lurking for a while, have questions, track fun / 914 vs cayman s Options

[Dirty Evo]

ok , been lurking here for a while hesitant to post because I don't have anything useful to add to any threads, and I don't have any important questions.

but hell, I need to start sometime....

a bit about me: currently own '08 Cayman S... my daily driver, and occasional HPDE car. I also have a 1990 BMW 325i built to SPEC E30 race spec (built by me and my friends and local shop). I don't race , but that is my normal track car for HPDE... do roughly and even per month. About 12-15 track days per year total. I have the E30 because obviously cheaper to build out than the cayman, and every single conceivable part is cheaper and its super easy for me to learn to work on(I am not very mechanical, so I am learning about working on cars as I go along). And its fun and great car for learning to drive.

Problem is, I don't like BMW. Have always been a porsche guy... funny thing is I also don't like 911's (never have). My first car and highs school graduation present was a 72 914 1.7. Slow as hell, but fun (this was in 89). Then I had a 944S2 and now my Cayman and of course a whole bunch of fun non-P cars in between. But always been a fan of 914... maybe just a sentimental thing, not sure.

Ok , so that is my introduction to the site.

now my question: this is just looking for opinions / ideas / thoughts... for me to think about. for a track car, should I go with 914-6 (conversion due to my budget) or my cayman S ? I mean, if I drop $20K on a 914, will I still wish I was driving the Cayman on the track instead? Or is the 914 going to be more fun? remember, I don't race (only in lemons races, with a diff car), I am only out having fun at HPDE in upper-intermediate or advanced groups. I want to have FUN and be safe and be able to afford to fix my car and learn to work on it and have it look good.

So, build out my Cayman? or pick up one of these REALLY nice 914-6 up for sale right now.

Would love input from people who have driven BOTH on the track... which one did you like better??

[stewteral]

ok , been lurking here for a while hesitant to post because I don't have anything useful to add to any threads, and I don't have any important questions.

but hell, I need to start sometime....

a bit about me: currently own '08 Cayman S... my daily driver, and occasional HPDE car. I also have a 1990 BMW 325i built to SPEC E30 race spec (built by me and my friends and local shop). I don't race , but that is my normal track car for HPDE... do roughly and even per month. About 12-15 track days per year total. I have the E30 because obviously cheaper to build out than the cayman, and every single conceivable part is cheaper and its super easy for me to learn to work on(I am not very mechanical, so I am learning about working on cars as I go along). And its fun and great car for learning to drive.

Problem is, I don't like BMW. Have always been a porsche guy... funny thing is I also don't like 911's (never have). My first car and highs school graduation present was a 72 914 1.7. Slow as hell, but fun (this was in 89). Then I had a 944S2 and now my Cayman and of course a whole bunch of fun non-P cars in between. But always been a fan of 914... maybe just a sentimental thing, not sure.

Ok , so that is my introduction to the site.

now my question: this is just looking for opinions / ideas / thoughts... for me to think about. for a track car, should I go with 914-6 (conversion due to my budget) or my cayman S ? I mean, if I drop $20K on a 914, will I still wish I was driving the Cayman on the track instead? Or is the 914 going to be more fun? remember, I don't race (only in lemons races, with a diff car), I am only out having fun at HPDE in upper-intermediate or advanced groups. I want to have FUN and be safe and be able to afford to fix my car and learn to work on it and have it look good.

So, build out my Cayman? or pick up one of these REALLY nice 914-6 up for sale right now.

Would love input from people who have driven BOTH on the track... which one did you like better??

Hey Dirty Evo,

You're getting some good advice, starting with what can you afford to crash.

Another way to look at your conundrum is defining your GOAL: Do you want to go FASTER? Do you want a Better handling chassis? Do you like Mid-Engine feel?

I do have some racing experience: Formula Fords, a bunch of years with a Datsun 510 sedan (chassis design copied from BMW) and also had a 944S2 that I ran on-track. I'm now running a 914-V8 and its a handful. Here's my view (for what its worth):
-The Cayman will be better handling than any other of you alternatives with a 35 yr newer suspension layout...but an EXPENSIVE toy.
- I haven't driven a Caymen, but expect it to be almost as well balanced as the 944. The 944 High polar moment design was amazing ontrack: it felt as though it were impossible to spin the car....best basic balance I had seen since the FF.
-The BMW has the same basic suspension as a 914 and after years with the 510,
I don't see that much down-side to a sedan: in race trim BMWs hold their own.
-The BMW is already about as fast as a 914-6, unless you go bananas on the 911 engine, only lacking a bit a agility.
----So what is it you hope to get from an OLD 914 that will be more satisfying than the BMW (maybe with some more chassis development)?

It all comes down to your Desired GOAL, you're the DRIVER! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Best of luck,

Terry