The fun small cars thread

[shaggy433]

S'up with those wheels shagmeister?

They are slightly better than the ones that came with it!

[MarcusBrody]

Which is kind of like Vermont...

The issue with the Can-am is is it is not street legal the Nomad is, but yeah Considering the Can am is 4 x 4 and the Nomad is not, in actual slow speed off road Can Am is way better.

The street legal part is a big advantage, but I'm out west where a lot of places have legalized side by sides for non-highway roads. So you'd still probably want a trailer for longer trips, but you could drive a lot of places from your door if you lived in the right place (not that the Nomad would be ideal for a long day of highway driving, but you could).

I also don't think the Can Am would only have an advantage at slow speed off road. They have 24(!) inches of suspension travel in the fancy version (vs. 8-9 for the Nomad I think I remember). That would definitely matter when flying through the desert out here.

Now, don't get me wrong, I think the Nomad is cooler and likely more fun to drive on dirt/gravel roads as the center of gravity is probably lower and you can get a stick, but I just think it isn't too shocking that you don't see too many as it's filling a pretty narrow niche when someone can get a 1650 lb, 200 hp, much longer travel Can Am for 30k and the 1750lb, 230hp Nomad for 90k.

[riser4]

Shoot. The Atom got more expensive since that vid. And the Nomad is ridiculously spendy for a dune buggy. A WRX would be better given that price point. What I'm describing is most definitely niche. There's probably a market for five of them. I'm thinking the atom, but a little more clearance, a little more suspension travel, a little more driver protection, a little more aggressive tread. But still the same acceleration and speeds. The Nomad [tactical] is for Mad Max fantasies, which I don't have. It compromises too much for what I have in mind.

[jummo]

I guess this makes me a fanboi, but there's been a bmw in my stable for much of the time. Starting with a '76 2002 , most all of the 3ers have passed through.
Each iteration has been a little bigger, faster, more capable, and a little heavier.
The current whip (do we still say that?) is a 2018 440xi with most all of the m//sport and m//performance bits, and a 6 speed manual.
It's easily the fastest of any of them, the most comfortable, secure at speed, killer sound ( both exhaust and music) and gets 28 mpg. And with snows , it is unshakable in the slick, unless you turn off the electronannies, and then it is really fun.
It's also the least involving. Devoid of steering feel, it goes where you point it, and it will corner pretty well but without any sense of how it's going.
The whole car , except the engine, which is remarkable, is too digital. The automatic headlights and wipers etc. are cool. But it beeps at you when you park, it decides when the inside rear tire is spinning too much on switchbacks and when you nail the handbrake to pivot into the driveway in the snow (mrs. jummo likes this one) it politely chimes and flashes lights on the dash.
C'mon I meant to do that!
Anyway seeing all these pictures of the good ole days, made me nostalgic, but I don't mind the reliability and the heated steering wheel is nice.

jummo

[Sirshredalot]

Has the Fiesta ST come up in this thread? It seems like it's worth a mention.

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[RYAN13]

I should drive a WRX someday.

You should definitely check one out. It's not entirely a car that you lust for (I really want a M2CS) but a decent "affordable" option for a hobby car. There's a ton of people that know how to work on them/ tune them and a large community of enthusiasts. At my elevation, I make about 300whp/370tq on pump gas but I have friends that are doing 450+ on the stock motor with E85. It's a little quicker than the BRZ (although that's a great "driver's" car IMO). The connection rods are the achilles heel of the engine but replacement short blocks can be obtained relatively cheaply. The 2022 body style is a huge disservice to that car's legacy although I have hopes for the new STI.

[Skistack]

Amazing that we had fun driving cars with substantially less than 200hp. RX-7, Prelude and Integra for me.


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[liv2ski]

Amazing that we had fun driving cars with substantially less than 200hp. RX-7, Prelude and Integra for me.


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Yup, 1983 911 for me. Loved to drive that car and I am not sure it had 200 hp but it was light.

[MakersTeleMark]

Has the Fiesta ST come up in this thread? It seems like it's worth a mention.

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It did. Has anyone spent some real time behind, or in, an original mini? I have. What a hoot for canyon carving.

[Mazderati]

I have been toying with the idea of a Lotus Evora for years, knowing that's pretty batshit to consider. But a supercharged (S or 400 models) v6 by Yota engine paired with a 6MT and insane handling and light weight seems like a great time and despite being "british" I think reliability is actually better than piss poor.

Lotus forums regard them as being fairly reliable for what it's worth. Compelling car and surprisingly roomy inside. Light on the doodads which I view positively.

Anyone else do Formula SAE?

Hung around the Baja camp for a year but the navel-gazing zapped the fun out of it. Yours looks fun.




Car on the lift is an FD. It is a smaller car but everything else in the peer group is bigger so I don't really think of it that way.

[Brasso]

Dang, I clicked on this thread expecting Miatas and maybe even a Cappucino. We must think smaller.

[jono]

This was my capstone project in college. 600 Kawasaki, Torsen diff, pneumatic paddle shift.


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Anyone else do Formula SAE?

So cool! I had a late invite to fill in judging suspension a while back, but already had firm plans to mountain bike the same week. Always kinda wished I'd done it, even though the idea of judging that on paper is a tough pill--or maybe because it is.

Last I knew wings were unrestricted but rare in FSAE. Has the rulebook changed or was wingless intentional?

[Beaver]

my first car was a manual '93 Celica GT-S. So much fun, I still miss it.

I had a Celica 91 gts until it got T boned 6 years ago. Fun car.

My first car was a '73 Celica ST, so fun, its surprising I didnt die in that thing.

One afternoon when I was 17yo I was sitting around and my brother (some of you know JR) asked to borrow my car ('73 Celica). Naturally I said no because even then he was a prick. About an hour later I go to hop in my car and its gone, asshole brother took it. Him and a buddy fucked off for a couple days with it and almost made it home when the timing chain broke at about 100mph. My dad made him pay to repair it. While it was getting the top end replaced I asked the mechanic how much more to do the bottom end and what could I do to make it faster. I ended up putting a DOHC head on it (SOHC stock) and getting a full rebuild for about $400, JR paid the rest (suck it bitch). That little thing was a rocket after that, I was able to get 3rd gear rubber.

My other fun little car was a yellow '75 beetle i rebuilt with oversized cylinders/pistons to 1750cc, Porsche S140 cam and a big webber carb. It was faster than your average bug.

I had a 2001 civic 2door hatchback, fun but underpowered. It drives like a gocart, I gave it to my daughter, she still has it.

2009? Pontiac Vibrator GT (rebadged Toyota Matrix XRS) 2.4l with 168hp. Not a rocket but it's surprised a few people.

Toyota Yaris might be the most fun 2wd snow car I've owned. Gutless but it is almost as wide as it is long so it tends to track really well.

[Sirshredalot]

Dang, I clicked on this thread expecting Miatas and maybe even a Cappucino. We must think smaller.

Autozam AZ1 delivers both maximum tininess and extremely silly doors.

A Veloster N might be more practical.

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[jono]

Another vote for Miata. I had a blast in that car. The only other car which was as much fun at the time was the OG MR2. Looked ugly, but with mid engine configuration the handling was sublime. In a sea of front drive cars, these two stood out for me.

Miatas define the class, for sure. Ours was really my wife's car, but I probably leaned on her a bit to get it. She didn't mind.

But my '87 MR2 may always be my favorite car. Loved way too much for what it was: a ragged beater with a weightless front end, 7800 rpm redline, sharp edges, square headlights, unpowered steering, and a totally unobstructed view of the road--unless the lights were up. So much fun.

I find the MR2 Spyder is a surprisingly decent hybrid of the AW11 and a Miata, I can almost forget which car it is. But they should have given it the Celica GT-S engine. Wheezing at 6500 breaks the spell.

[Bushwacka]

Dang, I clicked on this thread expecting Miatas and maybe even a Cappucino. We must think smaller.

Hey I posted a 90 Civic I bought back. Its lighter than miata and not bigger

Cappucino with 100hp would be fun though.

[simple]

Still haven't finished this project but looking forward to a small car with 300hp turbo and AWD. Hasn't been driven since 2003

[simple]

And my buddy's small car rocket. Took him almost 18 years to get his back on the road also

[chicken feathers]

^Sweet rides

in the vein of small vehicles theres a couple Japanese micro vans around town. One day I saw a group of ladies gawking over one, one of the husbands in the group says "It's European". Made me chuckle.

[hawkgt]

Still haven't finished this project but looking forward to a small car with 300hp turbo and AWD. Hasn't been driven since 2003

jebus..... rare breed, wonder how many were sold? i've only seen one (running) in real life, others wrapped around a tree and a lightpole

[Bushwacka]

jebus..... rare breed, wonder how many were sold? i've only seen one (running) in real life, others wrapped around a tree and a lightpole

yeah never seen a 1st gen, but have actually driven a second gen in couple AX as a co driver. That car never beat my Civic but I won the day I drove the Celica All trac. Even beat the owner.

[plugboots]

This was my capstone project in college. 600 Kawasaki, Torsen diff, pneumatic paddle shift.


Attachment 390818


Anyone else do Formula SAE?

Cool Norse. My daughter’s old boyfriend went to Western and was way into that and went to Nebraska etc. for the competitions. Of course he drives an STI.
I must say, part of the reason they’re not together anymore is all the guy can talk about is cars. He always wanted to know when I was going to track my 340 etc.

[simple]

jebus..... rare breed, wonder how many were sold? i've only seen one (running) in real life, others wrapped around a tree and a lightpole

If seen two in my life one of which is mine. Crazy rare. Same with that 323 GTX

[skaredshtles]

If seen two in my life one of which is mine. Crazy rare. Same with that 323 GTX

My uncle had one of those 323 GTX's. When the turbo spooled up that thing was a bit unruly... in a good way.

[mcski]

I had a Celica 91 gts until it got T boned 6 years ago.

My other fun little car was a yellow '75 beetle i rebuilt with oversized cylinders/pistons .

I had a 91 celica gts back in the day. I wouldn’t consider it a small car like I might some of the earlier celicas,but it was fun as hell to drive.

A buddy is converted a bug to electric. Should be fast as shit