i know a lot of people are building them, but i seem to be talking to increasing amounts of people who are building them having never driven on a track is it just me that has noticed this?
And...? You've got to learn somehow - what you gonna do - get a seat in a touring car ? Its the best, cheapest and arguably safest way to learn.
All depends what you mean by 'building them' Tim - If someones just got a Westie XTR kit with carbon shell to build as a first time track car, that would be a bit 'daft' IMO Do you mean people are building dedicated track cars without having done track days in their 'normal' daily driver?
I think he's meaning people are asking what parts to fit and what setups to use, without having any real experience on how they like a car to handle on the limit. I personally havnt done any track days, but Orkney is pretty much my own private race track anyway, so i dont count!
Not quite sure what your point is, but I'm one of them! Only a Mk2, and I'm not chucking any stupid money at it - just got it so I could have a bit of fun without wrecking my Mk3 VR. Are you thinking that even someone doing what I'm doing is possibly wasting money because I might not take to track days?
I'm also builing a track car having never done an actual track day. I realise that you can't drive fast on the roads without fear of loosing your licence or crashing etc. In my youth (lisen to me, I'm 21 )I used to drive flat out every where with no regards to other road users or my own safety. But having grown up some what I've decided to build a "budget" Mk2 and do a good few track days and 1/4 mile sprints next year. If I like it I'll spend more cash on it next winter and have even more fun in 2005. If I don't like it I'll brake it and cut my losses. My budgets 1000 by the way, so far 450 on an ABF. So that leaves 550 for a solid mk2, brakes and suspension, seems optimistic I know! Ian. Edited by: Ian_S
Well net year i should be starting work on the Tub's dedicated track car... but i think i know a little more than most (not more than all) about car setups and driving them....
I think Rallye might be talking more about people using mk1's & mk2's then stripping them out and using them as track day cars. I'd love to get a mk1 and strip it out and use it on a track day, espically after seeing GVK vids. It looks great fun......so long as you don't stack it into the barrier. But I don't have the space [:^(] yet
I would love to have a g40 track car but the parents wouldnt be too happy with me taking up more room on the drive [:^(] Never been on a track and dont intend on taking the polo on one thats for sure though.
yeah that is it I know people with decent cars with a few choise tweaks, but they are on about getting a second 'track' car. I can only see the sence in that if you have been tracking your car regulary and NEED to have a second track car. Take my old man for example, he has recently tracked his M5 and plans to do it again. Once it becomes to expensive tyres/brakes wise to cain a 1750kg uber wagon then maybe a racer could be in order. but only after he has honed his skills in the BM.
i'd start with the suspension and brakes....much more important than power. get a 16v to start with, keep the engine standard at first and spend serious money on shocks, arb's, brakes...do the engine later.
I,ve got a mk1 gti that i've has for ages, i've stripped the interior out and put couple of bucket seats in it and i'm going to have a bash at a track day in it. If i'm poo on the track or dont like it as much as i think i will, so f**kin what? You only live once and if you want to try something you should, no questions asked. I could fit the trim back in it in a couple of hours and flog it whenever i wanted, and sell the bucket seats on for a profit. I wouldnt want to go round a track in my mk2 for the fear of wrapping it up (or being embarrased by those 2.0 16v mk2 buggers!!)
I got my mk2 for a couple of hundred, put big brakes on it and tracked it. I liked it and decided to keep spending, actually I didn't decided to it just kind of happened! However, other side of the coin, if I'd got it completely wrong and totaled it, I'd have been less than 500 down, if I'd have done the same to the mk4 I'd have been well over 10,000 down that was my reasoning. Also I ask questions because I'm lazy. It's far easier to ask than to find out for yourself , especially with all the knowledgable people on here.
That's just this forum all over. it's full of people talking about stuff they know nothing about.....
Sorry guys, must of misread the section in the rules that says you have to be michael schumacher before you can chuck a 500 car round a track. Add tyres, pads, petrol and insurance together, plus the risk of stuffing it, suddenly it makes sense to run a 500 car for track, especially if you have to drive your car to work on Monday. Were you two born with all your knowledge or did you learn it?
Well i thought seing as i'm going on the track i'd better buy some damn expensive coilovers, they cost me over 1000 but i should corner a bit better. testicles, its got one of the cheap 200 shock and spring kits (g-max i think) -40mm or something. It was brand new on the car when i bought it for next to nothing, its even got a recon 1.8 8v in it.
Here it is i thought i'd better put an F1 kit on it to increase downforce and not embarras myself driving a poo car on track.
