Enable Me (Race Car Content)

So I am sitting here looking into the future, and trying to figure out where I want to be in a few years. I LOVE my Fiesta ST, but it was leased for two years as a play toy with the idea that it would go back at the end. That's because I have a daughter driving now and she has car needs, and will go off to college, and my son is fast moving into the stage where a minivan is what I really need.

One option is to get a used Minivan and keep the Fiesta so that I can modify it for a few years and basically keep it forever.

The other option, and the one that I am kinda leaning towards, is to get a real race car. Something that I can both autocross, take to a hillclimb. It would be towed behind the Minivan or Jeep and I'd like to keep the budget relatively low. It has to be the real deal, no interior, not street legal, and when people see it, they will know that it is for racing only.

One route is a former IT Civic. I know Hondas, I like Hondas, I can work on Hondas and I have friends who can help me make it go fast. The goal is to get one that is not crazy expensive or current (because it won't return to track competition).

The other is something like a Formula Solo. The thinking here is that it would be small and light, easy to tow, and could chase FTD locally. (maybe) The downside is that I know Asian 4-cylinder motors, not air cooled VeeDub stuff and I am not sure about open wheel cars for hillclimb and track days.

A sports racer of some sort is another option, but they tend to be much $$$. My dream would be the EcoBoost motor from the Fiesta in a small, enclosed chassis. WWGRM do?

Like JG just did, I would go for an F500 if I were in that situation. Easy to tow, fast as hell, and very simple technology.

I vote for the IT Honda route. You can pick up a chassis relatively cheap (possibly ex-track with cage, cell, etc.) and spares and go fast bits are abundant. It is usually way cheaper to but a current race car then to build one. Do you plan to flat tow it or trailer it? If flat tow I would even consider trying to keep it road legal. I have tag that I just swap between projects and turn insurance on/off as needed. Really helps for doing a little break-in testing or sorting before doing it at the track. Also helps keep costs down as you don't have to deal with a truck/trailer cost/hassle.

Any interest in wheel to wheel, even in a Vintage Racing world?

There are some good options that will satisfy your wants out there.

Heck, I know of a '74 GTV that was an IT car, changed (mildly) into a vintage race car, with the intention of autocrossing AND doing the Carrera Panamaricana with it.

Just not cheap. (but also not worthless when you get rid of it in 5-10 years- values of GTVs are going up)

One thing to consider with something like a SoloVee or F500 car - it's a pretty steep learning curve. Starting from ground zero, it would be more challenging to try to run one as the only car in class in the region.
When I had my F500, there were 2-3 other cars locally, plus a few other Mod category cars. There was someone to talk to about setup issues, and we could have more input into course setup, pit and grid areas, and other stuff that you don't think about driving a street car.

1. Shifter Kart.

Second Choice: Forumla Ford, F500, or FVee.

GTV is out because it is my favorite race car and I would end up selling my house to fund it. Wife would not like that.

If you can find a race prepped car that you like and are familiar with the maintenance and repair of, that will be your least expensive way to get into the sport. Even inexpensive cars end up costing a lot of money over time tweaking them to where you want/need them to be. I just had to replace my RX 7 and looked at buying a fully prepared car. Unfortunately it was just too much and I couldn't justify the extra cost. I also like the idea of working on my own car so you know things are done correctly but if you can get one already built for just a bit more than buying a decent condition street car you will be way ahead of the game money wise. You can always check someone else's work and confirm it is done well and feel confident the car is safe. If it has been run in a sanctioned club it has likely been well taken care of and been inspected at least some what regularly. My rule has been to have a budget for each year that covers events and some maintenance and when the account runs dry the season is over. I have been lucky that this was the first year in 7 that I ended the season early, due to crashing the car. If you like the Fiesta and can afford to transfer it to a track toy you have the advantage of knowing exactly what the car has been through and not hoping the previous owner has been forthcoming with the history, if they even know everything. Finally unless you are really lucky whatever car you get it will likely be worth much less when you are done playing with it, so just get something you think you will enjoy and can walk away from without regret if you wad it up or destroy the engine. Good luck, you are about to get on a slippery slope. But it is ALOT of fun.

In reply to pinchvalve:

It's not that expensive.

How much racing experience do you have?

I hate FWD cars for track use so I'd recommend an RX7, Miata, an old 510, Z car or something of that nature that is RWD

if i've finally learned anything after 20 years of playing with cars, it's to buy something that someone else already did at least 90% of the work to for pennies on the dollar because they a: sick of it, b: broke it somewhat, or c: their wife hates it.

This is the lesson I need to learn. I always buy the street car (because of cheap buy in) and slowly make a track car. This is the last time. Really!

I'd go to a few tracks within a 6 hour drive (summit, Pittsburgh, NJMP, the Glen) and see what classes within your price range have solid fields. Racing against the clock isn't as fun as mixing it up in a field of a dozen cars within the class.

Also, not mine but mildly affiliated, a close friend had an ITA DA Integra for sale out of Frederick, MD if interested. He'd let it go for what a decent cage cost.

I have both a Formula 500 and a Datsun 1200; what they have in common are they are light, tires are cheap and they can be towed with a mid-sized vehicle. While I have a E250 camper van my Subaru would tow either one of them. I also can use a small single axle trailer.

If you don't care about wheel to wheel a Formula 500, while it may be a big leap in performance they are user friendly as any single seater gets. My F500 is no longer SCCA club race legal but it can be used at Autocross and vintage racing (it's an 87) I have $3500 into it including having it shipped cross country. If the hillclimbs in you areas will allow the older chassis then they can be bough for between $2000 and $3500. A couple grand more will get you an SCCA road race legal car.

While I prefer rear drive, my pick for you would be an ITC Civic since you already know them. I seem to be recall they are 1600-1800 lbs so they'll be easy on tires. Plus 13" tires are pretty cheap, especially if you buy take offs. On the Datsun sticky Hoosiers are $800 a set and I get 2 three day vintage race weekends plus 5 track days out the them. Take offs were $300 and I did 1 three day race weekend and 4 track days(Basically a full season). In ITC trim the motor will go many many seasons. You can also run pump gas.

Tom

Open cars are more fun to race but closed cars make racing in cold and wet weather bearable. Something to think about.

Locost?

Shifter kart gets my vote. You could tow it behind the minivan..