Cheapest "fast" car possible (modified)

[deevergote]

I don't just mean a cheap, fun track car... I'm not looking for ideas to buy or anything.


I'm just curious as to what "cheap" cars can be upgraded with a reasonable amount of modifications to be made capable of competing with 6 figure supercars. Straight line AND handling.

[Straight Success]

Yup, I'll take the '06 GTO to the track with the exotics.

IHE, 200 shot or so (for the straights; probably not need at all) or a SC, GM Performance suspension upgrade. Ha! I'm ready. $15,000 or so, and I'm done.

[SOHC-FTW]

Wasn't implying you were, i was simply giving my input on what i would do. A decent one can be had for 2-3k decent power, good handling, and aerodynamics depending on the money you could easily make anything fast all around even fwd.

Your simply not going to keep up with a 458 with a miata and 10k in parts it would cost a bit more IMO because computers do most of the work on newer cars hands down. You might could do it with 10k'ish if you were very experienced, but most people it would be trail and error.

Now buying something straight from a dealer thats cheaper than 6 figures and mostly good all around the ariel and caterham come to mind.

[owequitit]

Yeah, it's the corners with impressive power that I'm thinking.

Even the big honkin' American cars like the Viper can handle.
That's why I was thinking Miata, because it's already a decent handling car that can be had for little money. Just beef up the engine, and it could come close to an expensive supercar.

The C5 Z06 is almost in the supercar category itself, though that puts the performance of it closer to the pricey ones I'm targeting than most. Even a C5 won't be cheap, but it could possibly be cheaper than modifying a different car to handle as well.

Shop around, they aren't that much. And they are already nearly 12 second cars with a decent driver in them (the 405 are probably pretty easily a 12 second car), and they have proven to hold their own on the track with very light mods. Remember that this chassis was the chassis that won Le Mans several years running.

They are a little bit of a brute force solution, but this was the first Vette chassis that started to have real handling credentials and didn't just beat the laws of physics into submission with HP. Largely composite construction, lightweight, large tires, decent suspension geometry and plenty of headroom... Very much the basis for an extremely fast car. The lower HP versions are a bit cheaper and are still easy to get to insane power levels.

Honestly, for what you would pay for this car to put up the times, I think you would spend at least as much on another solution, and you would have to do a lot more work, and a lot more tuning to actually get it there. The Miata could probably put up a fight, but one is pretty much simple bolt-on stuff, and the other is a full blown project.

[deevergote]

That is true. Even European enthusiasts tend to regard the Corvette as being on par with supercars in terms of ability... if it a bit unrefined. And until the current ZR1, it's never really been priced at the supercar level.

[owequitit]

That is true. Even European enthusiasts tend to regard the Corvette as being on par with supercars in terms of ability... if it a bit unrefined. And until the current ZR1, it's never really been priced at the supercar level.

Honestly? I pretty much hate GM on the whole, but I do have to give them a lot of credit with the Corvette. They have done a pretty damn good job of keeping the car relevant without being a carbon copy of the Europeans. You started to see it with the C5, where they started to implement continual small improvements, and a flourishing of the number of models available. They have carried that through to the C6, with all of the different body options, trim levels, output levels, suspension types, and with the special models (Gran Sport, Z06, ZR-1). Most importantly though, they have gotten a lot better in terms of chassis competence. I expect the C7 to pretty well eclipse the capabilities of the C6, which is an achievement in itself. They have also done a good job of keeping the car relatively light (especially in comparison to some of its competition like the 911 Turbos and GT-R which often weigh as much as 300-400lbs more).

Like I said, the C5 is still a little bit of an American solution to the "supercar" problem, but for the money, you really can't beat it, IMO. With some bigger tires and wheels, minor shock and spring changes, minor brake upgrades and some bolt-ons, you can be very close to 500HP, 11 second 1/4 miles, a top speed of nearly 200MPH, and you could put it on a track with Vipers, C6's, Porsches, Ferraris and just about anything else and give them a fair run for their money. Find a good deal on the car, and I bet you could do that for WELL less than $30K, all inclusive. And the work wouldn't be insurmountable because you are trying to take a 17 second 1/4 mile Miata to got that fast and actually be stable doing it. Not that it wouldn't be fun. I guess just as I get older and work more, I start to appreciate that option more.

[MortsAccord]

1g dsm

Weight reduction + port, polish, tune and some minor breathing upgrades like exhaust and you can make 10's happen.

Google 10's on a 14b, been done plenty. 14b is the stock turbo and a 1g goes for 2-3k in good shape.

My vote for cheap/fast, dsm.

Yea when they aren't broken. If you can make it around the track/through a drag racing session without that happeneing.

I freaking HATE DSM's. even worse is the head gaskets for them... if you buy eagle/plymouth/mitsu gasket, all have a different price but are the exact same thing(albiet a differnt stamping).

The only thing cool mitsu ever made in my eyes was a TV I used to have.

[mayberry]

Are you looking to build an all around car or a drag car. Because if you're looking to build a drag car on the cheap, look no further than a Fox Body Mustang.

If you're looking to build an all around fast car for 10k, an LS1 swapped E36 M3 comes to mind. Finding the right shell and swap is key. 400whp from a bone stock motor with bolt-ons and a tune is king. It's essential to find an M3 shell though as the rear end of a base E36 isn't strong enough.

Edit: To the guy above me. You're just doing it wrong. If you're blowing head gaskets that easily, you're either tuning or building wrong. A properly machined block/head will hold 50psi just fine with head studs, oem head gasket, and a proper tune.

[MortsAccord]

Edit: To the guy above me. You're just doing it wrong. If you're blowing head gaskets that easily, you're either tuning or building wrong. A properly machined block/head will hold 50psi just fine with head studs, oem head gasket, and a proper tune.

Its not me that does it wrong its the DSM community.

I'm just talking price for parts even though its the exact same engine and car with different stamping on the parts. Damn chrystler/mitsu.

PSI doesnt mean jack BTW.

[deevergote]

I'm looking (hypothetically, there are no actual plans being made) to get the overall performance... power, handling, competency on any and all types of track... that you would get from a 6 figure exotic sports car.

You can buy a Ferrari, Lamborghini, high end Porsche, etc... and get 500+hp in a car that's relatively light weight (well, for some of them...) that can tear around a road course, run a quarter mile in less than 12 seconds, and still be driven on public roads.
Now, most of these cars are undoubtedly well made, but I was just thinking that if you sacrificed the prestige of the brand, and went for something that didn't LOOK all that exotic, that you could potentially get much the same level of performance out of a more everyday car.

[Straight Success]

It basically can be done with any lightweight RWD coupe and $10,000.

[deevergote]

Not necessarily. Some will handle MUCH worse than others. Just beefing up the engine isn't going to produce supercar results.

[Straight Success]

Not necessarily. Some will handle MUCH worse than others. Just beefing up the engine isn't going to produce supercar results.

LSX swap - $5,500
Suspension components - $3,000
Other stuff - $1,500
Removing all unnecessary items for racing - $ Free
Hanging with a $250,000 Lambo at the track - $ Priceless

[92smokeaccord]

nissan 180 or 240sx with a rb swap. bigger turbo and a nice suspension,tires and tune...and its still in the ball park of 20k.not to mention it looks good too.

[stevediraddo]

pick up a neglected NSX and tune it up *shrugs*