500bhp for less than £10k

[nick.lidgett]

Hi folks,

Please help settle an argument i'm having with a colleague,

Im saying you cant get a roadworthy 500bhp car for less than £10k and he says you can and showed me a shagged out old merc and thats about it.

So I put it to you, is there anything out there with 500bhp under the hood as standard for less than £10k or a cheaper car you could buy and tune for less than £10k thats not a bag of bolts?

 

[nick.lidgett]

Yeah that post does prove my point, 2 high mileage junkers and an odd looking Merc,

 

[nick.lidgett]

I'm wondering if you could get an LS400 up to that for quite a lot less than 10k

Maybe if you found somebody skilled enough and daft enough to try and turbo it

 

[nick.lidgett]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201610038367572

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201609167815007

480 BHP for 9k

Not 500bhp though is it

 

[nick.lidgett]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Chrysler-300-SRT-6-1-Hemi/262897551968

This must be tuned then as they were 425bhp from the factory

 

[nick.lidgett]

Ok so apart from a great big Porsche , a yank tank and a few old Mercs there isnt much in the sub £10k unless we start looking at modifications,

Most of these are limited to 155mph so keeping that in mind.............

............ my next question is whats the fastest car, road legal daily driver for £10k or less that is capable of hitting 155mph regardless of HP?

Just messing around here guys its not a spec me thread, Just this whole 500bhp argument I was having as piqued my interest.

 

[nick.lidgett]

Hundreds of options surely? Even a 986 Boxster S will do 162mph and they are from £5k.

Really? as many as that? Im not really a car guy as such so my question might be a bit dumb if there are that many options

 

[nick.lidgett]

A bit more rear gear in my MX5 would see it capable of 155mph. I've seen the Rev limiter (7500rpm) in 5th which is 149mph or so

155MPH IN AN MX5

 

[nick.lidgett]

Pretty much any 600CC+ motorbike, then you'll have way more fun, especially in the wet

I had a road legal 125cc enduro bike when i was 19. Frightened me to death. Never again.

 

[nick.lidgett]

No idea if it's got the power to get there, and I don't fancy trying it for science but with a £300 diff swap on paper it would be cable of 170mph

Have you got a thread on here about your MX-5?

 

[nick.lidgett]

Ive never bothered other than odd posts in "What have you done to your car today"

But in short it's a mk2 with a Subaru turbo, an aftermarket ECU and some big Injectors slapped on. Made 253bhp on the Dyno last year and is now making a bit more than that due to some exhaust mods

So im presuming that going down the route you took sees more power gains and is cheaper than the "official" MX5 turbo bolt on kits?

Did you do the work yourself? Did you have to change the clutch or any of the engine internals?

This has got me interested as both my brother in laws compete in Auto solo event with Preston Motorsport clubs and the MX5 seems like a cheap way in.

 

[nick.lidgett]

Next time we're both at a meet just give me a nudge,



It was one of the typical off the shelf kits. Engine is completely stock internally although I'm more or less at the limits of what is considered sensible without at least fitting forged con rods. Stock clutch gave up somewhere around 220bhp/180ft/lbs.

I've done all of the work myself including the mapping. As far as power is concerned the typical Subaru turbo setup will see 250bhp generally

Well this will see me on google and auto trader all weekend fantasizing now!

As an auto solo/ track car/ weekend toy would you recommend it? for a complete first timer?

 

[nick.lidgett]

I'd recommend starting out with a stock MX5 for a couple or months, then driving it for a few months with a low boost turbo setup before going the whole hog purely so can learn the car, as things can get out of shape pretty quickly with so much power in such a light chassis

So yours is a 1.8 then? I see some of the early models are 1.6 engines.

In your experience is there any common issues to look out for when buying an MX5? id be looking around 1998 sub £2K? would that be a good starting point?

Sorry for all the questions

 

[nick.lidgett]

Shame about the ghastly interior

Money cant buy taste but it will get you to 60 in 4.2ish seconds and do 1/4 mile in 12.5ish seconds