• From: Darnestown, MD
  • Registered: 2009-05-17
  • Posts: 91

Topic: Lemons Car Testing

Our team has been through a single Lemons race. We tested our car prior to the race using $20 60 day temporary tags. These tags allowed us to get around and test the car on road. Now the tags have expired and we have some road testing we need to do. The tags are only issued once to a VIN. Our team does not have a trailer. We rented one to get to the CT race. How does everyone test their lemon's cars?

'86 E30, '09 Stafford Aug, '10 CMP Feb, VIR Apr, Summit Jun,  CMP Sep
             '11 CMP Feb, Rock Mar, Charlotte Apr, Summit Jun
'68 MGB '11 NJMP Apr (winner IOE)
  • krek
  • krek
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  • Registered: 2009-08-18
  • Posts: 83

Re: Lemons Car Testing

We plan on testing ours at a couple of SCCA Solo events... at least we'll be able to push it on course and see what falls off/fails/explodes.

Unless you have zero net worth, why would you risk testing a crap-can race car on public roads?

Drat! And Double Drat!
  • RobL
  • RobL
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  • From: Philly area
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 2,721

Re: Lemons Car Testing

Solo and track days.

--Rob Leone Schumacher Taxi Service
We won the IOE at Southern Discomfort.
We got screwed at The Real Hoopties of New Jersey  and we took cars down with us.
We got the curse at Capitol Offense but they wouldn't let us destroy the car.

RobL's Website

  • From: Darnestown, MD
  • Registered: 2009-05-17
  • Posts: 91

Re: Lemons Car Testing

krek wrote:

Unless you have zero net worth, why would you risk testing a crap-can race car on public roads?

We are not testing on public roads now. We purchased the car from someone who was driving it as a daily driver. It drove/ran fine. Now - no windows, roll cage, "race" exhaust, no passenger seat, no lights, race seat, harness belt....hehe...we can't really sneak under the radar. But we have a tranny problem and need to test.

So....rent a trailer, pay $250 for track day, drive an hour for a track day. Is there a cheaper way?

'86 E30, '09 Stafford Aug, '10 CMP Feb, VIR Apr, Summit Jun,  CMP Sep
             '11 CMP Feb, Rock Mar, Charlotte Apr, Summit Jun
'68 MGB '11 NJMP Apr (winner IOE)
  • Troy
  • Troy
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  • From: Houston, TX
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 1,634

Re: Lemons Car Testing

You can always try a mall parking lot.

Realistically, it's best to test on a track. 

It's like testing the boat in the driveway.  Works perfect every time.  Drive to the lake, hit the ramp and somehow things went down the crapper in route.

More seriously, our car had some cooling issues that would take track use to probably see.  Road use probably wasn't harsh enough.

Some drag strips have cheap nights but it's still not the same.

Troy

#35 LRE
1973 Datsun 240Z
  • krek
  • krek
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  • Registered: 2009-08-18
  • Posts: 83

Re: Lemons Car Testing

That may have come across a little more harsh than I intended.

But, banging your helmetless bean off a cage bar (even with padding) will ruin your day... banging your uninsured, unlicensed crap-can "race car" off a civilian on a public road is going to ruin your month.

Drat! And Double Drat!
  • From: 5,280 ft.
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 1,298

Re: Lemons Car Testing

krek wrote:

banging your uninsured, unlicensed crap-can "race car" off a civilian on a public road is going to ruin your month.

...so if you're going to do it, do it in February.

mike - Schumacher Taxi Service
12+-time loser
"Winner" - We Got Screwed, NJMP '11

Buzz Killington's Website

  • sergio
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  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 1,185

Re: Lemons Car Testing

Not that I've ever done this but, go to a new subdivision that has paved streets but no homes in it and do laps around the place. At night late is best. I know nothing..........

  • From: Spring, TX
  • Registered: 2009-05-13
  • Posts: 143

Re: Lemons Car Testing

Buzz Killington wrote:
krek wrote:

banging your uninsured, unlicensed crap-can "race car" off a civilian on a public road is going to ruin your month.

...so if you're going to do it, do it in February.

Sometimes, Buzz just cracks me up big_smile


Also, one time, back in high school, several of us turned a freshly poured subdivision into our own personal street course. It was a blast, but I'm still surprised we didn't get busted.

  • From: Tampa, FL USA
  • Registered: 2009-05-02
  • Posts: 248

Re: Lemons Car Testing

sergio wrote:

Not that I've ever done this but, go to a new subdivision that has paved streets but no homes in it and do laps around the place. At night late is best. I know nothing..........

SSHHHHH!!!!

We are the people your parents warned you about.

Tajracing45's Website

  • From: Tampa, Florida
  • Registered: 2009-05-05
  • Posts: 121

Re: Lemons Car Testing

sergio wrote:

Not that I've ever done this but, go to a new subdivision that has paved streets but no homes in it and do laps around the place. At night late is best. I know nothing..........

Ha, thats funny.  We didn't do the exact same thing when we weren’t testing our Lemons car.

  • From: Greenville SC
  • Registered: 2009-05-02
  • Posts: 62

Re: Lemons Car Testing

We kept tags and insurance on our car.  It is pretty loud, but it still has lights, turn signals, horn...  We're driving it to an unused airstrip for some testing and using it as a commuter vehicle for testing.

Not all who wander are lost.
  • From: Charlotte, NC
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 113

Re: Lemons Car Testing

Find an abandoned parking lot in the middle of nowhere.  Near us there is an amusement park that went belly up years ago.  Huge parking lot, nobody around for miles.  Should give us what we need to make sure the car doesn't blow up on the first lap.

Mike
Lab Rats Motorsports
1988 Mitsubishi/Dodge/Fiat Colt Carpocalypse Edition
  • VKZ24
  • VKZ24
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  • From: Wilson, NC
  • Registered: 2009-05-20
  • Posts: 1,840

Re: Lemons Car Testing

We will be testing ours next weekend at a HPDE event. Autocross and street driving generally isn't hard enough to spot issues like overheating IMO.

Captain
Team Super Westerfield Bros.
'93 Acura Integra - No VTEC Yo!

VKZ24's Website