While thinking about what my next project car should be, I started wondering: What's the funnest slow-car-fast ever? ...Somthing slow, a blast to beat mercilessly and hustle through traffic at legal-ish speeds. What's the funnest slow car you've driven fast?
Go!
I was going to say my 8V MKII GTI, but it wasn't really that slow.
I'll be the first to say it----- NA Miata.
Although I've also always enjoyed driving air cooled VW Beetles, and they are anything but fast. Hard to drive one without a smile on your face though.
My NC Club is the funnest slow car I've driven fast, slow and in-between...
Early 70s beetle with the semi auto trans. Rolled it once, knocked roof up+junkyard windshield drove it some more. Max speed was 55 or so. Dry rotted 20 year old tires plus had to keep the gas pegged at all times to keep momentum... it slid everywhere.
Joe Gearin wrote: I'll be the first to say it----- NA Miata. Although I've also always enjoyed driving air cooled VW Beetles, and they are anything but fast. Hard to drive one without a smile on your face though.
this is a good point- what is slow?
Although, an 1.6 with some small tires would be pretty fun.
Some middle year Alfa Spiders with a 2.0l may be good- combines lots of lean with some decent torque. And slower than the 1.6 Miata.
If fuel economy is important, the CRX HF was slow, but just as fun to drive as a base CRX.
Early Fiesta. Which would also choose the small engine Rabbit, too.
Too bad the 1.6l Focus was never brought over, I liked the one we had.
Oh, and how about a '70's Midget? For sure slow. And fun. Or any small brit engine's 70's car.
Either of the E21 BMWs I've owned. Loved everything about those little cars. 100hp but RWD and a blast to drive around.
My current EF Civic is the sucks to drive.
I had two friends with these when I was in HS. They are a hoot to drive.
There was one at the autocross last weekend. I've been searching for one off and on since.
Different is Good!
Old square ranger with the 2.9, a 5 speed, 2wd and bald tires. Sideways everywhere at 25mph without waking the neighbors.
A 1.6 Miata with the cheapest, hardest Chinese tires that Tire Discounters had to offer is a blast. It's fun having 90ish angry ponies break traction at legal speeds.
Original Mini. I don't think any car makes me laugh out loud in quite the same way. You'll feel you're running a stage in the Monte Carlo rally even if you're getting groceries.
I worked at a Ford dealership for a while in the 90's, and "my" car for running errands was a mint green Aspire. It was perfect. No power, so you had to do everything you could to maintain momentum just so you didn't get in the way of traffic. You'd drive the wheels off it and nobody would ever notice.
Rented one of these on a trip to the UK in the 80s. It was a riot. First time driving a RHD car, first time in London traffic and being sleep deprived from the flight.
MG MIDGET OR AH SPRITE or maybe a minimoke on Barbados backroads
My buddy had a totally clapped out 4 cylinder YJ Wrangler with the 3 speed auto for a semester or two in college and it was a riot. Topped out at maybe 75 under ideal conditions and struggled to maintain 55 in even a slight head wind, but that thing would go up, over, or through anything. Rode like E36 M3, but we couldn't kill it in spite of our best efforts. And with the top down and doors off, total Bob Costas magnet 
65 FIAT 600 with header. Drive it from Oakland to Laguna Seca Vintage races at mostly full throttle. Sleep in it there, then drive home at mostly full throttle.
Unfortunate high prices now. More fun when you buy it in nice shape at a wrecker for $200, looking basically like this, and find the Michelin guide to Italy in the seat pouch:
I've got the idea that an old car from the 50s would be a hoot to drive "fast".
Or at least autocross.
Funnest slow car fast? The cheapest one you can get. My Taurus was awesome. I paid 100$ for it. It was slow, floaty, tried to start on fire....repeatedly, and it was awesome. 10/10ths all the time, because if I blew it up, I called a tow truck and made a few bucks.i seriously kept the title in the glove box for that reason. It was almost a white elephant gift for Xmas one time. I think it's more about the mentality than the car.
Rabbit
In reply to mndsm:
Mentality is part of it. But what I'm really asking is "what's the most enjoyable possible way to get from a to B on 4 wheels while hooning every mile at sorta legal speeds?" A Taurus could get that done, but is it the ultimate tool for the job?
coexist wrote: 65 FIAT 600 with header. Drive it from Oakland to Laguna Seca Vintage races at mostly full throttle. Sleep in it there, then drive home at mostly full throttle. Unfortunate high prices now. More fun when you buy it in nice shape at a wrecker for $200, looking basically like this, and find the Michelin guide to Italy in the seat pouch:
This. Mine was a '61 600D, white with red interior, a header, reworked head and cam. An absolute riot. There was even a section in the owners manual about how to adjust the pedals for proper "heel-toe". I owned it for 10 years and still regret selling it. At one time or another, just about all my friends drove it when their cars were not running, as it always ran. Of course at around 1200 pounds, storms were not your friend.
To back up what coexist wrote, I bought mine fully restored in the early '90's for $600. I sold it years later for $3k I think. Of course the next year I could have gotten $15k plus.
Keith is correct...a Mini is the answer.
LuxInterior wrote: In reply to mndsm: Mentality is part of it. But what I'm really asking is "what's the most enjoyable possible way to get from a to B on 4 wheels while hooning every mile at sorta legal speeds?" A Taurus could get that done, but is it the ultimate tool for the job?
Depends on how you define tool, and what your goal is. Is a miata a better car than a Taurus? Absolutely. Nearly anything is, except maybe a freelander. But i might be sad if I broke a miata. Hell id be sad if I broke my corolla. But the Taurus? No berkeleys given, and that made it the best for me. Now, if we're strictly talking about the ultimate momentum car, original mini. Can't beat it. Hell, even an n/a r53 is pretty damned good.
Keith Tanner wrote: Original Mini. I don't think any car makes me laugh out loud in quite the same way. You'll feel you're running a stage in the Monte Carlo rally even if you're getting groceries.
This is what I came in here to say, and this is the answer. I've owned a lot of cars, and driven many more. The mini was more fun, BY FAR, than even a RUF 911.
Something with 165 tires. I'll echo festiva and add my favorite, BG chassis 323 to the suggestions.
2300lb, B6 motor that allows for a BP swap to drop in. Tons of boost options if you decide to tempt the fate of the gearbox and see how much fun 230+hp is (some are now making north of 700hp from BPTs). But the skinny tires, lack of mass and short overhangs will have you smiling with less than 110hp.
Classic mini
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