Crapcan Racers on Craigslist - Which Would You Choose?

"Master Cylinder" (mastercylinder28)
09/03/2015 at 20:43 • Filed to: None

So I’ve been daydreaming lately about getting a LeMons team together someday, and since I’m supposed to be working right now, I figured it’s as good a time as any to see what kind of candidates my local CL has.

I narrowed my search to RWD manual cars costing around $1500. I know there are plenty of serviceable LeMons cars out there that are FWD and auto, but if I’m going to build an imaginary crapcan racecar, I want it my way.

I found three cars with potential. First up is this ‘86 E30:

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

It’s got a ton of miles, but it’s a BMW straight 6, so who cares as long as the rest of the car is OK? The CL ad is pretty light on details, though. From the photos, it doesn’t look too bad, and I’ve always liked E30s. Beating the hell out of one on a racetrack sounds good to me.

Next up is the Jalop answer, a 1994 Miata:

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

This one probably makes the most sense as a racecar. Way more miles than the BMW, but it’s not like Miatas have a reputation for unreliability. Plus, it’s got a limited-slip diff. The Bimmer might too, but that seller apparently had to pay per word so there’s no way to know short of actually looking at it, which is absolutely unacceptable in 2015.

Finally, my favorite and the clear underdog - a Mare-coor!

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

Pros:

- Quirky and unusual, kind of weird-looking

- Lots of new parts, including Koni Yellows

- TURBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Cons:

- Turbo is maybe broken?

- The kind of little issues you’d expect from an ‘80s sorta-Ford thing. Most of them can be fixed by just throwing them away, because racecar.

So, which would you choose? Also feel free to post up likely candidates from your own neck of the woods.

DISCUSSION (14)

dogisbadob > Master Cylinder
09/03/2015 at 20:49

The Miata

Rainbow > Master Cylinder
09/03/2015 at 20:51

The Markur, because LOOK AT THOSE WHEELS.

TheHondaBro > Master Cylinder
09/03/2015 at 20:51

Use the horizontal rule tool when pictures are that size.

Ex:

Kinja'd!!!

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Just like that.

RallyWrench > Master Cylinder
09/03/2015 at 20:52

Merkur, because why the fuck not? Boosted Fords are a good thing.

vondon302 > Master Cylinder
09/03/2015 at 20:54

The xr for me but i like those. That beemer tho might be the best deal.

Master Cylinder > TheHondaBro
09/03/2015 at 20:56

Ooh, good tip, thanks!

Master Cylinder > RallyWrench
09/03/2015 at 20:57

This is my thought process too. Races like LeMons seem like they’re supposed to be as much about having fun as winning, so fielding something a little oddball fits with the theme. Plus I’ve always liked the XR4Ti.

 > Master Cylinder
09/03/2015 at 20:59

Merkur ftw!

Flavien Vidal > Master Cylinder
09/03/2015 at 21:05

The one with the Limited Slip Dif... Which means that here, only the Miata would get looked at by me to do a crapcan racecar...

PS: 325e don’t have LSDs... EDIT: disregard that, apparently they DO come stock with LSDs. Check the differential tag... apparently it needs to have an “S” on it...

Kailand09 > Master Cylinder
09/03/2015 at 21:09

Step 1: buy F500

Step 2: race F500

Master Cylinder > Flavien Vidal
09/03/2015 at 21:15

I’m not a racer, so I don’t really know - does the LSD make that much of a difference? I’ve had both in street cars, and I can tell when the LSD is working but I don’t really notice much difference otherwise. Obviously racing is different, though.

Flavien Vidal > Master Cylinder
09/03/2015 at 21:21

To make it simple, it’s night and day when you try to push your car. Do you know those cool shots of Chris Harris getting his cars sideways and so on. Well, he wouldn’t be able to get the car remotly close to sideways if he didn’t have a LSD.

Open differential exist to make the cars easy to drive under the limit. The rear can barely play around and it’s just very safe to drive for your mother. At the track, you will get over those limits. You will get the rear to go around, then you will try to counter steer to catch it, maybe accelerate to get it to stabilize and comes back gently, then nothing will happen. The rear wheel will hook back while your car is still sideways, it will throw you the other way around and you’ll end up facing the other way around.

A LSD will allow you to get both wheels to keep spinning and you will be able to control your car with the throttle which you simply cannot do without one.

A LSD is not only good on a track. It’s pretty much required if you want to enjoy your time there. It provides stability and ease of driving close or over the limit.

random001 > Master Cylinder
09/03/2015 at 22:37

Murker, becuase booooooooooost

shop-teacher > Master Cylinder
09/03/2015 at 22:51

Dare to be different. Merkur all the way.