Let's say I want to buy a racing car

[Feirefiz]

Well, I don't really, but it is something I have wondered before.

Let's say I wanted to practice car racing as a hobby. I don't mean being truly competitive in any series, but still a relatively serious hobby. I would already have a cetrain minimum of skills needed to drive, but I would want to develop my racing skills and improve my personal performance - pretty much like a dedicated hobbyist in any other sport. Assume that the driving is done on some kind of track and street legality is not a concern. Other than that I don't want narrow down the type of car.

Assume that I have a respectable disposable income but no fabulous riches. What would be an entry-level racing car that allows "real" racing but keeps cost (both purchase and maintenance) within somewhat reasonable limits.

[What Exit?]

Depends on your location, in many places in the south (US), stock car racing is the hobby of shade-tree mechanics and even here in my area of New Jersey I knew a few people that owned and raced non-street legal cars at the Englishtown Race Track.

Most of these guys did most of the work themselves with just the help of friends and some did it for very low amounts. 20 years ago it could be done for under $10,000. I would hope it could still be done for less than $30,000. But obviously I do not know and especially do not know for Germany.

Much cheaper was another friend's hobby of Demolition Derby. He just needed to get an old large clunker working well enough for one night.

[Oliveloaf]

Folks have been racing Mazda Miatas (now Mazda MX-5 Miata) for years. Great handling and rear-wheel drive. Mustangs are also affordable and easy to ready for the track.

Whatever you buy, you will need to buy the track stuff: Roll cage, fire extinquisher, a suit for you, and a good helmet. Your best bet would be to find a race-ready that's up for sale.

You should try and scope out a local SCCA event and see what it's all about. Makes for a great weekend.

[dynamitedave]

It's been a few years now but a mate started in the budget class. He used a Ford Anglia (?) which he put a Fiat engine in, welded in a roll cage, welded the doors closed and moved the drivers seat and controls to the middle of the car for safety (in roll over or when T-boned). The major costs were the safety gear: the seat, 5 point harness, flame proof suit, gloves, boots, helmet (with tear-offs). The only car part he really had to buy was the fuel cell which has to be to a certain standard, again for safety.

He didn't spend a lot and today it'd be about $2-5000 of our peso type dollars. All the work he did himself. It wasn't pretty to look at and would swap ends without provocation, but was competitive and fun. He later moved to Modifieds where a top engine can be $50,000. But it's worth it when your car can wheelstand all the way down the straights!

These days there are vehicle type class events. Such as GM based HQs and Commodores or old type Minis. These are very limited to what alterations can be done to keep the sport cheap. Having read the requirements for the HQ class, you could buy the car and go racing for NZ$10,000.