Daimo B
Member
Registered: 20th Mar 00
User status: Offline
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OK, had my car 6-7 years now, done all the bodykit, ICE blah blah yadder..... Talk some sense into me as this subject is going over and over and over and over and over (get the idea) in my head. Its been doing this for over 2 years now.... Starting to take the michael...
So, imagine this...
You have a Corsa, its structully perfect, 1996, only 50k on it. Car has been sitting in storage for nearly 2 years now, no rust, no dents, just a few minor issues really. Door and wing need respraying (not vital) as does a new/old bonnet (vital). It needs a new interior and engine wiring loom.
Its fat, its got interior (currently), full sound deadening, comfy ass seats, false floor etc. The special sound deadening stuff i've got is great, you can tap/hit the doors and rear 1/4 and its a solid THUD opposed to a tinny DING like as of standard. It makes the car nice and secure and tbh, a pleasure to drive as it all feels solid and put together right.
Now i've seriously been thinking about turning it into a track car. So would need to take out the interior and stuff which can be done. But, i'd want to keep the styling as spent a fortune getting it like that and i still love the look of the car...
BUT.....
To have a track car, you need to save weight...
Now my problems are....
Do i warrant spending more money getting the engine and wiring sorted? (engine is ok, but could do with a "freshen up" ). Do i take the heavy smooth boot off and get a fibreglass item (and have it smoothed over with FG to give a smooth boot) or leave it as it is and work on other weight removal (rear end being heavy currently helps it stop being so skittish and easy to loose grip like all the stripped corsa people have issue with).
Now if I go for a fibreglass or standard boot, i'll have to re-locate the reg plate to its original position. This means the rear bumper would have to go, which would be a shame as i love it. Which leads to having to take the exhaust system off. The bumper has cutouts for the tailpipes, so i "could" change for a lighter exhaust system, but would need to have a special exhaust and tailpipes fabricated to fit into the original bumper cutouts (more costs....). But thats depending on having a standard looking boot.
Or do i just leave the arse end as it is, and mearly work on stripping the interior items. Then maybe as i get older, i MAY decide to remove the bodykit (but thats just a possibility).
Im not going AK or JR styleeee strippage either.
Time isn't a problem, i can do this over years, so cash won't be so much of an issue, but I will always have other better things to spend on (like house, holidays etc).... Brakes currently are V6 front and Rear disks, so not an issue, and suspension is Billy Yellows, although i do need to get higher poundage springs still. Again, something that in the future i'd have to fork £700+ on a "proper" adjustable setup. Other things like ARB, cage, 4 pots, brake bias, braided brake lines etc etc can all come as and when i want to spend money on it (or have it available  )
Or do i just give up, strip her and sell the parts, and either pay off a loan, or go buy myself another bike, a Ducati 851/888 for the weekend fun.. (also got my eye on big time!! and stripping the car would JUST about cover buying one), but it wouldn't cover the outstanding money on my loan...
The car currently sits at 1 tonne pretty much spot on with the 2.0, interior bits. So say maybe knock of 50kg for interior items (would change for 2 buckets opposed to my current "armchairs" ). I've not got any ICE in the car anymore either (removed after weigh in).
So work that lot out.... I have time. Don't tell me what i SHOULD do, tell me what YOU would do if you were in my situation. D4 still is actually my first car, i've jsut kept it, and there is a LOT of happy memories and times in it. Its more than just a peice of metal to me. Am i being mad in keeping it so long? Im afraid if i sell it as well, i won't ever buy another car to setup just for track days as i'll always find a better use for the money. But i love track days
Madness, one step beyond, indeedy.....
Car currently looks like Page 9-10 odd (whatever the last page is)... D4MO B
http://public.fotki.com/daimob/my_car_and_donnas_car/
PS, this isn't a post talking about my styling, if it looks good or bad, whether you like it or not. Please just read into what i've said and give an opinion on what you would do if it were you. And why you chose that reason..
I need to see if im just going mad over it.
Ta, essay over, give me a Grade as well. I think the above is worth a mear C as its so skatty
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Robin
Premium Member
Registered: 7th Jan 04
Location: Northants Drives: Clio 182 Cup
User status: Offline
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I read the first few paragraphs.
IMO, you'd be better buying a cheap gsi or something, stripping it, and tracking that, rather than ripping yours apart, which would be more effort.
also, leaving the bumpers and stuff on, will not make for a good track car.
infact, don't buy a vauxhall for a track car.
[Edited on 30-10-2006 by Robin]
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Dave A
USER UNDER INVESTIGATION - DO NOT TRADE
Registered: 10th Dec 03
Location: County Durham
User status: Offline
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summary?
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jr
Member
Registered: 20th May 02
Location: Kent
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once again i'll explain (good paul j essay though daimo)
your car, stripped out, with its current engine, with two buckets and current styling will be FINE for a track day
you not going out there to set records, just to have a bit of fun
strip the sound deadning, carpet, all the false floor and have 2 fixed buckets, ireckon your loose nearly a 100kg in crap from it
no point looking a high power rngines etc, as you may as well use what you've got
you may not even like it, so dont spend money, where you can virtully get it preppared for track for free
whiteline arb does wonders for the handling, one fo those, maybe some 15's and your be 
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willay
Moderator
Organiser: South East, National Events
Premium Member
Registered: 10th Nov 02
Location: Roydon, Essex
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Strip it of the engine bling, sell this to fund track items on your list.
Strip it of the fancy interior items, sell to fund track items on your list.
Get Lee to do the loom, fill it with oil then rag it to death?
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jr
Member
Registered: 20th May 02
Location: Kent
User status: Offline
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willays 3 steps to sucess 
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antscorsa
Member
Registered: 11th Aug 02
Location: london
User status: Offline
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if i were u daimo then id keep the corsa as it is, luvly looking car and has good memories wiht u so leave it.
has luvly paintwork and kit etc so why would you want to track it.
if ur serious about trackday car then go get a 4k westfield, a proper track day car considerably better than a xe corsa etc with some coilovers.
just my 2 pence!!
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mwg
Member
Registered: 19th Feb 04
Location: South Lakes
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I'd just leave it as it is on the outside and strip the interior
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jr
Member
Registered: 20th May 02
Location: Kent
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ant a 4k westfield will be a 90's model, with 70's build quality
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Robin
Premium Member
Registered: 7th Jan 04
Location: Northants Drives: Clio 182 Cup
User status: Offline
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which will be more fun though, a 70s build quality westie, or a bodykitted corsa?
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antscorsa
Member
Registered: 11th Aug 02
Location: london
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lol fairdoes but there must be some good kti cars aroudn that price, liek u say only bit of weekend fun so doesnt have to be the best one out there.
or do with ak did and get a cheap 205 gti
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jr
Member
Registered: 20th May 02
Location: Kent
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yes but its taken daimo 2 years to get to this stage, buying a car will take him another 3 
daimo, you can build it virtully for free, do it
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Marc
Member
Registered: 11th Aug 02
Location: York
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I'd turn it in to a fast road car, which obviously could be used on track!
Fibreglass boot
Fibreglass bonnet
Get rid of false floor etc
Perspex windows
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antscorsa
Member
Registered: 11th Aug 02
Location: london
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ah but why ruin such a nice car that has taken him this long to build.
only takes one small mistake on a track to ruin 3 years of hard work.
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Robin
Premium Member
Registered: 7th Jan 04
Location: Northants Drives: Clio 182 Cup
User status: Offline
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but the real question is, would you want to risk binning it into a gravel trap?
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jr
Member
Registered: 20th May 02
Location: Kent
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Marc
I'd turn it in to a fast road car, which obviously could be used on track!
Fibreglass boot
Fibreglass bonnet
Get rid of false floor etc
Perspex windows
thats too extream IMO for his
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Marc
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Registered: 11th Aug 02
Location: York
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Hence why I said fast road, most of the fun with les danger!
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Marc
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Registered: 11th Aug 02
Location: York
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quote:
Originally posted by jr
thats too extream IMO for his
You think? Its only cosmetic changes to make it more suited to a harder style of driving.
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willay
Moderator
Organiser: South East, National Events
Premium Member
Registered: 10th Nov 02
Location: Roydon, Essex
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quote:
Originally posted by antscorsa
ah but why ruin such a nice car that has taken him this long to build.
only takes one small mistake on a track to ruin 3 years of hard work.
Seeing as its been kept in a garage for x amount of years, why not rag and roll it into a ditch? Hes past all the show and shine I think 
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Robin
Premium Member
Registered: 7th Jan 04
Location: Northants Drives: Clio 182 Cup
User status: Offline
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its more dangerous to drive fast on the road.
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Daimo B
Member
Registered: 20th Mar 00
User status: Offline
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If was into buying another track car, then I wouldn't keep the corsa, it wouldn't ever get driven. I'd also rather buy another bike if i was going to do that. Plus i like that fact that I am actually "polishing a turd". Far more fun to keep up with some faster car in a diddy corsa, esp if its round the corners...
Getting the "problems" sorted arn't really any issue, they need doing anyway even to get it started again. Lee's already agreed to get that fiddly cr4p sorted for me. Expensive parts getting the damn stuff sprayed up
Im not sure, i think i just needed someone else to say "it'll be fine as it is styling wise, just strip inside" as i really do love her and her looks. I've just had the same thoughts keeping doing full circles in my head..
Strip it
Sell whole
Track - And if so, the above issues
Keep it for occasional shows (although im getting bored of the same stuff)....
Each one lasts a few months, then it changes again
PS, whats the point in putting "sumary" if it says essay on the title. You can be arsed to post, but not to read?? 
PSS, Airdam is about as heavy as a GSI, but the Stieny skirts weigh feck loads.
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jr
Member
Registered: 20th May 02
Location: Kent
User status: Offline
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arrrrrggggggggggghhh, STRIP the interior, get 2 buckets, get it out on track
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jr
Member
Registered: 20th May 02
Location: Kent
User status: Offline
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i forgot the
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willay
Moderator
Organiser: South East, National Events
Premium Member
Registered: 10th Nov 02
Location: Roydon, Essex
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by jr
yes but its taken daimo 2 years to get to this stage, buying a car will take him another 3
Come on james... you can't exactly tease people for taking their time with building a car or actually driving it..
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Daimo B
Member
Registered: 20th Mar 00
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Robin
but the real question is, would you want to risk binning it into a gravel trap?
Gravel trap will only ruin a bumper (unless it flips) and i ahve the original front bumper still (used it for winters to save the airdam paint).
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