Retro track day car ideas?

If you could push it out a few years to 1986/87 I'd say a mk1 mr2 is pretty hard to beat as a cheap retro track toy.

Metro?

Now there is the A series turbo to stay OE, K series to add a light weight revvy with a VVC should be interesting, or if you you decide that isn't enough T series should just about make it swift.

RWD BMW 3 series, or like the MR2 the Fiat X19 or TR7

I was going to suggest a Metro too, as a veteran Metro'ist

However pre-1984 turbos are more than £1000 and that wont be a particularly great one at that either.

You could get a mk1 and look at an engine swap, however the K-series into the A-series shell is quite a job and literally only just fits. A-series shells are totally different from the bulkhead forward. You have to create your own subframe and mountings just to start off.

I track day VVC Rover Metro's and they are plenty quick, but can just about get a fairly well sorted one on the road for £1000.

I recommend you do build something that handles tho, as fun as a car might be wobbling around the track, i think that will quickly become boring and you'll want to go faster... its the nature of track days!

Pick a make/model that has already been commonly used on track as a track day car or single make race series in it's past as this will mean that many good upgrade parts are still avlaiable and easily sourced.

So I'm thinking

E30 BMW or Porka 924/944 for RWD preferences

Early Pug 205, Metro or similar for FWD preferences

I do like the Scimitar option as I reckon that would be both light and fun but again probably less off the shelf stuff out there for it

What I wouldn't advise doing is picking a car that isn't commonly seen on track days and has no easily avaliable upgrade parts as it'll make life difficult and bloody expensive and at the end of the day most thinks will still be quicker round a track unless you get lucky or have deep pockets.

Guess what I did!!!

It also makes a lot of difference if you are going to run it as both road and track car - I'm guessing you are probably going down the shared car for track use only route?

Oh and it's a heck of a lot cheaper to buy one which has already had a lot of work done and upgrades carried out than it is to buy parts and upgrade yourself so search ebay and PH classifieds for ready to go options

Cheers for the input everyone , I've not seen a bad idea yet I've always leaned more towards rwd but I forgot about the metro, a mate had a few back.in the day and they were a lot of fun.

Turbo volvo 740? RWD, cheap to buy, tough enough not break very often, handling iffy but you said it wasnt important and easy to turn the boost up and fit a LSD so it go plenty fast on the straight bits and slidey round the bendy bits.

Dolly is a good suggestion, but you will need to throw quite a bit of cash at the suspension/steering to get it as more of a track day racer rather than a comfy cruiser .

I would go with the 944. As long as it is a pre 1985 model (with the square dash) they are not too expensive to maintain. The pricey bits for them are the engine (a cambelt(s) and pulley swap in parts alone will be £80 alone), radiator (£50 secondhand or £200 new from ECP) and a clutch swap (this may need doing to most 944s now if they are on their original clutch (original was a rubber centred clutch where the rubber now tends to break away leady to a driveline shunt/vibration when engaging the clutch when warm (£500 for the clutch alone, and about the same to fit it unless you have a ramp to do the job yourself).

On that note I still do miss the 944 (I had an S2 .

Nissan S12 Turbo? Probably right on the limit of your dates though.

Bstardchild has a point. Buying a car with the mods does make life cheaper. I bought my Triumph Spitfire complete with all the poly bushes and Spax dampers et. al from the off. To buy a solid Spitfire in the first place and put these on would have cost me much more (it did with a previous MGB I had!). Just choose wisely .

While trawling ebay, came across this: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1983-PORSCHE-924-BRONZE-924-TURBO-ALLOYS-PRIVATE-PLATE-/221117232549?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item337b9d35a5

924 Turbo, £600 BIN

Whoops, in my defence ive just gone through 1900 classics for sale on ebay. Turbo alloys have to be be good for at least 10bhp though

Spotted this to, mk2 Cav Sri, needing some work: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1983-VAUXHALL-CAVALIER-SR-I-RED-/150894396872?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item232201c5c8

An actual 924 turbo, www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1980-PORSCHE-924-TURBO-924TURBO-SERIES-1-SILVER-BLUE-SPARES-OR-REPAIR-/221117733132?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item337ba4d90c