You Want a Race Car. Build or Buy?
- Tibbett
- 7 hours ago
- 9 min read
Building a race car is the dumbest thing anyone can decide to do. With that out of the way, I’m going to share some of what goes into the process for those interested in doing it. I’ve done it both ways. I have bought race ready cars, I’ve started from absolute scratch, and I’ve bought “almost ready” race cars which sometimes are even more of a headache.
Most will tell you buying a race ready car is far less of a headache and usually cheaper. This is true in many cases. There are pros and cons to each though. Building your own means you know every nut and bolt so can trust how the car was built versus buying a used car with a potential mess someone else created.
The Build Option
Choose a Class
One of the first mistakes many make is deciding on a car and not a class. If it is track days that you are after, this isn't as important. For wheel-to-wheel racing though this is the first step that matters the most.
Choosing the wrong class can make your path expensive or nearly impossible. What classes are popular near you? What is your goal? Do you want to proceed up the racing ladder or just have fun? How many races per year do you want to do and how many clubs near you host events for this class? What about double dipping in other organizations?
Choosing the platform is key. As cool as “weird” or odd ball race cars are there’s a reason why you see so many Miatas, BMWs, etc at the track. This is especially true on a budget but use a platform that’s popular. You’ll have far more help should you need it, more readily available parts, and typically when it’s time to sell the market will be relatively strong.
The Donor Car
For the sake of this article and my own experience, this post is assuming the car being built is for a relatively strict class in terms of engine rules so high dollar engines aren’t here. An example, even my old MK1 VW GTI I had the engine built for SCCA’s H Production and the engine alone was in excess of $5,000 for a 12:1 race engine. We are also skipping the purpose built sports racers or formula cars for now as i have never personally owned one. However,
The first rule of thumb for most street-based race cars is to refresh everything. So think of what the car will need to be fresh again. How many miles are on it does it need a refresh? What type of auxiliary cooling may be needed? We can't start with an ill running car.
For most cars here is a general idea on what to budget for:
New gaskets and belts
Spark plugs and wires or coil packs.
Checking all hoses and sensors (spares are good)
Oil change.
Flush cooling system and add Water Wetter type fluid.
Radiator to handle higher temperatures and other coolers may be required.
Intake, header, and exhaust if allowed.
New hoses if needed.
Roll cage
You get what you pay for and a nice roll cage isn’t cheap. However, neither is your life. It’s all fun and games to ignore safety equipment until you need it. Most everyone in the U.S. goes with a custom built cage, prices range from $3,000 and up, occasionally you can find one for less but once again quality matters.
There are pre-fabbed cages available including weld in ones where you could save some money if you are a skillful welder or know someone that is. Bolt-in cages exist though many are moving away from them in the U.S. Some offer welded in mounting plates which really strengthens the install and safety benefits. This is more typically found in Europe though.
For custom cages, ensure you read the rule book for your class of choice. Some classes have maximum points that can be mounted to the chassis and pretty much all will have material and size rules. In the U.S. the SCCA is sort of the guide on legal cages, however - read the rules.
Here is the SCCA's rule book and roll cage rules can be found on page 84.
Safety Equipment
One of the most important parts of a build along with the cage is your other safety equipment. It's easy to cut corners and buy cheap or even used items but all it takes is one bad wreck to end your career or worst.
Consider the items below when budgeting for the safety equipment on your car:
Race seat (If you don't have a current FIA you need a seat back brace.)
Race seat mounting (fixed, sliders, hardware, etc.)
Harness
Window net and associated mounts. Most classes now require a center net as well.
Fire suppression system.
Kill switch and associated wiring hardware.
Tow straps.
Roll cage padding, not pool noodles, most series now require FIA or SFI padding.
Suspension & Steering
While this sounds like maybe just shocks and springs this covers everything. Once again, all the suspension ideally needs to start with no miles. It’s pointless to build a car with old dry rotted bushings. New control arms, tie rods, bearings, etc. all need to be new. Then the aftermarket items are added. The chosen class for the car will determine what but assume some type of adjustable coilover for most builds. Aftermarket sway bars, adjustable end links, etc. are all considerations depending on your rule book. Spec classes are nice here because it doesn't leave you with endless options.
You can use this as a very basic rundown on what you may be needing:
Damper system and springs whether it's coilovers or shocks and springs.
Aftermarket sway bars if legal.
New control arms and other suspension pieces.
New tie rods.
New sway bar end links.
Camber plates if they didn't come with the suspension you bought.
Differential bushings, mounts, etc.
Brakes & Drivetrain
For most brake systems on a build we will assume all new rotors, possibly new calipers, steel braided brake lines, race fluid, and race pads. Some cars may also require legitimate cooling methods to the brakes.
For drivetrain we are talking clutch, flywheel, driveshaft, differential, etc. Expect to put a new clutch and related components in. You will eventually want an LSD so keep that in mind as well. The transmission needs to be fresh without grinds, good fluid made for racing, etc. Do the research as some cars have weak points, Miatas for example have a reputation for weaker boxes. Also learning mechanical sympathy when shifting can save you from too frequent rebuilds or replacements.
Shopping list:
Brake rotors
Race brake pads
Steel braided brake lines
Brake fluid (race specific)
New calipers if the old ones show age, to be safe just run new.
Limited slip differential.
Clutch, flywheel, throw-out bearing, etc.
Axles, boots, etc. All need to be fresh.
The transmission itself needs to be fresh without grinds.
Once again, this list will change depending on the car you are building or even the class. Some cars and classes will require an aftermarket pedal box, master cylinder, etc.
Wheels and Tires
Wheels and tires aren’t cheap, and you’ll need more than one set. I always liked to have two sets at every event one with mounted rains, one slicks, and then usually a couple of spares with slicks mounted.
It’s easy to get some cost savings here if you look for used wheels. Depending on the class there will be no shortage of available options.
Tires once again vary on the class rules. Some are street tires, some classes DOT slicks, and some an actual race slick. This is something to consider when budgeting how much a car will be to run.
I saved a lot of money using used race tires from the guys who can afford to buy a new set every weekend. The first time I ever got sticker slicks was a night and day difference though. So, try not to get addicted.
Extra Work
Some of the extra work involved in building a car is optional but matters. Some will be required though and while it doesn't always cost money, it does require your time. The obvious thing is gutting the interior, once again classes have rules as to what or how much can be removed but expect removal of carpet, airbags, etc. If you are building a newer car or one with a large following, you may be able to sell some of these bits to help pay for the replacement race items.
Some of the optional work are things like painting the interior, installing aftermarket or custom door panels to offer a cleaner look, reducing wiring not needed, etc. While some are just aesthetic they also serve a beneficial purpose. A clean build will allow you to see leaks or other issues sooner, getting rid of some of the wiring that is not needed for a race car simplifies things which means less headache when hunting for issues.
Do you ever see a professionally built race car with bundles of loose wires, massively faded or chipped interior panels, etc.? Like I said, this isn't a requirement to build a race car but in the long run it will make life easier, look good, and probably help support your resale value as well.
Forgotten Items
If you budget $20,000 for a build, add another $10,000. It may not always be that dramatic but there’s always hidden costs. Nuts and bolts, decals, little brackets here and there, the list goes on and on. Once you start shaking the car down, you’ll find even more things you need or would like to add.
Consider things like vinyl wrapping, a fresh paint job to start clean, and so on.
The Race Ready Option
I did say at the start of this post that we would be hypothetically comparing street based builds. So your Spec E46, Spec Miata, Production, endurance builds, and so on classed cars. However, given the current market for the race ready option we will discuss some of the entry level factory built race cars and other purpose built race cars on the market. One thing to still consider though is the class. Look at popularity in your area, what championship is available, etc.
There are numerous benefits to buying a race ready car. For one, a lot of the times it is cheaper. Secondly you can get on track sooner and it's far less work to do so, especially if turning wrenches isn't your thing.
One of the concerns when buying a car though is who built it. Some deals out there sound good but the truth is the quality of work is less than ideal. Ask the important questions and even look closely for yourself. Has it ever been crashed heavily? Look under the dash at all of the wiring, check the kill switch, make sure belts and everything are in date or add that in to your price, and so on.
One tricky part in race ready cars is if you want one that is street legal like I always have (I live 10 minutes from Road Atlanta and don't have a truck and trailer being the only reason) it's not the easiest to find a race car with a tag. Many are tossed and some sellers don't want the liability of what could happen on the road but some do exist.
The Verdict
There is one thing both of these options have in common and another entirely different debate for another day. You have to run the car once you have a car (look for Rent vs Owning soon). Do you have a truck? Trailer? Do you have a garage or other place to work on the car? You can do it super grassroots as I have and just work in a driveway or parking lot but it's not ideal. I also use to only have cars that were registered and insured as I drove them to and from the track. When things don't go well though a tow isn't always cheap.
In all reality, there are only two reasons I see to build a car. One is you actually enjoy the mechanical aspect and some of the tinkering involved. Nothing wrong with that and it's a great way to learn all about The second reason is if you are on a tight budget and want to slowly make the car better as you get seat time. The initial price is probably a little lower but in the end if you do the math it will be more than holding out to buy. I have gone this way and while I got seat time, I never got the car where I wanted it due to money and typically loss an arm and a leg re-selling it.
I hope this post was helpful or interesting at least. If you have any questions, comments, or cool stories about your own adventures in building or buying, feel free to comment!