• Registered: 2017-09-12
  • Posts: 11

Topic: Most Overused Car Choice?

Hey guys, I'm new here and i'm currently perusing the inter-webs trying to find that right car to start building with my buddy. I was originally looking at BMWs because there's just a ton of them and I have a good deal of experience working on them and autocrossing several E36's but it seems as though people say that BMWs are a little too typical at these races so I'm curious if they are, is it just certain years/models?

Also, i'm curious as to what other cars are a dime a dozen... I do want something that is VERY fun and reliable to race in however I also want it to be different... i have a great theme in mind that so far i haven't seen on the "overused themes" page that I did read through so I'm stoked about that but i just want to have a car that everyone says "OK, he tried.... he still came in last but that's a neat car."

The list below is potentials for the build.

Subaru Outback / Legacy
Toyota Solara / Corrola / Celica
Dodge Stealth or Mitsu 3000GT (I owned a 3000gt for 5 years and never raced it... always wanted another one)
Saab 9-3
VW Rabbit / GTI / Golf... any diesel VW...
Ford Tempo
Volvo anything that runs and is AWD

  • From: Cleveland, OH
  • Registered: 2011-09-03
  • Posts: 2,227

Re: Most Overused Car Choice?

Avoid:

  • Miatas
    E30's
    E36's
    "Cameros"/FireBirds
    Mustangs with more than 4 cylinders
    RX7's unless you hate your eardrums
    Porsche 944's
    Anything else that regularly wins in Chump, AER, or WRL (AKA cheaty cars)

Outback/Legacies seem to have Head gasket woes in endurance environments.
Solara/Celica is a solid B class middle of the road choice with a fun theme.
Corrola are good solid Lemons stock but beware of under cooling due to being cheap cars.
Stealth/3000GT are always fun to see on track, tragically slow for their looks, but can be tricky to cage right due to the low roof.
SAAB is always the right answer to a question nobody asked.
Diesel VW will get you more love.
Tempo are great terrible cars for Lemons depending on Engine etc...
Volvo 240 based cars are the winningest A class cars. They take a bit to get sorted, but if they don't go full basketcase they get properly competitive.

Personally I'd go Tempo or Corrola for just go racing, Stealth if you wanna LOOK fast, and Volvo if you're in it for the long haul to class A DOMINATION!

Mistake By The Lake Racing (MBTL)
88 Thunderbird "THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO!", Ex Astris, Rubigo / Semper Fracti
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  • Registered: 2011-10-14
  • Posts: 4,167

Re: Most Overused Car Choice?

Even though we are always chasing IoE's more than class wins (though we are still chasing class C) I would say for your first car...get what you feel comfortable with, think you can work on and has great parts availability at the PnP.  Theme the crap out of it and have fun.

You mentioned Saab 9-3 but not ecotec Cavaliers or early Cobalts/Ions
Tempos are tragic but not hopeless but the Escort ZX2 and Focus are doing well and LITTER the junkyards
Neons do pretty well
I think the first gen FWD Volvo's are poised for greatness (850/V/S70 pre-2001) with the right team but only with the manual
All small pickups...really want to see a Dakota with one of the less tragic engines

Again, Focus on forming a team.  Keeping a team all the way to the first race.  Making a car that will pass tech.  Making a car that will be reliable.  Great theme.

After all that is accomplished, start thinking about being competitive.

Make it stop and turn better
Make you pit times shorter and your stints longer
After you have that down...think about being "faster"

And all of the above is useless if you get black flags so again, it is more about the team than the car.  Cars are "easy" by comparison to forming, keeping and managing a team of folks that can pay, show up, wrench and drive clean.

  • From: Life's great in 21158
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 3,361

Re: Most Overused Car Choice?

AWD Volvos tend to munch various bits of the AWD system.  Stick with a brick- they tend to do pretty well. 

Any non-Mustang Fox body car would be a fun and welcome choice.  Particularly a wagon.

Tiny, low-powered FWD cars do well, too.  I rented a ride in a mostly-stock Nissan Sentra and it was more fun than it had a right to be.  Consumables were laughably cheap and the car in question had over 200,000 miles, beat on mercilessly, and ran perfectly.

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  • From: Brookeville, Md.
  • Registered: 2013-12-09
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Re: Most Overused Car Choice?

Guildenstern wrote:

Avoid:

  • Miatas
    E30's
    E36's
    "Cameros"/FireBirds
    Mustangs with more than 4 cylinders
    RX7's unless you hate your eardrums
    Porsche 944's
    Anything else that regularly wins in Chump, AER, or WRL (AKA cheaty cars)

Outback/Legacies seem to have Head gasket woes in endurance environments.
Solara/Celica is a solid B class middle of the road choice with a fun theme.
Corrola are good solid Lemons stock but beware of under cooling due to being cheap cars.
Stealth/3000GT are always fun to see on track, tragically slow for their looks, but can be tricky to cage right due to the low roof.
SAAB is always the right answer to a question nobody asked.
Diesel VW will get you more love.
Tempo are great terrible cars for Lemons depending on Engine etc...
Volvo 240 based cars are the winningest A class cars. They take a bit to get sorted, but if they don't go full basketcase they get properly competitive.

Personally I'd go Tempo or Corrola for just go racing, Stealth if you wanna LOOK fast, and Volvo if you're in it for the long haul to class A DOMINATION!

what's wrong with camaros and firebirds? Not too many of those. I'd like to see a CTS, maybe some old school iron like a 72 RR, on the cheap I'd say anything GM for 70 to late 80's. F/G-body especially. Our 305 powered 84 T/A ran 1:41 at NJMP's  Thunderbolt. (practice)
http://i64.tinypic.com/jslr2x.jpg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpZHzZYXhJQ

"get up and get your grandma outta here"

6 Reply by fleming95 (edited by fleming95 2017-09-14 10:09 AM)

  • Registered: 2009-06-10
  • Posts: 558

Re: Most Overused Car Choice?

Jaguar (or jaugar if a camero is your other ride) is _always_ the answer.

Now, I'd rather been seen in an XJ6, because you just won't get the same attention in this, but:

https//sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/cto/d/2 … 85991.html

"2002 jaguar stype - $1200 - manual transmission -

This car runs really good! I have no problems with it the only bad thing is that it carries a salvage title, the other thing is that the plates are about 350$ To get it registered. . . "

<edit>

One step further, how about an AWD Jaguar?  Go for it!

  • From: Tustin, CA
  • Registered: 2010-12-30
  • Posts: 3,275

Re: Most Overused Car Choice?

fleming95 wrote:

Jaguar (or jaugar if a camero is your other ride) is _always_ the answer.

Now, I'd rather been seen in an XJ6, because you just won't get the same attention in this, but:

https//sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/cto/d/2 … 85991.html

"2002 jaguar stype - $1200 - manual transmission -

This car runs really good! I have no problems with it the only bad thing is that it carries a salvage title, the other thing is that the plates are about 350$ To get it registered. . . "

<edit>

One step further, how about an AWD Jaguar?  Go for it!

I got excited there for a minute, a cheap manual s-type is a swappers dream.  Duratec V6 with manual trans in a north/south configuration for RWD.  But alas, this car is an manual trans x-type (transverse).  There have been two AWD x-types in Lemons, the one on the east coast and the one the Misfits wadded up earlier at Sonoma.  However, no one has done an s-type yet.  So here's your baby.  Plus this one has the Jag V8 which Phil has been wanting to see.  https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/cto/d/ … 01767.html

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  • Registered: 2013-08-12
  • Posts: 563

Re: Most Overused Car Choice?

OnkelUdo wrote:

Even though we are always chasing IoE's more than class wins (though we are still chasing class C) I would say for your first car...get what you feel comfortable with, think you can work on and has great parts availability at the PnP.  Theme the crap out of it and have fun.

You mentioned Saab 9-3 but not ecotec Cavaliers or early Cobalts/Ions
Tempos are tragic but not hopeless but the Escort ZX2 and Focus are doing well and LITTER the junkyards
Neons do pretty well
I think the first gen FWD Volvo's are poised for greatness (850/V/S70 pre-2001) with the right team but only with the manual
All small pickups...really want to see a Dakota with one of the less tragic engines

Again, Focus on forming a team.  Keeping a team all the way to the first race.  Making a car that will pass tech.  Making a car that will be reliable.  Great theme.

After all that is accomplished, start thinking about being competitive.

Make it stop and turn better
Make you pit times shorter and your stints longer
After you have that down...think about being "faster"

And all of the above is useless if you get black flags so again, it is more about the team than the car.  Cars are "easy" by comparison to forming, keeping and managing a team of folks that can pay, show up, wrench and drive clean.

Yes, team first. Watch today's wrap up video on the 24 hours of Lemons YouTube channel. A stock Prius finished 11th due only to team organization.

  • From: Portlandia
  • Registered: 2014-08-08
  • Posts: 1,035

Re: Most Overused Car Choice?

JAGUAR IS ALWAYS THE ANSWER!

'18 PNW-Organizer's Choice '17 PNW-IOE '15 PNW-Judge's Choice '14 PNW-Heroic Fix
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  • From: Sacramento, California
  • Registered: 2012-08-02
  • Posts: 354

Re: Most Overused Car Choice?

I would suggest you pick a clear IOE winner, and this is one I had my eye one.

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/cto/d/ … 52789.html

Peugeot diesel

  • From: Cleveland, OH
  • Registered: 2011-09-03
  • Posts: 2,227

Re: Most Overused Car Choice?

Mr.Yuck wrote:
Guildenstern wrote:

Avoid:

  • Miatas
    E30's
    E36's
    "Cameros"/FireBirds
    Mustangs with more than 4 cylinders
    RX7's unless you hate your eardrums
    Porsche 944's
    Anything else that regularly wins in Chump, AER, or WRL (AKA cheaty cars)

Outback/Legacies seem to have Head gasket woes in endurance environments.
Solara/Celica is a solid B class middle of the road choice with a fun theme.
Corrola are good solid Lemons stock but beware of under cooling due to being cheap cars.
Stealth/3000GT are always fun to see on track, tragically slow for their looks, but can be tricky to cage right due to the low roof.
SAAB is always the right answer to a question nobody asked.
Diesel VW will get you more love.
Tempo are great terrible cars for Lemons depending on Engine etc...
Volvo 240 based cars are the winningest A class cars. They take a bit to get sorted, but if they don't go full basketcase they get properly competitive.

Personally I'd go Tempo or Corrola for just go racing, Stealth if you wanna LOOK fast, and Volvo if you're in it for the long haul to class A DOMINATION!

what's wrong with camaros and firebirds? Not too many of those. I'd like to see a CTS, maybe some old school iron like a 72 RR, on the cheap I'd say anything GM for 70 to late 80's. F/G-body especially. Our 305 powered 84 T/A ran 1:41 at NJMP's  Thunderbolt. (practice)
http://i64.tinypic.com/jslr2x.jpg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpZHzZYXhJQ

Plenty of those, They are starting to get forced to re-body because they're overkill Lemons cars.

Mistake By The Lake Racing (MBTL)
88 Thunderbird "THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO!", Ex Astris, Rubigo / Semper Fracti
A&D: 2014 Sebrings at Sebring (NSF), 2014 NJMP2 Jurassic Park (SpeedyCop), 2012 Summit Point J30 (PiNuts)
2018 Route Sucky-Suck Rally Miata, 2019 World Tour Of Texas 64 Newport

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  • From: Brookeville, Md.
  • Registered: 2013-12-09
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Re: Most Overused Car Choice?

Guildenstern wrote:
Mr.Yuck wrote:
Guildenstern wrote:

Avoid:

  • Miatas
    E30's
    E36's
    "Cameros"/FireBirds
    Mustangs with more than 4 cylinders
    RX7's unless you hate your eardrums
    Porsche 944's
    Anything else that regularly wins in Chump, AER, or WRL (AKA cheaty cars)

Outback/Legacies seem to have Head gasket woes in endurance environments.
Solara/Celica is a solid B class middle of the road choice with a fun theme.
Corrola are good solid Lemons stock but beware of under cooling due to being cheap cars.
Stealth/3000GT are always fun to see on track, tragically slow for their looks, but can be tricky to cage right due to the low roof.
SAAB is always the right answer to a question nobody asked.
Diesel VW will get you more love.
Tempo are great terrible cars for Lemons depending on Engine etc...
Volvo 240 based cars are the winningest A class cars. They take a bit to get sorted, but if they don't go full basketcase they get properly competitive.

Personally I'd go Tempo or Corrola for just go racing, Stealth if you wanna LOOK fast, and Volvo if you're in it for the long haul to class A DOMINATION!

what's wrong with camaros and firebirds? Not too many of those. I'd like to see a CTS, maybe some old school iron like a 72 RR, on the cheap I'd say anything GM for 70 to late 80's. F/G-body especially. Our 305 powered 84 T/A ran 1:41 at NJMP's  Thunderbolt. (practice)
http://i64.tinypic.com/jslr2x.jpg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpZHzZYXhJQ

Plenty of those, They are starting to get forced to re-body because they're overkill Lemons cars.

I only saw 4 Gen III's and one Gen IV at the last NJMP race. way more BMW's, and Miatas. Plus they are CHEAP and so are the parts.

"get up and get your grandma outta here"
  • Registered: 2017-09-12
  • Posts: 11

Re: Most Overused Car Choice?

Mr.Yuck wrote:
Guildenstern wrote:
Mr.Yuck wrote:

what's wrong with camaros and firebirds? Not too many of those. I'd like to see a CTS, maybe some old school iron like a 72 RR, on the cheap I'd say anything GM for 70 to late 80's. F/G-body especially. Our 305 powered 84 T/A ran 1:41 at NJMP's  Thunderbolt. (practice)
http://i64.tinypic.com/jslr2x.jpg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpZHzZYXhJQ

Plenty of those, They are starting to get forced to re-body because they're overkill Lemons cars.

I only saw 4 Gen III's and one Gen IV at the last NJMP race. way more BMW's, and Miatas. Plus they are CHEAP and so are the parts.

I actually love what you did with yours it looks pretty awesome...

  • From: Austin
  • Registered: 2010-09-13
  • Posts: 1,478

Re: Most Overused Car Choice?

Yeah, too much camero hate and not enough Miata hate in this thread. E36s/E30s are kind of in the same vein of "people race these in legit series, and they're fast and sort of reliable" but if you find a particularly decrepit version, meh? Meh. (Ban Miatas, though.) The 944 is and always will be just unreliable enough to kind of fall out of that inner circle of hatred, though, IMHO—not unlike the camero/bird.

Secretly, I won't hate too much if a team just wants to get into it and goes the easy route to start off with...provided they're not a buncha crashy-ass Spec Piñata rejects bringing a Miata or nine-time GTS champs in an E36.

But seriously, the camero (spell it right!) is great. You should probably buy an old turbodiesel Peugeot if you're a bunch of newcomers covered in American Iron class patches, though. I'mmmmm just saying. The perception that you know what you're doing can lead to penalty laps unless you have a long and storied history of stepping on your own wiener.

(But really, screw the Mazda Miata forever and ever, especially in this series.)

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Re: Most Overused Car Choice?

adollarwodbnice wrote:
Mr.Yuck wrote:
Guildenstern wrote:

Plenty of those, They are starting to get forced to re-body because they're overkill Lemons cars.

I only saw 4 Gen III's and one Gen IV at the last NJMP race. way more BMW's, and Miatas. Plus they are CHEAP and so are the parts.

I actually love what you did with yours it looks pretty awesome...

like the front end that has a problem with red BMW's? lol Next to do is get some Lexan out back....

"get up and get your grandma outta here"
  • From: Cleveland, OH
  • Registered: 2011-09-03
  • Posts: 2,227

Re: Most Overused Car Choice?

Mr.Yuck wrote:
Guildenstern wrote:

Plenty of those, They are starting to get forced to re-body because they're overkill Lemons cars.

I only saw 4 Gen III's and one Gen IV at the last NJMP race. way more BMW's, and Miatas. Plus they are CHEAP and so are the parts.

So 5 at one race. Vs. how many cheap as dirt S10? Cavilers blocky or jellybean? Tempos? SAAB? Chevy FWD midsize?

The question was SPECIFICALLY about what cars were Dime-A-Dozen.

Incidentally there were only 3 Miata.

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  • Registered: 2011-10-14
  • Posts: 4,167

Re: Most Overused Car Choice?

Guildenstern wrote:
Mr.Yuck wrote:
Guildenstern wrote:

Plenty of those, They are starting to get forced to re-body because they're overkill Lemons cars.

I only saw 4 Gen III's and one Gen IV at the last NJMP race. way more BMW's, and Miatas. Plus they are CHEAP and so are the parts.

So 5 at one race. Vs. how many cheap as dirt S10? Cavilers blocky or jellybean? Tempos? SAAB? Chevy FWD midsize?

The question was SPECIFICALLY about what cars were Dime-A-Dozen.

Incidentally there were only 3 Miata.

How many flatheads?  How many Ford Big6's?  How many BMW 7-series or Mercedes 190's?  4th gen VW Jetta/Golfs?

Mild to wild, $500'ish cars can run the gammut.  Know how cheap and immobilizer-equipped Jetta can be?  How competative can a 1.8T 5-speed be once sorted?

  • From: Cleveland, OH
  • Registered: 2011-09-03
  • Posts: 2,227

Re: Most Overused Car Choice?

Has anybody run a flathead V8 yet?

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A&D: 2014 Sebrings at Sebring (NSF), 2014 NJMP2 Jurassic Park (SpeedyCop), 2012 Summit Point J30 (PiNuts)
2018 Route Sucky-Suck Rally Miata, 2019 World Tour Of Texas 64 Newport

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  • Registered: 2011-10-14
  • Posts: 4,167

Re: Most Overused Car Choice?

Guildenstern wrote:

Has anybody run a flathead V8 yet?

Do not think so.  We looked a very inexpensive Buick straight-8 but is was not nearly the upgrade we wanted over the Chrysler flathead-6.  Ford flathead's seem to be declining in popularity with the hot rod crowd so maybe a few of the remaining unmolested ones can pop up for an ill-advised engine swap.

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Re: Most Overused Car Choice?

OnkelUdo wrote:
Guildenstern wrote:

Has anybody run a flathead V8 yet?

Do not think so.  We looked a very inexpensive Buick straight-8 but is was not nearly the upgrade we wanted over the Chrysler flathead-6.  Ford flathead's seem to be declining in popularity with the hot rod crowd so maybe a few of the remaining unmolested ones can pop up for an ill-advised engine swap.

How about a Gen I Hemi? 331 anybody?

"get up and get your grandma outta here"
  • From: NH
  • Registered: 2010-01-20
  • Posts: 3,299

Re: Most Overused Car Choice?

I hear 80's chrysler 2.2/2.5 turbos make great first time cars.....






(don't do it)

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Retired - 1989 Dodge Daytona Shelby 2011-2015 "Lifetime Award for Lack of Achievement" IOE, 3X I got screwed, Organizer's Choice

22 Reply by NSF

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  • From: Cocoa, FL
  • Registered: 2010-06-26
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Re: Most Overused Car Choice?

Find and RACE a K car.  Prove everyone wrong...

This space for rent.
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Re: Most Overused Car Choice?

NSF wrote:

Find and RACE a K car.  Prove everyone wrong...

Yeah it's got a Hemi..
http://i66.tinypic.com/23jn1he.jpg

"get up and get your grandma outta here"
  • From: NH
  • Registered: 2010-01-20
  • Posts: 3,299

Re: Most Overused Car Choice?

NSF wrote:

Find and RACE a K car.  Prove everyone wrong...

they can be fine. Our daytona was almost 100% sorted at the end. Engine anyway. We had a few good shots at winning C with no mechanical failures but stepped on our own toes. It's not a noob friendly choice, but it can be done. I've never touched the v6 however, only the 2.2/2.5.

20+ Time Loser FutilityMotorsport
Abandoned E36 Build
2008 Saab 9-5Aero Wagon
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Re: Most Overused Car Choice?

Ok found this... NOBODY will deny you entry with this thing... https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld … 62390.html

"get up and get your grandma outta here"