Hey Catch22, A long while back, didn't you post a build spreadsheet on your ITC car? Just curious if you can post it up again.

 

Search function is j00r friend:

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=679722

 

I never saw a detailed breakdown, just this thread.

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=679722

 

Jeff = slow!

 

I had posted a spreadsheet of the buildup of my H4 car. It is there.

It is slightly out of date, but nothing earth-shattering.

hth.

 

I never actually did a build sheet, but I could if there is actual interest.

Want one?

 

i would like to see one for obvious reasons.

 

Thats a very good cage in your Civic. It looks like a very good H4 car.

 

I'll save myself some time and just say "Use SJRs build sheet but delete the following items:"

- Rear Camber Bushings (300)
- Rear lower tie bar (90)
- Brake ducting stuff (185)
- Stainless lines (just use fresh OEM rubber ones) (125)
- Pimpy 2 row radiator (just use an Si unit, mine came from a wreck) (125)
- Oil Cooler stuff (345)
- Injector balance (115)
- PM6 ECU (135)
- Aluminum Catch can (I use the wiper fluid container) (75)
- Race clutch (not enough HP to matter) (315)
- Fidanza Flywheel (eeellleeegul in ITC) (230)
- ***** and pedal covers (pimpy trim items? Bah.) (96)

Call it a nice round $12500 for a fully prepped, potential to win the ARRC, front running ITC car.
You can cut a few more things off (the LSD and FD to mention a couple) and still have a decent, fun, capable car for under $10K. If anyone is TRULY interested in building one of these just IM me and I'll share some cheapo modifications.

And don't forget the big kicker for ITC budgeting... Consumables.
Brake and tire wear are almost nothing. Spares range from free to dirt cheap.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Catch 22 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

And don't forget the big kicker for ITC budgeting... Consumables.
Brake and tire wear are almost nothing. Spares range from free to dirt cheap.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

You guys have brakes? I just thought you stuck you hand out into the airstream to slow down...

Seriously, ITC should be known as ITV class with "V" designating value...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ITAcelica &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Thats a very good cage in your Civic. It looks like a very good H4 car.</TD></TR></TABLE>

thanks, that's a Walt Puckett cage (metalworker on this board) - and time will tell how good the car will be, that and how good the driver is...

 

Thanks, all. I'm trying to go with the thoughts that Scott posted in the thread mentioned by El Pollo. Figuring all the costs I put out for an autocross weekend or even working a corner, I could dollars to donughts afford to go w2w racing for 5-6 events a year (probably not to the Runoffs, but locally).

However, the cost of entry is the main barrier for me. I put together a rough estimate of things needed, including buying a mid to front running ITC car and it comes to roughly $17K! Breakdown looks like this:

Personal Safety Equipment $2000
Race Car Purchase $9000
Well worn tow vehicle $5000
Open Trailer $1500

That doesn't include first year entry fees and consumables.

Currently own a mildly STS prepped 1998 GSR. Worth maybe $9K. Maybe $10K if I were to put it back to stock and individually sell the parts.

I could sell the GSR and buy a newer truck to daily drive, but what fun is a truck when you put 20K miles a year on a car?

So, Scott, I like the idea, and agree with it if the cost of entry into both autocross/HPDE and w2w was the same. Then entry fees and expenses become a wash. But I'm having trouble getting by the barrier just to play.

While there are ways to cut corners, it's not how I like to do things. I know a tow dolly will work, but I don't like to spend twice when I know I'll want a regular trailer in the near future. I know I could also buy a ITC eligible stock car for $2K and spend another $2K on a cage and be out on track, it's still only doing it half-assed. And, I'm really all for taking most people's advice on this board about buying vs. building. I could also buy a cheaper suit than an OMP, but I'm looking at it as an investment, not something to dispose of in two years because it's uncomfortable.

Any more thoughts?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Shmeek &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Any more thoughts?</TD></TR></TABLE>

buy a showroom stock car (or put the cage and harnesses in your stock gsr) and race. you can legally drive it on the street, and if the worst happens, you can always have it towed from the track.

one of my best buddies bought a 91 mazda protege SSC car after it turned 6 years old, and had a blast running it for many years. we are now finally actually wrenching on it, making it into an ITA/PS-2/ST-2 car.

it was rock solid reliable, if a bit slow. and really fun to drive. and total investment, with tons of spares, was around $4k or so.

showroom stock is good $$$wise for a few reasons: very few mods are allowed (back then, none other than brakes and tires were allowed. no trunk kits!). stock cars tend not to break down very much, especially the lower powered variants like SSC. when we pulled the motor for the IT rebuild, it had at least 40k+ track miles on it. with no other service than oil changes. and running perfectly. just couldn't get above 100 mph at Summit anymore

consider showroom stock; both NASA and EMRA have places for older SS cars. and as an added benefit, many SSC cars are great enduro mobiles. they just keep going around and around and around and........

good luck!

 

How old are you?
I used to hate the idea of driving a truck around town. Now, at 35, I hate the idea of driving a loud, hot, kidney busting Integra around town. I now love daily driving my big, soft, air conditioned, and auto tranny'd truck.

Lower that personal safety equipment number to $1000. You can get a great suit, helmet, shoes and gloves for that. Trust me, you'll be cursing the day you bought that $1000 OMP suit when youre on your knees in the mud hooking up a tow strap or laying under the car in a puddle of oil during an enduro pit stop.
My personal stuff (rounded numbers);
Bell Helmet (SA2000) - $350
Sparco Suit - $375
Simpson Shoes/Gloves - $150
Socks/Balaclava - $50
Total - $900ish
If you want a HANS or ISSAC that number obviously rises a good bit.

And you *can* build an 88-91 ITC Civic for around $6000. This gets you on track in a safe, moderately reliable car. You can then gradually build upon that over a couple or three years. IM me for the recipe.

My only point in the original post is that I DO know quite a few people who spend more money to autocross and HPDE than I do to race. Inevitably these folks always say stuff like "I'd like to race but can't afford to."
BS.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Shmeek &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Race Car Purchase $9000</TD></TR></TABLE>

You can probably find for quite a bit less than that - $5000 maybe. It won't have a fresh engine. And will probably need some body work. But, unless you as a driver can run up front, no need to buy a car that can do so.

Take Scott for example. He bought an ITC Civic. Although he bought a suitable ITC car, he's done quite a bit of rework - most of which is typical of any car (even if it is a front-runner). The only thing he had to do that was not typical was swapping shells (VIN on first shell was actually a DX, not a base model).

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Well worn tow vehicle $5000</TD></TR></TABLE>

Sounds about right.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Open Trailer $1500</TD></TR></TABLE>

Can be had for less (but not much less, maybe $1200)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I could sell the GSR and buy a newer truck to daily drive, but what fun is a truck when you put 20K miles a year on a car?</TD></TR></TABLE>

1996 Chevrolet Caprice 9C1 (same as Impala SS, minus lowered suspension and leather interior). Or, get the same year Buick RoadMaster - ugly as sin, but doubles as a camper.

Or a first gen Lightning. Or a older Dodge Ram Cummins and add exhaust/chip.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bulldog_RS20 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

You guys have brakes?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yes, but only because the rules don't allow us to remove them .

 

do you have this sheet in excell or anything?? this is a great tool for our shop on prep and expenses related to each race, etc. it would be great to be able to input figures. thanks

~Jay

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Catch 22 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">How old are you?
I used to hate the idea of driving a truck around town. Now, at 35, I hate the idea of driving a loud, hot, kidney busting Integra around town. I now love daily driving my big, soft, air conditioned, and auto tranny'd truck.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

29. I do hate taking longer trips in my integra for all the reasons you mentioned, so we take my wife's comfy scooby wagon. It's my daily 20 minute commute to work, driving around town, etc. that the truck doesn't interest me and the annoyances of the Integra don't bother me. I could probably get used to it though.

As for other expenses, I was looking at the OMP suites on curperiermotorsports.com. $650ish. Add underwear, balaclava, Bell M2 helmet, gloves and shoes, and that's what I came up with.


http://schmiechen.com/goracingbudget.html

Above is my figure on expenses, mostly driver safety gear. I only looked at two sources for getting prices, Curpiermotorsports.com and Pegasus Autoracing. It allowed me to compare some of the "ritzy" brands (OMP, Sparco) against club racer brands to get a rough cost. Surprisingly, the OMP stuff was cheapest. If prices can be had cheaper, let me know. I'd consider a cheaper Sparco suit as long as it offers the same protection and comfort.

The ideas of running an SS car is interesting. Our orgainzation allows cars to remain in SS well past the age that SCCA does. However, the costs of running the GSR in SS would be high, too much, actually, as Scott found out. Fortunately, you guys did catch me early enough that I only have sunk money into an autocross car and not fortunes into a higher powered race car that requires more and more money just on consumables.