Old School Performance?

[Camma]

What about a Fiat 1500 or a Prince Skyline GT? If you really have some coin to waste, what about a Jag Mk II 3.8?

These are all cool ideas, but in reality you would be much better off with something a lot of other guys race. A great deal of R&D work (ie money) has already been done for you. Take the Mini as an example. There is just so much info out there on how the get most most out of them it isn't funny.

Cal.

Your right Cal. Thats why the Falcon, RX2, 2002 etc are probably my best bet. Definately not the Jags, they seem to cop a hiding from the racing I have seen.

I actually saw a red Prince Skyline GT on the way home yesterday for the first time eva.

[Ben Wilson]

$100k buys you 210 very unreliable HP.

But, one of the sweetest sounds known to mankind....

[St00ge]

I know where you can get a serious twincam 1600 motor for a cortina, will be good for 220ish hp and be more than reliable for racing but yer not cheap.

But the thing is the best blocks to use for them are not the special L blocks, but a run of the mill one from a local cortina (they have thicker sideways and can be taken out more you may have to sonic test a couple of them to find a good one tho) the super dooper expensive Lotus blocks are thinner casting and crack and not worth the money or effort (you are not really looking to save every last gram like the factory boys were back in the day). This is why alot of people have problems with reliability as they think they HAVE TO use the Lotus blocks.

With the EH you want billet drums made up and find some nice twin leading drum setups from a european car of the period (under the rules you are allowed to use drums from another peiod car aslong as basic setup/diameter). Also think about having a few gearboxes spare as they usally are a consumable part from my experience with the EH

Another good car for Nb is the Mustange with a 289 v8 in it

I agree with Edo ( I have been involved with building multiple Nb and Nc cars and the running of them) that the easiest way is to buy a log booked car and perform a rebuild on it so everything is done the way you want it to be (and when people usally sell race cars they swap all the good parts out so good to check everything aswell). As mentioned before the cost to build vs selling price of race cars is very different and cheaper to buy a built one.

[Camma]

With the EH the lads used Mercedes drums for a while and found they had excellent cooling properties but lasted only one meet. They now use EH taxi drums which were a little better than the run of the mill ones. They also broke second gear on Friday during practise (rebuilt it that night and had another spare).

Once I start by either purchasing an current car or building one I may hit you up with some questions...

[edo]

Buying the race car at a meeting is always good. You find one you like, go see it in the blokes garage, see what spares etc he has & get a look at his trailer. Express interest, tell him you want to see it run in the category, turn up with a bag of money, give it to him if the car performs as described & just help him pack up his/your pit & tow it home...then you know youve got all the good bits.

[Fatboy]

Spot on, i'd want to see a car do the times and take it home - that way no bastard takes any good bits or "secrets" out of it...

I'd love a 12A bridgey RX-2, i reckon we could get at least 200 hp at the wheels out of one easily without any reliability problems at all...

[Nafe]

Definitely too many horror stories about buying a car with stated specs and then finding out it's far from what was originally advertised. I know of a car which had the LSD, the trick gears, the special head etc all removed before being passed on at sale. Dodgey mofos.

[260BC]

What edo said ^^^

On the Datsun 1600, they are a proven racer, plus there is still a lot of good stuff and knowledge available, both here and in the US. They had a very similar rear IRS to the BMW of the same era and IIRC in the US at least were more competitive, certainly now the 1600 would be cheaper to develop and maintain, plus more reliable.

There is a US book still around that very comprehensively deals with preparing the 1600, don't let their current cult status turn you off either

[Wobbler]

snip

There is a US book still around that very comprehensively deals with preparing the 1600, don't let their current cult status turn you off either

What book is that?

[260BC]

Something like How to Hotrod and Race Your Datsun, published by Steve Smith Autosports? My copy is on loan, which reminds me.................

[Captiva Fan]

Why not a BDA escort

Escorts weren't released until 1967-1968 ... too new.

[Nero]

I actually found one of those early bluebirds in Adelaide...a sss model. Was under motorcycles in a bike wreckers yard

[Mini]

Renault 10?

How about a 5 speed 1255cc Gordini. I saw a bloke roll a brand new one across the dogleg at OP. He then put the driveline in a Renault 750.
:rotflol:

[Nero]

Actually Craig Robinson at Trackside Race and Rally tyres races/rallies Isuzu bellets...there is a 2 door one too, not that expensive. Good bloke to talk to if you want his number.

[dsm2002]

On the Datsun 1600, they are a proven racer, plus there is still a lot of good stuff and knowledge available, both here and in the US. They had a very similar rear IRS to the BMW of the same era and IIRC in the US at least the BRE 510's were more competitive because of Nissan factory involvement, where BMW factory focussed on the 3.0 CSL. Certainly now the 1600 would be marginally, if at all cheaper to develop and maintain, plus no more reliable, possibly less reliable.

Fixed

... A lot of the good stuff available for 1600s such as FJ or SR20 conversions, bigger brakes, diffs, etc is not legal in historic racing. Having dabbled with both, I would not hestitate to use a 1600 in IPRA with a NA SR20 and a 2002 in Nc.