Lets go Ministock Racing! [pick a car thread]

This is (mostly) hypothetical bench racing. But who knows, I've been known to build race cars on a whim.

The local (https://goo.gl/maps/2pwJs) ministock racing class tends to be dominated by small, 4-cylinder front wheel drive cars. A couple of Preludes from the same garage dominated at the last race we went to at Kentucky Motor Speedway. Everyone races on crap tires. I mean, like 400+ treadwear Pepboys stuff. I got to looking at the rules, and in summary they go like this:

No 2-seaters No trucks 4cylinder manual or auto, or V6 auto only (I asked for clarification, if a straight 6 auto would be OK, I was told no, must be "V") 60 series passenger tires or taller, 13,14, or 15" Quote: DOT approved passenger tires only. No “made for racing” tires, no low profile tires No cutting or heating springs (presumably blocking or clamping springs is OK) No engine mods or swaps, but intake upstream of throttle and exhaust are unrestricted.

The tiny rim and tall tire does limit decent tire choices, but you could get into a star spec ZII, or even a Advan A048 if you wanted to drop that kind of coin on something stupid like this. Unfortunately all my Chumpcar cast-offs are 50 series, so I'd have to use them on the sly (probably could though, no one checks things)

http://www.kentuckymotorspeedway.us/division-rules.html

I buddy of mine who has done this before says front wheel drive has an advantage of being harder to spin out in a rowdy pack where bumping is practically encouraged. BUT, if you're fast enough to break free of the pack, I would think that RWD would get around the track faster [assumption].

In the interest of 'keeping it real', anything suggested must be regularly available sub-$1500 in more-or-less drivable condition, and not too exotic as to not be able to find at least a dozen of them in pull-a-parts within a 100-mile radius.

Things that came to mind to me: 318i e30 manual. Shares some parts with e30 325i's I race in Chump. Shoot, I've even got most of a 318i parts car sitting under a tree. vs 318i e36 manual. Which I would have to acquire and have no parts for. and you might find a 318 convertible, as such even less weight once gutted, if you dare going out there without a proper top.

OR going a different direction,

Lincoln LS V6 auto - torquey, independent rear suspension, gutted it can't be TOO heavy, right? And I see them on the CL well within budget all the time, but usually with a busted trans.

OR find a bucktooth (4th gen) Prelude as this seems to be the preferred car locally.

Or what ideas do you have?

OK, I'll play. I don't think the early 318i would be terribly competitive. The preludes (and neons for that matter) would have a power to weight advantage. The later 318i with the M42 has nearly 40hp and 30ft/lbs over the early cars. That would be the way to go. Since they are harder to find, you could always swap an M42 into any E30, and since they did come that way from the factory, I doubt anyone would ever question that it was a "motor swap".

Another option would be a 2.0L 16v Golf/Jetta. Once again, they're kind of hard to find, but MKII's are still fairly plentiful and 2.0L 16v engines are as well, so you could easily put one together.

3rd gen Integra would also be a decent option.

Here you go. 1999 dodge caravan $1000

1999 dodge caravan $1000

Haha!

Another one I just thought of, GM Quad 4. They're kind of crappy engines, but they do make descent hp. 150-190hp depending one what version, and I would think you could make an early '90s Grand Am pretty light, or even a '95 up Cavalier.

Boy, a Spec V would blow away a Prelude by a mile.

http://daytona.craigslist.org/cto/4542588340.html

I've heard of spec-V's being outlawed in ministock classes because they are so much faster than the pack. What about a hatchback car? Focus zx3 with a zetec would be competitive. If you hold out long enough, you could even pickup an SVT Focus and really takes some names.

What about a beater 944? That would be a circle track beast.

LOL at the thought of a 944 on the circle track... Not that it wouldn't be a good idea, just thinking of 'one of these is not like the others'.

I was all ready to tell you how to dominate mini stock racing, but those rules are so wide open, I don't know where to start.

You should do it, though. You'll never have so much fun, so often, for so little money.

Around here, at the local paved oval, the hot set up seems to be 3.1L V6 equipped Chevy Barreta, Pontiac Sunbird or Grand Am. I presume with an auto trans.
That should be the formula of a big engine in a small body matted to an auto trans that can take the abuse. What it lacks in handling it makes up for in grunt.
In addition, there could be fewer vehicles that offer more availability and swappability.
Fresh manifold gaskets and trans fluid should have you off racing.

I will put it out there.

Dodge Intrepid! Of course, you will possibly suffer from huge tragic loss of the transmission or something, the this is quick enough and large enough to cause much malaise of others and a huge grin for you while running!

Is that the whole rule set because a lot of tracks here don't allow twin cam engines.

As for a car I would either look at an older Honda with upper control arms to try and dial in more camber on the right side of the car and less on the left. If you can't find a Honda I would look at a Cavalier with a three speed auto. They should have enough torque that you could just leave it in second gear, they are cheap and the suspension is sturdy enough to hold up to most bumping and rough tracks. You would think rear wheel drive would be an advantage but I have never seen it happen. I think the fairly low speeds and tall tires keep front wheel drive from becoming much of a disadvantage.

Regal with 3800 sounds good. 200hp, lots of torque and a smaller body than Lesabre / Park Ave. Suprised they allow rear drive, most of the classes like this are FWD only to keep things cheap. Properly assembled 3rd gen F-body may do well too.

My immediate thoughts upon reading the rules:
-B13 Sentra SE-R
-240sx
-Z31 300ZX
-Early Civic
-V6 Accord
-1st gen MX6
-V6 Camry
-V6 F-Body
MASERATI BITURBO!!!

Pontiac grand prix gtp? Anything in the rules against forced induction? if intake upstream of throttle is open throw a smaller pulley on it and boost!

No forced induction, no AWD, and no straight 6's. I feel sure they could make an exception for a Maserati BiTurbo. There's one across the street in my neighbor's garage that has surprise not moved in 10 years.

Whole ruleset: http://www.kentuckymotorspeedway.us/division-rules.html

An automatic Alfa Milano/GTV6 then. That even has the bonus of adjustable torsion bars! Also, for the lulz, aircooled VW.

If you get a DOHC of anything, be prepared to be run out. If you start wiping the floor with everyone they will make it illegal.

Local track has no DOHC, apparently some Neons and Geos came out and just won, by a lap or so. So, they banned them.

In saying that, DOHC Neon, or DOHC Geo :)

Hmmm, the next race day is Sunday and we have AutoX that day.

There have been other circle track threads and the consensus is the Honda prelude dominates.

sporqster wrote: I feel sure they could make an exception for a Maserati BiTurbo. There's one across the street in my neighbor's garage that has *surprise* not moved in 10 years.

How did I not know this until now?

In reply to 16vCorey:

Dunno - you were probably distracted by the MGA sitting in the driveway getting rained on. He's also got a london cab in there with the Maserati. I keep trying to get him to join Lambkey Motorghini Auto Club, but no such luck thus far.

4G/5G Prelude or SOHC Neon. You need something with some torque to pull you out of the corners. Both handle really well and add in a nice set of thicker Ply tires (not street performance tires) and have some fun. The intrepid may be interesting as an option if you can get the weight down. They give up a lot of weight to the others.