More info

[steveavxt]

I am interested in buying a car for track use only and have started looking at Radicals. Is there a site with car spec's on it? (weight, power, dimensions etc)

I was looking for a clubsport like this;

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/758769.htm

but can't find any info on this model.

Thanks in advance

Steve

[BertBert]

Jon is on here somewhere and it's his car. It was converted to two seats for him by Van Kaiser at Slipstream racing. I also have the same spec car. I am about to take off the rear wing to race in the Rad clubmans cup next year. It looks a great car and in terms of entry into the radical world, it's a good start. It'll weigh about 460kg, have a power between 160bhp and 180bhp depending on who you believe. It is astonishingly fast, but very easy to drive and reasonably benign (the rear is lively without the wing before the slicks are up to temp!).

I love my 2 seater clubsport, it's a superb track car. For 10k (or whatever can be negotiated), assuming it's in reasonable nick (mainly the engine is not due a rebuild), you won't get a faster track day car. I would expect it to be in good condition!

[ETA] just reread the ad and the engine and box is only 3 hours old after a refresh. Won't get much better.

Bert (a huge clubsport fan)

Edited by BertBert on Wednesday 29th October 00:53

[steveavxt]

Thanks for the info. I had a ride out in an SR3 a while back and loved it. I realise the Clubsport doesn't have as much straight line speed but holding speed in the corners is of more interested to me anyway. 180 bhp in a 460kg car sounds very good,I currently have 250 bhp in a 900kg car, so a marked improvement there

Edited by steveavxt on Wednesday 29th October 12:02

[ScottHughes]

IMHO It all comes down to budget really - a clubsport does not have as much downforce as a prosport/SR4/SR3 etc so therefore cannot pull as much G in the corners - I have only managed 1.5G without a rear wing in my clubsport but the radical website says that a PRO6 can pull 2.5G which is the effects of more downforce. If you have the budget 15-20K then go for prosport or SR3 if not then a clubsport with wings or SR4 are your only options..

The radical website does have some spec's of the cars on it..

Cheers
Scott

[BertBert]

yup, cost v use. Also radicals can be expensive to run especially if you have to do a rebuild. So the initial cost can be added to significantly if the engine goes or gets to its alloted hours/wear.
Bert

[Jon_Watson]

Hi Steve,

Bert was kind enough to give you some info on clubsports. As he mentioned, even the "little old" 1100's will make you just about the quickest person on the track (except for the larger Radicals). You will be passing the likes of Porsche, Ferrari and "M" BMW's. I originally went with a clubsport because I felt that offered an excellent value/performance. As Bert will attest, the two seat conversion + wing is a very nice extra and has been done in a very professional way/look.

As for straight line speed, given the right gearing and a long enough straight (i.e. Hockenhiem, Dijon, Spa) you can hit 145+. But as you mentioned, it is really in the corners where the Radicals impress the most. I about wet myself the first time through craner curves.

An added bonus with the older cars like the clubsport, you can get body parts at less expensive cost compared to the SR3 and SR4 if you are unlucky enough to need them.

Cheers,
Jon

[steveavxt]

I was looking to spend between £10 & 15K so the cheaper SR3's could be a possibility. Just wondering if it's a better idea to get one of the best cheap ones (Clubsport) or one of the worst expensive ones (SR3)

[BertBert]

that's easy, go for the best clubsport, save money for track time, running costs, instruction.
Whatever you do, do not buy a well-used/ropey/bucket-of-bolts-mobile. It must be top notch else it'll cost you a fortune. That doesn;t mean new, just has to have been very well looked after with good (documented) history.

Also, don't assume that a race car has been well looked after. Some people assume that it will have been maintained money no object. It may well have been, but it may be completely knacked and held together with tape, bluetack and hope!

None of this specifically applies to Jon's car as you'd have to check it out. But the signs look good. Refreshed engine, 2-seat conversion by Van Kaiser like mine which I know to be very good quality.

HTH
BErt

[ScottHughes]

I agree with Bert best to buy a good club/prosport and use the extra money for good tyres (£550 ish a set-Avon's)and possibly some upgrade's.....

A Cheap SR3 would not be a good idea unless you have budgeted another 5K on top of your 15K for running costs etc..?

[splitpin]

ScottHughes said:

I agree with Bert best to buy a good club/prosport and use the extra money for good tyres (£550 ish a set-Avon's)and possibly some upgrade's.....

A Cheap SR3 would not be a good idea unless you have budgeted another 5K on top of your 15K for running costs etc..?

100% sound advice from both BertBert & ScottHughes, so do take it in: Far better a well looked after Prosport than a carelessly treated and maintained SR3: In your first season with a Radical, there is a whole lot of stuff to take in, experience and enjoy at a personal driver level for the first time; with any Radical, whatever you've driven anywhere else, the performance will literally blow your socks off! As astonishing performance comes as standard, what you really need most from your first Radical is reliability from the car, what you need like a hole in the head is some old dog with this, that and the other going wrong each and every Trackday (or even each and every session!); buy a dog and by the end of your first trackday season, you'll be a good mechanic, but almost certainly will have not advanced your driving skills much at all; in all probability rueing the day you bought it.

We've just done our first season in an SR4 and it's been totally fantastic: we could definitely have bought newer and/or cheaper, but we bought the best; scrupulously maintained inside and out from new with a full log and invoices to prove. It's proved to be the right move.

[steveavxt]

I think a decent Prosport seems to be the way forward. Thanks for all the replys.

[BertBert]

Don't forget the clubsport. It's very good too!
bert