View Full Version : 'Slow' Cars and Trackdays...
Hi,
I've been interested in doing a trackday and getting some tuition for ages, but didn't as although the risk was low, I didn't want to end up trashing the SX.
Now that's gone, I'm left with my oldskool BMW e30 320 touring. I'll be getting a 'nice' car for work soon, and was going to px the bimmer, with the long term goal of a caterfield at some point next year when I've got the garage to put it in.
Driving home the other night, I had a brainwave... Why not just trackday the BMW? The engine is as solid as can be (still within the new compression specs after 145K), the shell is pretty good. The suspension is wallowy, but a set of new shocks and springs and some ARBs would sort that out a treat. And the best thing - if I trash it, it's only £500 down, rather than a big bundle... I've already got a few spare wheels I can use for track tyres :)
Thoughts on this? I've never track driven before, so I would imagine that for the time being, my driving is going to be the limit, rather than having a slower car. If more power was needed, any of the later BMW engines drop in fairly easily (all the way up to the 321hp evo motor :eek:)
Cheers,
Jon
mattkeeber
16-11-2005, 11:50
What have you got to lose?
I've been looking at similar cars for a trackday car.. infact, i saw one yesterday for £500 i was interested in... (e30 320i)
Just a set of uprated springs would suffice.. until you learn more and feel confident in being on a track. they even run a BMW racecar series which is low cost... plans for the future perhaps?
Go for it i say
Sounds a good plan, many from the E30 zone forum seem to do trackdays from my recent reading.
:thumbs:
:thumbs:
e30's tend to be pretty solid. The engines are very strong, but the M20 6's have a habit of warping heads if they overheat... The engine note is :smitten: too - waaay better than the SR20. The steering is a bit slow lock to lock, but the racks on the 325's may be quicker... There's loads of info out there on them too :)
There's loads of info out there on them too :)
You probably already know, but for others...
http://www.e30zone.co.uk/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewforum&f=4
Still toying with the idea of the e30 as a trackday car, although decent suspension etc may work out quite costly (and it will still be slooow).
However - one of the guys at work has a mk1 imported LHD MX5, which is a bit of a shed. He's recently bought a new car, so it's sat in the work car park, and hasn't been moved for ~2 months. I may offer to take it off his hands. LHD and tatty wouldn't bother me, and from what I understand, mx5s are very well set up as standard, and with a few mods make very potent track cars... Being LHD all of the US super/turbo kits will bolt straight on too :)
Now, anyone for a hair cut or perm? :ghey:
If you lost the BMW lard it would prob be pretty quick. But if you buy suspension you will be an extra K down ;) might be best to do everything on the cheap.
I've seen lots of slower cars at trackdays - I've got a video of a Citroen BX hooning around Anglesey somewhere :D
I'd have thought that stripped and set up well, it would be better than an MX-5 (although I could well be wrong :) ).
Totally agree
You don't need a quick car on the track, taking anything to it's limits and getting it right is enourmous fun :thumbs:
Great place to start
The E30 is a well balanced car which will make it good to drive on the track, as for being too slow... You'll find plenty of corners that will challenge your abilities and teach you about track driving.
Rob
:thumbs:
I've gone way over budget on the posh car, so looks like I'll be keeping the e30 for fun, at least for the time being :)
Cheers for all the comments, first thing I need to get is a decent lid!
BlahLackage
22-11-2005, 21:07
You don't need a quick car on the track,
Agreed totally, the best fun is to be had caning old crap cars around. My old track car was an Audi 80 quattro, until it blew up at CastleCoombe. Was the slowest thing on the track (espically with MkII Golfs lapping twice with the same engine), but the best fun... Now looking for an old 4-500 quid S13 for a track car, but that Audi is sorely missed.
so looks like I'll be keeping the e30 for fun, at least for the time being :)
http://www.selocmotorsport.com
Why not sort it to these regs ;) or at least take up the £17.13p short shifter and cheap spoiler thats needed for the regs.
I know about the short shifter - I did the same mod (Z3 stick) to my e36 when I had that... It's already on the list ;)
Only thing is it would be a bit expensive with a full cage etc to start with... And it's a touring - suspension options seem a bit more limited with the estate (ie. doesn't seem like you can get coilovers)...
SuperRetard
24-11-2005, 23:12
It's not what you drive. It's how you feckin' drive it!
Adam0bmx0
28-11-2005, 17:39
If you want a decent track E30, get a 318is , its got uprated M-tech suspension, uprated anti-roll bars and disks all round.
The engine is a 1.8 16v unit and is 136bhp, and likes to rev :)
(Its also quicker and more econimocal than a 320 ;) )
Adam
FullMetalGasket
28-11-2005, 18:27
Don't worry about your car being 'slow'
Very early this year I popped up to Combe as a friend was taking his Supra round ( Showed up a porka nicely too :D ) and there was an old guy in a 1.1 Metro :wack: - He was really giving it some though considering the car and was blatently having the time of his life :thumbs:
It doesnt matter if you have a slow car - ive driven coombe in my mums 998cc mini - just drive as fast as you feel capable of, and keep a close eye in the mirrors often and you wont have a problem. Its if your shite at keeping an eye behind you, you will have problems.
Butuz
It's much more fun getting a corner spot on, right on the limits of the car than pelting down a straight line at pace IMO :)
If you've got a minty high-mileage E30 Touring I'd be interested in it if you wanted to flog it and get something else more suited to track work ;)
I'm still umming and ahhing... It's not minty though (could do with a new drivers seat cover, paint is a bit odd above the tailgate on the roof), but it would be well below your £1500 budget... More like 6-700 :)
If you are serious, drop me a PM :thumbs:
I'll ask the wife is she fancies one, if she does I'll PM you :thumbs:
Pitch-Black
12-12-2005, 11:28
If you want a decent track E30, get a 318is , its got uprated M-tech suspension, uprated anti-roll bars and disks all round.
The engine is a 1.8 16v unit and is 136bhp, and likes to rev :)
(Its also quicker and more econimocal than a 320 ;) )
Adam
I had two of these!Real nice cars!Good handeling to!(Had Bilstein suspension on them!:eek: )Which cost me nearly as much as the car itself!
I got a chip for sale for a 318is!Anybody intrested?Will get you 150Bhp(proven on dyno!)Make me an offer if you want it!:nod:
Pitch-Black
12-12-2005, 11:31
:thumbs:
I've gone way over budget on the posh car, so looks like I'll be keeping the e30 for fun, at least for the time being :)
Cheers for all the comments, first thing I need to get is a decent lid!
I've got some real nice spacers for sale for a Bmw e30!Wider track is faster cornering!:nod:
My 80bhp fiesta takes care of much faster machinery around Donington.
Its all about the handling and driver :thumbs:
Now thats a slow car lol.
If anyone would like a set of E30 original alloys give me a shout they were on Stuy Macs BMW before I bought it.
Nice looking wheels.
http://www.sxoc.com/vbb/attachment.php?attachmentid=26092&stc=1&d=1135937676
Alg:Plug:
As has been said, the bhp of the car is pretty much irrelevent. I wanted to take our old Pug TD estate round Elvington to see how many scalps I could get in it :thumbs:
As has been said, the bhp of the car is pretty much irrelevent. I wanted to take our old Pug TD estate round Elvington to see how many scalps I could get in it :thumbs:
I'm hoping for the tightest twistiest Elvington Course ever in Feb, one where you are always lagging that big turbo while my T25 will always be on boost :wack:
I didnt have too many problems before at Elvington and although the cars now got a bigger turbo its also running the nitrous and significant changes to the management and mapping. And the nitrous does a very good job by the sound of it ;)
Youre going to have to be very fecking fast on the twisties and the brakes to make up for a 250+bhp power defeceipt ;) :p
Aye, just addjust grip levels to suit BHP and have fun :D :wack:
You should have one of these Bren, it would make it harder ...
http://www.2nilssons.com/Kristy's%20Artwork/Kristy's%20Drawings/Drawing%20-%20Wind-up.jpg
Edit - I'm going to be very slow at Elvington, I can hit the bumpstops on the road easily, the suspensions buggered with its heated and squashed standard springs :(
:p
Cant you throw some more springs on it?
Or blag some complete replacements from one of the millions who have gone for coilovers? There must be loads of people with suspension they dont want just getting under their feet :no:
:D
Maybe, or maybe I'll just sort it properly.
SM, I've got a full set of standard suspension in my garage - it'll be getting thrown out on Monday when I finally clear the garage out... If you want it you can have it - as long as you can pick it up in a reasonable time frame so it's not cluttering the place up any longer than it has to be ;) :thumbs:
There you go, just like that. I can even get it collected for you if you like :)
Hold on, there's a chance I'm being a retard... Do you want S13 or S14 suspension? Cos I've got S13 :wack:
It's all good then :nod:
If you're interested, I'll have some Tein coilovers to get rid of when Bren's suspension bits come through ;) :D
Well after driving Yaks 97K standard suspension s13 it was very very very apparent how fookered mine is :nod:
So I'll drop you a PM and deffo have these, thanks very much :D
With any luck, I should be the owner of a LHD MX5 very soon - should have more details tomorrow :D
http://pages.alexandriacity.com/salon/friseurs3.jpg
;)
Well after driving Yaks 97K standard suspension s13 it was very very very apparent how fookered mine is :nod:
Aye and me driving SM's S13. It was FOOKING SCARY!!! Every so often it would try and throw me off the road by bouncing it arse all over the place. :eek:
Just like your car on track :confused: :p
No its me that tries to throw myself off the track, not the car doing it for me :p
Just like your car on track :confused: :p
Seriosly Vez, its scary on the bumps, just imagine no rear dampers, and front suspension on the bump-stops :eek:
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