dirty19

iTrader: (1)

facepalm

Driven

Asks for ultimate track car for $5000.
Is given the best answer.
Dismisses the idea on the grounds of "not fast enough"
Continues to be slower than Miatas.

civichb20

Lol sorry guys for giving you a hard time but we are expanding our budget and our target is a K20 swapped CRX.

dirty19

iTrader: (1)

OK... its like you are dismissing the fact that you dont need tons of HP to keep up with or pass a superior HP'd car...
As i mentioned a few times... superior drivers will chase down those cars in cars with less hp, and pass them.
Its the driver.
If they dont yet posess those skills they need more seat time!
HP doesnt hurt... but the obsession with the need to have it because of one car you saw chase them down.... again the driver did that not the car.
If you cant catch them in a 150hp car what makes you think the extra hp will do the trick?
Ive seen many cars near bone stock hunt, chase, and easilly pass those monster cars.

More facepalm.

civichb20

LOL I am not trying to dismiss the Horsepower but you have to admit if wont hurt lol.

What if I said this guys is the best driver ever and we want a car that will exceed or at least match his skill set what would say then?

NO MORE FACEPALM PLEASE LOL I love Hond-Tech your killing me lol we are just trying to get the light chassis and the fastest motor possible that is all.

dirty19

iTrader: (1)

How about this.... go back and find that guy with the CRX.. find out what he did to build the car.
Build one, similar but know you wont build it for 5K.
Then hit the track and see what you can do with it.
If you cant catch the super cars then go back and figure out what you are doing wrong with your driving.

no more palmfacing!

civichb20

LOL sounds like a plan we were doing before thinking lol.

RKSskier

The biggest things you could do to beat faster cars IMO would be improve as a driver, and get good sticky tires, and then better suspension and more power. I'm cheap, and a big fan of driving books to make my car get around faster. Autocross, autocross schools and instruction at autocross and track days can't hurt. Riding with faster drivers or having a faster driver drive your car could be good too. I mean power is good too, just it isn't always the reason why someone is faster. These are just my thoughts though so take it for what it's worth.

SlowB16

Well said.

SlowB16

I think you need to budget at least $10k if you want something that can have any chance of hanging with a vette or other similar cars. $5k can get you a used track/race car but it probably won't have a 200hp motor.

What you might consider doing is finding something that has already been prepped with suspension and brakes and then do an h2b motor swap. H2b is your best bang for the buck if you want 200hp.

civichb20

Ok quick update we end up spending $7k on a 1988 Honda CRX HF with a K20 with 215hp. I will keep you guys posted and see if the skills of driver are enough only time will tell but I think we got a good weight to power ratio to start with lol.

davegt27

Congrats on your new to you CRX

Don’t worry too much about the superior driver jazz I have several FTOD/TTOD and driver of the year and I can tell you speed will come

Just make sure it’s mechanically sound and go out and have fun


Davegt27

civichb20

Thanks Davegt27 we plan to do a lot from track days to rally crosses to get as much seat time as possible this year.

0.o slow 1.6

http://socal.drivenasa.com/2014/03/5...-launches.html

civichb20

LOL you see I was on to something LOL thanks slow 1.6 this looking interesting we should start are new post and see what other think.

scottdh20

buy a good condision stock civic that runs and drives well. replace all the bushings, tie rods and ball joints. get decent set of tires, some better brake pads, koni/gc setup and bleed the brakes and replace with dot 4.

drive, drive, drive....when you can out drive the setup address that area. if its power, slowly add power, if its handling play with sway bars, etc....

I wish I was going about it this way...I will be completely honest. im taking my drag car and modding it to turn...just added brake upgrades, fluids, suspension work, bushings... and i turned the boost waaaaaaaay down(~15psi around 300whp)....its almost to much car to handle for a beginner. im also on a r-compound just to hook up traction, which isn't the best idea for a beginner as it will hide a lot of my mistake and therefore cant learn from them ...no to mention I cant wot 90% of the track, its a lot of playing with the gas pedal and modulating power output.

that and the slow way helps you learn the car, every car turns different and hopping into a unknown "ultimate" setup may lead to disaster.

maxogsr

The best way to built a 5k race car is to let somebody else built it for you! Just buy the built of somebody else for 5000$!

rallyrcr

**Update**

So I just wanted to say thanks to everyone here who spent time to chime in. I was hesitant about my friend Charles starting it, but I was pleasantly surprised that flames were kept to a minimum and that some truly genuine people with great advice took part. I read everything and all the advice did play into the decision I made.

In the end, I chose to purchase rather than build. I've been there too many times myself where I've purchased a old horse that I was going to turn into a thorough bred where shortly after time and money run short, and the car (and you) go no where.

I bought a pretty good deal. For $7k, its a complete car with an excellent K20Z3. I can tell you for sure that the car can be run hard with absolutely no reliability issues. It made a 400 mile run in 110 degree desert heat its first day at sustained triple digit speeds on the open highway with no issues whatsoever (other than not having AC in 110 degree heat). I put a total of a 1000 miles over its first weekend and have no complaints. The engine work is as clean as the pictures below show. I couldn't have asked for a more well taken care of project car. The owner did love her and I truly felt for the guy letting her go. I assured him she would be well cared for and will be run like she was meant for.

Original For Sale Ad
http://www.k20a.org/forum/showthread.php?t=141434


Photos






**To answer some of the responses people had**

I agree completely. I have had more than my failed share of project failures. I did go over budget by a couple thousand, but in the end I paid for what is an extremely clean build. There are a lot of really ratty Hondas for sale out there.


It is definitely mechanically sound. The motor will run up and down from 130 to 60 then back again with no issues repeating again and again. It has an oversize radiator and is unflappable even in triple digit heat.

My track experience is extensive. I won't say I'm great, only podiums and real racing can speak to that. I will say that I am very competent, but always still have much to learn. I am an SCCA, NASA license holder and have competed in Club Rally, Time Trials, and kart competitions. I've run east coast and west coast tracks to include Laguna Seca, Watkins Glen, Spring Mountain, Willow Springs, Button Willow and others. I'm driving a Lemons car this year as well for a team in Seattle (not the CRX). I'm also competing for points in a shifter kart series.

I can promise you I can and will be catching those too expensive wastes of money sooner than later. I'm highly disappointed in my own BMW 335 and have developed a bad taste for how much these luxury sports cars cost to run/fix/upgrade. I started out with low buck cars, and I'm happy to be returning to where I began. I'll post up some videos after the car has been re-inforced for the track. The previous owner enjoyed this CRX as a cruiser so while the engine is built and ready, the remainder of the car is mostly stock and not ready for on track stresses.

I had considered something of that type. I very much love the idea of the Atom, Super7, or even an Exige. This CRX fit my goals much better in that I never intended to trailer it. I live in the Pacific NW now and rain/inclement-weather are the norm so a exo-chassis vehicle is not so rain friendly. There's also the cost. Even an Exocet would cost upwards to $20k min for a decent build let alone $50-60k for an Atom. That extra cost would save me a 2-400lbs, but at a greater cost. I just want to drive and the more money I put into the car means the less money I have for track fees, gas and tires. Lastly, those other cars also would not have the support the Honda community has for technical information and availability of OEM and aftermarket parts.

For a $7k car that is cheap to operate, and upgrade, I do consider the CRX an ultimate budget track car. It's extremely capable. With the right mix of parts and driver ability, its extreme light weight will allow it to catch much more costly machines. For example, look at this all motor CRX harassing some cars it has no business keeping up with. The car I purchased is just about at the power level of the CRX on that video.

spcr69

Wow bad *** crx

rallyrcr

Thanks!! I'm happy with her. All the true thanks goes to Matt Montgomery who built the car. He did an excellent job.

davegt27

I would also say don't be a dick on the track

I stopped the vid a 3min

Use good judgment and don't try to out brake a Porsche ha ha

The way that CRX was driving it won’t take too long before they say ok no 4 Cyl cars or they put them in their own class


Davegt27

rallyrcr

I agree completely. There's a wide margin between aggressive and inappropriate. I'd like to believe I've grown mature enough to know the difference.

In the video you'll see that it's speaks much more to highlight the CRX's capability than the driver's. As far as contesting a braking zone, look closely and you'll see that if the driver chose better angles of attack on corner entry and if his line selection were cleaner it would have been possible to make many passes he wasn't able to take advantage of. The lightness of the CRX allows it's brakes to be quite a formidable tool. The CRX was a IMSA, NASA, and SCCA road race champion due in great part to its ability to out brake heavier competitors.

The Legacy of the Honda CRX, Honda Tuning
http://www.hondatuningmagazine.com/f...da_crx_legacy/

maxogsr

I m happy I could help! Have fun with you new toy! And don t forget to give it a hug

Matt_EH3

I am sure you will enjoy it. I keep on telling people exactly that: yes, I only drive a Civic on the track, but I that way, I am not spending ridiculous amounts of money just to keep it in healthy condition and I have the same amount of fun, if not more.

mattbatson

7 grand is a little more like it...I think most here knew you would struggle to find something for 5 k that fit your list of wants.

Now, one other thing to consider....

if you run that pacific raceways track... at the speeds that the crx you bought can attain...you really need a cage
and while your at it, a good seat and hans device.

trees are the worst when it comes to crashing cars, and people get really hurt even with cages in the car, and sometimes die with no cage.

sorry to say, cause I know you are 2k over budget already...but you need to spend another couple grand or so to make it safe.

I also didnt notice what kind of brakes that car came with?

edit...from reading the original ad, and seeing the suspension on the car, I"m going to assume that you have stock sized brakes.

just remember you are now making twice the hp that honda designed that brake system for...

and you may end up spending a bit on upgrading to a more competent suspension.