braknl8 wrote:
What is a front-running TR bringing these days?
While a simple & straight forward question, not a very simple & straight forward answer.
Answer = It depends...
A front runner is gonna need a 'Busa motor in it these days. The only ones that I know of building TRs with a 'Busa in any quantity are Gary Tinker & Randy Suddreth (TRV). You can have TRV build you a car from the ground up with a brand new chassis straight from 600 Racing or start with a roller. I'm pretty certain a brand new, front-running 'Busa powered TR with all the bells & whistles will be >$30k. Of course, that number also depends on what kind of bells & whistles you want (data acquisition, cameras, communications, transponder, etc).
A used TR will cost from $3k (circle-track roller) to $17k (road coarse set-up w/Yamaha water-cooled motor).
If you did the majority of the work yourself -- A 'Busa conversion is ~$10k (engine, wiring harness, ECU, tune, misc bits to make the engine fit) + chassis $? + road course set-up ~$3k (springs, diff, etc) + fiberglass body ~$3k.
If you can find yourself a used TR with a busa conversion, I'd say that's the least expensive way to get a front running car. However, since the busa conversions are only starting to show up at the track, not many are for sale at the moment. (I know, I've been watching RacingJunk & keeping my ears to the ground for a used one since last year.)
But as expensive as all this sounds, the consumables are what really make this affordable racing. Tires are $500/set & they'll last at least 1/3 season if you run in every single practice, qualifier & race. Brake pads ~$200/set for an entire season. Change the oil & filter after every race weekend. Brake fluid flush every other race weekend (overkill).
Also, something else to consider: as a dedicated race car with a tube-frame chassis, these things are very hard to break & parts can be cut off/welded for repairs. If I did to a Spec E30/Miata/H2 as I've done to my TR, I'd have gone thru at least 2 cars already. (OK, let the jokes begin. I'll start -- Yes, us Asians are krazy drivers...) But with the TR, I've just had to replace broken fiberglass body panels, front/rear clips, misc. broken components. Other TR drivers can atest to being hit by other cars (in/out of class) & suffer minimal damage -- which if in a different vehicle, would have rendered that car a total write-off.
As another aside, the TR's on RacingJunk going for ~$5k are circle car set-ups with air-cooled Yamaha motors. If you get one of those, consider only the chassis & body useful. You'll need to convert it to road coarse set-up & consider at least a water-cooled Yamaha or convert to busa. Whle the air-cooled motors can be run, they don't have the longevity of a water-cooled motor & will need a rebuild much sooner than a water-cooled motor. I'm assuming one of the reasons those cars in TX & NV are going for so little is bc the motors have gone to their limit & need a rebuild/refresh. As I understand it, 600 Racing isn't even dealing with the air-cooled motors any longer & have only gone to working on water-cooled Yamahas.
I know of at least one brand new, never seen a track, busa-powered TR to be at CMP this coming weekend. There will also be at least 1, if not 2, newly converted ones there as well. Come to the TR "camp" to check them out, meet the owner/drivers & talk with Randy.