wrx -> shifter kart?

[Jarrett Gorlick]

so in a nutshell, my wrx is having issues and I am totally out of ideas and I don't want to drop a bunch of money into the car to get it into racing shape again (see: unemployed college student). The car runs fine just knocks a bunch under harsh conditions
I was thinking of getting a miata before but I don't want to sell my car and my parents aren't down with me getting a dd and track car, especially since I'd have to buy something big + a trailer to tow.
My plan was to go back to stock and sell the parts, getting a good $1500 back, making my car more reliable and comfortable for daily driving and using that money to get a used shifter kart and run in the kart class in auto-x.
any thoughts, opinions, anything I don't of, etc.?
Thanks guys

[Rick Brown]

so in a nutshell, my wrx is having issues and I am totally out of ideas and I don't want to drop a bunch of money into the car to get it into racing shape again (see: unemployed college student). The car runs fine just knocks a bunch under harsh conditions
I was thinking of getting a miata before but I don't want to sell my car and my parents aren't down with me getting a dd and track car, especially since I'd have to buy something big + a trailer to tow.
My plan was to go back to stock and sell the parts, getting a good $1500 back, making my car more reliable and comfortable for daily driving and using that money to get a used shifter kart and run in the kart class in auto-x.
any thoughts, opinions, anything I don't of, etc.?
Thanks guys

Sounds like a no brainer to me!

[Robert Puertas]

A kart is easily the best bang for your buck in all of motorsport.
Go for it!

[Steve Ekstrand]

Kart. No brainer for a young guy on a budget with the body for it and who is hooked on speed.

Best bang for the buck. Huge adrenaline. Cheap tires and maintenance. Easy storage. And you can go to kart tracks and get tons of seat time to refine your skills for the intense competition experience of autocross.

[Max Hayter]

Andrea Moyal to the white courtesy phone

[Giovanni Jaramillo]

so in a nutshell, my wrx is having issues and I am totally out of ideas and I don't want to drop a bunch of money into the car to get it into racing shape again (see: unemployed college student). The car runs fine just knocks a bunch under harsh conditions
I was thinking of getting a miata before but I don't want to sell my car and my parents aren't down with me getting a dd and track car, especially since I'd have to buy something big + a trailer to tow.
My plan was to go back to stock and sell the parts, getting a good $1500 back, making my car more reliable and comfortable for daily driving and using that money to get a used shifter kart and run in the kart class in auto-x.
any thoughts, opinions, anything I don't of, etc.?
Thanks guys

Sounds like a no brainer to me!

+1 on that! F125 FTW!

[Randy Chase]

Andrea Moyal to the white courtesy phone

Good call. She ran the WRX this last weekend in San Diego because we had a clutch issue on the kart.

But in her words after running the kart at El Toro two weeks ago... "why does anyone autocross a car?"

Well, there is comfort, AC, and other reasons of course... but you get the idea. Even an old guy like me can run a kart.

[Randy Chase]

My words after running the WRX for 15 runs and watching the cord show on the front tires.. Why does anyone run a stock WRX?

[Ron Tsumura]

I don't know why more people don't run F125?
You do have to figure out how to transport it, learn the secrets of speed for shifter karts, buy the safety gear/clothes, constantly be on the lookout for loose or broken stuff, and hope it does not rain too hard but other than that it is the way to go!

My ultimate autoX ride is a Swift formula Ford... :heyes:

[Sebastian Rios]

My ultimate autoX ride is a Swift formula Ford... :heyes:

I like B-mod but in a more stylish car than an Aardvark or LeGrand..I'm thinking something like this Dragon.

[Robert Puertas]

You can get a modern Formula Ford (other than a swift) for well under $10k. I've seen them as low as $6500 lately.
They're pretty much bullet-proof, and no where near as fiddly as the average DSR.

Still not as cheap or fast as F125 though, and you need a slightly bigger trailer...

[Ron Tsumura]

You can get a modern Formula Ford (other than a swift) for well under $10k. I've seen them as low as $6500 lately.
They're pretty much bullet-proof, and no where near as fiddly as the average DSR.

Still not as cheap or fast as F125 though, and you need a slightly bigger trailer...

But you can run it in the rain. Tried it once in the shifter... Never again! :unimpressed:

[Bob Beamesderfer]

My ultimate autoX ride is a Swift formula Ford... :heyes:

+1 Right on!

[Randy Chase]

Me too, Never again

You can get a modern Formula Ford (other than a swift) for well under $10k. I've seen them as low as $6500 lately.
They're pretty much bullet-proof, and no where near as fiddly as the average DSR.

Still not as cheap or fast as F125 though, and you need a slightly bigger trailer...

But you can run it in the rain. Tried it once in the shifter... Never again! :unimpressed:

[Jarrett Gorlick]

so I'm getting tons of "yes's" to a kart.
at the risk of sounding stupid, aside from rain what is the downside???
also, if you all don't mind, any info about karts I should know? prices, maintenance, what brands are good, what to look out for? I'd love to find one used cause I want to keep the cost down and I'm not very competitive yet.
Thanks guys

[Rick Brown]

so I'm getting tons of "yes's" to a kart.
at the risk of sounding stupid, aside from rain what is the downside???
also, if you all don't mind, any info about karts I should know? prices, maintenance, what brands are good, what to look out for? I'd love to find one used cause I want to keep the cost down and I'm not very competitive yet.
Thanks guys

For the other extreme, if it's really hot, it can get a bit in the warm in the kart suit. Don't buy new. A used one will come with spares, extra sets of wheels, probably a kart stand. Stuff you would have to buy if you bought new. CRG, Tony, Arrow, Birel are all good names. Check ekartingnews.com for karts for sale and they have forums (including an SCCA F125 one) for lots of info. I did quite well buying two different karts off eBay. You should be able to get a decent one that's a few years old for $2500 to a little over $3k. If you find one locally, one of us would probably be able to go with you to look at it. Also, show up at a practice and we would let you try one. (Best way to get someone hooked. )

[Jarrett Gorlick]

so I'm getting tons of "yes's" to a kart.
at the risk of sounding stupid, aside from rain what is the downside???
also, if you all don't mind, any info about karts I should know? prices, maintenance, what brands are good, what to look out for? I'd love to find one used cause I want to keep the cost down and I'm not very competitive yet.
Thanks guys

For the other extreme, if it's really hot, it can get a bit in the warm in the kart suit. Don't buy new. A used one will come with spares, extra sets of wheels, probably a kart stand. Stuff you would have to buy if you bought new. CRG, Tony, Arrow, Birel are all good names. Check ekartingnews.com for karts for sale and they have forums (including an SCCA F125 one) for lots of info. I did quite well buying two different karts off eBay. You should be able to get a decent one that's a few years old for $2500 to a little over $3k. If you find one locally, one of us would probably be able to go with you to look at it. Also, show up at a practice and we would let you try one. (Best way to get someone hooked. )

thanks for the info, I'm going to check out ekarting now. Honestly, I would go to a practice and work someone's shift, give them a massage, buy them lunch, etc. if I could give their kart a little test run. If anyone needs anything, I will trade for test runs haha
Thanks

[Ron Tsumura]

Two of the creature comforts I miss most are: 1) an electric start and 2) adjustible seat/steering.

If you are too big or too small you probably need to do things to the kart to get it to fit just right. (Seat size, placement, pedel location, etc...) You can't always just jump into somebodys kart and just go.

You will spin, you will stall it is just a fact. You have to have somebody push you. (unless you can figure out how to push start your self which I have not) It really sucks when it won't start just because..

[Robert Puertas]

My kart had a kick start for just those reasons.
Also an extended porch and the biggest seat Tillet makes.
Being big isn't necessarily a deal killer in a kart the way it can be in some formula cars.
Plus you don't have to worry about adding ballast or meeting minimum weight!

Despite my size, I fit fine in Randy's kart, my knees just stick out further.

[Ron Tsumura]

Hey Robert!

You can try my kart out1 Should be entertaining.

[Mako Koiwai]

Can Jarrett try someones kart out ... Ron ?

[Ron Tsumura]

Sure! After you Mako

Having motorcycle experience is a plus.. That hand/clutch feel helps a bunch!

[Jarrett Gorlick]

I would really appreciate it if I could come out and give someone's kart a whirl. I'm pretty average sized, a tad bit scrawny so I don't think size should be too tough.
I have done a good amount of atv/dirt biking when I was younger so the hand clutch shouldn't be too bad. Do you guys even use the clutch to shift when you're racing? Cause I remember with bike/quad sequential trannys a little rev-matching and a little umph you just powershift away.
But in all seriousness, I will definitely work someone's shift, buy them lunch or whatever to get a few runs or something in their kart at a practice event.
Jarrett

[Ron Tsumura]

Maybe we can get a section of El Toro to practice on?

You just need the clutch to launch and when stopping. To upshift, pull shifter up. To downshift, push shifter down. For some reason this is not so easy to remember? }:)
Just lift off the gas before upshifting.

Real bad if you are reving 13K and downshift instead of upshift.

[Jarrett Gorlick]

Ron has been great enough to let me try out his kart, pending fitment haha.
In a nutshell, he said I could come out to the next practice and give it a whirl but heres the issue:
I would like to work his shift as what he is doing is ridiculously nice and I don't want to run my wrx. I would love to not register, work for him and run once or twice. He did bring up having me run on the kids kart course, which maybe would be better than registering, working, etc. and running once or twice.
Anyone have any ideas as to what would work best?
edit: ron just suggested getting some area of el toro to practice, I would love that if possible.
and I think I can get that shifting down pretty well, its just a sequential, with a dirtbike clutch. but I'm not guaranteeing anything haha