A&Q about 350Z
Q:
Ok, my latest car is a 78k mile Oak Green valver in nice, but not mint condition. Its had a few owners and has a fair few little dints on it and its share of chips and scratches. Although, i feel that most would mop out with a decent porta cable.
Next year i want another track car, no questions. Ive failed to get to the ring 3 years running for various reasons, last year cause my engine wasnt upto it after spending £2k getting my last car track prepped, which ended up getting broken as im sure most people are aware.
At the moment i cant really afford to run 2 cars, but i dont really need my car for work. However, a track car for daily use isnt that much fun.
The car i currently own is soo solid underneath. I dont think i could have gotten a better shell if id tried. The only problems with it are slightly cosmetic, which im exaggerating being a perfectonist.
Should i look to buy a car that could potentially have lots of problems from previous abuse on the track, or alternatively start the conversion process using this car?
It would probably consist of:
Coilies (or even fixed height gaz/leda shocks)
ARBs
Poly Bushes
Cage
Stripped
Flexiglass
G60 brakes
Initially (due to learnning from stupid - and expensive - mistakes in the past) id keep the engine standard until it lets go. Just well serviced.
So to transform my car, would i be insane, or should i look for another car? (I got this one cheap, its not like i paid £5k for a low mileage oak green valver)
A:
Please don't turn it into a trackday car,after all the hard work you put into putting it back on the road!She looks stunning in the pictures,haven't seen the car in the flesh but I bet its as you have said, If it justs needs minor cosmetics,get them done and turn her into a car you want to keep for good.This is want I'm going to do with mine because I love the way random people come up to me in the street/petrol stations etc,saying how nice it is,how they havn't seen one in ages and I should keep it etc.A trackday car can be bought cheaply and built up overtime but how often do you come across low mileage mk2's?
A:
Probably right. I could possibly get a Mk2 thats already track prepped next year for £2k.
A:
It should be cheaper to buy someone else's half baked track car and just use it tbh. I'm assuming you keep the Oak Green in saying that.
(edit: posted at same time as your reply)
A:
I agree with Chris, probably cheaper to get hold of someone else's abandoned project and finish it off, plus it'd be a shame to strip out and modify a nice standard car like that one.
Whatever you do, make sure you have one car in good working order for the 2007 'Ring trip!
A:
Personally i think you should hold out for another car to use as your track project.
Ive seen the pics of your 16v and it looks so nice and obviously took a lot of hard work to get it to that condition again, it would be such a shame to track a car that with a little bit more time and money could be an absolute minter
A:
Thanks guys. Its what i wanted to hear i think deep down. For those of you that know me too well, it was a case of itchy feet again. I get them within 2 months of owning any car.
Hoping to get this car completely off the road over winter, and concentrate on it as a summer car only. Make it a long termer and restore it over the next couple of years.
A nice Mk1 track prepped would be ideal, kicking myself after missing out on the black Mk1 2.0 16v earlier in the year.
A:
Well, its up to you but if it were mine theres no way i'd be track prepping it. Seems far too nice to be punted round a track.
Get an MI-16 205 for that
A:
I dont care how well they drive, i couldnt ever own a 205.
A:
We knew all along you weren't going to track prepare it.....................PHEW
A:
Erm. You know what my reaction is going to be, Luke!
Also, I know you aren't totally satisfied with some of the paint but you are putting that car down far too much.
A:
Think Ian V's MK1 will be up for grabs soon.....
A:
Think Ian V's MK1 will be up for grabs soon.....
Really? Didnt think hed sell that. I think he would probably be asking for an amount way more than id be prepared to spend.
A:
Yeah selling it early next yr, going to Aus around march time and it's gunna have to go heart breaking but no point it sitting in a garage for a couple of yrs, won't do it any good and it's been built to use. Depending on final spec it'll be £3.5-4K.
TBH thou Luke i'd say you'd be better going out and doing a few trackdays 1st before shelling out on either modifying yours or buying a trackcar, won't do the car any harm to do a couple of days how it is and you might decide tracking not for you or that you can have nearly as much fun in a standard road car.
A:
I have those feelings too. But my car isnt that mint, but too good to do what i want to it. At the end of the day whats a decent shelled mk2 going to cost?
I'd be hoping to completly change it like you stripping the car for pretty much everything. Which then you have to ask what is the point when youre your left with is a shell and other bits?
A:
TBH thou Luke i'd say you'd be better going out and doing a few trackdays 1st before shelling out on either modifying yours or buying a trackcar.
Been there and done that Ian, and it is for me!
Also, track car prices that are already done sell for a pittance, as they are being sold to such a small market. And they take a long time to sell. The Mk1 2.0 16v i was looking at earlier in the year had been refurbished completely, new rear inner/outer arches, sprayed, BBS RMs, caged, and it was only sold for just over £2k in the end i think.
A:
yeah mate get a track car and nail it to death. if it breaks,it breaks, if it gets smashed up,then so be it. i think youd be heart broken if ur valver got smashed up of went bang. i know i would be
A:
ians mk1 would be great value for money a well prepared car with a proven track record
A:
Ha, now I neevr thought i would see the day that Luke would sell a car 5 mins after buying it
A:
will you use it for a lot of trackdays or not? if not, will it not do as it is?
A:
Im gunna go against concensus here & say do a few bits to your present car & use that.
Its your money & all that but given a seeming lack of previous track action & constant 'ring trip put offs there doent seem to be much commitment on yr part for tracking, & why have a purpose built track car that sees v little use?
You can still have a v nippy road & track car- take ianb's old white one as an example, or mine pre cage & stripping, or GVks a yr ago etc etc & all were not too harsh for road & still more than fun on track & gave v stripped & focused cars a good run for their money.
A:
Or you could buy the ex-Stealth turbo car off me , as I need to get round selling it. Very comfy to drive to Germany and back, yet is still capable of sub-9 minute laps of the Ring.
A:
Or you could buy the ex-Stealth turbo car off me , as I need to get round selling it. Very comfy to drive to Germany and back, yet is still capable of sub-9 minute laps of the Ring.
A prity much standard 16v will do a sum 9 min lap, Just ask Monza Dave!!
A:
I think you will be looking at over 2k for a half decent prep'd car.
If I would to prep a valver again I would consider the following.
I'd stay 1.8 stock bottom end but with baffled sump a must. Uprated pads and fluid if 256mm brakes.
Next would be Koni dampers and Eibach springs and some uprated ARB's.
I'd put a diff in before more power.
Power wise I'd put a polished/flowed head and exhaust..but get the fuelling right for best results.Consider Warm up Reg mod.
You can get good times just from concentrating on the chassis and brakes....power is the thing IMO.
It's cheaper than going 2 litre long term. Other that why not a Civic Type R with diff and Mugen suspension....nice track package that would be reliable.
A:
Ha, now I neevr thought i would see the day that Luke would sell a car 5 mins after buying it
Havent sold it Craig, and dont particularly want to. Its a low mileage solid shell. It can be built on and perfected, either as a standard or modified car.
I think you will be looking at over 2k for a half decent prep'd car.
If I would to prep a valver again I would consider the following.
I'd stay 1.8 stock bottom end but with baffled sump a must. Uprated pads and fluid if 256mm brakes.
Next would be Koni dampers and Eibach springs and some uprated ARB's.
I'd put a diff in before more power.
Power wise I'd put a polished/flowed head and exhaust..but get the fuelling right for best results.Consider Warm up Reg mod.
You can get good times just from concentrating on the chassis and brakes....power is the thing IMO.
It's cheaper than going 2 litre long term. Other that why not a Civic Type R with diff and Mugen suspension....nice track package that would be reliable.
Thanks for the advice Ian, but i know what to do where thats concerned. However, Civic, no thanks. Wouldnt want to own a ricer.