What would make the better track weapon?

[mic_VR 3]

As per the thread title, mk2 Golf or Corrado? Or another VAG car?

 

My brother and I are thinking of building us a little track car after we've both caught the bug, him by driving a friends clio 16v round snetterton a few times and me driving the 'ring and a trackday on a disused runway near stafford in my C and an old scooby.

 

Basically I was going to slowly turn my car into a trackcar but now I'm a little reluctant to do so as I've got loads of nice stuff I'd rather treat it to, and I quite like my car! :lol:

 

So we've decided to keep it vw and we're going to buy a do-er up-er, but we can't decide what. I'm thinking a sorted mk2 golf with a nice engine but I'd like to get some opinions from people on here, hopefully guys who have trackday experience but also just people in general....

 

so what do you all think?

 

Oh and before people start suggesting an R8, we've got a budget of about £3k between us.....

[Goldie 2]

A mk2 feels a lot more nimble on its feet than a Corrado as they weigh next to nothing, 3 grand would get you a lot of Mk2 aswell...

[vwdeviant 0]

Did you not see 5th gear this week?

 

16v Mk2 Goof with a "TSR" special engine and set of springs/shocks... 4 secs quicker round their baby track than it in stock format. That was still on the stock 14" BBS and rubbish looking tyres!

 

Although Skoda's and SEAT's will be cheap as a base car! And share the same platform as older VAG... Ibiza Gti Maybe?

 

Mind you if it were me, I'd do a type 4 based 2.4 webbered and IRS'd Trekker :lol: Scare the pants off people that would! But then I am a bit "special" :nuts:

[herisites 0]

I reckon corrado, a corrado track car absolutely dominated at Mallory Park at last years CCGB National Day! It was beating everything, even RS4 and it was pi$$ing it down 8)

[mrbeige 0]

I reckon corrado, a corrado track car absolutely dominated at Mallory Park at last years CCGB National Day! It was beating everything, even RS4 and it was pi$$ing it down 8)

Yeah until you come off round a bend and crash it! It would be a pretty expensive rebuild!

 

Mk2 Golf all the way! Cheap as chips, loads of parts available and cheap replacement bits. Keep it simple, stick with the standard engine with a little fettling and a proper weld in cage, and jobs a good-un :salute:

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I'd say a MK2, purely from the advantages of lower weight and easier to source / cheaper panels.

 

Accept the fact you could stack it, and being able to rebuild it for peanuts and get it back on the track the next weekend is a big plus I think.

 

Just get a valver (the extra revs will help on the straights) and try it as it comes. You'll soon start building a list of what needs changing / uprating.

 

Damn, beigey posted pretty much the same thing mere milliseconds before me, LOL!

[ADZ_VR6 0]

I reckon corrado, a corrado track car absolutely dominated at Mallory Park at last years CCGB National Day! It was beating everything, even RS4 and it was pi$$ing it down 8)

 

 

What was that under the bonnet then ?

[davidwort 0]

I reckon corrado, a corrado track car absolutely dominated at Mallory Park at last years CCGB National Day! It was beating everything, even RS4 and it was pi$$ing it down 8)

 

yeah, but that was Jabba's IHI turbo G60 and they had very sorted suspension and tyres on it.

 

I'd say a mk2 is a good bet, cheap to get panels for (used or new) and a pretty well balanced car from the outset, get a second hand ABF lump in it, perhaps a flowed head and lumpier cams and you'd be laughing.

[mariojoshi 1]

Even after considering my hatred of most things GOLF... I'd still say the Mk2 is your best bet due to all of the sound reasons listed above!

 

Oh, and any smart arses that want to remind me that a Corrado is pretty much just a hand built Golf in a skirt can sod off! ;)

[vwdeviant 0]

Josh..... Ah Never mind! :lol:

 

Mic there's been a few £2-500 mk2 8&16v's come up on our forum recently...

 

However if you really want a weapon, I know where there's a really cheapo mk2 Synchro... :)

[cdem 0]

If you want to do a Corrado track car then speak to Jabbalad on eurocar-club.co.uk. He usually drive the Jabbasport Corrado round the track. He also knows what he is doing with MK2 Golf's aswell after he came 3rd overall in the 16v series.

 

 

The Jabba Corrado is a 8v turbo making 320ish bhp (depending on boost), KW race suspension with my their own specs on the damper length, damper valving and spring rates, wilwood "race" brakes with trick pads, yoko track tyres, big anti rollbars front and rear.

[The_Dude 0]

 

However if you really want a weapon, I know where there's a really cheapo mk2 Synchro... :)

 

 

Do tell....

[corozin 0]

A good Corrado makes a great track day car, but a good MkII will always be faster as (aside from anything else) they weigh about 20% less.

[mic_VR 3]

 

However if you really want a weapon, I know where there's a really cheapo mk2 Synchro... :)

 

 

Do tell....

 

Indeed, do tell?

[nemesis360 0]

MK2 all the way...Get a 16v, strip it out, poly bush everything (Those Prothane ones in my Golf are great and cheap :D ) nice grippy tyres, better shocks ,springs and finally some fat ARB's.

 

Job Done for under £1500

[mic_VR 3]

Cheers for all the views guys, definitely given me something to think about but my initial feelings that a mk2 golf wold be a great starting platform appear to have been confirmed so I think I'm going to get on the look out for a decent shell and go from there.

 

From a quick scout around the internet this evening it would appear that Goldie is indeed right, £3k will get us a lot of mk2 action.

 

Must admit I've always missed my mk2 golfs since getting rid of the last one to buy the corrado. Hopefully this time I'll get the best of both worlds. :clap: :clap: :clap:

[mic_VR 3]

MK2 all the way...Get a 16v, strip it out, poly bush everything (Those Prothane ones in my Golf are great and cheap :D ) nice grippy tyres, better shocks ,springs and finally some fat ARB's.

 

Job Done for under £1500

 

Hey alright mate? Must admit it was having a poke about your golf the other month that really started me thinking about it, then I got chatting to my brother and he suggested he was thinking about it so seemed a good idea to combine cash..... excited about it now!

[rado-steve 0]

I'd forget the golf and go for a Jetta, as they handle a lot better than a Golf! Plus you can get them a damn site cheaper than the equivalent MK2!Leaves more of your £3K budget for engine naughtyness and big stoppers!

 

Go for an injection model though so that you're not pissing around with fuel tanks etc!

 

Or even a Mk2 Skyrocket, pretty cheap and better looking than a golf or a jetta!

 

I did now of a fully prepped Seat Cordoba Shell for sale though, full FIA Approved roll cage and perspex windows for sale.....can see if it's still available if you are interested???

[Rustynuts 0]

Sorry folks but a Mk1 will be better, mainly because it is lighter. Our Mk1 2.0l 8v (approx 160bhp) kept up with our mates 2.0l 16v Mk2 (approx 190 bhp) and a Mk2 1.8T (204bhp) at Mallory. Still plenty of Mk1's about if you ever need to reshell and front end panels are cheap enough.

[rado-steve 0]

More e4xpensive to buy though......Can't really get a solid non rusty Mk1 for less than £2K can you????

[coullstar 0]

205 Gti.

[mic_VR 3]

205 Gti.

 

Must admit I did think about that, and I've had one before so know what they're like to work on. Very light, and the 1.9 I had was impressively quick. But completely unforgiving! If I had a pound for everytime that thing went straight on when it was meant to go round a corner..... :pale:

 

Definitely interested in Andy's idea about the Jetta though, always heard they handle better due to the weight over the rear axle........ and I'd certainly be interested to hear a price on the Seat shell, but would it need to be trailered to the track?

 

mk1 golfs are also definitely an option, thinking about it I've seen quite a few well built mk1's that run rings around most things.

 

So many options! :lol:

[timg60 0]

I am sure I just saw a Thread on here about a Mk1 1.8 16v for sale. Cheep as chips. If its anything like my mk1 2l 16 cabby ( which si way heavier than a standard ) it must go like fook.

[Toad 0]

I don't think a synchro would make that good a track car would it? Isn't the drivetrain significantly weaker than a rallye? and it's a lot more weight to drag round.

 

If you want to go extra cheap, Buy a Golf CL, I'll sell you a rado rear beam, subframe etc, and you find an ABF to stick in the front...

[alackofspeed2 0]

....a good MkII will always be faster as (aside from anything else) they weigh about 20% less.

 

That amused me John! :D Brought back memories of Keevil last year.

 

Keeping on topic, my friend and I tracked his Mk2 20vt a couple of times, and it was always surprising how capable it was for an old tin can. It does bring a sense of smug satisfaction when you're overtaking "superior" cars (Clio V6, Impreza STI, S2000....), and the owners are curious enough to come over for a chat.... that the car also costs peanuts to run / repair (cheap tyres, brakes......) makes for some excellent value fun.

 

If you can find a solid mk2, or even a filthy cheap one you're prepared to tart up mechanically, you'll have a hell of a laugh.