S2Steve

I've recently decided I want to invest in a car I can track, something I can spend my weekends repairing/building. Ideally I want something Ford but mainly something I can run carbs on (easily) zetec? old school? Anyone got any ideas? I obviously have a few but I am open to ideas. Budget for the initial car would be £500-1000.

wirralphil

Not ford but there is a 106 gti forsale near me for 750 ono.

gingerturbo

iTrader: (2)

i would say either mk1/2 fezzy 2.0 zetec twin carbs, stripped out orion(rs2k), 2.1 pinto saff/3dr, or non ford v6 nova

S2Steve

mk1/2/3 fiesta was first thing th came to mind for me, decent power stripped and light. I had a 2.0 pinto on twin 40s ina capri it sounded awesome, if I could get a pinto'd car it would be sweet.

Jay,

iTrader: (4)

ford puma

gingerturbo

iTrader: (2)

yeh pinto on twin 40's or bike carbs sound crazy, what bout an old cortina seen a few on ebay lately for under 1k there lots of fun

scholesyy

u can get rs1800's cheap nowadays

steanlol

I think the fiesta mk 1 2 3 with zetec and bodies would be a good choice

kitchy

i liked my RS1800 when i used that on track, well up until the bottom end spun a shell so id go for one of those or an early mk5 escort RS2000

Saaamon

iTrader: (2)

Saxo VTS. If your wanting to do it on the cheap carbs aren't a great idea.

S2Steve

Why carbs not a good idea? I don't mind an extra tank of petrol here and there! How easy is it to carb a zetec? I own a VTR already and it could be fun on track but its a run around. Are there ARB and coilovers options for early fiestas?

Saaamon

iTrader: (2)

I was thinking from a reliabilty side and fuel. Just in general inj'd car tend to be more reliable. As above a puma would be a good base.

Tank Mike

you can pick up ph1 Clio 172's for not alot of money nowadays. I paid 1300quid for mine and its a fantastic little track car.

Antti O

Some options

Peugeot 306 GTI-6
Peugeot 205 GTI 1.9
Renault clio
BMW 325i E36 sedan

I would look some car with power steering and pretty fast steering as standard.

CossieRich

iTrader: (1)

A rise in populatirty for the Clio 172 seems a good bet for a track car. Ask Chip, Porkie, Dave and Helen what they are like.

-beefy-

iTrader: (6)

i agree with jay , puma would be a good base ,

save a little and speak to m tech about one of the throttle bodie conversions ,


beef

It's Czech Mate

Trouble is with a MK1/Mk2/Mk3 fiesta is you'll spend a lot of your budget making it structurally/bodywork sound

Get something modern like a clio 172. I wouldnt say get owt you want to get lods more power out of because that'll be expensive. Start with something like a 172 Clio and concentrate on making it handle better ( a hard job! )

Matt Evans

306 gti-6 or Rallye.

Handling is awsome out the box, parts are reasonable, and they are quite quick as a budget track car

Spiky

iTrader: (1)

agreed

or a 205 gti6

or a clio 172 ( ideally a cup version)

S2Steve

Hmmm i know what you're saying about 172's and gti-6 but theres not as much character about them as old fords

jameswrx

Nissan Almera GTI or Primera GT

Handle well, cheap and very reliable.

massivewangers

iTrader: (1)

But wouldn't a budget of £500-1000 rule out a 172 anyway?

GTI-6 could be a good bet but I drove one and hated it to be honest...

Ford wise, you may get a rough RS2000, RS1800 Fiesta, how about an ST24? Or any other V6 Mondeo for that matter. 170bhp, strip it out and you could get it reasonably light and has a good chassis under it.

MK3.5 Fiesta SI with a 2.0 lump in?

As someone else said though, I think I'd go for a Puma. My girlfriend has a 1.7 and it's brilliant fun to drive. Feels quite nippy and fun handling. Could get one for under £1k with ease I should think. Strip it out, drop it a bit and I think you'd have a world of fun.

S2Steve

I like the idea of rs1800 on twin 40s! Might look into pumas I've driven my mums puma a few times but it feels a little sluggish

Tank Mike

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2000-RENAULT-C...item2a075759c6

i should imagine his budget would be streched by about 300quid. but the car your getting for your money is worth it. you can litrally batter there faces in on track, get in it, go home, use it for work, then go and do it all again next weekend. They are very very underated cars in my Opinion.

The ph1 is actully quite raw as well, its faster than my 182 and my mate later ph2 172 cup.

The troble i find with the 306 GTI-6 is its a great car but you counldn't kill it on track every weekend. Also the passive rear steering bushes in the rear beem makes the car feel very unstable and sloppy in the hard corners,

If you were going to use a puma, id buy a fiesta and fit the 1.7 engine with a 1.25 gearbox. My friend has one of these and it is an increadable little car that punches well above its weight.

as for the mk3 fiesta with the 2l, a ph1 172 would be much faster, handle better and not fall apart as much. the dreaded brown gold is attacking mk3 fiestas now like its going out of fastion

Tank Mike

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Renault-Sport-...item23075a11e0

Spiky

iTrader: (1)

Disagree on the unreliabilty of 306, they are great.

My 205 while is even older has never let me down on track, and I have don't loads over the last 3 years, I have 4 other mates with 205 and none of them have broken down, they take the beating every day of the week

massivewangers

iTrader: (1)

Didn't realise the Clio was getting so cheap to be honest. I had been told to avoid them once they started getting near 100k but not sure how well founded that is. Quick car for the money anyway!

A lot of people say about fitting the Puma engine in the Fez, but I think I'd just buy the Puma and use it to save hassle.

If you're sticking to a Ford, that's what I'd go for anyway.

Tank Mike

mines on 130k now, engine is still sweet as a nut and im revving it to 8k with a remap. doesn't use a drop of oil and still pulls like a train.

The sincros have started to go in the gearbox when changing at 8k but if you change at 7.5k there fine.

and my idle contol valves bust but i fixed that with some selotape lol

Rsmat

iTrader: (2)

106 gti or 205 gti...imo

Spiky

iTrader: (1)

you also need to look at the difference on handling out of the box,

fiesta? PMSL
escort see above
PUMA see above

106, 205, 306, are fantastic


***Flame suite on ***

massivewangers

iTrader: (1)

Remember, he did say he wanted a Ford really...

Anyway, the MK4/5 Fiesta and the Puma all handle pretty well as standard, and when modified can be brilliant. The Zetec-S and Puma all received rave reviews for their handling.

Surely a 205 GTI in his budget would just be a dog?

Rsmat

iTrader: (2)

+1 imo....

Tank Mike

mk4 onwards fietsa handle really well.

they just dont have the power to use all the handleing they have.

If it was ford you were after it would be Puma powered Fiesta every day for me.

Fil

hmm off to look at clio 172s now

Roosie

iTrader: (8)

all about the saxos

nrwilliams

Porsche 924! Excellent cheap track car.

jonathon555

I have ran a saxo VTS as a track car for 2 years & its has been bullet proof, so that gets my vote. Had a clio 172 mk1 it cost a fortune in repairs & kept throwing engine mount bolts out all the time.

Tank Mike

standard engine mounts are wank in the 172 i must say.

Im looking at getting some aftermarket stiffer ones witch are supost to last much much longer

johnandhissaffy

iTrader: (1)

Mk2 transit all the way boy

Oranoco

Clio 172 is cracking out the box, Ph1 cars can eat engine mounts though not sure about later cars.

Mk3 Fiesta with a 2 litre in it is cracking good fun. Cheap readily available parts and easy to replace/repair if the worst happens