Why not Corrado's for cheap track cars

[Paulr1980 0]

I've been wondering this for ages.

 

I bought a c to make it into a track car based road car (ie I'm keeping the stereo lol).

 

Everyone seems to buy golf's, 205's etc etc and the poor C gets overlooked. I never see them at track days or at least very rarely.

 

Price wise, you can get a better valver for your modest £1300 than you can a golf...

They arguably handle better and look a lot nicer.

 

Any ideas?

[corozin 0]

Do it - I track mine fairly regularly and it's a pretty competitive handling car on track, although you won't hang onto a well prepared Mk1 or MkII Golf in one.

 

I'm surprised you say you don't see them on track days. Although they are a rarity at general trackday events, there are always a brace of them on track at the Autometrix event at Castle Combe each summer, which is arguably where most VW enthusiasts take thier cars out anyway.

 

I'll be at Combe on April 20th if you want to bring your car?

 

John

[Paulr1980 0]

Thanks for the offer John but my car's not ready yet. I'm still saving to strip the engine down and do a top end rebuild and chuck a new clutch in... plus oil cooler, alu rad etc etc.

 

I'd be paranoid about it running into trouble at the moment. I'll be there on the 20th but not in my car (I'll be in a black 205 on twin 40's). Perhaps I could blag a passenger lap?

[corozin 0]

Come & find me. I bet I'm the only Corrado there, LOL

 

Look forward to seeing you on the 20th - the car is an aqua blue VR6 with black racing wheels :D I may be able to give you a passenger run but we'll have to sort on the day

 

Cheers

John

[Lippy 0]

i was hoping to turn mine into a full on track day machine, once its stripped it should offer good pwr/weight gains - and you look much cooler than the other dubs knocking about!

[biggrim 0]

Is the reason the rado is not a preferred option for track cars the cost and availability of panels and some parts?

[GazzaG60 0]

id say too heavy, too costly on parts are good reasons but the fact you can get a scoobie for 2-3k thats pretty ok has some impact i feel. ive spoken to a few mk1 traqck car users who were interested to hear what a scoobie could be tuned for/into for no a lot.

 

if i was on a track car budget of under 5k id pick the sub over a vw any day. an n plate subaru with a FMIC will make 360hp with a good tune. 3k car plus 1-2k for bits n bobs. (system, filter, LINKECU)

[corozin 0]

I'm sorry to differ with you, but every Subaru I've seen race on a track or trackday is an understeering pig. Of course with the recent models you can lock the diff up but we're way out of the price range being discussed here.

 

I've seen (and passed) too many overpowered wannabe cars at trackdays whilst running 100-150bhp less than them, simply because I'm in a car that's properly balanced and brakes well. The ideal trackday is one where you go fast enough to be challenging, but more importantly you learn and exercise your own skills as a driver.

 

Frankly if we're talking £5k budgets there's a whole model ranges of Golfs, Fords, Peugeots, BMWs and Porsches which will provide a better on track driving experience for less money. Hell, you can even buy full-on racing cars for less than £5k.

 

As a further point, more than a few people will tell you that you can build a MkI/MkII Golf with a 1.8t power for well under £5k that will run rings around a Subaru on track running only 230bhp. Of course a lot of these Golfs run 300-350bhp. Anyone who's seen Trevor Reeves on track will testify to how quick a Mk1 can be made to run.

[dinkus 10]

Buy a £3k car then spend the rest on practice and having fun :D

 

Driving skills are the best mod by far in terms of seconds per £ and they work in every car you're in too ;)

[Lovinit 0]

i think its a bit too heavy i think..when you check all the time trials, the golfs always seem to do better.. but hey i love my c..

[Foggystorm 0]

whats happening at coombe on the 20th as it is only at the bottom of the hill for me

[corozin 0]

Just an open Combe Trackday. £165 for the full day, book through the Castle Combe website.

 

I'm treating myself special as it's my birthday and I didn't feel like working that day, haha.

[Foggystorm 0]

ouch, £165 is expensive, it cost me £10 to get in and £15 per 20 minute session at Eurofest last year

[speedtwelve 0]

I'm hoping to make the Autometrix VAG day at Combe in August.

 

Corozin,

 

Saw your car at Castle Combe yesterday. I was chatting to the chap with the orange Celica Supra 2.8 (we were both drooling over the same Audi UR Quattro in the car park) and he mentioned he knew someone with a Nothelle Corrado VR6. Not yourself by any chance?!!

[corozin 0]

Yes indeedy. That was my mate Chris (and that was my car covered in bird-poo in the car park)

 

He can't help himself around red Ur-Quattros, as he used to have one himself.

 

Hoping to be at Gurston Down on Sunday 22nd, provided my car survives the Friday

:)

[GazzaG60 0]

I'm sorry to differ with you, but every Subaru I've seen race on a track or trackday is an understeering pig. Of course with the recent models you can lock the diff up but we're way out of the price range being discussed here.

 

I've seen (and passed) too many overpowered wannabe cars at trackdays whilst running 100-150bhp less than them, simply because I'm in a car that's properly balanced and brakes well. The ideal trackday is one where you go fast enough to be challenging, but more importantly you learn and exercise your own skills as a driver.

 

Frankly if we're talking £5k budgets there's a whole model ranges of Golfs, Fords, Peugeots, BMWs and Porsches which will provide a better on track driving experience for less money. Hell, you can even buy full-on racing cars for less than £5k.

 

As a further point, more than a few people will tell you that you can build a MkI/MkII Golf with a 1.8t power for well under £5k that will run rings around a Subaru on track running only 230bhp. Of course a lot of these Golfs run 300-350bhp. Anyone who's seen Trevor Reeves on track will testify to how quick a Mk1 can be made to run.

 

 

the question was why dont people use corrados as track cars not whats the best which is what you have presented, which i would't agree with either. show me a proper race car for 5k also i could easily show you half a dozen 350hp subarus for 5 k a piece. i was at jabbasport many moons ago with my G60 when they were building the red mk1 for the reeves. it cost a ton more than 5k thats for sure.

[TomB 0]

My guess would be rarity value, price, weight and the lack of rear wheel drive (in no particular order).

There are a lot more Mk2 Gtis available with the same bhp as a valver, better power to weight, cheaper to tune up (and fix if it gets dented) because there are more companies offering bits).

Cheers,

Tom

[corozin 0]

I think the answer to the original question I think there are a number of plausible reasons why people don't select a Corrado as a base car to build for track days:

 

a) The rarity scares most people off, as do the panel prices

b) You can get a Golf, 205 or 320 BMW shell more easily for a lot less money

c) Modified parts for Corrados are not as easily available as other makes

d) It just doesn't occur to people to build them.

 

On the second point, full racing cars turn up in the Autosport classifieds regularly at that price point. My mate Chris (referred to overleaf) has recently bought a FIA approved Fiat X1/9 hillclimb car with spares for under £2,500 which will annihialate most road legal cars on a track.

 

The point I was making about the Subarus is that you can build a Golf or BMW trackcar for a fraction of that budget which will be just as quick, if not quicker. It's worth mentioning that at £5k you could pick up an M3...

 

Hope this resolves all the misunderstandings!

 

John

[Paulr1980 0]

ya see I don't agree...

 

a & b) misconception surely.. there's loads of old valvers lurking around for no money.. certainly easier to find than a good golf. It seems like you can take your pick with rado's at the moment.

c) I'm finding the basic stuff easily enough. Suspension, brakes and engine equipment is all golf mk2.

d) That's what I think....

 

I should have been more specific. I'm not talking about all singing all dancing track cars that people have poured thousands into. I'm on about the likes of joe public that wants a cheapish second car to use/strip and get healthy before enjoying on a track day.

 

Budget of about 3k (same as me) must be able to drive there and back.

 

RWD is overated if you ask me. Fun for dicking about but a well set up C is fairly neutral and is a great handler.

[Paulr1980 0]

ya see I don't agree...

 

a & b) misconception surely.. there's loads of old valvers lurking around for no money.. certainly easier to find than a good golf. It seems like you can take your pick with rado's at the moment.

c) I'm finding the basic stuff easily enough. Suspension, brakes and engine equipment is all golf mk2.

d) That's what I think....

 

I should have been more specific. I'm not talking about all singing all dancing track cars that people have poured thousands into. I'm on about the likes of joe public that wants a cheapish second car to use/strip and get healthy before enjoying on a track day.

 

Budget of about 3k including prep (same as me) must be able to drive there and back.

 

RWD is overated if you ask me. Fun for dicking about but a well set up C is fairly neutral and is a great handler.

[corozin 0]

Well I'm in the position where my track car and road car are the same car.

 

To be honest with you though if I was building a track car for £3k tomorrow I'd start with a BMW 325i shell. RWD and indestructable, plus plenty of cheap parts and a selection of roll cage options. Drifting heaven...

 

But I guess people want different things out of track cars. Some just want to go really fast, whilst others are happy to just have heaps of fun sliding around at lower (and safer) speeds. That's probably more me...

[rado-steve 0]

There's a track Day at Croft Circuit on the 28th April!!!! Anyone going????

[corozin 0]

I'd love to go to Croft as it's a great circuit, but it really is too far for me to travel (for a track day). If I blew the car up the recovery costs would be astronomic - sorry :(