| Author | Message | ||
| Tim G. (Tim)
Member Username: Tim Post Number: 258 Registered: 3-2002 |
Rest assured the 360C is a very very cheap race car to run. I have a 360C also and the cost of tires, brakes, setup for the track, etc. is cheap compared to my off road trophy truck. one short race will cost you at least 12 tires if your lucky. if you dont break anything it costs about $35,000 to prep the truck for the next race. the 360C is very cheap to run. | ||
| will h (Willh)
Junior Member Username: Willh Post Number: 122 Registered: 3-2003 |
"If you want a track car only, go with the Challenge. If you want a street car, go with the Stradale. I turned wrenches with the FoH/FoD team in 2001 and the Challenge is an excellent starting point for a true race car, or an excellent weekend track car as is." Exactly. I bought the car for weekend track club use, and it seems well suited to that purpose. Andrew, the 360s are expensive; can't argue that they're not "overpriced" except to say that value is IMO a tough call for such a strange beast. Not street legal. Certainly not the cheapest way to get to the track! Absolutely a high maintenance toy - as are most track cars, I think. I guess I bought it because I wanted to track a Ferrari, knew that I wouldn't be fully satisfied with the track performance of a bone stock car, but did not want to incur the terrible expense of converting a street car to adequate track spec. So maybe I judge its pricing by comparison to the conversion cost of a street 360, or the market price of the 355 Challenge cars? Or maybe I've just been around racing for long enough that I have become completely numb, absolutely nothing seems overpriced! Of course, the Stradale has some very appealing features the Challenge cars lack. | ||
| Hubert Otlik (Hugh)
Member Username: Hugh Post Number: 951 Registered: 1-2002 |
will h: "misery loves company" ain't that the damndest thing? I tally up all the cash i blow (enough to support a decent columbian habit) on track days, tires, pads, suspension pieces, rotors, track fees, and on and on and on... and yet, after the first lap all that's gone, and all i can think of is the next time. this is truely some magical potion we're sipping. i really think mcqueen got it spot on in le mans: "...when you're racing that's life. anything that happens before or after is... just waiting." regards, hubert | ||
| Dr. Erik Nielsen (Judge4re)
New member Username: Judge4re Post Number: 13 Registered: 4-2003 |
If you want a track car only, go with the Challenge. If you want a street car, go with the Stradale. I turned wrenches with the FoH/FoD team in 2001 and the Challenge is an excellent starting point for a true race car, or an excellent weekend track car as is. Remember, its still the same old story of the right car for the job. Challenge cars are never going to be very collectable, as they made a lot of them and it wasn't a glamorous/professional series like FIA, IMSA, etc... | ||
| Andrew Menasce (Amenasce)
Intermediate Member Username: Amenasce Post Number: 1196 Registered: 10-2001 |
Will i also love the stripped down feel . I loved the challenge car before the Stradale came out but now since the Stradale is almost as fast ,street legal and come with those amazing brakes and noise , i think the Challenge are a bit overpriced  bearing in mind that a challenge will cost more in maintenance and that the Engine has no warranty if i remember correctly. | ||
| will h (Willh)
Junior Member Username: Willh Post Number: 121 Registered: 3-2003 |
A little slow in following up on a thread that obviously hasn't attracted a lot of interest, but, Andrew: yes, I feel the 360 Challenge is a worthwhile alternative to the Stradale, and I would own both. I acknowledge that the two cars' performance apparently is similar, but I like the stripped down, pure race car feel of the Challenge car - as well as the roll cage and other safety features. I also would drive the Challenge car much harder than I'd drive the Stradale. Incidentally, by "misery loves company" I was referring more to the general "misery" - time and expense - of racing, rather than any problems associated with the Challenge car. I recognize this all is subjective. regards, Will | ||
| will h (Willh)
Junior Member Username: Willh Post Number: 117 Registered: 3-2003 |
Interesting question, and one I hope to face, as I am on the local dealer's list for a Stradale. Not sure I can see driving the Stradale as hard on the track as I'd drive the Challenge car - but we all now how the best of intentions disappear when the helmet is on. | ||
| Andrew Menasce (Amenasce)
Intermediate Member Username: Amenasce Post Number: 1174 Registered: 10-2001 |
Is this car still worth the pain with the stradale coming and being almost as fast ? | ||
| will h (Willh)
Junior Member Username: Willh Post Number: 116 Registered: 3-2003 |
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&category=6212&item=2420099948 Buy it now for $119k, bid now around $111K. Seller seems pretty up front, car apparently was serviced by Shelton and Seller referred me to them for pre purchase info. 3400 miles, no known body work, front repainted "for stone chips." I have no connection w/ seller and have never seen the car, but it might be a nice 360C. If you buy it, please track it in the eastern US. Misery loves company! |