Least exotic/sporty car you've raced

[Whittie]

Now, the zed is not really an 'exotic' but it is a sports car, and a fast one, but what I want to know is: What is the least exotic/sporty car you've driven on a track.

 

In the interest of getting friends and family involved in learning to drive better I've driven a few cruddy cars around the track including an AU falcon on gas, an old school Suzuki Swift Cino (which is just a4 seat Go Kart!) but I must say last weekend probably takes it for me. I attended a driver training/skidpan day with a mate at work to encourage him to the track. The reason I think this one is the best is that it is mine for a start, but it actually went really well!

 

I present, a stocker 2003 Mitsubishi Mirage. Mods include removing the rear window wiper after someone at uni stole the blade arm and option mags that I picked up for $200 cause Mitsubishi wanted to get rid of them. Also sporting Pirelli P6 front tyres and concrete rubbish onthe rear:

 

 

The blue smoke in the background was me ripping the handbrake around the hairpin. Unfortunately, no-one got that on camera

 

My work mate came along in his Honda Prelude, also not a very sporty car, although the V-Tec was surprisingly good!

 

 

 

So, who's next/got better?!

 

[Zedman240®]

I've always tracked the zed around the tracks but a R33 Skyline made it once and the Evo 8 I had never got the chance! Don't under estimate the Mirage; the Mirage cup cars built by Ralliart went around the Island in around 1:57 during that period when car racing was interesting..

[Whittie]

Ooh, I feel sorry you didn't get the evo8 around the track! If I wasn't rebuilding the zed this year I'd have flogged the Mirage and bought an 8MR instead. Such good looking cars!

 

To be honest, I was still pleasently surprised with the Mirage. When I was looking at buying a shopping trolley to drive to Uni and had decided on a Hatch, the Mirage is the one I wanted because I had seen what they could do on the track. I couldn't afford one, which is why I drove my sisters Suzuki Swift for a year or so, but when the chance came up to get this one, I jumped. So far absolutely no regrets! There are still a couple floating around in Perth in Improved Production that do pretty well on the track! The new (previous model) Ford Fiesta's are pretty unbeatable in the Hatch group tho, but that probably has to do with the better engine and newer engineering design in the last 10 years.

 

I've done a 2.02 in my zed around the Island and I could not imagine a mirage doing that, I thought I was going quick!

[NZeder]

Stock datto 1600 with flogged suspension and only standard seats and belts. Don't know which was moving more, me in-side the car or the car with body roll that drivers behind could just about see day light between body and the top of the tyre lol.

 

If a grass gymkarna counts then my D21 flat desk, bench seat, 1988 Nissan Navara - went just as fast in reverse as it did going forward through the courses crazy fun

[PeterAllen]

Quite some time ago (late 1960s) Mike Gore (remember him) was a car salesman at Liverpool Datsun and he organised a Datsun day at Oran Park. All the Datsun models were available for anyone with a road licence to drive - even the latest 1600. There would be an experienced driver/observer in the passenger seat.

 

After waiting for half an hour swatting flies I made my way to the head of the queue and waited anxiously for the next car to pit. You can imagine my delight when a bog standard Datsun 1000 pulled up in front of me. I had never been around the track but I had been a keen spectator since the first meeting held there. I jumped in and drove fairly smoothly, mostly taking the right line and even passing the 1600 over the dogleg.

 

When we arrived back at the pits after the final lap the observer gave me a scoresheet which was basically 8/10. I was pretty chuffed and kept it for ages but it was lost a long time ago, pity really because I'm going to the Tasman Revival in November and it would have been great to get Kevin Bartlett to sign it again!

 

[zed240au]

Well my old rx4 sedan has very little going for it in the sporty or exotic stakes but it is still alot of fun Did consider rebuilding a rx4 coupe when navigator rolled old car end for end 6 times but by then i had soft spot for sedan so rebuilt sedan and sold coupe lol

Reckon mate had the least sporty car used to run a datsun 2300 around symons plains was like 1.25 laps when i was running 1.13 in zed few years ago let him run rx4 around symons and he did a 1.15 he was like wow there is a bend in the back straight never saw that before

Other car i used to do grass motorkhanas with was std gemini sedan upset lot guys in the datsun club beating them in that just seemed to have perfect power and handling on grass there turbo 1600s where digging holes and the gemini was just up and gone lol

 

mick

[PZG302]

I have a couple of non exoticas......

 

A 1977 180B SSS built for 3J Street Sedans, ie bog stock execpt for springs and shocks. We found that they were homologated with fuel injection, so I ran what is believed to be the only factory fuel injected 180B in Australia in the late '80's ealry '90s. There is a very good reason for that, it was too heavy and way too slow. After a year in 3J moved to 3E Improved production and had a 2.2litre L18 in the hole running twin webbers off my Turner Sports 1300.

 

next one was an XD ute with a tired 250 six auto. Ran it around Wakefield to learn the track, did 1:22's only mod was to get all the crap out of inside and the tray. Would have put me on the third last row of the Marque Sports race I was there for......It did upset a few of the MG drivers

[herrods]

I have a 1990 BMW 318is in red.

 

I boughtn it for a daily when my car went off the road the first time (prior to owning a zed)

 

now, the IS, stands for (I believe) Intelligent Sport.

The previous owner put it on king super lows, and welded a Canon muffler to the backside of it.

 

BUT  through all my thrashing, pointless sliding, track days, skidpan days going "rally" driving on mates farms, and etc etc, the only things I have ever replaced are the front guard after a bingle with a steel guard rail that jumped in front of me.  the tyres (far too regularly) and the general maintenace of fluids etc.

 

oh wait a new set of brakepads once about 2 years ago.

 

not bad for a car that gets more abuse than a punch-bag @ the Gym.

[Whittie]

Well, I've been at it again. The zed is still not at the panel beaters and in desperate need of some fun I hit a hillclimb in the mirage on the weekend. Same mate came along in his prelude and did really well taking out the Time Keepers award for most improved driver! Another mate also bought an Evo 7 2 days prior and brought it along for a fang.

 

Highlight of the day for me: Someone catching a photo of me going sideways in the fwd!