Starting from scratch.

[Baz]

I've just got my (SCCA) novice license, and have started looking around for approved schools. Very excited.
Then I found out how much it would cost to rent a racer for a weekend. Cheapest I found was $1200 for a HP Spridget ($5k for a formula V!), bearing in mind competition school is over two weekends, I can't afford that and the price of school.
I spent most of the day yesterday trolling around all the classifieds, junk yards, dodgy car dealers looking for something I could prep for half that price.
I didn't realize how hard it is to find a manual transmission car that would suit.

Any advice gentlemen, would be appreciated. Where to look etc....
Also, if any of you are instructors at a school and you recommend it, or recommend any other school, I'd like to hear that too.

 

[aeronca65t]

Buy ~My Escort~

$1800

You could never build it for that price and I'm building another racer (Mama says I can't have <span style="font-style: italic">three</span> race cars) :shocked:

Spare twin-cam engine, six decent wheels and some decent tires, NASA logbook. Needs updated belts. I'm running it next weekend at NJMP. After that I'll probably list it on e-bay and one of the race car sites and see what I can get.

 

[Baz]

Nial, can you stand by on that. I need permission too!
I remember when you picked that car up, wasn't that long ago, I remember a conversation with you and Chris_S about Miata bits under the hood.....
I can see from the pics what you've done to it, but would you mind listing the mods, so I can check them in the GCR please?
Also, what things will you be removing.
Thanks!!

 

[Hedgehog]

Stick with the Spridgets!

I've got one just north of you in Portage WI.

MG Midget LPHP or FP or vintage car.

1275 cc regional spec motor:
ARP hardware top to bottom
MSD ignition
Mallory dual point distributor
ACME prepped 1 ¼ thru-bore carbs w/ custom billet velocity stacks
Also includes 1 1/2 thru-bore carbs with custom intake
Stock gearbox currently in car along with Lightweight Aluminum flywheel, new standard pressure plate, and heavy-duty clutch from SpridgetMania
Also includes another Lightweight Aluminum flywheel, Tilton pressure plate, and solid clutch
Front suspension:
Stock setup with 500lb WC springs and tube shock conversion
Disc brakes (big brake conversion included but not currently installed)
Sway-bar
Rear suspension:
Stock suspension with tube shocks and lowering blocks
Panhard rod
Double bearing hubs (included with new bearings and seals but not currently installed)
Adjustable brake bias (this is not installed, but in one of the boxes of stuff)
4.5 welded diff
Sway-bar
Fire system
Fuel cell
Autometer gauges
Revolutions with slicks
Steel Diamond Wheels with slicks
Vega 13" Steel rims with rains
Fiber glass fenders, hood, and decklid (steel fronts for conversion to vintage included)
Kirkey seat


Spares include all things Spridget:
Several 1275s (1 autox build and several stock units)
Spare rib-case trannies
Spare welded differentials
Extra hoods, fenders, etc.
Boxes of parts from bushings to bearings and everything in-between

All things Spridget must go.

$4500/OBO

 

[aeronca65t]

Yeah, I'm in no rush right now (I haven't bought the next project car...yet)

The car is basically a stock PTF NASA racer. It is the Escort "GT" model which comes with the 1.8 Mazda twin-cam engine (basically, the same as in my street Miata). Bone stock, it doesn't even have a header. It has 4-wheel disk brakes (like all GTs). I put a new timing belt in it this season. Otherwise, just basic maintainence (oil and plugs changes, etc). The 1.8 engine in it is rated at 127 HP (the other "base" 1.9 Ford engine is a pig with only 88 HP)

I actually think this car would be "ITA" class in SCCA which is a tough group to win even with a top-notch car......this would basically be a fun, reliable backmarker car. If you want to win trophies in ITA, you'll need to spend about $15000 (on a trick Civic).

It has a stock fuel tank....NASA (in PTF) and SCCA (in Improved Touring) does not require a fuel cell.

The Escort has stock, used street shocks and cut-down street springs. A set of the Tokiko Escort EXP shocks and some stiffer springs would make a nice difference, but I wouldn't bother....just take it to the track and have fun!
This version of the Escort is the same floor pan as similar-year Mazda Proteges so there's quite a good assortment of spares and go-fast parts if needed.

It has a full cage and the 5-point harnesses are outdated as of this year (they're 5 years old......but they would be fine for NASA HPDE, autocross, etc)

NASA is OK with just a hand-held extinquisher. I think SCCA requires a fire system with a big red push button (you can find them for about $300 in the various online race stores....or just race it in NASA as-is).

I'm not removing anything. It also has four aluminum (stock) wheels with new Kumho street tires (for the rain). It has a Kirkey seat and shift light. I have some spare subframes, brakes, a radiator and other stuff I pulled from a parts car that goes with it.

 

[Baz]

ITA Doesn't worry me, track time fun is the ultimate goal.
The last race I worked had a good showing in ITA, excellent drivers too.

My short term goal here, is to get through competition school for as little $ as possible, preferably cheaper than renting.
I have some work to do Nial, so I'm in no rush. My wife is much tougher than she looks.

David, I'd love a Spridget. I drove an open car at a PDX recently, and I didn't feel totally comfortable.

 

[aeronca65t]

Just an FYI no matter what you do:

If you get a NASA race (wheel-to-wheel) license, you can race in SCCA regionals (as of summer '08) This is a new SCCA rule that recognizes the growth of NASA. Prior to this year, the SCCA hardly took any other group's license (except the FIA).
And NASA licenses tend to be easier and simpler to get (and they'll give you credit for your present experience if you ask).

There are two NASA regions in your general area.


https://www.nasamidwest.com/

https://racenasa.nasamidwest.com/

 

[ThinkRacing]

If you need to complete your second school and you don't own a car it will be cheaper and easier for you to rent.

You can't do it for less than $1,000. Easy.

When settling down, the best deal is a used race car. Trust me. I built and last night added up the receipts for the first time. Holy cow. I could buy six of the above spridgets and have lots of track time money left over.

If you go over to the production car forum, there are always race cars coming up for sale there that are reasonable.

Good luck.

 

[GeeBee1]

www.race-cars.com

 

[Hap Waldrop]

Nial's car is a absolute steal to get on track for nearly nothing, and David Midget is a steal to get out there racing in prepped car. Fiquire if you had to build Nial's car, you sink 10K in it, and if you had to build David's cars 20K would get you close, but not all the way home, they are both excellent deals.

AS far Fred's advice you can rent cheaply, find a guy at the track with a relaible, but backmarker car, offer him some money and you may very get a tacker, actually 1200.00 for the HP Midget for the weekend is a steal. Sounds to me like you need to worry more now about getting a low cost race car, then worry about going to school.

 

[Monkeywrench]

I like what Fred (ThinkRacing) is doing. A vintage car with a SCCA legal cage/fire system can run almost anywhere (SVRA, HSR, VCDA, NASA, SCCA, EMRA, VRG, etc).

 

[Deleted member 3577]

Buy a cheap reliable car w/ a logbook.

Something ugly.
Something slow.
Something expendable.

Your racing has nothing to do with the car at this point.
It has to do with showing up, having fun & track time.

(Hey...I've said that enough where it should be my sig. line)

 

[Baz]

Thanks all for your comments and encouragement.
Making the leap from Solo II and PDX's to club racing is quite a big one, both financially and in terms of skill. Definitely my focus is on fun and learning, and to do something without dropping $10k - $20k is all the better.
To use something like Nials Escort to do PDX is good enough for me at this point, every hour on a track will make a difference.
I can't afford to thrash my street car, nor want to strip my Midget.
If anyone will be racing next year in the Midwest, let me know, I'll likely be working a course somewhere, usually flagging (NOT blue!) or grid.
Cheers again all.
Oh, and again, if anyone can recommend a good school, let me know.
Mid-Ohio looks good so far.

 

[Hedgehog]

Have you checked out Midwestern Council of Sports Car Clubs? They usually do 2 schools a year. They have both wheel-to-wheel and PDX groups at their schools. They hold them at their home track which is Blackhawk Farms Raceway in Rockton IL. Great group of people and a lot more laid back than SCCA.

https://www.mcscc.org/

 

[Deleted member 3577]

Nelson Ledges generally has an early school also.

It's a bumpy, terrifying experience the 1st time out.

But it kinda grows on ya

 

[aeronca65t]

.........It's a bumpy, terrifying experience the 1st time out......

Man, I *gotta* get out there sometime!

 

[Deleted member 3577]

Fastest track in the east...

https://www.mvrscca.org/nlrc102008.pdf

3 high speed carousels and a wicked kink...
Plenty of places to get some 'big air' if ya goof up.

It's my home track and the one I'm least comfortable with.

 

[GeeBee1]

Those are some high avg speeds.

 

[Hap Waldrop]

Roebling Road is another really fast, good flowing track, FP Midget on 2.5 miles in 1:18.

 

[aeronca65t]

Whoa!
Roebling *is* fast!
That's over 115 mph *average* speed! :shocked: