What do you drive ?

Tying in with the 'ultimate track day weapon' topic; what car or bike do you currently use for trackdays ?

I have used a couple of different Jags. Our racer XJS and a road E-Type.

I also had a go in a Golf during my ARDS, but this isn't really a track day.

It doesn't matter too much what you drive, it is fun in anything, especially the first time you have a go.

1)Porsche 924 racer - cheap cheerful and embarrassingly fast through the corners.
2)1981 BMW M535i (E12 shape - original 5 series) - downright dangerous but what a laugh (my everyday road car too)
3)2001 MR2 Roadster (my wife's car) - surprisingly nimble and great engine.

As you can tell, I'm a fan of often overlooked machinery!!

I'll second that about the Porsche 924. I was racing against a 924 a couple of weeks ago. He was a couple of seconds a lap quicker than me, but I got the jump on him at the start. So much torque from my Jag! He was all over me in the corners and was able to follow me very closely. I managed to keep him back for quite a few laps, but he eventually got by when we were both being lapped. A great move and it seemed like he could just put it were he wanted.

Adam,

Any tips about geting an E type ?? It will be a second car etc etc but thinking about one just for fun.

Simon

Crickey, that's a big one.

It basically comes down to what you want and how much you want to spend.

Do you want the roadster or the Coupe. I prefer the lines of the coupe, but you may like top down motoring.

Which series do you want?
I: has the better lines
II: Open headlights, but improved cooling and most importantly slightly better brakes. Probably the cheapest.
III: Has the V12 engine, which is a great engine, but then so is the 6cyl XK engine. More power, but much more weight. Slower. Has lost some of the lines IMO.

There is also the 2+2 option. Might be good if you have very small children.

For track days I would suggest I or II. III is much more of a Grand Tourer. Although all are good for this. Every year my Dad (who's car it is) and I go down to Le Mans, easily. Air con, perhaps, wouldn't go a miss, but that's about it.

Other than that the usual things about buying an old car apply. Get it checked out. The engines are good in both and should run for ages, but I guess the XK is easier to work on.

I used to do a lot of track days, but the more I raced the less they appealed - not enough competition I guess. I've used all sorts on them though, from road cars - Mondeo V6, Mercs, Citroen Xantia Activa, Vectra V6, et al. Current car is the BM Coupe as below at Rockingham:

http://www.thirtyfive.co.uk/pic14.JPG

woaah that looks a bit sideways!

Originally posted by woodyracing
woaah that looks a bit sideways!

That's why I race saloons.. ;-)

Good car, very controllable yet doesn't bale you out of cackhanded driving with trick diffs and electronics like an Imprezza et al.

I run it on the road with just a set of uprated pads. The rest is fine, although I did get through my first brand new set of rear tyres within 500 miles...... Wahayyyy.

Stacy

I used to like going sideways in my road car, until i lost it going round a roundabout, causing a lot of damage to it :bag:

Originally posted by woodyracing
I used to like going sideways in my road car, until i lost it going round a roundabout, causing a lot of damage to it :bag:

I did my crashing in a Ford Cortina and a Fiat 131, so hopefully those days are gone.

Stacy

I have a collection of 4x4 Sierra's .... a dedicated twin turbo XR4x4 track car for track days, another XR4 which I am in the (long) process of building a 4.0 twin turbo engine for and a single turbo 2.8 4x4 Sierra Estate which I used at Silverstone recently in the wet as the track car broke so I had to resort to the tow car :) It was very amusing powersliding the estate round the corners :)

http://www.area51.org.uk/projectcar/images/td20/006.jpg

My old Impreza didn't have a trick diff or electronics - should have saved up for a Skyline!!

It was a great trackday car for me - incredibly quick and relatively easy to drive. Did have to replace discs and pads every time though! Also lost a front number plate to a cone and cracked the exhaust heatshield - wouldn't have been trying hard enough otherwise lol.

Hopefully I'll be getting another scooby soon - but the trackday experiences did give me an interest in Caterhams. Having then done the Silverstone Caterham experience a couple of times I really really want one of these cars.....

Ex Formula Saloons group c Saff Cosworth for me. Got bored with the 3dr Sierra road car I had and wanted a cheap Sh*tbox that I could trailer about. It only runs 1bar on a T3 turbo and so only has about 270hp but still quick being a dedicated racecar.

My Sierra road car had 404hp and 416lbs/ft and so miss the grunt but still quicker. When I have saved the dough, will take the car back to Harvey Gibbs for a 440hp and 380lbs/ft race engine. Then I will be a happy hector again!! :)

Originally posted by subverbal
Hopefully I'll be getting another scooby soon - but the trackday experiences did give me an interest in Caterhams. Having then done the Silverstone Caterham experience a couple of times I really really want one of these cars.....

I sold my Caterham to buy a Scooby !! Great car on the road but slightly disappointing on track. Now looking at selling the Scooby and getting a VX220

Andy
Which engine package did you go for?? I'd fancy an older HPC model, those Vauxhall 2litre 16v engines can really take a thrapping (from experience!).

Got a friend with a VX220. Amazing little car, hearing the gearchange click into place just behind your head is fun.

1.6K Supersport.. at the time it was reputed to be the best package out there. Certainly was a lovely car to drive, not lacking in any department.

IMHO VX220 has to be one of the performance bargains of the decade

Radical SR3 Supersport 1500, before that Caterham Superlight R. Radical is another 10 leagues or so on, from what I can tell so far!

Honda/Acura Integra Type R.

I have a 1993 HSV Clubsport next will be a Renault Clio Sport

1989 MG Maestro 2.0

Next will be something cheap but quick. Maybe an Astra Gsi?

I use a non-modified Ford Sierra 2.0i 1988.

but im gonna get a honda crx instead after watching them on trackdays. They are insanly fast (aslong as there arent too long straights)

.

Originally posted by stacy
I used to do a lot of track days, but the more I raced the less they appealed - not enough competition I guess. I've used all sorts on them though, from road cars - Mondeo V6, Mercs, Citroen Xantia Activa, Vectra V6, et al. Current car is the BM Coupe as below at Rockingham:

http://www.thirtyfive.co.uk/pic14.JPG

I was at Goodwood race circuit a few weeks where there cars doing standing start one lappers.

I was spectating and saw an identical car.

Was that you by any chance?

Originally posted by Spudgun
Was that you by any chance?

Yep. Wanted to drive Goodwood since we don't ever get to race on it..

The nature of sprinting is that you don't get a lot of track time though (4 laps..), but by the 4th I wasn't far off what I thought I could do.

In hindsight it would have been better to do a track day.

Stacy.

Currently have BMW e30 327i Sport. Makes a good cheap trackcar IMHO.

Mines a caterham 7, imho the best trackday car without going to the extremes of XTR2 or an SLR3

BMW Z M Coupe, Dakar Yellow (easy for people to me on the track)!!

Hartge Exhaust Upgrade and full AP Racing Brakes Conversion (Badly needed for track days in this car)

That means 330+ BHP with no traction control, nice ;0)

I'm really thinking of doing at least one trackday.

I'd be using a Vectra 1.8 SRi. It's got nice wide (compared to a standard vectra anyway) Michelin Pilot tyres and sports suspension which is lovely when you get it out in the scticks.

I'm so tempted.

I use my little mini :D

Watch out Porsches!

alex

Originally posted by AlexF
I use my little mini :D

Watch out Porsches!

alex

You might be right. I don't actually own a mini, but I buy Mini magazine because I adore them. One issue a couple of years they ago had a feature about trackdaying a mini which thrashed a Vectra around the Silverstone National circuit due it's superior handling (damn! I've got a Vectra. ;) ).

I will be right

500kgs and currently 100bhp (soon to be 175!)

hehehehhe

alex

I have 2 cars Zcars 100WR Holds World record 0-60 in 2.8 sec for production car and Westfield XTR2. Both cars are up for sale see them at my homepage