Alright guys, So I'm basically a total newb, I live in ******* Wisconsin, but I love to go fast. I decided to check around for some forums to just start getting in with street racing and I guess I'll see where that takes me. I just got my license..yes. I'm a newb. I can drive..but I don't have a ride. I need to know what to buy..why it's the right thing to buy, and what I can do with it. I have money. So I'm just going to try to settle in and start. Thanks.

 

Slow down turbo. First off, you live in Wisconsin. Your winter is right around the corner. Second, you do not want to have an LSx F-body as your first car, esp in a Wisconsin winter. Alot of the guys on this website are going to say, get a beater car first. Get some driving experience and then step into something that you can handle.

 

Really?!?!













Welcome btw.

 

Street racing ?!! Oh you must mean in Mexico... got ya! Welcome.

 

I agree with having a beater as a first car, to an extent... My first car was and is my '98 Z/28 M6 that I currently have. With responsibility, a teenager can be perfectly fine with it. But if you are reckless and irresponsible, then it's a different story. I say that if you feel comfortable driving it and pushing it a bit, go with an LSx f body. But *be careful in the winter. I know that I have to take it easy (especially with the tires I have) in the winter here in CA...Wisconsin winters are much harsher I assume, so don't get on it in the rain/snow, ever.
Have fun, but be safe.

 

Welcome!

 

Haha. Don't worry. I'm getting a shitty car for the winter. I'm just talking about summer around the corner.

 

my vote goes towards a nice clean Stock Trans am...then let the modding begin. Get familiar with the car first of course! Welcome to the forums.

 

i have a ls1 swaped 240sx for sale

 

SM105K is right, I'd start with something older and cheap.

For a dedicate race car (not a daily driver), and If you're into road racing and hard cornering, consider starting with a Mazda Miata. SCCA "Spec Miata" is a relatively cheap racing class to get into and you have one of the best tracks right in your neighborhood: Road America in Elkhart Lake, WI. The car doesn't have to be crazy fast to be fun or competitive. As your skills and experience builds, the car can morph with you. There is an LSx powered Miata in this forum that is beyond insane in its performance.

Twisties and corner carving not your thing? Good drag racers (Great Lakes Speedway, south of Milwaukee) can be made from just about any rear drive grocery-getter. The plan is to go cheap and stout at the beginning (you aren't invincible or made of money). Look at your candidate cars and think "How would I handle a wreck in this thing" (physically and financially). My first car was a 77 Pontiac Lemans. It, and the next ten cars I bought were all plain Jane rear-drives without a whole lot of power from the factory. I did slow builds on them as I got the money. I didn't get a factory performance car until college (if an '82 T/A can be considered "performance"). My current "dedicated racer" was built with a simple equation in mind: "Would you rather be $5000 pissed off (1981 TA) or $30000 pissed off (2009 G8), if you went straight when you should have turned?"

Keep this in mind: sleepers cost less to insure than performance cars. Insurance companies will juice you like an orange if given the opportunity. You're high risk - teen driver with a new license. Behind the wheel of a Camaro or Mustang, you stand a MUCH higher chance of wadding it up. The insurance company will want more from you in exchange for that extra risk, compared to say... a minivan. Example: My daughter drives a 1999 Pontiac Montana, and she costs me $65 a month, full coverage. A family friend let their son talk them into a 1994 Firebird V6 (not even a Formula or TA). he costs $150 for liability and "state minimum required" coverage. In my opinion, he was an idiot and his parents need to have their heads examined. That money would go a long way toward building up a car.

Were it me, I'd get a 90's to early 2000's S10 or Ranger pickup or something similar. Maybe an 80's GM A-Body (Cutlass, Regal, Grand Prix, Monte Carlo) if you can find one that isn't complete rust bucket.

 

Welcome to LS1Tech!

It all depends LOLIWIN, are you looking to get your elbows dirty building a fast car. Or are you looking buy a quick car and bolt on a couple easy speed parts?

An 80's or 70's regal/carlo/nova like 1981TA suggested could be a good choice. If you are looking to build a fast unique vehicle. Find a solid platform and build it up...with an LS engine of course . There is a strong circle track racing community in WI, and finding parts and support for a vehicle of that generation would be pretty easy. Plus, the insurance folks probably wouldn't consider you such a risk. That sounds like fun to me.

Keep posting, I am interested to see where this goes!

 

I forgot about the Novas. Great call, cruisin. Those are great, relatively lightweight cars with lots of room under the hood. Another one than *might* fly under the radar (get insurance quotes) is a Lincoln Mark 8. These "grannymobiles" have the same engine as a Mustang Cobra from the same year, but *may* (if you're lucky) be in the "granny car" insurance pool.