[Jazzbass]

Ok, here's the challenge: you have a total budget of $40k. You need to get a car that can:

1. Be street driven on weekends and to/from the track, even hundreds of miles. Think VIR, MidOhio, Watkins Glen. IOW, soundproofing and A/c are a must. Active suspension and gimmickry like that are welcome and encouraged.
2. Good enough performance to run in red group with PCAP with a decent DE instructor type driver. I think this would mean something that could do 22s/23s at Summit on R comps.
3. Low-ish maintenance. Yes, tires, brakes, oil, pads are expected. Brake rebuilds, cooling problems, ice pedal issues, blown motors (looking at you, M96 and M97 cars), etc are not. The initial build and original $40k budget can contain items to mitigate issues here (e.g. Brake upgrade)
4. No more than 120 hours spent installing mods.
5. Bonus points for being able to carry a full set or track tires w/o a trailer.

So, can anyone build this car given these restrictions?

Consider any make/model, not just Porsche. Doesn't have to be an out-of-the-box stock car, and mods done count only the cost of parts, not installation.

[blipshift]

Jazz,

You should be able to find a mid-to-highish mile 997.1 C2, get close to your budget, and hit all the objectives save #5. PM me if you want more details, would be happy to share my experience.

[CanAm]

My 997.1 C2S was close to that price, plus less than $10K added cost for track seats, roll bar, harnesses, transmission cooling, oil pan extension/baffle, and camber plates. Could do 23s in it (even with me driving) on NT01s when the OEM suspension was working right, but it seems that OEM PASM shocks gradually wore out over ~40 track days, making the car gradually slower and eventually unsafe. I've spent a lot of $$ recently to upgrade the suspension, and we're still working on dialing the car in. Next iteration will be tried tomorrow with revalved shocks and stiffer springs - fingers crossed!

[BlackTalon]

997. Add a harness bar and seats. Then get upset the cayman peeps are faster. Pull carpet and scrape off soundproofing. Put in a roll bar. Fuch, they are still faster. Upgrade suspension. Nope, still faster... Swap in a 4.0. SWEET!!!!!!!! but I can't stop... Upgrade brakes. Probably should just go ahead now and pull the rest of the interior... Shoot, too much wallow for the higher speeds I am going; upgrade suspension. Too tough to drive on street now; better buy a trailer. Ah, all set now

[ducatithunder]

So this is completly hypothetical brain teaser or are you looking to actually build something?

[blipshift]

Originally Posted by CanAm

My 997.1 C2S was close to that price, plus less than $10K added cost for track seats, roll bar, harnesses, transmission cooling, oil pan extension/baffle, and camber plates. Could do 23s in it (even with me driving) on NT01s when the OEM suspension was working right, but it seems that OEM PASM shocks gradually wore out over ~40 track days, making the car gradually slower and eventually unsafe. I've spent a lot of $$ recently to upgrade the suspension, and we're still working on dialing the car in. Next iteration will be tried tomorrow with revalved shocks and stiffer springs - fingers crossed!

If you had to do it over again would you stick with PASM?

[smdubovsky]

Z06. Anything w/ a roof rack can carry a full set of tires.

[Patrick3000]

Originally Posted by smdubovsky

Z06. Anything w/ a roof rack can carry a full set of tires.

X2 and you may have enough $$$ left over for the truck and trailer.

Not a Z06 but close enough and only 15k

http://fredericksburg.craigslist.org...567454688.html

[ducatithunder]

I was thinking a fox body mustang with a worked over 302. Lots of money to spare. Lol.

[racer]

A "reliable" track car engine is dry-sump. Then you also want working AC and soundproofing... ugh. Those are two items in direct contrast to "track car" for most.

Corvette Z06 or C6 Grand Sport (both dry sump). Maybe a high mileage 996TT?

Not sure why you need to carry another set of tires.. I drove for 10+ years to/from events on my track tires without issue. No need for Hoosier crack pipe for DE.