translation: previous owner was tired of the noise, tried carpet but that didn't work so now they are selling it
Ross - Just curious what Challenge cars are selling for over there. They're probably $75k to $90k here in the U.S. for decent examples. P.S. That does look like a very nice example!
about the same here apparently. here is a link http://www.classicdriver.net/uk/find/4100_results.asp?sorderby=tblManufacturers.sName+ASC%2C+tblModels.sModel+ASC%2C+bOfficial+DESC%2C+tblCars.sType+ASC&spriceoperator=less&action=simple_search&coopid=0&lmanufacturer=10042&lcurrency_currencychangeform=4&next=4100_results.asp&dealerid=0&lseller=1&smilageoperator=less&bsubmit=true&lmodelflag=13680&bclicked=false&ldrive=1&bshowstock=Wahr&lresultsperpage=20&lprice=0&lvat=1&lmilagetype=1&lCarID=1782123
13th picture of the right axle appears to show a weld repair on the aluminum frame. Old 360C are prone to have cracks in frame near the engine mount. Or it could be from a racing accident. Make sure you have the car checked by an expert to confirm frame is straight. Bent frames are extremely expensive to repair properly.
the seller told me it was in an accident on the right side. you can see a weld in the right front wheel well also (i think) in 2nd to last pic. he has been very upfront about this and explained that it was in the repair process that he managed to get the street papers. but i take note, and will ask for the frame to be checked. thx
Having driven race cars on the street a fair amount here's what I've found. You can do it but older ones are more suited. On the street you really need 5.5 inches of ground clearance. Front splitters will scrape and or get torn off. They get hot inside but a large fan ducted to to nose and into the cockpit will help. You need to fit different shocks and springs. You need different brake pads. Roll cages are very dangerous without wearing a helmet. You have to fit mufflers which isn't a big deal or you will damage your hearing. Your wife/gf will not enjoy it. The Police will notice you. That said there is nothing in the World quite like setting off into the dawn and watching the early morning dew streak accross the curves of a car that has run in anger at Le Mans... Image Unavailable, Please Login
Cant get any cooler than driving a race car in the streets. My only scare is as Jim pointed out that rollcage are dangerous without helmet.
I don't have a roll cage in my car, but my girlfriend likes to bring her helmut anyway. There have been occasions in which she likes to put it on -- partly for safety, partly to prove a point, and partly for humor. For example, a couple years ago, a rice rocket came up next to us on the Interstate and wanted to run. I indulged. She put on her helmut. She felt safer, and we all started laughing.
well i just got back from driving my 512tr to monaco and back from geneva, and i have to admit that even in that car, i felt pretty beat up after it was over. the aircon doesnt work at the moment, so it even had that bit of realism thrown in. this is the kind of run that i had envisaged for the challenge car. i think the only way that would be possible is to take the advice of the fellow who pm'd me, and that would be to raise the car another few inches, change the springs out for cs types, and keep a helmet handy ! BUT i still want to go see the car for myself...coming soon.
no aircon, no heaters, no demister, no creature comforts and make sure you get a good chiropractor onside
Here's some input from me....I don't have a 360ch, but i DO have a 355ch that is road registered and legal. I can't imagine any reason why it can't be made as soft or as quiet as you want (if you're like me, you won't mind the noise) Buy it and just make it what you want it to be....but not a daily driver. Image Unavailable, Please Login
From the pictures it looks like it is running on 18" rims,maybe that is to make it ride a bit softer!
ok, update on the quest. i spoke to the seller again in order to try to set up a meeting. unfortunately he is going into the hospital for back surgery - AND NO, it was not due to riding in this car! so i will have to wait a few weeks before going up there. but in the meantime, we talked about the car a bit more. he is selling it because he has another couple of race cars and has just bought a 599 and needs the cash to feed his addiction. this is one of 3 challenges that he has had and worked on, but its the only one that he managed to get road papers for (and the only one he has heard about in switzerland - corroborated by the local dealer here). (the other 2 challenge cars he had were sold to japan and italy). the current neutral set-up is for monza and/or hockenheim. i described my concerns about the nature of the car on the road, and he agreed. he described it as a race car that had only been slightly softened. he agreed that it would need to be further softened in order to be useable outside of the track, and confirmed the advice of 'cornerswell' and jim about swapping out the springs and raising the ride height to at least 10 cm. he also said the front splitter can be taken off in a few minutes (and of course put back on easily as well). he said the rollbars are pretty well padded and ought to be ok on the road. i asked him how it compared to the cs. his response is that the cs is a lovely car but is a road car that they have tightened up slightly for some nippier handling and performance, whereas this is a race car that can be dialled back just enough to be useable on the road - and then relatively quickly turned back into a race car. anyway, still need to see it, but it is sounding better all the time.
since i am not mechanically proficient, can anybody opine about the underside pics on page 2? what are we looking at and what should i be looking for? one specific question, what are those triangular things stuck into the wishbones of the suspension?
John is correct - airducts to cool the brakes. Surprised to see them on as most are usually torn off and not replaced if the car is being sold. As I said before it looks like a nice example.
This reminds me of: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUF-N8BsBmU If you don't want to see the whole video jump to 2:10
yes i have both seen this and thought of this episode during my musings about buying the challenge..... but like i said above, i do have plenty of softer cars. but i do need something that is 'weapons grade' for track days, and other solo jaunts to some places ( a bit closer to home than james was !).