A selection of cars for autocross...my word, the choices!
- Thread starter JCE
- 185 comments
- 13,936 views
I know some guys who have to break out the welders between runs... 
- 3,008
- You're crazy if you think
- I can afford either of these.
Cmon, when parts start falling off the body, you're doing good. You make other people run slower tryin' to avoid that, so you win the money!
- 6,977
- old-guy64
If you can find an old Datsun 1600 coupe or 510, the possibilities are endless.
Also, crazy as it sounds, with a gas tank relocation, a Ford Pinto could be interesting...
As could a Vega.
There would be a load of fabrication involved in making any of these cars Auto-X worthy.
But, you'd be unique.
Also, crazy as it sounds, with a gas tank relocation, a Ford Pinto could be interesting...
As could a Vega.
There would be a load of fabrication involved in making any of these cars Auto-X worthy.
But, you'd be unique.
Joey D
Premium
- 47,563
- Lakes of the North, MI
- GTP_Joey
- GTP Joey
Finding a Datsun 510 is hard, I've looked quite a bit for one since I would love to own one as a project car. I think I've found two, one had no engine and was rusted pretty bad and the other was a full race prep one going for $9000.
Leonidae
(Banned)
- 6,881
- GTP_Leonidae_MFT
nope, I was talking of the KE35 from mid-70's.. have you tried searching from http://ww2.collectorcartrader.com/? they have plenty of options when it comes to old cars.
Example
Example
Rotary Junkie
Premium
- 9,810
- Canton, MI
- RJs_RX-7
- 40,908
Yeah, but $3500 can buy you a hell of a lot more car than a 26 year old Toyota subcompact famous for not being particularly good at anything. Especially not a subcompact car that probably has a 20 second 0-60 time. Hell, JCE could buy 4 Pontiac Fieros for that money and create a single working Fiero. Or maybe even a single MR2.
MR2 would be better option, but didn't he specify that he wants a car that hasn't been done to death at autocross?
- 10,620
- gtp_jimprower
I believe that issue was recalled and rectified. Primarily happened on '84 models, with the 2.5. Besides, if you get a Fiero as a trackday car, don't you really want to do a 3800SC swap?
On the other hand, an AW11 would also be viable.
On the other hand, an AW11 would also be viable.
- 21,286
- GR-MI-USA
- YSSMAN
- YSSMAN
Awww, no love for the Fiero. They were quite the car by the time they were making their exit, something GM does far too often when developing a product. A late-model Fiero GT with a V6 would be sweet, but I'd be more impartial to anything with a 4 cyl. Especially if you could figure out a way to cram a newer Ecotec under the hood... er, trunk.
- 6,769
- Little Elm, TX
- JCE3000GT
Fiero = win
Fiero GT = mega win
1st gen MR2 = super duper mega win
80's model Toyota for $3,500 that doesn't have "Celica" attached to it = fail
I'm definately not opposed to a Fiero--but like Toronado said its quite hard to find one in ok shape. Infact, its hard to find one at all these days.
Fiero GT = mega win
1st gen MR2 = super duper mega win
80's model Toyota for $3,500 that doesn't have "Celica" attached to it = fail
I'm definately not opposed to a Fiero--but like Toronado said its quite hard to find one in ok shape. Infact, its hard to find one at all these days.
- 5,768
- Anoka, MN
How bout the Fiero Formula? 
- 6,769
- Little Elm, TX
- JCE3000GT
Too bad GM didn't get smart and stuff a truely massive engine in that thing and fix the suspension and steering. It COULD of been brilliant. Once again there's GM killing something that could of been absolutely great. *cough*T-Type, GN, GNX, GTA, Cyclone, Typhoon, etc etc etc.
- 6,769
- Little Elm, TX
- JCE3000GT
Well, by the engine I literally meant a larger displacement engine.
5 years isn't enough for something just totally brilliant that were those Regals. Even today one of those stock is a monster. I'd rock one of those as an autocross car. ...infact...hmmmm I wonder what a regular Regal coupe of that gen would go for...
- 40,908
The Regal T-Types/Grand National were designed to go straight. They had special frames designed to go straight as fast as possible. You try and push them through a track that has sections which make you go left and right, and the result would be much like this:
It would be like trying to autocross a Lincoln Town Car.
It would be like trying to autocross a Lincoln Town Car.
- 6,769
- Little Elm, TX
- JCE3000GT
The Regal T-Types/Grand National were designed to go straight. They had special frames designed to go straight as fast as possible. You try and push them through a track that has sections which make you go left and right, and the result would be much like this:
It would be like trying to autocross a Lincoln Town Car.
WTF--RIP.
Mine handled quite well for being so heavy. 
But seriously, you can't throw on a good suspension+tires and drop some weight on the G-body Regal?
- 3,008
- You're crazy if you think
- I can afford either of these.
- 40,908
You do all that and you would still have a heavy car (you can't drop weight out of a chassis) with a ladder frame optimized for drag racing that simply wasn't designed to handle very well. Considering G-Body cars aren't cheap in the first place, it would probably be easier/cheaper just to buy a similar vintage Corvette if you need an 80s autocrosser rather than blow heaps of money to force a full size coupe to do the same thing.
