Ferrari Mailing List: Re: OK Thinking about a new toy car

[LS (lashdeep]

With the Stang, nothing breaks and all parts are $4 each. I have it
because I built it myself, like it a lot and it works very well. But, best
of all, I get an erection everytime I drive it.

I would pick something that does the same for you and just track it...or
mod it to be better for your purposes.

I always get a laugh out of some of the "track guys" I always talk to.
They obssess over track only requirements and insist that shiny paint,
body styling and exhaust noise is worthless. So, they've made their point
about being hardcore track guys. The funny thing is that they haven't
recognized that they need to skip the street garbage and go straight to a
real racer. If it's not about the car, aim for the best tool out there?

I track my Cobra, the Shelby, and soon the Mallett because I love the
cars. The Ferrari is too big and heavy.

If I wanted a real track weapon, I'd get one. Lotus 540R? Ariel Atom?
Radical? Spec Miatas are fun but slooooooooooow. You know that.

Don't waste time picking a compromised tool if you really value track
performance over street fun. 

LS

--- Mike <themightytoe [at] gmail.com> wrote:

> LOL
> 
> I think with the M3 I am in a similar mode as you and your Stang (maybe
> a
> bit pricier on parts).  Probably I will just keep it, I have a new GTI
> for a
> daily driver now so the M3 is a garage queen, it's just not as pretty a
> queen as I might want :).
> 
> After the Spec Miata, everything feels like it handles like a pig, but
> they
> all feel much faster in a straight line :).  No traction control, no
> ABS,
> but also no weight so braking and handling are not really a problem, you
> want a real scare, drive a 1st Gen Viper at speed...
> 
> I have never considered going vintage, I guess I may be old enough now
> to do
> that, but I have seen a few vintage folks race and they bring the
> equivalent
> of an extra car in spares with them typically :).  If I hold onto a car
> long
> enough I end up there anyhow :).
> 
> Mike
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: LS [mailto:lashdeep [at] yahoo.com] 
> Sent: Monday, April 28, 2008 11:42 PM
> To: Mike
> Cc: ferrari list
> Subject: Re: [Ferrari] OK Thinking about a new toy car
> 
> For new cars, I'd get a GT3 or a Z06, everything else is gross and
> fat...eeeewwwww!
> Why not just get a car you really like and track it? I have an old
> Mustang
> Cobra that I've had since new...it's setup well for track use. It's also
> damn pretty, sounds sick and is a ball to drive.
> Honestly, if I wasn't looking to "fall in love" with a car, I'd be in an
> open seater. 
> I did a school in Formula Ford at Pocono last fall and since then all
> street
> cars feel like crap.
> If you want a street car, get one you really like...as a street car,
> then
> track it. If you want a real track weapon, get a real race car and leave
> the
> pigs in the garage at home.
> LS
> PS-Ever thought of going vintage? Some serious potential there...and no
> girly driver's aids...
> 
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: Mike <themightytoe [at] gmail.com>
> To: LS <lashdeep [at] yahoo.com>
> Cc: The FerrariList <ferrari [at] ferrarilist.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 12:10:12 AM
> Subject: RE: [Ferrari] OK Thinking about a new toy car
> 
> Wow,
> 
> I get this:  I want that car thing every 2 years or so...  
> 
> I want to have a car that is fun to drive on a track that goes pretty
> fast
> but that I can still mix it up with the other folks I drive with a bit,
> but
> it also needs to be really fun to drive to the track.  This weekend I
> set
> the Nav to avoid highways and had a good time zipping up back country
> farm
> roads, every time I saw a hill or zigzag I would run down that way and
> let
> the Nav point me in the general direction.  Good stuff, nothing but
> smiles. 
> 
> Ferrari?  For track use?  not really, the fast ones are too expensive
> (for
> me), the slower ones are more affordable, repairs can be insane.  Really
> very seldom see these at a track day.  I miss my 348 it was a pure joy
> to
> run it at the limit, then I think about the times the oil temp was
> creeping
> past 300, or the throw out bearing needed to be replaced and the feeling
> passes.  If I wanted to quit track days I'd consider another Ferrari but
> just as something to tinker with a bit and drive infrequently.  
> 
> Lotus?  Fun, cheap, flimsy, Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious, still it
> would
> be a lot like my Spec Miata, with less reliability and more power and
> much
> more eye catching.  Plus I'd free up half a garage bay since it is so
> tiny.
> Everyone who keeps their Elise for more than 6 months puts it on a track
> (I
> think).  Its likely a bit brutal on the streets.  My gut tells me no on
> this
> one a bit, but I really love the look of it and it can really dance on a
> racetrack.
> 
> Porsche?  Solid, dependable, fast.  A bit expensive and not really my
> favorite marquee except the Boxster and GT3.  Lots of them at track
> days,
> quite a range of capabilities.  I miss my Boxster, what a fun ride...  
> 
> BMW?  Well I am on my 3rd one now.  They are porky, fat, fat, fatties. 
> My
> current M3 enters a turn like farm equipment...  But you can do anything
> to
> it mid corner, drift it out, no problem, squeeze the line in, easy,
> trail
> brake to the apex, sure why not...  It's really a phenomenal handler in
> terms of driver feedback and super forgiving.  And it's pretty fast too.
> That said, my previous gen M3 was better built, this will likely be my
> last
> new BMW as the company seems to have lost their way.
> 
> Corvette?  Well for bang for the buck, nothing beats the plastic
> fantastic...  Even the constant brake cracking is a cheap repair
> (provided
> you don't wad the car in a corner).  The C6 Z06 is horrifically fast and
> is
> really tempting but if I instruct again, I don't want to be the "He gets
> the
> Z06 students" guy.  That is not the best seat at the track...  I don't
> see a
> lot of these at the track either, folks buy these cars and drag race
> them or
> something, it's weird.
> 
> And why do people sell their Ferrari and buy a Z06?  To go faster
> without
> crowding the garage.  That is why I did it.  I couldn't justify having
> the
> car and not taking it to a track every chance I had.  
> 
> 
> BR,
> Mike
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: LS [mailto:lashdeep [at] yahoo.com]
> Sent: Monday, April 28, 2008 2:52 PM
> To: Mike
> Cc: The FerrariList
> Subject: Re: [Ferrari] OK Thinking about a new toy car
> 
> Mike, you've got plenty of track experience, so you know breakages are
> inevitable.
> 
> I like the Lotus Elise.Their trim and slim philosophy is great for the
> track, but I don't see how it can withstand repeated abuse. I can see
> stuff
> falling off of this car.
> 
> The Porsches are great ontrack as well, but are porky...
> 
> Are you going to drive it on the street? I'd go for lighter weight and
> no
> forced induction.
> 
> On another note...why do people sell their Ferrari for a Vette? They are
> so
> different...should have both.
> 
> LS
> 
> 
> --- Mike <themightytoe [at] gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> > OK,
> > 
> > Just finished a weekend at Road America (1st time on that track)... 
> > That is
> > a tough track 5 cars ended up bent, at least 1 totaled (C5 Z06), no 
> > injuries other than the vehicles so that was good, and 2 of them were 
> > street cars, the others were race cars.  Really an 8/10ths only track 
> > for anyone without all the safety gear.
> > 
> > Drove my 01 M3 on street tires, it is pretty much stock.  It 
> > understeers like a pig but is really manageable with throttle inputs 
> > so it was fun, hits about 140 on the straights.  My front rotors are 
> > very slightly warped but the car held up really well.  It has been 
> > about 3 years since I drove on a racetrack and the big thing I noticed
> 
> > is that the newer cars are really a lot faster!  Of note:
> > 
> > BMW 135i with $2000 Dinan kit, owner said it made 400+ hp and 450+ 
> > lb-ft, with Hoosiers it pretty much walked away like a 911 GT3.  
> > Driver was excellent also but still very impressive.
> > 
> > 997 GT3:  Wow.  Holy crap, wow.
> > 
> > 997 C4S (some work but running street tires) this thing was really 
> > fast also, I did need to lift to let him by and it handled really well
> 
> > for a 911.
> > 
> > C6 Z06 (race tires) driver did not seem to know what he was doing most
> 
> 
=== message truncated ===



      
____________________________________________________________________________________
Be a better friend, newshound, and 
know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile.  Try it now.  
http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ