So what if I really did sell the CRX? What next?

[steverife]

I had a bit of interest in the last 24 hours and it kinda makes me nervous.

The primary reason I thought about selling the car is that I've wanted to do a prepared car for years and now the best example of the GP car that I've talked about building has come available. I think the car would be awesome and I would have a great chance to be competitive nationally. The downside is increased tire costs, possible expenses I don't face with the ST car, and prepared cars are above my knowledge level. The other negative, and perhaps the largest, is that there isn't much competition in GP. Coming from STS, that would be a huge change. There also, of course, is the possibly that I sell my car and someone else buys this car.

I'd also toyed with the idea of an ITR, but I don't think I'd have to budget to build a good STX car.

I really don't know what else would interest me. Thoughts?

[TennTechMan]

If you're going to be trailering a car anyways, a faster car sounds more fun. A fast GP CRX sounds really fun. Working on a car with no interior is generally easier than working on a car with interior based on my experience with LeMons. What's the yearly cost difference for tires between the STS CRX and the GP CRX? I thought we had looked into that before and it really wasn't a huge difference. I don't remember.

STS has a pretty crazy level of competition, locally and nationally. That's fun and all, but it's fun to win sometimes too. For me, that's not worked out in STS. A new face or two in GP might bring about other new people in GP.

I would definitely not suggest building an autocross car. Too much upfront cost when there are prep'ed cars coming up for sale so often.

[sentrase]

GP CRX would be undoubtedly fun.

Competition would be a biggie. I wonder how it would fare locally at Pellissippi. On National Tours it would be lonely.

The cost to run it would probably roughly the same with an STS car, i.e. they are both cheap as long as nothing breaks.

There's a lot of custom stuff listed on that GP car. Does it hold up the same or better/worse than the relatively stock STS car? Cost to replace any of that stuff?

Working on them should be a wash; I don't see the lack of interior as a factor since you don't have to remove anything to work on a STS car. Under the hood they should be equally crowded, with the power steering on the GP car probably making it little tighter.

I wouldn't build or buy anything else in the ST classes. Speeds are so similar, that it would be the same thing for extra $$$.

[sentrase]

What would the tire cost be for a SS/SSR Z06 per year, say 12 locals and 5 Tours?

[RxCritical]

What would the tire cost be for a SS/SSR Z06 per year, say 12 locals and 5 Tours?

I know I priced a set of slightly oversized (from stock) Hoosiers around $1500 for my 09 Corvette and it was not a Z06.
A set of RS3's was around $1400 (at the time) and a set of RE-11's is about $1200.

[ConeEater]

My experience with my Z06 is this...

if you do that many tours and they are on concrete... plan on 1 set just for those tours. If you do it right... you can use those for locals as well.

Example.... I buy a set FOR nationals... then use those the rest of the local season and then for most of the next season.

100 runs with a car that is set up right and depending on surfaces is no problem to get.

The easy way to do it is to buy used sets for 1/4 the price and stock pile them ( I have 4 sets in the garage right now ) and run the snot ut of them.

Down side to a C5Z in SS is that MOST of us run a front that no one else runs and they are hard to find used.

Next year I'll be experimenting with a bigger setup.


Steve... to me, a "P" prepped car isn't too popular anywhere compared to other types, but if I was buying a GP car, it would be a CRX and I would just be going for PAX locally and do national events for class wins.

What about an SP car? Like an impreza in FSP/DSP ? a 99 2.5 RS is pretty light and a blast to drive on Hoosiers and they are pretty easy on them relatively speaking.

Plus you can get one kinda cheap and parts are everywhere.

[steverife]

Looking at PAX from Sunday, it looks like I would have had to run a 44.8 in a GP car to match John's time. It would be a bit less power than my car, but about 400 lbs less weight, more grip, and shorter tires. I'm not sure on gearing. I ran a clean 47.1 in my car and I'm pretty confident that I would have gotten in the 46's if I had taken my last run in my car. I definitely think I'd go faster in a CRX with more grip, a diff, and power steering. I'm not matching John's times now, so 45's would probably have been a blast in a CRX on that course.

Tire costs would probably be about double, but I think a lot of P folks don't keep fresh tires the way the rest of the classes do. Have fun in the car and try to do well at the 2-3 "big" events per year probably wouldn't be too bad. I know things like the bushings would be more expensive in a P car, but I think a lot of the stuff is probably similar. I like the idea of learning.

An SP car really isn't of any interest to me. I think they are cool, but they are kind of the worst of all worlds. Complicated builds, expensive tires, you can't replace the weak points. If I didn't stay in my car or buy the GP car, I think I'd probably have to go with something in Street. I kinda like the idea of driving to events, dumping my cooler, and checking pressures.

[ConeEater]

or you could just buy the ITR on RRAX and have some fun in Dstreet.

I love ITRs.. wish I would've bought one new back in 98 like I wanted to.

[thrdeye]

There's no way I would run in P, M, etc. Too little competition except at all but the biggest events and you'd get slaughtered locally running pro unless you become alien.

Also, I would not run a 2WD car (especially a FWD) in a class that contains AWD cars.

If I had a tow rig and 10k for a fun/race car, STX is a no brainer, IMO.

[steverife]

I think the ITR would get absolutely stomped in street, especially locally if Chris or Shawn ran. Chris was running relatively competitive STC/STS times and I'm not even sure I could do that in an STX prepped ITR.

The thing about STX is that I might as well stay in STS. I have zero interest in BMW's or RX8's.

[MARKP]

I don't think a P or M car gets slaughtered locally. Brown's MR2 was quite fast locally and fairly limited prep.

Sent from the Galaxy

[steverife]

I tend to agree. On Sunday's course, I would need to be a little over a second faster to match my STS pax --- lose 10 hp tops, drop 400 lbs, add slicks, add diff, add power steering.

...and it isn't like I'm winning PAX now.

[ke0ki2k]

Gonna say - I thought the P and M PAX's were pretty soft? More talent depth in the ST classes generally speaking, but the PAX list at most tours & nationals seems to be dominated by cars on slicks... or am I mistaken?

[steverife]

I think that is 2 different things....

1) Slicks love concrete.
2) P and M people are less likely to run their best tires at locals. Your top ST guys are always going to be on good rubber. I think most top R comp guys are generally on decent tires, too.

[ke0ki2k]

I think that is 2 different things....

1) Slicks love concrete.
2) P and M people are less likely to run their best tires at locals. Your top ST guys are always going to be on good rubber. I think most top R comp guys are generally on decent tires, too.

shhhhhh...

...the reason I'm so far down the damn PAX at tours is because of the SQUISHY P AND M PAX's...