Budget track day car
Discussion
Hi there. I'm looking at a Ginetta G26 as a track day/fast road car. I'm used to MGB's but fed up with welding and can't afford a Lotus so the G26 with the Galvinanized chassis and GRP body ticks all the boxes. The one I have seen has a Ford (Cortina) Pinto with a stage two head, four branch manifold, Lumerington ignition, and a single Weber carb'. I'm hoping to use the car as a developement platform GRP doors, Cosworth YB conversion or something intersting and Independant rear suspension rather than the four linked axle.
What are your experiences and ideas on the G26? Do you think the car is any good and what conversions have you guys seen or done yourselves? Thanks in advance for your input. Rob
What are your experiences and ideas on the G26? Do you think the car is any good and what conversions have you guys seen or done yourselves? Thanks in advance for your input. Rob
Edited by Robert060379 on Friday 2nd October 03:04
G26 - from the unloved and appreciated Ginetta "wedge" stable - Heavy chassis heavy body heavy engine - old tech suspension.
As a track day car - not a lot going for it except being different and unusual.
Ripping it apart to fit to upgrade to a YB and indy rear end seems a lot of work + the brake etc that will need to be upgraded as well.
As a fast road car - they may have been quick enough in the 80's but these days a good TDI bus will out run them.
Better off going for a bit of Jap tin as it will work out far more econimical.
On the plus side - It has a nice name and will not rust(totally) and has simple mechanicals and has a certain 80's angular charm. On the down side they have dropped into the bargain basement council estate front garden keeping the fridge and setee company stereotype wreck bracket so prices have been dragged down and its difficult to justify significant expenditure on restorations and upgrades as its unrecoverable.
Being bought now more for the documentation than any other reason.
Andrew
As a track day car - not a lot going for it except being different and unusual.
Ripping it apart to fit to upgrade to a YB and indy rear end seems a lot of work + the brake etc that will need to be upgraded as well.
As a fast road car - they may have been quick enough in the 80's but these days a good TDI bus will out run them.
Better off going for a bit of Jap tin as it will work out far more econimical.
On the plus side - It has a nice name and will not rust(totally) and has simple mechanicals and has a certain 80's angular charm. On the down side they have dropped into the bargain basement council estate front garden keeping the fridge and setee company stereotype wreck bracket so prices have been dragged down and its difficult to justify significant expenditure on restorations and upgrades as its unrecoverable.
Being bought now more for the documentation than any other reason.
Andrew
I did a track day once in my 31 and had loads of fun harrying an AC300ME which was trying to spin off at every opportunity. A 26/31 can give very economical fun if the suspension is Superflexed and hard pads are fitted. The best budget trackday tool though is probably a Sylva Stryker which are cheap as chips.
There's one on Ebay for £300! Just up the road. I feel sorry for the car now having got such bad reviews. Cortina hubs so Wilwood rotor conversion would sort the front end out and a rear disk conversion on the (Atlas) axle can be done with bits of the Ford parts bin. XR3i disks, Sierra calipers and a couple of brackets welded into place. There's a 200SX S13 for £350 though. Had one before and I ended up putting the enginge in an MGB GT because it was less rusty.
Bad review !! - Please dont read my description as a bad review - its an honest description of the car in comparison to others with a view to use as a track day car. Response to the question if being used an allround all year alternative to the daily driver or even as a daily driver would different.
The G26 met its original design brief pretty well and as a consequence prooved one of Ginetta's more successful products - Then again BL sold loads of Allegro's and Maxi's ;-)
At present the cars are viewed with as the very poor relations to the other models in the range but I'm pretty sure that as the chaff gets scrapped for donor parts and registrations the remaining cars will be eventually be cherished and be of a value that will justify expenditure.
As a track day tool there was a V8 engined Silvia on Turbosport forums for £600.
Andrew
The G26 met its original design brief pretty well and as a consequence prooved one of Ginetta's more successful products - Then again BL sold loads of Allegro's and Maxi's ;-)
At present the cars are viewed with as the very poor relations to the other models in the range but I'm pretty sure that as the chaff gets scrapped for donor parts and registrations the remaining cars will be eventually be cherished and be of a value that will justify expenditure.
As a track day tool there was a V8 engined Silvia on Turbosport forums for £600.
Andrew
I kind of agree. I've just got my G31 back on the road after about 5 years of it sitting in the garden. last time I drove it I seemed to think it was pretty good handled well and was quite quick. I kept it mainly because it wasnt worth anything and I also thought it might make a decent track car one day as its quite light fiber glass body and rear wheel drive!
the reality seems to be not half as good as i'd remembered! its as a lot more rattley than I remember. the handling isnt as great, in fact it seems very wobbely and uncertain of itself! it seems quite quick I suppose for a car with a knackered head gasket! (which I am currently fixing!) and it is very easy to mend it'll probabley last for ever theres only really the doors to rust.
I think its possible that some of these problems could be sorted. a full set of polybushes would probabley improve it no end! as would some decent springs and dampers. To be honest I'm quite dissapointed with it, I've just spent a few hundred quid on a £200 car that I know I won't get back, not to mention all the time and effort! when really I should have just realised that things have moved on a bit!
the reality seems to be not half as good as i'd remembered! its as a lot more rattley than I remember. the handling isnt as great, in fact it seems very wobbely and uncertain of itself! it seems quite quick I suppose for a car with a knackered head gasket! (which I am currently fixing!) and it is very easy to mend it'll probabley last for ever theres only really the doors to rust.
I think its possible that some of these problems could be sorted. a full set of polybushes would probabley improve it no end! as would some decent springs and dampers. To be honest I'm quite dissapointed with it, I've just spent a few hundred quid on a £200 car that I know I won't get back, not to mention all the time and effort! when really I should have just realised that things have moved on a bit!
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