You Have $25k, What Would You Buy

[tom_sprecher]

Suppose you had just sold a formula car for $40k and were thinking about getting an IT car. Having been a front runner in FC and FB you want something that is very competive so any make and model will do.

What would you get if you could not spend any more than $25k. What would you get if you could go higher? What would you get if you wanted to save most of the $40k and still race?

I have a friend in this situation who called me last night. He did not set a price limit but he should have. I told him to buy a GTA car and give a mutual friend of ours a run for his money...

Thanks,

[JeffYoung]

Probably Chet Whittel's BMW that's for sale on this board.

[lateapex911]

IF Chet's car is that cheap. It might be around that number, who knows. IF it were, that's the car I'd buy in a second.

[Ron Earp]

I top running ITS/ITR car won't cost you $25k. I'd buy about the best ITS car I could for around $12-$15k. Then knowing that an "easy" life at the track depends on having the right tools, an easy tow, a good trailer and so on, I'd put the rest of the money into those items.

Couldn't go wrong with a well-done 2nd Gen RX7. Is Kent Thompson's up for sale?

[JeffYoung]

For $25k he could buy 25,000 Jensen Healeys!

[Knestis]

I'd look at Beran Peter's Golf and use the balance to go racing.

K

[gpbmw]

IF Chet's car is that cheap. It might be around that number, who knows. IF it were, that's the car I'd buy in a second.

It's actually less than that number with a good assortment of spares. You'd have enough money left over to purchase 17's.....

[JeffYoung]

Jesus christ don't tempt me. I just spent $$$ nearly like that on paint and a FI motor for a TRIUMPH for chrissakes....lol.....

[lateapex911]

It's actually less than that number with a good assortment of spares. You'd have enough money left over to purchase 17's.....

ACK Ack. ptui ptui ptui!! DON'T tell me! Not listening!!!! Too soon for me...mustn't be tempted! I have purposely not asked and assumed the worst!!

Besides it HAS to be 6" wider than my first gen RX-7, which makes it not fit my trailer. Yup, that's it, it's probably too expensive and too big!

[gpbmw]

ACK Ack. ptui ptui ptui!! DON'T tell me! Not listening!!!! Too soon for me...mustn't be tempted! I have purposely not asked and assumed the worst!!

Besides it HAS to be 6" wider than my first gen RX-7, which makes it not fit my trailer. Yup, that's it, it's probably too expensive and too big!

Actually you'd have enough money leftover for a second set of 17's and a couple hours at the dyno shop if needed for final tuning.

[Greg Amy]

Suppose you had just sold a formula car for $40k...What would you get...?

A reduction in my mortgage, a nice Caribbean cruise, and a large bottle of rum. Nah, make it two bottles.

Hey, just sayin'...

[Hotshoe]

Tom,

..... Tell him to : Buy a 98 BMW Z3 and build an ITR car. Beat ALL the ITS cars for about 20k and have brakes that will last about hhhmmmmmmmmmmmm 25 hours.... Not kidding guys. Jeff and I ran the 13 hr@ VIR, And I ran this entire season (9 races) AND a hillclimb, on the same set of pads and rotors.

[Butch Kummer]

GTA all the way, but then I AM biased.

160 mph top end at Road Atlanta, 1:32 lap times, $600 for a set of tires, run pump gas if you get an LS-1 engine, the economies of scale from running short track components (and Port City South is 30 minutes from Road Atlanta if they don't have what you need at Lanier), 50 hours out of a 500 hp engine and $1500 when you finally freshen it just because you feel bad. And when you do bend it up (not that such a thing would ever happen to you since you're so good!) it's less than $2000 to replace the entire left side and nose of the car, new LF suspension and paint the pig (ask me how I know about that).

Averaging 7 cars per SARRC race so far in 2008, 20 cars to race with at Daytona (at 175 on the banking) and nine currently signed up for Barber this weekend. We expecting 30+ GTA cars at this year's ARRC by GRM, so you'll always have somebody to race with. The only reason Ben came back to IT (on a part-time basis) is because the GTA numbers aren't there yet in NEDIV, but the class is growing because it's the biggest bang for the buck out there.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming...

[Ron Earp]

I hear you, sounds good. But class some V8s in ITR and I bet some of those domestic lovin' V8 racers would be in ITR instead of GTA......

[Butch Kummer]

After thinking about it overnight, the major disadvantage to GTA over IT is we (currently) are not eligible to run most enduros. I've never wanted to drive for 90+ minutes, so I didn't think about that before.

Allowing V8s would boost the ITR numbers, but I don't think you'll have many GTA drivers making the switch. GTA has more horsepower, better performance, lower costs, better durability (500 hp through a drivetrain built for 650 hp), and when it's time to make repairs it's a tube-frame car that your local short-track builder has parts for. And you can always paint it like your favorite NASCAR driver and tell your neighbors, "Yeah, this was Junior's back-up car at Sears Point in '06. We got a deal on it when Cup went to the COT."

And did I mention $600 for a set of slicks and 175 mph at Daytona? :cool:

See ya...

[Ron Earp]

I agree with you, might not get many hard core GTA guys in IT. But we could certainly bolster ITR ranks if we could get the cars in ITR and allow some domestic lovers a place to race.

Those GTA cars have got to be a lot of fun to drive. But for me, I enjoy the "production" nature of the IT cars although the challenges sometimes presented in this format make you scratch your head and think.

That second generation RX7 for sale at like $5500 is a bargain. Plenty of change from $25k to keep the family happy.

[tnord]

i'd build a top-shelf ITS Miata, or if the weight gets bumped down a little, an ITR S2000.

[benspeed]

Butch has me pegged. GTA is hands down the best bang for the buck. The cars are fantastic road racers with tons of brakes and great handling. Even though I bought an ITS car I am keeping my GTA car. I unfortunately run in GT1 since I'm the only guy north of DC who runs one of these monsters. As the class builds, hopefully we class GTA in the North Atlantic region.

I bought a decent 1990 ITS Mazda for $5K and put about $700 into it and had a blast racing with my old IT friends, but it doesn't even come close to the pure adreneline of the GTA car. Butch did make a good point on enduros. I do enjoy running a long race - that's what got me to buy the ITS car. I ran Darrel Anthony's ITS Mazda in the Pocono enduro and just had so much fun I figured if I can find a cheap, healthy car - buy it. That's what I did. After the work I put into it I could sell it easily for what I paid and at certain tracks I'll race ITS for some good competition. My GTA car is the keeper.

[lateapex911]

Ben you have a big garage I guess! Big enough for TWO race cars and the wifes car!

Too bad they don't make a GTA BMW 5 series...just for the snobs out there who gag when they have to tell people they race a Monte Carlo!

[Butch Kummer]

Too bad they don't make a GTA BMW 5 series...just for the snobs out there who gag when they have to tell people they race a Monte Carlo!

Alas, Jake, you are correct. When I went from the GT-1 car to the GTA car one of the psychological barriers I had overcome was the fact that I wasn't driving a Corvette anymore! It took me about two laps to get over it...

Just for grins I went to the FiveStar site to see what options they have, but the only furrin make they list is a Camry and that's CERTAINLY not a BMW. All our cars look alike anyway, so just paint BMW (or Mercedes) logos on one and we'll let you run it at the ARRC. I've got a bit of pull with those guys (both Atlanta Region and the GTA Advisory Committee) and can make it happen!

See ya...