track car

Fire & skill

Fire & skill

Vintage member
right have had this idea for a while now, but basically a friend and i are going halfs on buying a car and getting it ready for the track - just for fun at the mo, nothing too serious

but been offered

1, nova GSI £350
2, MK2 golf 2.0 gti £200
3, mk3 fiesta xr2i £250



both the nova nd golf are good shells, fiesta needs fuel cap area repaired. good running gear. we were after a 1.9 205 gti but they are getting a bit pricy :cry: my mate reckons to go with the nova

anyone give us some idea of what to go with from the above? and why
 
P

paz

Active Member
Get a nova and drop a red top 2.0 valver engine in it - they fucking shift, and seem to handle alright on the track with a decent suspension kit. Or put a LET engine in it :shock: rapid things when you can get the power down :lol:

Golf GTI would be pretty much bullet proof if looked after properly, never been a fan of fiesta's really.

Paz
 
A

AJ4

Guest
Out of that list, I'd definately go with the Golf.

I've got a Mk11 16v and it handles better than the Pulsar :shock: Great little car, pretty bulletproof.
 
R

Rav

New Member
a friend of mine has just dropped a 2.0 red top lump into a mk1 astra
8)
its had a full respray in candy apple red and its just had a rear disc conversion
:lol:
just waiting for the throttle bodies to arrive and it should be done will have to get picures of it when its finished
 
Mr GTiR

Mr GTiR

New Member
XR2's don't know much about them but parts are cheap.

Golf’s handle well once set up and make very good track cars but the only down side is the cost of parts.

Nova’s on the other hand are cheap as chips and the parts even cheaper! I use to own a Nova with the 2.0 16v XE (Valver) and it was rapid – scary in fact but the ONLY thing that let it down was the handling! There is too much weight over the front wheels with a Nova Valver as the XE lump is very heavy. You can get these things set up to handle but cost A LOT of money to do right.

After this I was going to build a track car but was going to use the 2.0 8v in a Nova. I blew my tubby up in the R so had to spend the track car kitty on a replacement.

The advantages you have with an 8v are:

Engine and parts are very cheap and readily available.
Easy to strip and rebuild the engine.
With some headwork and a fast road cam they can produce the same as or more power than the valver.
They weigh a lot less than the valver so the car actually handles.
The 8v is easier to fit than the valver.
Good power to weight ratio of a Nova 2.0 8v
Basically the list is endless.

The 2.0 8v is a very cheap conversion and can produce a cracking track car.

Let me know if you want more info.
 
Fire & skill

Fire & skill

Vintage member
sounds like its a toss up between the golf and the nova :D i take it the 8 valve is the engine they stuck in the cavvy's? i kind of like the golfs as well but those little novas can shift once they are set up right. tough decision :?
 
S

samellio

Guest
golf weighs more and more pricey to get extra grunt.. would be very slow compared to a nova 2.0 16v/8v..
I know a few 16v novas that go round knockhill and they're really impressive :wink: - bloody quick as well :oops:
 
campbellju

campbellju

Moderators
Staff member
Isn't the Nova GSI engine a 1.6.

If you're talking about modding, a comon mod for the golf is the 1.8T engine. There's quite a few track cars out there with this done and +300bhp under the right foot. I think there's one in a Mk1 with even less weight and 400bhp 8)

Personally I'd choose the golf but I did used to own a mk1 and mk2. Subjectivley, the standard golf would easily outhandle a standard nova (and its cocking the outside wheel trick is cool) but I bet the GSI is faster on the straights.

Though all old cars are different, VW are generally more "reliable" than Vauxhall.

Sounds like a great plan overall whatever you choose, good luck.
Jim
 
Simmo

Simmo

Member
Nova with a c20xe or c20let dropped in it, make sure you have an early c20 series engine has they have cosworth heads on them which allow for much more power without taking out passers by as they fly off.

Having said that as Mr GTIR said the 8v 2 litre lump (as in the later end mk2 astra gte 8v) is apparently more tuneable for less cash. I had an 8v in my old GTE and that carried on going and going and going even after the car fell apart.

The golf as said is too heavy and the fiestas subframe would probably fall off during a heavy session on the track!
 
Mr GTiR

Mr GTiR

New Member
Simmo said:
make sure you have an early c20 series engine has they have cosworth heads on them which allow for much more power without taking out passers by as they fly off.
Click to expand...
The 2 advantages of the CosCast head (Cossie head) is that they will NOT go pourus and they come with 5bhp more than the Vauxhall xe head.

Also, the XE engine came with 4 versions. The first is the CosCast head, then Version 1, 2, and 3. Only Versions 1 and 2 were proune to going pourus cos Vauxhall changed the materials used to build these heads i.e. trying to save money but it back fired on them big time! The version 3's were spot on as they had learn't from their earlier fcuk up! Also, the CosCast head were made by Cosworth and of a high quality and standard unlike Vauxhall's sh1tty attempts!

I still say go for the 2.0 8v for the reasons stated above.

The turbo engine is good but too heavy and the car won't handle unless you spend big money to get to set up correctly. Do a search on the net for a company called ASW Motorsport.

Also, do not use the 6 speed box as it's too heavy and will cost money to modify to convert it to 2wd. The F20 is a very good box but if your after accelration then go for the F16 as you get better ratio's but shit top end, swings and rounds abouts.......
 
T

Toady

Guest
Nova every time mate! its lighter and cheaper! and has more options too! :D if not then a mk2 fiesta xr2!!! 8) a mate had one of these with full SD cage, rebuilt 1.6 engine with twin 40's, and straight thru zorst, sounded awesome and went like stink too! :D
 
Nad

Nad

Active Member
AJ4 said:
Out of that list, I'd definately go with the Golf.

I've got a Mk11 16v and it handles better than the Pulsar :shock: Great little car, pretty bulletproof.
Click to expand...
IIRC Golfs dont go too well on gravel :wink:
 
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