Performance & Handling of Daytona vs. Boxer

How do you define "better" ?

I honestly dont know which car would post higher lap times given the same driver. At first thought I would think the BB, but the Daytona does offer 50/50 weight distribution and the engine is located very low in the chassis being dry sump. The BB engine is also mounted relatively high in the chassis and I have heard the handling can be pretty nasty on the edge relative to trailing throttle oversteer. Then again.... a 911 has the same tendancy and they make fantastic track cars!

I can tell you that with the Daytona, if your going to track the car the stock brakes will need some upgrading. At a minimum you would want to run racing fluid, really hard pads, slotted rotors and try to get some ducting to the front rotors.

The Daytona had a much longer and more successful racing career, but the competition Daytonas were radically modified so thats not a great comparison.

Honestly.... if your looking for a car to use on the track I would not recommend either. I have a Daytona with a hotrodded engine and very tight suspension that is a hoot to drive. The mechanic who built the engine estimates 410hp or so. I also have a little '69 Porsche 911S with a 2.7 liter engine giving perhaps 220hp. I would bet the Porsche is a good 10+ seconds per lap faster around Road Atlanta than the Daytona. Its a matter of weight: 2000lb vs 3500lb. Both the Daytona and the BB are heavy cars! If you want a track car, buy a Porsche.

If however you want a car that is fast and fun for the street.... both the BB and Daytona have lots to offer. The Daytona is easier to get into, has a nice sized trunk, is very comfortable to drive and offers tons of torque and power. The BB is going to be less practical but also offer great power and fun. The BB is a good bit cheaper and more were built. I also think the BB would cost more to maintain and require more maintenance. A clutch job is $$$$$.

Heck, Ill tell you what everyone else is ultimately going to tell you as well: Drive both and decide for yourself!

Now.... if your asking ME, the answer is clear: Why on earth would you waste time with that funny looking flat 12 powered thing when you can have a true masterpiece: DAYTONA BABY!


Terry

 

The Daytona I had, was more of a fast cruiser. The Boxer (BBi) I now have, is more fun, for me..........more tossable. I don't see how the Boxer is more expensive to maintain than the Daytona..........it seems that carb parts are harder to get. Isn't the Daytona all steel body?.......while the Boxer is fiberglass and aluminum. When the rust starts on the Daytona, costs will surely esculate rapidly!!!!!!!!!!

I don't track my cars, but I have seen where Daytonas are terrible when it comes to braking.

 

I've never driven in a Daytona, but if it is anything at all like a Boxer,
the word disappointment doesn't enter the picture.

 

The Daytona is built on the traditional steel oval section frame, has a fiberglass internal tub that forms the floors and interior bulkheads and has a steel main body. The doors, hood and trunk lid are aluminum. I believe this is the same basic construction method used on the Boxer.... and that both cars are equally susceptible to rust.

As to the Boxer being more expensive to maintain.... carb parts are actually relatively cheap. Pierce manifolds and other weber sources sell everything you could ever need at pretty reasonable costs. The Daytona engine does not have to come out for service. There are no timing belts to be changed. The clutch is relatively simple job. The radiator and cooling system are simple and easy to maintain while on the Boxer the water pump is suspect and expensive to replace. There are no electronics on the Daytona. The BBi has antiquated electronics that can be a bear to sort if wrong.

I would expect the Boxer to feel more "tossable" though that is a relative term when talking about ANY car that weighs over 3500lb. The Boxer is going to offer better turn in and easier steering. The Boxer should also feel more modern in general in its method of cornering whereas with the Daytona your going to deal with a more 1960s era experience. The Daytona is going to give more forgiving and progressive handling at the absolute edge.

Another thing to keep in mind.... a wise man once said: "its more fun to drive a slow car fast than to drive a fast car slow...."

Both of these cars offer fun handling, lots of power and torque, great sounds and stunning looks. Neither of these cars is going to offer a great track driving experience.

If ultimate performance as measured in lap times is what you want..... forget about a Ferrari and go buy a new Porsche GT3. Save some money and still go far faster.


Terry

 

Terry: I believe the bottom half of the Boxer is fiberglass, whereas the top half is aluminum.

Don't get me wrong......I loved the Daytona...and now the Boxer. The sounds of those Webers was just awesome. Even now, I often think of getting another Daytona, and keeping it next to the Boxer.

 

I thought of that, but I am too leery of buying someone else's problems. The words "excellent", "mint" and "perfect" have little meaning to me, when it comes to used sports cars. Most of the Ferraris that I bought had some issues with them, even when serviced by dealers.

One had a "perfect" paint job (repainted).....looked flawless. After a year of driving, I noticed more stone chips than I expected, with similar driving........obviously the paint was too thin, or something.

Thought of a 512 TR, but the $100K range is priced way too high, IMO.......I would rather keep my $40K TR.....haha

An F40........well they are all garage queens.......leave that to someone else.

Saw a 250 PF(?), for $60K.......dealer stated it was MINT. After seeing very worn seats, rusty door hinges, bubbles at the bottom of the doors, etc., I just walked away.

The only recent MINT sports car was the 1997 MB SL 320, with 34K miles, I bought 2 weeks ago........already put 1,500 miles on it......with no problem.

Oh well, I will just enjoy what I have.

 

The main advantage I've noticed with the Daytona over the Boxer is the far superior visibility out of the thing. OK, I know it's not the most important consideration - but it makes fast driving more relaxing IMO.

Otherwise, the sheer charisma of either is overwhelming. Enjoy.

John

 

This is the kind of question that can't be answered over the internet. You need to drive each car (or a couple of different examples of each car) and figure out which is best for you.

By the way, no BB should be considered "tossable". It isn't. "Rear-heavy" perhaps, but not "tossable".

Drive 'em and see for yourself.

--Matt

 

I would never track my Boxer. The car just doesn't feel right on the track! I think a Daytona would be more what you are looking for.I bought my car for styling and go straight speed.Tracking a Ferrari is for expensive unlimited funds racing .

 

I always say you have to know how to drive to drive a Daytona! Cause when you drive it right it goes. A Boxer is a little more forgiving. and I mean a little. The sound goes to the Daytona. (No car sounds like the Daytona). Speed goes to the Boxer. Looks, wow thats a tough one??? Thats up in the air. We're talking Daytona Coupe.

 

Here's my two cents worth. Had both. The Boxer was a very early 365. Tracked a Daytona coupe for several years at Road America without incident. It ran strong, was reliable, and always got me there and back. Tracked the Boxer once. Had the alternator fail (PITA to change at the track), muffler exploded and burned wires and paint, and clutch went away the following week. Guess which one I'd choose.

 

Great thread.

 

I have owned a carb 78 BB since 2011, it has been pretty reliable except for a frayed original throttle cable (a BB with a stuck throttle is interesting in traffic). I have only been a passenger in a well sorted Daytona once, it felt very ‘vintage’, but surprisingly quick. The aural quality of the sound the Daytona makes is something else compared to the BB. High class problem to have either way.

There are few UK magazines which have comparison tested them and reached a few interesting conclusions. Not sure I can scan and post here due to copyright concerns.

 

Are you able to post an excerpt of the conclusions? That shouldn’t breach copyright.

 

Check out March 2001 of Classic Cars

Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Image Unavailable, Please Login Very long, detailed article. As for conclusions…

 

Thank you

 

That last paragraph....

 

I own both and have for quite some time. Both have renewed suspensions and new tires. I think the Boxer drives much better than the Daytona. However, the Daytona feels much more mechanical (if that is a feeling word) vs. the Boxer which I like.

 

I owned a Boxer for about 10 years, and have owned a 365GT (not a Daytona, but from a driving experience surprisingly similar) for 30+ years... I sold the Boxer and still own the 365GT, if that tells you anything.

I drove my Boxer on the track several times. I would say it is a better car on the track, although it doesn't have the brakes for it and so isn't all that great. Otherwise, from a touring perspective-- both cars are really GT cars-- the Daytona is better hands down. More comfortable, more luggage space, very nice high speed cruiser. The Boxer is more fun on a tightish (it is still a large car), twisty road, but for blasting across Montana I would take the Daytona.

 

I am lucky enough to be among the people who raced both of them , including at Le Mans classic, and in both cases cars with each of them a 2 times participation at Le Mans race in period!
No doubt a BBLM is better suited to race at LM it is a lighter car in its last version, and very stable aero dynamically. Cannot remember exactly the tire section of BBLM va Daytona G4 but on long curves felt more stable when you enter Indianapolis at Le Mans.
On tighter circuits like Mugello or even Le Castellet if you have the chicane in the straight it is debatable as the Daytona is easier to place in short curves.I drove the BBLM in Vallelunga and for those who know this circuit it is absolutely not suited for the BBLM which in tight curves is heavy to drive and change directions.
But both cars feel pretty safe even at high speed.
In comfort the BBLM wins for me as the G4 had side exhaust and a noise level above 105 decibels , it was hurting the eardrums even with plugs!
Finally talking about practicality you can nevertheless use the Daytona on the road, I did 2 Tour Auto with it while I would not recommend to do that with a BBLM ( which most of them are not road registered anyway).
I also had a street Daytona, immensely enjoyable on the road with definitely more space than the road BB.
And while from an esthetic point of view people can decide which one looks better between the BBLM and the G4 both brutish animals, in road trim I believe in the right color a Daytona is more classic specially in the plexi form.
So as usual all depends what you want to do with it, but i definitely would not recommend to take any of the road versions of both cars with anger on a race track!

 

Boxer isn't much faster in straight line but you can corner much harder.

My experience after driving a 365 bb and Daytona back to back on b roads/mountain roads for a few days in and around Pocono race track.