Cheap motorsport

In news:45059909$0$1390$ snipped-for-privacy@news.zen.co.uk, Doki wittered on forthwith;

Grasstracking, hillclimbing, banger racing, or buy an old Landy and do some off roading.

Proper rallying is expensive, we spent £18k preparing a Mk2 Escort back in

1990, then there's the cost of race suits, helmets, gloves, entry fees, licences, support vehicles etc.

Track days tend to be the cheapest way to have fun, followed something like a hot hatch series in an old XR2 or similar.

There are a few series about for things like your Golf, they're not hugely expensive but you need a competition licence, rollcage, fire extinguisher etc.

Navigational rallies are inexpensive, a good laugh and competitive...

Yup. I've done quite a few of those. As you say, a good laugh, and competitive. Seldom exciting though if that's what Doki is after. Mike.

Depends what event you do! Club events can be a bit dull (although choice of nav will play a big factor in this), but National B level events are normally much more exciting with 40 other competitors out with you. And the more white roads the better! And get something RWD to do it in.

Drag racing. Many classes.

Doesn't really float my boat to be honest. For a start I'd need something RWD and then the cash to put a massive engine in it. Then pay fora new diff every weekend.

Sprinting. Look it up. Normally straight line out and back, or lap of a circuit. Can use a road car, just add a timing flag. Other choice is Autotesting. Again, can use a road car. Learn how to perfect the handbrake turn and J=20 Turn to perfection, or how to slide into a fictional parking space,=20 sideways, from reverse.

--=20 Carl Robson Audio stream:

Build a turbo nitrous 500bhp bike engined rail. It would do about 0 to 170 in 8 secs dead. For about 6 or 7 grand. Once you try it you may just change your mind!

No other motorsport has more careful preperation, more beer, more fun, more speed, better kebabs, more power or more acceleration. Or costs so little...

This post will be of no use, so feel free to move on.

Hillclimbing or sprinting are my own form of uber cheap motorsport. I have a choice of two dirt cheap purpose built tracks near me.

I can go to official MSA events or I can go on test days or in the case of my own club on members nights which use part of the hill although suitably coned off to satisfy MSA rules. Costs as little as a tenner an event, and if I crash it's my own accident. No one else involved. Pictures of the venues on request.

I reckon you could find a similar setup locally.

What sort of levels of cost could you get by with?

I haven't got £6 or £7k though. Perhaps I should leave it until I've got an actual paying job...

You can do a hillclimb or sprint with nothing apart from personal safety gear (suit and helmet) and two mods to the car. A black timing strut on the front and a bit of yelllow tape around the earth lead on the battery (the scrutineers like that). I have done both types of event with no cage or harness. My current car has both though.

MSA events are around 60 quid, testing can be a lot less depending on whether or not you have a suitable venue. I love it.

Route is measured at 30mph most of the time, which doesn't sound a lot, but when you factor in stopping at give ways, plotting nav, driving un tarmac'd roads, doing long-way-round-deltas etc etc it's actually quite difficult to keep that up. But you can drive any speed you want - as long as it's within the law of course ;)

I've always used near enough standard cars. Roll cages are a good idea though, as are uprated brakes. The rest depends on what you wanna spend. I dont take it overly seriosuly, I just go out to have a laugh and get some hooligan type photos for my lounge wall :), but events down here are pretty lame compared to a lot of the northern events. Look to do some local 12 cars to start off with.

Also look into Enduro events which is basically a road rally with some special tests thrown in on private land (bascially mini stage rallies in the middle), but you're limited to 1400cc.

Yeah, basically a coned course - could be on tarmac or grass. Look out for Gymkhana events too - they're slightly more relaxed affairs where you can essentially arse about all day in a big open space.

It's pretty hard to get much above 40 odd MPH average speed round the roads here even hitting 80 or 90 on the straight bits, so I know what you mean.

They look good. Not sure about having to have 1400ccs though :D.

Dont do that!! As a student I was probably avaeraging an event a week in my third year. Now as a paid member of society, despite having a second event car, I'm lucky if I'm doing a couple of events a year :(

What sort of cheapy cars are competitive?

106 Rallye 1.3 or Suzuki Swift GTi 1.3 :) Both 100bhp and revvy as hell as standard!

Unfortunately RWD options are limited (Volvo 340 is the obvious choice) but there are plenty of warm ish hatches tp choose from. Metro GTi, 106 Rallye,

106XSi, 205XS, Swift GTi off the top of my head all have ~100bhp and mental little revvy engines - enough to give you a thrill!! A majority of events I've done were in my 205XS and I loved it. TBH I'm almost tempted to get another as the Volvo is giving me so many headaches!!

I know of a BX 16v going cheap.... :)

Or a mk1 MR2 - although thats kinda sold ;)