My New Carving Toy

[Justin A.]

Personally I think the best looking car ever made is a toss up between the Shelby GT500 Coupe and the Ford GT40 (which is coming back this year!)

-Justin

________

Colorado Medical Marijuana

[132bpm]

Well, a few random words about this E30 M3.

To me, it's not be the prettiest car on the planet but it sure isn't particularly ugly. But do I care about the beauty of cars or rather of women? Nona Gaye comes to my drooling mind but that's something for another thread :-).

These old M3 are good for the race track because you're able to find one and, heaven forbid, replace it if needed. They handle extremely well for a 20 year old design and are easy to learn on. And IMO they're by a large margin the most affordable serious rear wheel drive sports car available in Europe.

I paid CHF 6800 - USD 5300 for the base car. My mechanic and mentor put in the roll cage, race suspension, racing seats (one especially modified for a tall driver), some engine overhaul, interior rip-out, tires, dome-strut (correct term?). Engine and engine power is still stock. Total cost as of now was about CHF 20000 - USD 15600.

To get faster laps, the car would need a better driver (me, learning :-), street legal semislick tires (called "Corsa" type around here), a rear diff with a shorter ratio, a hotter engine control unit, an airbox and possibly a hotter camshaft.

These things will get added as driving ability and budget allow.

The Nurburgring is special because it's very long (72 turns rather than the usual 10-15, very bumpy, all up- and downhill and it lacks any substantial space between the track and the guardrails.

Yeah I love this crazy new hobby.

Frank

PS: The car with the highest specific power (hp per liter) in its stock version must be the Smart, the tiny city commuter from the Daimler Chrysler group.

[Tommy D]

Originally posted by oldvolvosrule

Do the exhasust maniflods glow red on Subies like it does in my Volvo?? I thought I was cooking somethin but my Volvo mechanic says it is normal. YOu can't see the glow in the daylight but pop open the hood in the evening and you could cook some burgers on that manifold.

Yep. My manifold glows red too! :) Same thing in 944 Turbos. It's pretty cool, especially on the 944's at the track, at dusk; watching the cars hit the braking zone for T1 at LRP with glowing rotors and manifolds is really cool! :)

I've toyed with the idea of a post luber, especially as I autox. However, I let the car idle for a few minutes before shutting her down after a hard run, and I use Mobil 1, so I should be safe. :)

[fishrising]

Tommy D, where do you autox in CT? About 6 years ago I was part of CART, and ran my burgandy 3000GT VR4...then my tranny went, and I sold her. Now, I've got the bug again, but I am not sure my wife would let me start up again...I miss that car...all wheel drive and all wheel steering...

Here she is before dropping her 2", giving her new shoes, and new brains, numerous engine mods...and getting her on the track...

[Tommy D]

I only started autoxing about 6 years ago, and I have raced with CART a few times. For two years, I was autoxing almost every weekend from May - Sept with various clubs: CART, PCA, SCCA, FCSCC, WSCC, PSCC ... Even an overnighter to Rochester, NY.

Well, you might say I burned myself out! Heh. So I took last year off, but now I'm back into it about once a month, with the PCA.

Until this year, I was autoxing my Impreza RS. Mods: H&R coilovers (400/450lb springs, f/r) sway bars f/r, heavy-duty top mounts, upgraded brake pads, larger front rotors, single stage brake booster, Recaro seat, and race tires (Hoosier/Kumho). The car had imperceptible body roll, and was lightening fast through the corners. Every thing else was stock, but who needs more bhp when you don't need to slow down? ;)

The only thing I regret is that the suspension wore itself out before I got to a race track. Oh, and I love when it rained. :D

[132bpm]

Hello Tommy D,

What was your budget for racing in those active two years?

Frank

[Tommy D]

Originally posted by 132bpm

Hello Tommy D,

What was your budget for racing in those active two years?

Frank

Budget?? Heh. That depends on what you want to include in the budget. If you are just starting out in autocross, you want to buy a good helmet that fits well. After that, it's about $20 to autox for a day, depending on the club. (I started this way.)

After that, the budget can grow as far as you let it. Over the course of about 3-4 years, I slowly modded my car up to the point where I was happy with it: Just remember a fast car at the autox may not be a comfortable car on the street!

That said, the first mod anyone makes should be getting a good instructor, and then a good set of tires, preferably race tires on a spare set of wheels. After that: Go with whatever moves you, though I suggest finding more grip is more important than more power.

Sheesh, I'm dodging the budget question, aren't I? Here goes: Over about 3-4 years I purchased (for track/autox/street)

• Tires: summer, winter, competition
  
• Wheels: summer, winter, competition
  
• Coil over kit, sway bars
  
• Brake upgrades: Pads, rotors, etc
  
• Recaro seat, Momo steering wheel (Mostly bling factor, but it is a lot more comfy than stock, and smaller diameter)
  

Figure $2000 for two sets of wheels/tires, $2500 for the suspension/swaybars, and $1000 for the seat/steering wheel. The above, and other incidentals (wear items: Tires, brake pads, gas) I spent an average under $2000 over 4 years mostly for autox, but that included a few track days, too. And most of that was spent in the two years I was most active.

I know a lot of people who spend a heck of a lot more money than that, but they take it very seriously and like to compete at a national level.

Consider this: For this year, on my WRX, I have spent probably about $300 bucks for sway bars, and I'm using my race tires from a year ago. That's as far as I'm going with the WRX, so my budget for the rest of this year is probably a replacement set of brake pads. Next year, I might need to replace the tires. I did replace the seats with Recaros, but I have a sensitive back which I like to pamper with comfy seats.

The interesting thing about the above mods is that they work well at the track, too, so you don't need separate budgets. Just be prepared to replace tires/brakes more frequently if you go to the track.

132bpm: Are you thinking about giving autox a try? There's no safer way of learning and exceeding the limits of your car, and more importantly, no safer way of finding your own limits. Send me an email if you want to discuss further.

I know there's a bunch of other folks here who autox, mebby they will chime in?

[132bpm]

Tommy:

> 132bpm: Are you thinking about giving autox a try?

Yeah, I googled some, and to the best of my knowledge, autocross around here in central Europe is on dirt only.

Dirt is not for me, if there were something on pavement, I'd be thrilled.

There are some "slalom" competitions here but I can't really find any enthusiasm for this.

Other than the Nurburgring, I'll probably go on a track day at the Hockenheim Grand Prix track pretty soon.

> Send me an email if you want to discuss further

You gotta enable receiving e-mails.

Cheers

Frank

[Guest johann]

Don't forget your CB Tom. heh heh. That's a requirement too and from the Autox i hear.

[Tommy D]

CB: You mean Crew Beeotch? ;)

Yeah, you need a CB to get you to and fro the autoxes. heheh

[Guest johann]

Where you been T? I brought biking stuff yesterday even though I was dying and you were not around... thank god :-)

My g/f was all excited yesterday her deck arrived. Her's actually has an insect on the top of it. I feel cheated!

[Tommy D]

Yeah, I'm on vacation! :)