hundred quid and enjoy it that way. Complete waste of money.

foreigneRS

depends what you are prepared to spend on it.

with std suspension i don't think it would be much fun to drive, but with uprated it could be ok. it's not about being the fastest, but if you have a car with a severe handling trait like understeer or oversteer, then it's not nice to drive.

won't be the fastest thing, but a little project like that between mates is a great way to start imo and a lot of fun

Cawood

as pon says

for the money your gonna spend you might as well buy a cheap 205 gti

Kevin B

Thanks for the replies chaps

I knew it wouldn't be great but hoped it would be OK.

Thing is we would be getting this for far less than I have seen 205's advertised for (around £500 - unless someone else knows otherwise) so just thought it might be a good way to start?

ForeighRS - when you mention spending money - what sort of items are you talking about and roughly how much? I am assuming you are just talking about suspension?

RichardPON

Look around Kev - I bought one of my 205 GTi 1.9s for £90!

Bought several others for less than £300 too.

Kevin B

Actually - one more thing...

Should we have any other bargains offered to us - are there any other motors that would make a slightly better track car more or less out of the box ?

Kevin B

Rich - Really, didn't know they could be had for that sort of money I must admit.

Ever since Dad had his 1.9 Gti we thought they would be a winner on track so a 205 would have been our first choice, just when I had a quick look yesterday they seemed to go for the 500 mark...

Will keep looking in that case...

Mr S1

iTrader: (2)

My view entirely.

R4N SS

iTrader: (6)

i just got myself a BMW E30 4dr 325i. Altho its got a 2.7 and a lsd so hopefully it will be fun

foreigneRS

yes, just suspension (including new bushes, set up etc)

RichardPON

But you'd be wrong.

Skills to learn on track involve car control. A 205 GTi handles track action far better than some standard whale of a car, so when you want to push a little bit quicker to start to learn, you will reach your own limits long before a great little car like a 205.

Granted, in any car you can learn about where to position a vehicle, entry and exit points, corner speeds etc, but paying out £150 on a trackday is supposed to be fun and rewarding. There is not really anything rewarding about throwing around a standard escort - you'll come away far less satisfied than if you'd have been in a car like a 205 GTi for example, where you have serious feedback, and a real buzz when you start to get it together.

None of the above is about being the fastest. Trackdays never were about that for the majority.

BRIGSPORT

iTrader: (2)

I did the croft rs track day last year in my focus tdci estate,and i passed a few notable cars including mk5 xr3i,mk2 golf gti,focus rs,wrx etc. so i'd say if you can drive a track reasonably well,it doesnt matter what you drive.
But i have owned a few fast cars,and this helped me get the best from my standard family bus on track.
So if your a reasonably good driver,with a reasonably fast car,you will have fun.
I also did oulton park in my mondeo tdci estate,which was o.k.,but the £100 xr2i i sold to my mate,with slicks on,was the best fun i have ever had on 4 wheels.

Kevin B

Thanks again all for the replies