Good (out of the box) track oriented cars

crinkleshoes · 11 Dec 2018 at 20:37

Scania said:
Why change the Mini out of interest? I ask because my boss is a track nut and full on petrol head (daily driver of a 458) but he’s got a track prepared Mini (built by Lohen https://www.lohen.co.uk/ ) which he trailers to circuits and when I asked him if he ever tracked the Ferrari his response was no because the Mini was better!

Your boss doesn't know how to drive... he can get more out of the Mini because he has no skill, that's why it feels better to him.

crinkleshoes · 11 Dec 2018 at 20:38

DAIR said:
Okay... It needs to have a roof.

The lotus suggestions do sound interesting. Never driven one. Sat in an old elise recent. And that was a bit of a tight fit.

Exige is still quite tight... but a bit more room than the Elise, from my recollection... been a while since I was in an Elise.

Budget will get you a really nice one.

crinkleshoes · 11 Dec 2018 at 20:39

ShiWarrior said:
i was going to suggest a Noble
but i think you need to change the suspension and dampers ideally

and their engines like to explode on track...

ShiWarrior · 11 Dec 2018 at 20:42

crinkleshoes said:
and their engines like to explode on track...

haha yes thats true, it needs an oil cooler fitted thats for sure !

DAIR · 11 Dec 2018 at 22:30

crinkleshoes said:
Your boss doesn't know how to drive... he can get more out of the Mini because he has no skill, that's why it feels better to him.

That's a bit unfair lol.

The Mini (can only speak for the GP. As its the only mini I've driven). It's a pretty technical car.

DAIR · 11 Dec 2018 at 22:31

crinkleshoes said:
Exige is still quite tight... but a bit more room than the Elise, from my recollection... been a while since I was in an Elise.

Budget will get you a really nice one.

I may look into them.

Also noticed the G40 was mentioned. I have had thoughts about this car in the past. Would love to try one of them!

Housey · 11 Dec 2018 at 22:49

This looks interesting...
https://www.pistonheads.com/classif...-monza-red-rare-example-track-focused/9040688

But yea, get a GT3. One life and all that.

Yadda · 11 Dec 2018 at 22:49

Has anyone suggested an Ultima GTR? Worth consideration, I'd say.

On Holiday · 12 Dec 2018 at 01:16

DAIR · 12 Dec 2018 at 07:13

WoodyUK said:
But but but it's not rear wheel driiiiive it must be safe and boring..

Lol

That's what you'd think. I've had a number of "oh ****" moments in my Mini. I'm really not sure where this thought process came from.... Each to their own I guess

Scania · 12 Dec 2018 at 07:36

crinkleshoes said:
Your boss doesn't know how to drive... he can get more out of the Mini because he has no skill, that's why it feels better to him.

I’ll enjoy telling him that!

DAIR · 12 Dec 2018 at 07:54

Scania said:
I’ll enjoy telling him that!

Out of interest. Does his mini have a full rollcage?

Lohen were showing me around their garage a few months back. One of the cars they showed me around was having some major work carried out on it.

Scania · 12 Dec 2018 at 08:40

DAIR said:
Out of interest. Does his mini have a full rollcage?

Lohen were showing me around their garage a few months back. One of the cars they showed me around was having some major work carried out on it.

Grey with Orange, full cage, sequential box, fully stripped out etc

DAIR · 12 Dec 2018 at 08:59

Impressive. Might have been the same car.

Uncle_Gravy · 12 Dec 2018 at 09:38

Alpine A110? Imagine that would be a tidy "out the box" track car, Light, mid engined, 250bhp, rear wheel drive... Expensive though

Lima · 12 Dec 2018 at 10:41

Civic type R FK8

Gibbo · 12 Dec 2018 at 11:07

Caterham with a free umbrella!

DAIR · 12 Dec 2018 at 11:33

Uncle_Gravy said:
Alpine A110? Imagine that would be a tidy "out the box" track car, Light, mid engined, 250bhp, rear wheel drive... Expensive though

Decent looking car... But not really track-orientated.

Lima said:
Civic type R FK8

Same as above. If I got something like this I'd definitely end up turning it into something track orientated.

Gibbo said:
Caterham with a free umbrella!

Great cars. I rented one for a while a few years back... This is more on the extreme end of what I'm looking for.... Think R26.R, Trophy R, Lotus, Ginetta G40, etc

Gibbo · 12 Dec 2018 at 15:27

DAIR said:
Decent looking car... But not really track-orientated.

Same as above. If I got something like this I'd definitely end up turning it into something track orientated.

Great cars. I rented one for a while a few years back... This is more on the extreme end of what I'm looking for.... Think R26.R, Trophy R, Lotus, Ginetta G40, etc

Lotus, get an Exige S3 and be done with.
Or get an old BMW and build your own, some cheap E46 and E92 going if your not bothered about condition so much as condition don't matter when your converting to track car as you'll be refreshing most of the car.

Housey · 13 Dec 2018 at 09:41

Typically the lighter the car the lighter the running costs. This makes things like Lotus Elise’s and Exige’s relatively good value if you can buy right and get a reliable car. They are very rapid and also challenging to drive and I’d take one over any Caterham due to the additional protection they provide. I’d also take one over a Noble which has always been a fast but flawed design that needs money spending on it to get it right. E92 done right is also great as it’s fast, robust and gives you options to go race it too. You could also buy a quick and sorted MX5 race car which is a great option. If you can’t be quick in an MX5 you’ll never be quick in anything. They teach you to be smooth and consistent and from that comes pace.