mark,

oh, ok http://www.pelicanparts.com/ultimate/wink.gif well, let me give you some input into my basic race prep expenditures and you be the judge. i don't have the EXACT list but this is as close as i can remember:

year 1) full safety interior: seats, cage, harnesses, fire equipment= $1000

year 2) brake cooling and full suspension upgrades (rear torsion bars and front springs and shocks), addition of racing guages and an oil cooler = $1500

year 3) lexan windows, fibreglass hood and spoiler = $1000-$1200

year 4) fuel cell, further various upgrades to car for safety and suspension = $1500

year 5) engine upgrade:
choice 1- 215Hp 2.0 litre NA engine = $4500
choice 2- 300Hp reconditioned 2.0 litre turbo racing engine = $6000
choice 3- 430Hp 2.5 litre turbo racing engine = $6000 - $12,000 depending on condition, options, etc

drivetrain upgrades = $1000

year 6) final weight reduction, chassis stiffening, wheel, and suspension upgrades = $4000

end result = 200-430Hp, 1950-2050 lbs, flawless 50/50 weigh distribution. cornering above 2 gees, cost per race weekend assuming car is kept streetable and near to track... $300-$1000 per weekend depending on how hard it is pushed.

final damage to bank account = ~$16,500 there are a LOT of variables as the above does not include labor because i do all the above things myself. only engine work is out-sourced. i can get full-on racing engines for a 924 for $4500 the harder i'd want to play the more i'll have to play. costs could escalate to $30,000 if i want to tube-frame the car and make it legal for SCCA pro racing. also, many of the above prices are because some of the parts are used, or reconditioned. if i got all NEW parts then the costs could be as much as 2x. funny how that works http://www.pelicanparts.com/ultimate/frown.gif

how does said project perform? well, i'm taking this from the people who i know have similar cars. they are capable of passing everything on the track except a precious few vehicles such as twin-turbo 300ZX, prototype race cars, and racing ferraris. the 92 is not a sprint racer. it's an endurance racer. it is not as fast as a 911 turbo, but i've never had a problem out-braking, out-handling, and out maneuvering cars that had more than twice the horsepower. every time we "bomb" the back roads, i leave my friends behind, and their cars have more horsepower than mine does. hell, my VW has more horsepower than the 924 does! i could drive circles around the VW though.

the catch? the car i am working on is not allowable in most of the racing sanctioning bodies. that is why you don't see people doing this today. if i can come across a 944 Turbo Cup car, then i will scrap the above project and just work on that car. i've seen 944 turbo race cars with as much as 500Hp going for under $10,000. a LOT depends on condition of the car, and of the engine.

before i got the 924, there were a TON of other vehicles on this list... 914, 928, 911E, 914-6, Lancias, Lotuses, Maseratis, and the list goes on and on. the 924 we bought we jumped on because it is a "homologation special" that has several HEAVY DUTY suspension, engine, and braking systems on it that would otherwise cost several thousand dollars to duplicte. if i were trying to do the above tweaks on any other 924, it would not be worth it. i researched the costs of making a LOT of vehicles into track cars and the 924 was more cost effective because of the dirt-cheap SOHC engines that are reliable as Big Ben.

i like the idea of being around 2000lbs, having between 200-430Hp, and having a 50/50 weight distribution. for reference, the costs are similar to doing the above work on a Lotus, a Mustang, or a Camaro. i like the looks of the 924 better than a Mustang or Camaro, not to mention they are lighter. i could not find a suitable condition lotus in time so we got the 924.

does this answer your question http://www.pelicanparts.com/ultimate/wink.gif sorry for the long-windedness (i'm on lunch break)

obin

oops! one more tidbit... the above prices do not include what i have already put into the car and done already. this is about $5000 so far including the cost of the vehicle. so far the costs have included exhaust, new tranny (heavier duty), some engine and electrical work, and some suspension components.

just wanted to clarify that http://www.pelicanparts.com/ultimate/wink.gif

obin