So I have a 79 Midget 1500 I've been working on for two years. Just finished rebuilding the engine, engine not yet in car. I bought it as a hobby car to wrench on and putt around town in.
So enter GRM about 6 months ago. It has rekindled my lifelong desire to RACE! So now I'm considering moving my midget project along to someone new and finding a new, different project.
As is likely the case with many here my "fun" car budget is very limited, so this will play into the decision making on what car is right. In fact I will likely have to find an even up trade.
What kind of car do I think I want. Something that can hold its own on a solo and/or rally cross track. Something that has good parts interchangeability across model years and platforms. Something with good aftermarket product support.
So what do you all think?
I would think you'd be best picking the car you own that will run and pass tech, and try it to see if you'll like it.
I'd go with a VW Golf. Simple, fast, competitive. GRM did a build project on one a while back. (Or, if you're crazy like me, a Rabbit.)
My 2nd recommendation is a Honda Civic or CRX, older one like late 80s early 90s. Also simple, fast, and competitive.
Both have great parts interchange with other years and models and are fairly reliable, and a lot of fun. Cheap (relatively) bolt on aftermarket parts, they are pretty common to race, so a fair amount of 2nd hand stuff out there too.
Look into those 2 I think :-)
In reply to anjaloveshervw:
Thank you both for the input!
My girlfriend in high schoolhad a gti rabbit- i was mere told to slow down so many times! They are hard to find in MI, but I will keep looking...
I thought of the Honda as well, but i've never been to keen on the Japanese cars.
Thanks again!
Get a Daewoo! 
Just kidding, sorta.
Honestly, just get something Japanese and small with a stick and chances are it will meet your criteria. For a slightly off the wall choice, look into the late 90s Hyundai stuff. They interchange a ton of parts and the Accents are easy to make fast and good handling. The Tiburon is, basically, a slightly heavier Accent with the best brakes, best springs, etc. You'd be surprised how similar they are underneath.
Can hold it's own at autocross?
Parts swap across years?
Good aftermarket?
HHHmmm, how about a LBC, something like a 79 Midget say!
Adrian_Thompson wrote:
Can hold it's own at autocross?
Parts swap across years?
Good aftermarket?
HHHmmm, how about a LBC, something like a 79 Midget say!
Yeah...I was wondering about that. He already has the car. A Midget with a bit of suspension work and a good driver is a formidable corner carver.
My advice would be to finish the Midget with the intent to solo it and invest in developing the "good driver" side of the equation over a couple of seasons. And you may or may not agree, but I am of the opinion that driving a less than perfect car, and learning how to manage its performance envelope, will make for a better driver quicker than if you start with a high performance chassis.
Miata, E30, Civic something. Seriously, there's a reason most of us has one or more of those.
I agree with most of the others. Finish the MG and see if it suits your needs. If it doesn't, the answer...as always...is Miata.
Race the MG... Racing old cars is cool...
Adrian_Thompson wrote:
Can hold it's own at autocross?
Parts swap across years?
Good aftermarket?
HHHmmm, how about a LBC, something like a 79 Midget say!
They do swap, you are correct. But across the 1500 model years the only significant change in the engine design is the angle of the oil pickup on the pump. I can find used parts for it, that's no problem. But making higher HP in that engine is cost prohibitive for me'
NOHOME wrote:
Adrian_Thompson wrote:
Can hold it's own at autocross?
Parts swap across years?
Good aftermarket?
HHHmmm, how about a LBC, something like a 79 Midget say!
Yeah...I was wondering about that. He already has the car. A Midget with a bit of suspension work and a good driver is a formidable corner carver.
My advice would be to finish the Midget with the intent to solo it and invest in developing the "good driver" side of the equation over a couple of seasons. And you may or may not agree, but I am of the opinion that driving a less than perfect car, and learning how to manage its performance envelope, will make for a better driver quicker than if you start with a high performance chassis.
NOHOME- I hadn't considered that perspective. There is no doubt Midgets will corner, even my later model.
After sleeping on it I guess I'm suffering some rebuild burnout.
If you are not keen on Japanese cars, your choices for budget race cars drops to almost zero. The Mustang is probably your best option, followed by a GM F-Body and then a Neon.
pinchvalve wrote:
If you are not keen on Japanese cars, your choices for budget race cars drops to almost zero. The Mustang is probably your best option, followed by a GM F-Body and then a Neon.
That was my feeling. The only reason I don't care for Japanese cars is everyone has one, and obviously there is a good reason for that.
That's part of what attracted me to the MG in the first place- there aren't that many on the road.
paranoid_android74 wrote:
The only reason I don't care for Japanese cars is everyone has one, and obviously there is a good reason for that.
That's part of what attracted me to the MG in the first place- there aren't that many on the road.
There's obviously a good reason there aren't many MGs on the road in the first place. 
id say neon, if youre set on dumping the MG. and i wouldnt dump the MG.
i worked for an SCCA race team in the 90's that fielded a few identical midgets. they stuck well, were failry cheap on consumables, and if our driver hadnt kept wrecking the damn things, would have been reliable. they dont like 10k RPM on downshift on a stock rebuild, though....
id honestly say slam the midget back to running/driving/safe, and go hit a couple of autocrosses with it. doesnt have to be painted, interiored, etc for you to do that. recharge your batteries, and see how you actually like the racing bug that seems to have bit you. invest in seat time, not time in a new seat. sometimes you just have to beat the piss outta something to see if you like it/want it/keep it.
on the neon front, 2 door, DOHC stick car. check out the ACR build thread for a good look at what youll be looking at with one.
i honestly encourage you to get it running, driving, and being driven before you jump ship top something else though.
Sky_Render wrote:
Fox-body Mustang.
Many $$$ modifications to cure evil handling, no?
Regardless of what car you end up getting or using, I would advice leaving it pretty much stock for a season or two.
Most everyone who goes racing does so with the intention of winning on the first day. They wont say so, but that is the mindset.
What you want to be doing is going to your first two seasons to learn how to identify limitations; both yours and the cars, and them either how to work withing the limitations or expand the envelope
. Your task is to experience and undertand the dynamic limitations of a car; any car. Then your next task is to learn what minor changes such as tire pressure or brake pads maybe even shockes has on the limitations. In my opinion, a lower performance car will let you learn faster since the limitations will not be subltle. Understeer, oversteer, braking and tire limitations and weight transfer are much easier to experience in say a Mazda Protege than a race prepped Mustang. Conversley, any changes you make will be easier to feel since the first 70 percent of any improvement is easy and noticealbe.
Hopefully, you still manage to have fun while you are doing this and are not beating yourself up for not setting FTD or having a race deal signed.
Klayfish wrote:
paranoid_android74 wrote:
The only reason I don't care for Japanese cars is everyone has one, and obviously there is a good reason for that.
That's part of what attracted me to the MG in the first place- there aren't that many on the road.
There's obviously a good reason there aren't many MGs on the road in the first place.
Right!
It seems most of the LBC's have been treated like lawn mowers during their lifetimes. Especially Midgets.
Dusterbd13 wrote:
id say neon, if youre set on dumping the MG. and i wouldnt dump the MG.
i worked for an SCCA race team in the 90's that fielded a few identical midgets. they stuck well, were failry cheap on consumables, and if our driver hadnt kept wrecking the damn things, would have been reliable. they dont like 10k RPM on downshift on a stock rebuild, though....
id honestly say slam the midget back to running/driving/safe, and go hit a couple of autocrosses with it. doesnt have to be painted, interiored, etc for you to do that. recharge your batteries, and see how you actually like the racing bug that seems to have bit you. invest in seat time, not time in a new seat. sometimes you just have to beat the piss outta something to see if you like it/want it/keep it.
on the neon front, 2 door, DOHC stick car. check out the ACR build thread for a good look at what youll be looking at with one.
i honestly encourage you to get it running, driving, and being driven before you jump ship top something else though.
Boy- I don't think a race prepped A series engine could handle shifting at 10k! And I think you are right, the consumables aren't too expensive. It's the initial build that costs big clams.
That's good advice though. I think if I could even hear it run before the end of the season, that might be good medicine for me.
And I do like the ACRs- I remember when they came out. That was a way cool package!
NOHOME wrote:
Regardless of what car you end up getting or using, I would advice leaving it pretty much stock for a season or two.
Most everyone who goes racing does so with the intention of winning on the first day. They wont say so, but that is the mindset.
What you want to be doing is going to your first two seasons to learn how to identify limitations; both yours and the cars, and them either how to work withing the limitations or expand the envelope
. Your task is to experience and undertand the dynamic limitations of a car; any car. Then your next task is to learn what minor changes such as tire pressure or brake pads maybe even shockes has on the limitations. In my opinion, a lower performance car will let you learn faster since the limitations will not be subltle. Understeer, oversteer, braking and tire limitations and weight transfer are much easier to experience in say a Mazda Protege than a race prepped Mustang. Conversley, any changes you make will be easier to feel since the first 70 percent of any improvement is easy and noticealbe.
Hopefully, you still manage to have fun while you are doing this and are not beating yourself up for not setting FTD or having a race deal signed.
Excellent advice, and an excellent reminder of what racing for a beginner is about.
As a teenager in the 90s I was an SCCA club member. Since I didn't have the dough for a car I worked in the tech shed. There I learned it isn't necessarily about winning, but getting laps in safely without your car breaking. This was a sharp contrast from the pro Trans Am events that I worked!
I also recognize that it would take a good season at least for me to learn how to drive properly.
Like I said in another post maybe the medicine I need is to hear my engine run. I hope I can do that before the snow flies!
Thanks again for all the advice!
i didnt say it handled it. they tent to de-manufacture themselves. coming down the front strait, our driver downshifted instead of braked a few times due to the red mist. they were impressive paperweights after that.
the rev limiter was set for 6500, but that only works on the upward side under throttle, not the downward side from spin up from trans and rear wheels. he blew a few that way before he figured it out.
another thing to help with motivation: start a build thread. let us encourage you and motivate you to hear it hit a lick before the snow falls. and celibrate with you when it does.
michael
