why don't you see car x autocrossing?

[hepcatz]

Starting off this thread with two models I haven't seen and wondering why:

Porsche 924
BMW z (3 or 4) series

any ideas?

[WRX11]

rarer cars to begin with? I also don't see Koenigseggs CCRs either.

[kyle.bowker]

Porsche 924s are mostly junk. They weren't great when new and 30 years have done them no favors. You basically get Toyota Yaris performance but with typical Porsche repair costs. Plus they're ugly. The 944 was a huge improvement but even then they're at/near the bottom of the Porsche barrel.

BMW Z3 and Z4 are like really soft, heavy, expensive versions of the Miata. They're great touring cars for your wife. They're not very sharp at the limit. A Miata is much more rewarding car to push hard and costs but a fraction of the price. The Z3M is a muscle car. I haven't had a chance to drive an Z4M yet but I my heart pangs for a Z4MCoupe one day. Regardless, it would make a better track car then an auto-x car.

[eage8]

There is a guy with a Z4 M coupe, he brings out out occasionally.

[matt.baird]

Im all for more unlikely contenders.

I know when Toyota was selling the X-Runner, A selling point was that it could pull as much lateral G's as a 350z. I would like to see that proven.

[hepcatz]

How about Karmann Ghias? Always wanted to fix one of those up. Might be a fun underdog for the small bore series.

[DrSeuss]

I can bring the Z4M out if anybody is interested. I have the stock Conti SportContacts that are farily worn. It definitely needs more tire. The car is fun but in it's stock trim, it doesn't autox very well. It's about as fast as my WRX which is way slower than my civic. Sigh, I miss my civic.

Of course it's more the driver. I'm not used to having so much torque!!

[JoeTR6]

Dodge Vipers. Did they all break, or are owners stuffing them in garages waiting for the value to shoot up?

I had a Z3M Coupe, and that car (in stock form) was 10 pounds of poop in a 5 pound bucket at an autocross. It really needed more front camber to control the understeer that occurred up until the rear end decided to go a different direction than the rest of the car. It made wonderful noises and gobbled up road like no other car I've owned, but it needed work to be a fun autocross car, including a serious diet. The seats alone weighed over 80 lbs. apiece.

Another old-school contender: E-Type Jaguar.

[hepcatz]

Joe- You had to go and bring up my all time fave! lol Someday I sure would like a '66 e-type in BRG.

[hepcatz]

How about the Datsun 240-280 z series?

[echan]

I plan to bring out my 1975 Jensen Healey to the August 29th autox.

Ed

[hepcatz]

Nice Ed, I like your taste in cars! triumph, sprite

[defylogik]

You know what you never see autocrossing....

DeLoreans

Well. I never see them anywhere for that matter. lol.

[Dan133]

I see deloreans sometimes-- saw one the other day with license plate MCFLY. Knew some people at a shop that specialized in them for a while in the mid 90's. The mechanic described the car as 'A bad design poorly executed'. They did not like working on them but had gotten a reputation in the owner community as good problem solvers.

[MazdaSC]

I drove my friends Z4 at the last BMW club autocross, though it did not respond quite as quickly as my MX-5 it seem pretty well balance and was easy to drive. It feels a little bigger and heavier , but the driving position is similar and was confidence inspiring to drive quickly.

[flohtingPoint]

How about the Datsun 240-280 z series?

You do, just not much here.

http://sth2.com/Z-car/

That guy who owns that site/car is a petty nice guy. I had several talks with him over email a couple years back about building his car and such as I seriously considered going a Z route.

[hepcatz]

Thanks for the z link, cool to see.

There is a company inTx that will build you a new DeLorean out of left over parts.

[mp923]

Dodge Vipers. Did they all break, or are owners stuffing them in garages waiting for the value to shoot up?

Besides the regular excuses of not getting any traction or preferring a track day, it's time to post a schedule on a viper forum.

I wish we could see THIS autocross!

[defylogik]

Dodge Vipers. Did they all break, or are owners stuffing them in garages waiting for the value to shoot up?

Besides the regular excuses of not getting any traction or preferring a track day, it's time to post a schedule on a viper forum.

I wish we could see THIS autocross!

wtf how did you get into my garage..

[hepcatz]

more importantly, how the hell did my car get into your garage that he got into to take the pic?!

[hepcatz]

What about a pre 1987 Dodge Daytona turbo?

[flohtingPoint]

What about a pre 1987 Dodge Daytona turbo?

LOL, those didn't even come intercooled. You may never see them running because they're never running. I had a buddy back in the Air Force who had one and it made a great paperweight for the parking lot as it was constantly having issues.

[hepcatz]

sheesh, do you always have to rain on my creativity parade?! ROFL

When they came out in the early 80s I thought they rocked, although I was a kid. I also thought fieros & firebird trans am (of course black with the giant hood chicken) rocked when they first came out too so that shows you my crappy kid tastes! =) To help save my dignity, I did have some taste, my ultimate fave was then & still is a '66 XKE.

[kyle.bowker]

What about a pre 1987 Dodge Daytona turbo?

Woody has (or had?) one. It was hilarious. Made all sorts of spaceship noises and had a turbo boost accumulator in the trunk but looked like a real handful to drive, to say the least. Plus they have a tendency for parts to fall off while driving down the road. Chrysler generally builds junk cars and time and subsequent wear and tear has done them no favors.

[kyle.bowker]

To help save my dignity, I did have some taste, my ultimate fave was then & still is a '66 XKE.

Talk about a horrible car to auto-x....