Hey everyone.

I searched the forum but couldn't find anything to answer my novice's questions. so here goes....

What would be your donor car of choice if you (like me) wanted to do this:

1) Autocross for a season or two while slowly building the car up to road-racing requirements.

2) Buy one-day insurance from ICBC and drive to the autocross track (or later to River's Edge), instead of needing a trailer.

3) Eventually meet the vehicle requirements for road racing, likely in IP3.

4) Keep lots of dollars in your pocket, instead of giving them all away to parts suppliers.

                             ??? ;D ???

I figure this might be a good scheme since I don't have a lot of time for a build right now, but would still like to  drive. In Autocross there is always a class I could fit into, even if I was part way through a build and the car wasn't yet qualified for road racing.

And then, when road race time rolls around, IP3 seems like a busy, fun class at Mission; good for a novice's skills; likely to allow a minimally street-legal vehicle; and relatively inexpensive for a mid-pack car.

So what would you buy?

Oh...and I might be completely wrong in some of the assumptions upon which I've built this little fantasy.... Please feel free to pop my balloon if I have.

Or to heck with it all, and sell me your IP3 car!

Thanks in advance for your wisdom.

Well the first thing I can tell you it's much cheaper to buy a prepared car than it is to build it. Although you don't get the experience or possible enjoyment of the construction process you do get the opportunity to save quite a bit of cash picking up a used car. You can save at least 50% and likely more by buying a previously owned vehicle as opposed to buying all the parts and building one yourself. It also puts you in the driver's seat that much faster if you are starting with a race or autoX ready vehicle.
Check out the For Sale section on this forum for whats available locally.
Paul  

E30 325is  => Pro3, IP3.....  (personal bias)
Miata  => Spec Miata, IP3
CRX => ITA, IP3

Since there are lots of built cars the three listed above will result in good competition on the Road Race side.  Each also has a developed formula that helps to reduce the cost of doing your own car development.  You will have to do your own work to figure out how competitive they are in AutoX.  

In order to get tools and tires to the track I would put the cargo space of the E30 or CRX high on the list but a small trailer with the Miata makes a great solution.   The Miata and E30’s also have great fields down south, which offers great opportunities.  At our Nascar event this year 41pro3 cars started the race on Saturday and 40 on Sunday.  There is no better way to learn and no excuses when the person beside you is in the same equipment.  More or less….LOL!

You should also consider if you are looking for a driving experience of front or rear wheel.  

Dave

Thanks for the response, guys.

Buying a prepared car would be a lot cheaper, but they don't seem to come up often around here.

And if I get one from the US, it complicates the street registration issue quite a bit.

I'm checking into the IT class, but I don't know much about it. Kind of looks like it's more popular in the US?

If nobody has a prepped car to sell me, it's back to the original question. Any thoughts on...

- Mazda MX3 Precidia
- Mazda RX7 (year and spec?)
- Subaru 2.5 RS
- Toyota Corolla GTS Coupe (1989 ish)
- Toyota Celica
- Honda Civic (year and spec?)
- Acura Integra (year and spec?)
- Nissan NX2000
- Nissan 240
- Nissan 300ZX

Others?

It looks like the majority of cars that are relatively inexpensive, have good aftermarket support, and are widely available with a good grassroots knowledge base are FWD, so I think I'll probably go that way.

Thanks again.

CACC's IP classes are almost exactly the same as the American IT classes. If you download the SCCA rulebook and the CACC rulebook you can spot any differences.

Kev_K wrote on Sep 18^th, 2012 at 9:50am:

Thanks for the response, guys. Buying a prepared car would be a lot cheaper, but they don't seem to come up often around here. And if I get one from the US, it complicates the street registration issue quite a bit. I'm checking into the IT class, but I don't know much about it. Kind of looks like it's more popular in the US? If nobody has a prepped car to sell me, it's back to the original question. Any thoughts on... - Mazda MX3 Precidia - Mazda RX7 (year and spec?) - Subaru 2.5 RS - Toyota Corolla GTS Coupe (1989 ish) - Toyota Celica - Honda Civic (year and spec?) - Acura Integra (year and spec?) - Nissan NX2000 - Nissan 240 - Nissan 300ZX Others? It looks like the majority of cars that are relatively inexpensive, have good aftermarket support, and are widely available with a good grassroots knowledge base are FWD, so I think I'll probably go that way. Thanks again.

My personal opinion on the cars you've mentioned, assuming you were going to race them in IP1/2/3 up here:

Mazda MX3 Precidia
I4 = IP3
This is a CRX + 300lbs with unknown performance potential.  Wouldn't touch it.
V6 = IP2
Will be nowhere near competitive

Mazda RX7 (year and spec?)
Not sure what class the non-turbo ones go into.  The turbo ones would be an expensive, not-really-competitive IP1 car.

Subaru 2.5 RS = IP2
Will be utterly demolished by the quick IP2 cars (S2000, E36 325is)

Toyota Corolla GTS Coupe (1989 ish) = IP3
On paper the 1990/91 1.6L with 135hp might be competitive.  I think in practice it would end up mid pack at best (suspension not as good as the Honda competition, tougher finding aftermarket support)

Toyota Celica = IP2
The newer GT-S might be mid-pack.  Wouldn't really consider anything else.

Honda Civic (year and spec?)
1988-1991 CRX Si = IP3
The "easy button" to be towards the front of the pack, well known set up, relatively cheap
1999-2000 SiR, 1994-1997 DelSol VTEC with B16 = IP3
Competitive, more expensive than the CRX Si, good set up not as well known
1988-1995 Civic Si = IP3
Essentially a slightly slower, easier to drive version of the CRX.

Acura Integra:
1992-1993 GS-R = IP3
Competitive, rare, hard/impossible to find some replacement parts (OEM oversize pistons)
1994+ GS-R = IP2
Common, easy aftermarket, mid-pack with essentially no chance against the S2000/325is
Type-R = IP2
Upper mid pack
Anything else = IP2
Back of the pack

Nissan NX2000 = IP2
Back of the pack.

Nissan 240 = IP2
Not a chance against the leading IP2 cars, could be ok if you just want to noodle around at the back of the pack for cheap

Nissan 300ZX = IP1
Heavy, expensive, not a chance against the Corvette Z06 that sometimes shows up.

My personal picks:

IP3:
1.6l Miata, CRX, B16&B17 Hondas
IP2:
S2000 (2.2l preferred), E36 325is
IP1:
How much money do you have?

Wow!

Jordy, thank you for that! I think you just saved me weeks of research and piles of dollars.

On the down side, I feel like even more of an innocent newbie than ever. But given point one, I'm sure I can learn to live with my humble status!

I have a 1990 Civic for sale; does mid 1.21's at MRP.
Street legal with a Quaiffe LSD.
I have driven this car to Portland and Knox Mountain, raced and returned home with no problems; cheapest way of going closed course racing you will ever find!
Paddock 23 this weekend or call me next week.
Keith
604 209 5943

I can vouch for Keith's car... it is a great way to get started, fun to drive, very affordable rental rate and purchase price. And you can register it on the street as well!

Thank you Nate; the little red racer completed another novice race this weekend and then I drove it home with Susan and Schuey riding with me (Susan got the front seat). ;D

BTW; Jordy, nice job on car assessment!

Anything with an H on the hood.