What car for a mad person?

So I was thinking (which is dangerous), I have the Yugo and W123 which should be finished this summer at various points. The Yugo will be a challenge car/ autocross car and the W123 will be a parts hauler/ classic cruiser (for going on driving events with the local British and Italian car clubs). Of coarse I have the very long term vintage racer project Spitfire. I am going to want a truck to tow that to events with which means when that point comes along the W123 will go and the Yugo is not going to be very useable on the road. So let's say I am bit messed up in the head and I wanted something that could be used to do driving tours with and take autocrossing.

Requirements it has to be vintage (pre-85) European or Italian or British. Able to do both autocrossing and road driving so whatever class it ends up can't be one with roll cages and such as the norm. Be semi-competitive (aka not going to end up in some class where is going to be so far behind everything else that it is laughable but not looking to win a class by any means). By the time it is all said and done probably no more then $5-$6k.

List of cars it can't be. MG Midgets or MGBs, Triumph TRs, Triumph Spitfire, Fiat Spiders or German (exception 924).

This is a way down the road like a year or so. But I was thinking on the drive home if a car like this even exist.

Edit: That is pre-85 on any European car that isn't from Italy or Britain. Any year British or Italian car can play.

Why not German? You can find a cherry early 944 in that price range. Great for driving tours, welcome at all of the vintage events, and as a bonus autocrosses well. You could run ES, STR, or CSP easily in the SCCA, or run about 5-6 different classes in the PCA.

A 924 or 924 Turbo works as well. Maybe even a 914 (though I wouldn't touch at least a 2.0 one, so that might max your budget).

If all Germans are out though, I'm thinking FIAT X1/9 is probably the best "fit". Maybe an Alfa Spyder.

TVR something or other.

But you really meant 3.2L 911 Carrera didn't you?

I had so many ideas, and then I realized none of them would be competitive in any form of motorsports without significant work.

MG Bryan wrote: I had so many ideas, and then I realized *none* of them would be competitive in any form of motorsports without significant work.

Well list them anyway. What I consider significant work and others consider significant work might be different? lol I am expecting to do some fabrication work.

Javelin wrote: Why not German? You can find a cherry early 944 in that price range. Great for driving tours, welcome at all of the vintage events, and as a bonus autocrosses well. You could run ES, STR, or CSP easily in the SCCA, or run about 5-6 different classes in the PCA. A 924 or 924 Turbo works as well. Maybe even a 914 (though I wouldn't touch at least a 2.0 one, so that might max your budget). If all Germans are out though, I'm thinking FIAT X1/9 is probably the best "fit". *Maybe* an Alfa Spyder.

Germans are out because I don't like 914s, 944 Turbos and 911s are out of that price range (I thought), I like the 924 more then the 944, I don't like BMWs and the only Mercedes I really want is a 6.3 but their complexity scares the hell out of me (that may be warranted or not someone let me know).

I hate to suggest wrong-wheel drive, but an FSP (F Street Prepared) 1970's VW Rabbit is the best thing I could come up with (as long as your open to German cars other than Porsche).

-No roll cage
-Pre '85 European
-Very competitive in class
-Cheap
-Good for the street

Does look pretty goofy though.

The problem with VW and Porsche are while I like them and I am not counting them out. They are bit too "normal" for my sick twisted mind. I do love the TVR suggestion though.

Oh, here's an even better one! The Merkur (that's European, right? ) Xr4Ti. That's been very competitive in DSP. Even been talked about elsewhere on this forum as a good underdog solo car.

EDIT: if you don't want "normal" then this is the car for you!

In reply to 93EXCivic:

If you like the 924, it's probably your best bet out of your stipulations. For $6K you can even find really nice Turbo ones, if that's your thing.

I think the answer is obvious:

http://louisville.craigslist.org/cto/2830197393.html

http://columbia.craigslist.org/cto/2917015098.html

In reply to tuna55:

I was thinking about suggesting the Europa too, but I don't know if you could make one competitive. Would certainly be awesome though. Have you run into one at an auto-x? I can't ever remember seeing one racing (or even on the street for that matter).

no idea what it would take to make it competitive but fits the mad part.

Lancia Delta could be gotten here now that they're past the 25 years.....if you can find one in good shape and pay for shipping....

Too bad not looking now. I saw a BMW 633CSi w/manual trans for sale locally. Price didn't seem to unreasonable at 2800 but wouldn't doubt it needs some work at that price. Didn't specify what year either.

You did say nuts... 1500 lbs, 400 whp.

How about a Mini? Run it in G Prepared with some Hoosier F500 slicks. When I ran mine in Virginia I could beat some of the MINI's although there was usually nobody else actually in my class.

oldtin wrote: no idea what it would take to make it competitive but fits the mad part.

I do love some Frenchie cars... I thought the 505 was hard for a taller person to fit in though.

You can find a somewhat scruffy 280i in the price range and you can occasionally find a 2500M or Vixen. I wouldn't hold your breath on that latter two if you want it to be drivable from day one.

I'm seeing plenty (in relative terms) of Europas in the price range. Sure, there's a very high likely hood the chassis is in desperate need of attention, but that's just how that goes.

There are a few Mini's that are local to me in that range right now as well. One of them even seems to be a pretty decent example.

There are the obvious answers like GTV6s and the XJ-S.

If it were my money, I'd be after an Eclat.

Car for a Mad person?

I was going to suggest an older 4x4 Chevrolet Suburban with a 4" lift kit, 38" monster mudders, some giant pipe bumpers, a few KC lights on top, weak brakes, and a crappy exhaust.

You'll show those tailgaters.......

GTV6 would be a perfect fit, I like the idea of a TVR 280i too, those are cool.

Interceptor.

Or anything mid-engined and Italian.

I like the 924 Turbo idea, because you have to be crazy to own any turbo economy cars with mechanical fuel injection.

I like the Elcat idea a lot... Can an Interceptor be found for that money? What TVRs were officially imported to the US?

Are there any Lancias that can be found for that price range that aren't Betas?

tuna55 wrote: I think the answer is obvious: http://louisville.craigslist.org/cto/2830197393.html http://columbia.craigslist.org/cto/2917015098.html

This is obvious to you?

It's almost like saying "Just build another car from scratch" while he's in the middle of the Spitfire project.

In reply to jstein77:

Yeah Europas scare me because I never hear of someone buying on a doing some minor work to it and driving it.