Track car/Time attack

[decrobinson1999]

Hi Everyone,

I'm looking at getting rid of my subaru (its currently a daily and track car) to buy 2 cars, one being a economical daily driver and the other being a track car that I can also enter into a few events. It is becoming an issue relying on it getting me to work now i am working on and tracking the car more and a new house move means I have more car space. I have previously owned a Z and regretted selling it since.

The Subaru is too heavy on consumables as its pretty heavy (and not the most reliable transmission or engine), and also the AWD system means nearly everything is tripled over a 2wd car as it has more of everything component wise (diffs etc...) so i'm looking at getting back into a RWD car for track.

Currently I'm torn between a few cars, mainly a nissan 350z (as I've had one previously and know they are pretty nice to drive) and an MX-5, however I would like it to be boosted.

So my main questions are:

1. Has anyone who has driven both got a decent comparison between the 2 and which will be better

2. Best year to get as a track car (preferably the most reliable)

 

3. If anyone is in TA what class do these cars generally sit in and how do they preform (I has my 350 before i starting being able to go to the track)

 

Thanks for any input

[Stutopia]

I'm sure @Ekona will have something useful to add - as well as lot of additional

 

I'd go for a clean early DE 350z if it were me. Obvs, if weight is a real consideration, they're not exactly Elises (especially next to an MX5).

[docwra]

Horsham Developments run a TT Zed in Time Attack unlimited but Im not sure Ive seen any others, for me its not a good starting platform as its heavy and the engine is difficult to make mad powerz from. 
Ive driven some boosted MX5s and they are a better bet IMO due to lower weight and more tuneability but if you actually want to win stuff Id be looking at Elises and Exiges or proper track cars. 

Without the TA side the 350Z is an excellent track car but eventually the weight and lack of power get frustrating. Ive still got a hankering after a sorted Mk1 SC MX5 though  
 

[decrobinson1999]

Yeah i havent really seen any, and agree that the TT would help, however unfortunately like the elise and exige they are all out of my price range 

 

how do boosted mx5's compare to these cars? I loved my Z when i had it but i never tracked it so couldn't comment on real performance rather than street performance, and the only mx5 i have been in was a ride round the town in a friends 

[Ekona]

There’s a running joke that it’s always a Scoob that’s the first to break down on any given track event...

 

I had a blobeye DCCD STi PPP for a few years, and took that to track days both here and abroad. I also tracked my old 350 a few times too. I used to run a mk1 MX5 as a track slag, and I’ve just done my first track day in my mk3 MX5. 
 

I get what you’re saying about the Scoob, but the easy tunability and availability of parts is incredibly tempting. You don’t say here what you’ve actually got, but there must be more to do to it to get more out of it. To get a 350 to competitive levels in TA will take a fair bit of wedge, and I’m not convinced any cheaper or more reliable at that point than doing it to a Scoob. Now an MX5 on the other hand, immense fun and cheap as chips, but TA winnable? I doubt it. @docwra has it spot on when he mentions Elises as the way to go. 
 

If it’s cheap fun you want, then hell yes a boosted MX5 will have it in spades and be comfortably better handling than either of the other too. Competitive maybe not, but you could end up with something as quick for a smaller budget, and that chassis is immense regardless of year. 
 

I don’t have any direct experience of TA, so make of that what you will in my comments. Having tracked all three cars you mention, for fun I’d be taking a stock NA MX5 over the other two for pure driving thrills any day, plus less concern to your wallet if you bin it. A boosted one would be nigh on heaven. 
 

 

 

 

 

I really want a set of ITBs for mine  

[decrobinson1999]

1 hour ago, Ekona said:

There’s a running joke that it’s always a Scoob that’s the first to break down on any given track event... 

 

I had a blobeye DCCD STi PPP for a few years, and took that to track days both here and abroad. I also tracked my old 350 a few times too. I used to run a mk1 MX5 as a track slag, and I’ve just done my first track day in my mk3 MX5. 
 

I get what you’re saying about the Scoob, but the easy tunability and availability of parts is incredibly tempting. You don’t say here what you’ve actually got, but there must be more to do to it to get more out of it. To get a 350 to competitive levels in TA will take a fair bit of wedge, and I’m not convinced any cheaper or more reliable at that point than doing it to a Scoob. Now an MX5 on the other hand, immense fun and cheap as chips, but TA winnable? I doubt it. @docwra has it spot on when he mentions Elises as the way to go. 
 

If it’s cheap fun you want, then hell yes a boosted MX5 will have it in spades and be comfortably better handling than either of the other too. Competitive maybe not, but you could end up with something as quick for a smaller budget, and that chassis is immense regardless of year. 
 

I don’t have any direct experience of TA, so make of that what you will in my comments. Having tracked all three cars you mention, for fun I’d be taking a stock NA MX5 over the other two for pure driving thrills any day, plus less concern to your wallet if you bin it. A boosted one would be nigh on heaven. 
 

 

 

 

 

I really want a set of ITBs for mine  

Unfortunately I only have an 06 wrx so between the engine and gearbox it’s always a risk to take on the track (more than most cars) and tbh now I’ll have the space I’d prefer to have 2 cars so I’m never stranded if it breaks my Scooby has basically everything that can be done to it within the restrictions of the stock components becoming even more temperamental and tbh I want to get back in a rwd car again for the track 

 

im not even sure where a turbo MX-5 would fall in time attack or a 350 either (I haven’t officially entered an event yet and am still pretty new as I haven’t felt comfortable enough with a car to take that step yet) 

 

I would imagine a 250-275bhp MX-5 would be faster and more fun than a 350 but I can’t comment as I have tracked neither, however I would imagine the MX-5 to be cheaper to run and boosting the 350 becomes extremelt expensive, I think a SC or turbo kit would be the full cost of a built MX-5 but as you said I’m unsure how competitive either a stock 350 or boosted MX-5 would be

 

in hill climb I would be looking to be placed in the road going class, but I’m unsure what the TA equivalent is? 

[Kieran O'Quick]

If you want to drive on track a lot then the mx5 makes most sense. Its so much easier to work on and parts are so cheap. 60 quid for a gearbox for example. If you get a chunky daily you could trailer the 5 easily too.

The boosted Mazda is a shade quicker than the Zed but feels much crazier and like more of an 'event' when you drive it. But I suppose you could say that about a bike or a quad.  A lot of it comes down to what you prefer. I like the feel of the big car that pulls forever and handles better than it gets credit for

[decrobinson1999]

11 hours ago, Kieran O'Quick said:

If you want to drive on track a lot then the mx5 makes most sense. Its so much easier to work on and parts are so cheap. 60 quid for a gearbox for example. If you get a chunky daily you could trailer the 5 easily too.

The boosted Mazda is a shade quicker than the Zed but feels much crazier and like more of an 'event' when you drive it. But I suppose you could say that about a bike or a quad.  A lot of it comes down to what you prefer. I like the feel of the big car that pulls forever and handles better than it gets credit for

I probably will be getting a bigger daily that could toe another car however initially will probably drive the car to the track.

 

I really liked how my Z felt, i took it round some good corners and it handles well for a completely stock car, never really driven an mx5 but i can imagine it's a pretty different feel, but i have no real preference. i'm just not sure whether either would be competitive if i was to enter a few events a year rather than just general driving. 

[decrobinson1999]

https://www.timeattack.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ClassSpecSheet.pdf

 

for reference these are the time attack general guidelines