What is the best year and package for being compeditive in autocross? I can spend about $5000 for the car.

 

go with a 1st gen, drop a 13bt in it.. 1st gen - 500bucks, jspec motor - 1000, nice wheels and tires - 1500bucks, coilovers - 1000.

 

Competitive at what level? Anything above a local level would be near impossible for under $5k. Keep in mind that motor swaps bump you up in classes, and that's where the fast cars are - the fast cars and the big money.

 

Don't do motor swaps from other years or from Japan...unless you want to run with very well prepared/expensive cars.

None of the year/models dominate in any class. You will be best off finding a 2nd or 1st gen that is relatively stock or completely stock and running in ES for NA cars or BS for the TIIs.

You can move up to the Street prepared classes and be pretty happy but that will be hard to do with $5k.

Best bet is to find a 1st gen in good stock shape (84-85 GSL-SE is preferred) get good shocks and some race tires and run in E Stock. As you get used to the car you will find that you want to make changes. Get a rule book and see what changes are allowed to move you into Street Prepared. There are several things that are typical rice that are NOT allowed in the SP classes. The car mentioned will move into CSP. Depending on the intial cost of the car you may be able to get an ok SP car for $5k if you can do all the work yourself. You will not have a top contender in the class unless you make up for it with driving talent.

 

1st gen all the way. Light, cheap, durable, tossable, and very cool. Downsides: old-fashioned steering, harsh ride.

If you can't find a GSL-SE (fuel-injected 13B!), get a GSL for the limited slip differential and rear disc brakes. The GS and early S cars lacked those features but were lighter for it.

Very Important: when you go to look at a car bring a phillips screwdriver (lazy me brings the cordless) and a flashlight. Gently remove the rear storage bins behind the front seats and look for rust blossoming on the wheel well humps. This is 1st gen cancer and lowers the value - and eventually structual integrity - of the car. Also beware rusty gas tanks.

 

1st gen man theres a guy on here that races in autox you'll have to ask him what hes done, not really stripped stock ported motor and such i believe hes just got suspension and some good tires, I'm sure being a good driver helps too =) Oh btw this is in c-streetp prepared. The 2nd gens in that class are dogs. Just from my experience.

Ron

 

Hasn't been my experience, check this www.zaxjax.com he womps on Vettes all day long but then again he spent more than 5K and Zach can REALLY drive.

 

Like he said the driver makes the biggesdt difference. we all know any 7 can be fast =) Just go for what you like the best and cheapest to buiold up.

Ron

 

isn't there a company that makes a upgraded steering rack for FB's? i think it was featured in RX Tuner... forget who makes it... maybe it was cp racing... id unno

 

yeah i was right, its cp racing...

Stage 2 79-85 Mazda Rx7 Rack Conversion Kit
Reg: $650.00USD


Stage 2 CP RACING J.O Rack and pinion conversion kit transforms all 79-85 Mazda Rx7s from reciprocating ball equipped steering boxes setups to a VW manual steering rack and pinion set up. It will transform the feel and response of the car, whether you are [...]

 

GTUs in E stock has a lot of advantage. I have competed in the GSL-SE too, but those basic mods you put on it to a less competitive (or your opponents are too competitive) situation. GTUs in stock trim can be very fast in its class. If trophy is what you are after.

 

The R&P conversion is normally non-power assisted. It can be fabricated, but a lot of trouble.

 

If $5K is all you have, you're better off starting w/ an early 1.6L ('90 - '93) Miata. They're cheap, and handle great out of the box.

 

i was in the same boat as you a few years ago, and after hunting high and low and considering everything from VW GTI's to 240SX's to old 510's to 318 BMW's, I bought a 1st gen for $200, prepped it to IT specs and I run it in CSP. It's competitive on a state level, but the Regional boys whoop up on me.

Best thing: with a junkyard 12A, Autopower roll cage, GSL limited slip, Tokico Illuminas, Ground Control suspension and camber plates, Cusco strut tie bar, Corbeau seats, 5 point G-Force harness, 13x7 Circle racing wheels with 205/60/13 Victoracers and some other little odds and ends, I still have less than $4k in it. To make it competitive at a regional level, I'd have to lose the cage, (which means all the interior would have to go back in, pretty much a tossup from a weight standpoint) go with a Dellorto side draft, go with 13x10's or 15x9's and stick in a 4:30 or 4:88 gearset. It would still come in at around $5-6K, but a 'true' CSP car can't race in IT.

IMHO, a 1st gen is the most bang for the buck. No, it isn't perfect (particularly the steering!) but it's very workable and a ton of fun! Cheapest way out: run C Stock.

 

What he said.

If not you can get a TII for about $3K, race tires for $500, decent shocks ~$300 and have some fun. It won't be really competitive but they can be fairly fast.

 

Under $5k. I'm pretty happy with my set-up
84 gsl-se with tokico 5-way adj. shocks, 5pt harness, and extra set of racing tires $1500
RB springs, front and rear RB sway bars ~$500
full RB exhaust ~$630
NEW wheels and tires ~$800

I'm pretty competitive at local levels in CSP. I just seem to be about .5-1 second behind the heavily modded miatas. for about ~$400 more my next move would be for coil-overs and camber plates up front and some intake work. still under $5k and still a smokin fast autox car.