forgive me father

um funnily enough no

any other thoughts for a fun small rwd car sub 1000 pounds :)

Will you be fitting a redtop?

Mk 2 MR2 is more lethal, apparently. OTOH, they're common and crap. So, for trackday use, get a Mk 2. Then you won't get lynched when you write it off.

Richard

Almost anything produced pre 1973.

BMW 3-series (E30). A very shagged AE86 Sierra (they're quite small) Mk II Escort 4dr LandRover 88" SII/III Chevette with a Pinto/Redtop/anything better than the 1256 in it. Isuzu Piazza (see above) Starion Nissan Saliva, I mean, Sylvia.

Richard

Specifically, a 318is E30. RWD, revvy, 4 cylinders. Good for a competition car where creamy power matters not a jot.

MK1 MR2 will be more fun and i've had both :) a MK2 non turbo just aint the same really, for NA fun i'd say MK1 MR2 or maybe even a MK1 MX5 there getting cheap or an old E30 BMW as they seem a track day weapon of choice these days too.

Alfa 75.

Fair enough - V6 natch. Just for the soundtrack...

come on he wants something pretty decent and a 75 aint RWD is it? plus i doubt they'll let something that rusty out on a track :)

and where be all these alfa 75's?

There's not many left, but a good one is worth looking for.

Alternatively, buy this:

My list would be as follows (in no particular order):

Mk1 MR2 - theres plenty about for under a grand if you dont want gleaming bodywork. Although if you're lucky you should be able to get a fairly sweet one for around a grand.

Fiat X19 - what the MR2 was allegdly based on. Not as quick in a straight line, but supposedly as quick round the twisties.

BMW 318is/325i of the E30 variety. You could have the added bonus of an LSD too (either find one with one or pick one up for a few hundred and fit it).

Volvo 360 - seriously, might need a bit of fettling, but they're getting a bit of a cult following especially in drifting circles so parts are becoming more readily available. Plus you can slot any old red block engine in - think 2.5 16v penta cranked turbo and the sky is your limit in terms of power!! They're like a poor mans Supra ;)

Mk2 Escort - either find one with a half decently tuned pinto or put something like a red top in it as I'm pretty sure the parts are available off the shelf these days.

Capri V6/Sierra V6 for a bit of tail out fun.

And the big dog - Rover SD1. Not exactly small, but soooooo cool.

Oh, and an Alfa 75 coz they cool too, especially in V6 guise!

In news: snipped-for-privacy@individual.net, Carl Gibbs wrote something quite bizarre, possibly in an effort to confuddle the world. It went like so;

I'd want a new one if I was spending a grand...

I like 'em, go well with Strada Abarth 130 engines in...

Both ok motors, but tarnished with the stigma of being BMWs. I'd prefer a Skoda.

Heh, never heard 'em called that before. Can be amusing though.

Not for sensible money though. I'd love another Mk2, but £4-5k for a nice one is just that bit too much to spend at the moment...

Capri's *rock*, Sierra XR4i's blow goats, XR4x4's are ok, but the box is tempramental.

Don't you dare be ruining an SD1. I want another one soooo badly.

"Pete M" wrote in message news:43c6d5c0$ snipped-for-privacy@usenet.zapto.org...

Well you can pick em up much cheaper, but depends how good you want it to be!

:)

Neither have I, just thought of it. Think I better get a sticker made up! :)

Jeeeeeeeesus, look around a bit!! A mate of mine has a 2.0 pinto powered mk2 he picked up for £700 last year. Absolutely mint. A couple of weeks ago he picked up a 2.1 pinto power mk1 for £800, again near enough mint! If you want a proper RS2000 or similar then you'll pay the dosh, but there plenty out there that have been converted that are equally as good driving wise.

Aye, after a few hours of dohnuts and powerslides on a field the box on mine didnt sound too healthy (along with quite a few other things). Hence it got sold 2 weeks later

Me too. There's a nice sounding auto for a grand about 25 miles from me. So tempted to go and have a look, but I know as soon as I see it I'll end up whacking it on the credit card, which I really dont wanna do!

V8 punto

feasable but i dont have hundreds of hours to spare

Okay okay. Should a good one be bought for track day use? Should the two litre be bought for track day use?

->Rob wrote:

->

->> any other thoughts for a fun small rwd car sub 1000 pounds :)

->

->Almost anything produced pre 1973.

->

->BMW 3-series (E30).

->A very shagged AE86

->Sierra (they're quite small)

->Mk II Escort 4dr

->LandRover 88" SII/III

->Chevette with a Pinto/Redtop/anything better than the 1256 in it.

->Isuzu Piazza (see above)

->Starion

->Nissan Saliva, I mean, Sylvia.

Series Land Rover ! Did you miss the bit about trackdays ?

Yes.

A good one needs to be translated as one WITHOUT rust. Stay away for the ABS- versions. For track a red or better still a white one is the best: black is beautifull but leaks are harder to spot.

YES. It's the engine to have: the 1.8 turbo is fragile while the 3.0l V6 is heavy.

Bits are now cheap as chips, if you can find them.

Suspension greatly improves when rubber is changed for nylon bushes (cheap). Lowering the car is easy as well to the front as to the rear. Springs / dampers set are existing but whether still avaiable...

Caution on the drivetrain: change the rubber donuts, there will be shot anyway on a second (third forth) hand car.

Engine is 150 HP, an extra 10 HP (and some weight lost) can be found with the superspint collector, another 10 are found with a reporgrammed ECU. Airbox likes the K&N-filter and a better cold air entry which is dead easy if you discard the right headlamp. Reducing rotating weight on flywheel and gearbox (clutch assembly) is easy. Underdrive pulleys are available for alternator and steering.

Upgrade the fuel pump: the piece is not very relyable on track. It you can find it: get the competition tank (most of them are out out homologation anyway) and are as good as free.

Brakes are OK, bigger ones are easy on the front. Rears are near the gearbox and if the car is trackused it would be better to bring then into the rear wheels. Unsprung mass goes up but the heat goes away from the gearbox.

Tires are standard 15 inch, 16 inch is a straight fit. Rear 215's is nice, up to 245 with some arch-rolling. I preferred 215 on my 75 which had about 190 flywheel-horses.

Close ratio boxes existed, the standard one (standard LSD) can be lighthed: just a lot of work, expensif when it has to be done by a dedicated technician, relatively easy to do it yourself.

Car greatly improves when weight goes down, lightweight bonnets, hoods and door pop on Ebay once and a while.

Had 3 of them, crashed 2 (very safe cars in a crash by the way) and the last one still lives as dedicated trackcar with its 2l twinspark-engine tourbocharged and pumping 270-300 HP.

If I find a black 75 in good nick, I will be very tempted: the cheapest was to become 15 years younger.

I imagine that some searching and elbow grease will get you a trackcar for less than 2000 UKP capable of annoying machinery ten times that price.

Did I say I liked the 75? You will too. Very rewarding car to drive on circuit as on the road. Classic RWD capable of silly angles but also of clean and swift cornering.

Get one while they are still around.

Tom De Moor