Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Autocross and Open Track Good cheap autocross car

Okay, I've done it now. I'm hooked on autocross. However I don't want to use my car for it all the time because of all the wear and tear, yada yada yada. Besides my dad and I are going to split time in it.

So here is my dilema what car to get?
We're looking for something in the 1K to 4K range possibly more if my dad can use it regularlly for comute.

What I've come up with so far:
-First of second gen MR2 turbo or SC would be nice but not necessary
-early 90s miata
-third gen Supra (I know they don't handle that well but its a Supra!!)
-87 to 92 GTi 16v (maybe even corrado)
-Rx7?

opinions? comments? want to add one to the list? We just want something that will take a beating and keep on ticking.

Oh, and a good place to find them wouldn't hurt either.

TIA

It did not come out right when I said it, but the advice I was attempting to give another guy the other day is to buy something semi-competitive to learn in. The Miata is great. I autocrossed a first generation RX-7 and they are fun, as is the MR2 first generation, but get an 85 with the rear sway bar. In H Stock in particular, a non-Si CRX, Celica ST, 8 valve GTI, 89-91 Civic Si, or BMW 318 will be very competitive and cheap. In G stock, an older Neon ACR, older Celica GT, CRX Si, or 86-87 Civic Si can kick tail.

You need seat time to get good, but it's hard to gauge your progress if you are in an uncompetitive car from the get go.

I know I need seat time, and I've done lots of reseach on the MR2, right now its the car of choice but they are kind of hard to find.

Check out a late 80's (87-91) Civic Si. You can probably find one for under 1000 and then swap in a D16A1 engine from a 1st gen Integra. Sport Compact did an article on the entire swap process. Can't remember which month, I can find out if you really want.

How about a Merkur Xr4Ti.....Just keep the revs up..

Actually I think I have that issue of sport compact. I'll have to dig it up again and look at it. Only problem is my dad and I don't really know how to do anything major like that.

I thought about the merkur but they aren't exactly easy to find.

Lot's of good ideas so far. Here's my $.02.

Late 80's Mazda 323 GTX: All-wheel drive, with Turbo.
Merkur XR4Ti: RWD, 2.3L Turbo, many parts from Mustang SVOs and Turbo T-birds will fit.

Kart?

Dodge Omni!!! The GLH-turbo specifically. Very cheap parts, easy to work on, but not much to look at. You should be able to find one of these setting around for under 1K. There are 1000's of turbo dodges in the junk yards to pull parts from too!

Don't let the box fool you, it is a lot faster then it looks! 0-60 in the high 6's to low 7's with tons of torque! Great for autox. Take a look back in Grassroot Motorsports a couple months back when they did the $2002 dollar challenge. I think the turbo omni won the 1/4 mile test with a time in the 12's I believe. I knew the 2nd gen turbo RX7 drivers that were there. They are very good autox'ers here in Oregon and they were beat by over a second on the autox course by the thing too! (BTW their 2nd gen 7 ran the 1/4 in 13.4 or 13.7 can't remember, but anyway it was not under powered)

What type of driving is done in the Auto X? Top speed type stuff, or road racing? I've never considered it before and know very little about it. If it's top speed stuff, get something that likes to rev like an RX7. If it's road racing, try finding a Mitsubishi Starion Turbo or the Dodge Conquest Turbo. They are pretty decent handling cars and have good low end power.