1986 SCCA Sports Renault #288

[ol43]

I’m selling my dads 1986 SCCA Sports Renault.  I recently moved him out of his place and found the race car covered under his patio with tons of spare parts.  The car hasn’t started in many years and there’s no telling what works and what doesn’t so consider this a time capsule project car.  Two sets of body parts, a mold for making your own fiberglass noises, many engine and safety parts, over two sets of rims, etc.  I’ve seen these go from $5k-15k and can’t quite tell what the right price is for this buggy.  I’m told this same chassis still races with the Ford setup so a possible retrofit?  There’s also a second chassis that was going to be made into an IMSA 2 seater if anyone is interested in it, it can be included.  I’m in Phoenix and happy to show the car.

[Chuck]

Looks like some wide slicks were fitted to it at one point. Sports Racer Renault used threaded street tires.

Here is one Solo idea since it looks like a little heavy, but well-constructed chassis. It could run SCCA Solo B-Mod as a sports racer using wide Solo compound slicks and an upgraded motor. 

BM allows up to 3 L at 1275 lbs. (includes driver's weight).  Bear in mind, no forced induction

Since it was set up for a transverse FWD motor and transaxle, a modern high factory HP drivetrain might retrofit.

Another possible use is for SCCA solo D-Mod since it might work out better for weight.  The driving position would need to be offset a little to one side or the other of center. It currently has a pretty wide cockpit, so that might be practical. Driver's hips just need to be one side of the centerline. Then could run a fully built (300 HP?) 2L NA or up to 1438 cc turbo with restrictor (Chevy Cruze turbo motor for example) could in place of the Renault. 1400 lbs. min weight including driver. The current bodywork would have to modified or another fitted to look like some sort of recognizable production car that had a rear or mid-engine- like a Lotus Europa (Bodies can be bought from Banks) Karman Ghia, or Porsche 356 perhaps. Fiberglass Porsche 356 bodies are available from Beck.

These are just ideas with no guarantee there wouldn't be a lot of work involved. One would have to measure the chassis for motor swaps to see just how much.

Edited May 8, 2023 by Chuck

[ol43]

Your dead on Chuck, I think there are many possibilities for this buggy.  The slicks are on from when it ran A Sports Racer in alternating races.  Thanks for your post!