autocross choice - CEG Archives

Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives

so...if you had to decide on a car to buy relatively cheap that would stay street legal but was strictly an autocross car, what would it be?

Depends how competitive you want to be. If you're not determined to go national: Miata, hands down. I'd look for a 94-95, but any year would be a good car. They're relatively inexpensive, very reliable, always competitive in their class, and a lot of fun. Also: tons of aftermaket parts, easy to work on, and a lot of great resources for info.

Other good considerations:

Integra: Type R is hard to find, but great FWD car. Kinda ricey.

MR2: again, more rare than the Miata, but mid-engined nimbleness and unique.

'89 Civic Si: actually, a few different old Hondas are good. They'll never feel as balanced as the other cars, but can be competitive in STS for cheap.

Contour: not competitive, expensive to mod, hard to work on, but you get a lot of looks when you make it go fast.

I'm sure I'll post more when I think about it. Check out the SCCA forums for TONS of ideas.

It might be tough to find one in decent condition but the '91-'96 Escort GT's get pretty good reviews over at SCCAForums. A guy out on the west coast runs one quite successfully in STS.

That's my heavily Ford-biased suggestion, but the Miata would be a better option out of the box.

Randy

also the mk 2 chassi VWs are good and dirt cheap.

Originally posted by Randy Gunn:
It might be tough to find one in decent condition but the '91-'96 Escort GT's get pretty good reviews over at SCCAForums. A guy out on the west coast runs one quite successfully in STS.

Yep, they handle pretty good. Though they do like to rust.

honestly if you run a BONE STOCK CSVT its a GS class car. and if i would have been smart and not had a open element filter i would have been the KC GS champion in 02

The problem is that without camber adjustment and a rear swaybar, any decent Mini Cooper S driver will own you. GS is only getting more competitive.

Depends on size of track and if the mini guy is any good. I won GS with my Cougar....back when it was stock, and I didnt have much problems with the Minis might have just been the driver or the size of the courses.
one thats a [censored] to beat in GS is the old ('93) audi S4's esp if in good shape....that car should NOT be in GS. but remember in stock you can still do any struts (just not springs) cat back exhaust and most importnatly ANY tire compound you want including race rubber. those 3 things give you a nice advantage!

It's not any race rubber you can use in stock. It needs to be DOT legal (hoosier make some non-DOT legal racing slicks that would throw you into prepared/mod class if you used them).

What year and what club did you run with?

You also can also replace the front sway bar in stock class.

They only give you an advantage if the other people in your class are not using them.

Also the 05 mini is even faster than the prior mini's because they can now get an LSD stock.

Originally posted by PaulDaJedi:
Depends on size of track and if the mini guy is any good. I won GS with my Cougar....back when it was stock, and I didnt have much problems with the Minis might have just been the driver or the size of the courses.
one thats a [censored] to beat in GS is the old ('93) audi S4's esp if in good shape....that car should NOT be in GS. but remember in stock you can still do any struts (just not springs) cat back exhaust and most importnatly ANY tire compound you want including race rubber. those 3 things give you a nice advantage!

I've seen the S4s run locally. They are powerful cars, but a bit heavy, and surprising amounts of body roll. Car looked sluggish in the confines of a tight course. Like the subies, the AWD is not a big advantage on a dry course.

Oh yeah: 2.5RS for STS. The coupes are nice cars.

a mini cooper S with R compund tires..there unstopable...but its not cheep.

Wesley

Why not an Integra GS-R. The 94 was the first year and not only are they light, but they have factory SHORT SHORT shifters, very good suspension and the GS-R only lacks 20 HP from the Type-R. It has the DOHC/V-Tec so you can get that extra Variable timing in high second. I had one and it was at least 7 or 8 grand cheaper than the cheapest Type-R and mine was loaded with all sorts of cool gadgets from the factory.

Not to Hijack

I've been interested in at least trying one AutoX. But I have no idea if I will get owned. Heres what I have:

98 CSVT
Some type of cold air intake (was on there when I bought it)
with K/N filter

Roush front springs/ stock CSVT springs in back

Koni all the way around on HARD

Enkei DM-5 17lb racing rims with Yokohama 225/45/17 Z rated SOFT tires (I mean I lose rubber by just turning my wheels in a parking lot)

Removed resonator

I will probably just plow cones and go home and cry. I drive my car like a grandma so I have no idea how to race other than on a legal track

It is all driver, but you'll get better quickly. Show up to an event and ask someone who knows what they are doing to ride along and help you. You'll get much better at driving very quickly!

Originally posted by CSVT985:

I've been interested in at least trying one AutoX. But I have no idea if I will get owned.

Whether you get owned or not, you will have a blast.

Originally posted by RogerB:

Originally posted by CSVT985:

I've been interested in at least trying one AutoX. But I have no idea if I will get owned.

Whether you get owned or not, you will have a blast.

the point of auto-x is to have fun; this is most important. since it is your first time dont expect to be the best/fastest. might help to go out with someone a couple of times then have someone come out with you to give you some tips.

with driving you can always learn & improve at any skill level

Well if any show up in the OKC/DFW area, Im in now. I just got all 4 konis installed. Not an AutoX car, but I can definately do better now.