Anyone out there into autocross? My son and I are interested in giving it a try and the main concern is...what type of car to start with? We're both very tall which narrows down the field. Always open to suggestions.
Just use what you own, as long as it handles reasonably well. You'll be slotted in the appropriate class, and you'll learn a lot about the way it works. If after a full season you decide that it'll be "your thing" then think about switching to a different car and making modifications. Honestly, when you start autocrossing, the biggest limitation to your going fast is YOU. Improve that first.
Used to autocross. You can autocross ANY car if all you want to do is run your car for fun. IF you want to win championships though, it is like any other type of racing....you need to be in the best car and prepare it, and yourself, to do the best you can. SOME people spend a lot of money and a lot of time prepping a car and traveling to as many events as they can. Some people take it VERY seriously, and it has been a starting point for many aspiring professional racers. For MOST people though, it's just a way to take a car they already own out on a closed course and drive it hard...for fun. If you want to compete for championships, get a rule book, study the classes, figure out where you can get an edge, equipment wise. Spend the money, spend the time, take it serious......it's up to you what you want to make it out to be.
We don't have a car that would be fun or appropriate...a Murano and Toyota 4x4. We have a few bucks to spend to get a car ($4K) so we thought we'd start out box stock and eventually find a class we'd fit into. Start to learn the basics then up grade the car as time and money allow. We're not real serious about moving up the food chain but prepping a car would be fun. He has mechanical skills and I have money...perfect! My co-worker is an ex-autocrosser and he's pushing us towards an older GTI or a 325i.
I had a ton of fun in college auto crossing my 83 civic wagon. Unfortunately they won't let me run my trihawk these days... Sa
How tall is tall? If you are under 6'4" and not all legs, I give a second vote for a miata. At 6'1" I could fit in mine with a helmet on and the top up. $4k will be plenty for the early style (NA) and worth getting the 1.8L. 94 or 95 keep it simple with OBD1. Make sure it has an LSD. Super competitive in stock form (ES) and if you guys decide you want something different next season, it will be an easy sell or modify. If it is over 100k look for proof of a recent timing belt. Not the worst thing to change, and the engines are non interference if it goes, but better to avoid getting a tow home. You will not be disappointed.
Wingnut, the Mazda would be the perfect ride but at 6'8" & 6'6", we don't fit. My kid had a couple of Honda CRX's and he managed to wedge himself in so he was comfortable but damn they're small. Yeah, just a little head-room and leg-room would be nice.
http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/minis-and-minis-for-sale/259649-2003-mini-cooper-s.html http://www.northamericanmotoring.co...for-sale/250540-2003-mini-cooper-5-speed.html
You might be OK if you ride with the top down. You might try an older V6 Mustang, cheap to run and you can get experience setting up the suspension.
I would suggest attending as many auto-x events as possible, observing and talking to a wide variety of competitors. Lots of possibilities re cars will present themselves. One other way to get into it would be by purchasing a roadracing or "time attack" car, though that would obviously preclude competing in any sort of "stock" class. Having done both roadracing and auto-x, I think you will surprised at how helpful the competitors are in getting newbies involved. It will cost more than you expect, or budget for.
About as much fun as u can have with ur pants on. It's pretty cheap to have fun. All you will need for several years is sticky tires and suspension upgrades. Great fun for the two of you.
Thanks for the encouragement and suggestions. With winter settling in, we have plenty of time to decide what to run. We'll join the Rocky Mtn. SCCA club and will attend some meetings and events before totally jumping in. Our goal is to race strictly against the clock and each other. As noobs, we want to avoid thinking where we are in the class and concentrate on our individual improvements. The really important thing for me is to keep up with his times. 26 yrs vs. 62 yrs will be a challenge, but I didn't get this old being completely stupid. Age and cunning will trump youth and inexperience every time. Fun...it has be fun and I want to keep it that way. Viajero mentioned budget and I know you're right. Ya gotta pay to play but as a previous KLR owner, I can be cheap.
You can take a stock what ever out there and have fun learning the line. The first thing you will notice is that regular street rubber makes a ton of noise as it loses grip and slides around. That will get old after the first day, so new R rated rubber you can drive on the street will be in order. After you get new sticky shoes you will find the car rolling around on the soft suspension now that the tires are sticking, hence the new suspension. After that, you can spend a lot of money and go a bit faster, or improve your skills for nothing more than entry fees and get a lot faster. You will be amazed at how a great driver can take your rig and drop 5 seconds off your time. :eek1
There are some good books available which feature driving and car prep tips. One I used was Wining Autocross Solo II Competition The Art and the Science by Turner and Miles Published in '77, much is still applicable today. There are probably more recent books out there, you'll just have to research. Check youtube for videos, too. ALWAYS walk the course, multiple times if possible. Visualization is very helpful.
We got a car with a surprising amout on leg room. We picked up a '91 BMW 318is that's already been prepped for autocross, pretty much a plug and play set up. Since speed is secondary, the 4cyl will get us around in great shape so now it's up to us to learn how to drive quickly. Three days before we got the car, my riding buddy gave me Secrets of Solo Racing to read. I may as well buy another copy cuz the kid grabbed it and I haven't seen it since. Next step is to join the local chapter of the SCCA and attend some meetings. Spring is just around the corner...ok, not really but we're getting ready to go.
