1 Topic by Uncle Humjaba (edited by Uncle Humjaba 2010-04-23 12:02 PM)

  • From: Norcal or South Carolina
  • Registered: 2010-04-23
  • Posts: 87

Topic: New to the Lemons scene... College student from California

Hey all

So a few friends and I were looking at putting together a Lemons entry for the August arse-sweat-a-palooza up at thunderhill. Like many others, I'd like to enter a crown vic of some kind, simply because they're big and awesome, and I have 3/4 of a spare 4.6 in my garage.

Which leads to my first couple questions. If I buy a $800 crown vic and manage to sell $300 of junk off it, does that make it legal? This engine in my garage - I bought it to swap the heads onto my mustang. I got the whole engine for $100, and I've sold about $200 worth of stuff off it. Is it legal to count spare parts off this as free?

Thanks for the info in advance. We still have to come up with a good theme, because I know the police/taxi/crown vic thing has been beaten to death. Maybe dress it up in 1st Dentures livery (because the only people who drive crown vics, besides cops and cabbies, are really old people). Also, in the interest of being cheap, and since I dont care about looking an ass, is my Snell SA2000-rated dirtbike helmet legal? It's full face with goggles that may or may not fog up.

Thanks in advance, and I look forward to unintentionally running some of you off the road.

  • Registered: 2010-03-26
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Re: New to the Lemons scene... College student from California

I sometimes wonder if people are getting the whole cost thing wrong, and being accountants before racers. The actual numbers don't really seem to matter all that much other than being bargaining leverage. What it comes down to is "If I have someone knowledgeable look at this car, will they offer me $500 or less for it?" - everything else is wheely dealing.

One day, Mister ffffffffffffffffox!

3 Reply by Judge Phil (edited by MurileeMartin 2010-04-23 02:34 PM)

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Re: New to the Lemons scene... College student from California

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/12/2009/11/500x_grtwb-installed03-500px.jpg

I might be willing to sell my strong-running '97 Crown Vic P71 for 500 bucks... to a Lemons team that agrees to do a Wanky The Safety Cat theme, complete with furry costumes featuring light-up eyes.

http://jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2007/02/43-Left_Turn_Brakes_On.jpg

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  • Troy
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Re: New to the Lemons scene... College student from California

Regarding your helmet.  An full face SA2000 helmet should pass tech through this year.  If's you have goggles, I don't think it's a full face.

Troy

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Re: New to the Lemons scene... College student from California

Big cars eat brakes and tires.

  • From: San Diego, CA
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Re: New to the Lemons scene... College student from California

Big cars crush little cars!

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Re: New to the Lemons scene... College student from California

magnusracing wrote:

Big cars crush little cars!

HULK SMASH!!!

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Re: New to the Lemons scene... College student from California

ronman wrote:
magnusracing wrote:

Big cars crush little cars!

HULK SMASH!!!

Play nice, please.

No smashing the Mr. Bean mini.

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  • From: Norcal or South Carolina
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Re: New to the Lemons scene... College student from California

Yeah big cars dont brake well, but that adds to the excitement. It's a body-on-frame car - surely it wouldn't suffer much in the way of chassis rigidity (like it had any to begin with) if, say, a hacksaw were to be used in some weight-loss surgery.

I'm not terribly hung up on the money thing, I'm just terrified of all my hard work amounting to this:  http://jalopnik.com/assets/resources/2007/12/mazdacrush1.jpg

However, there are a plethora of junkers on craigslist in and around the bay area (where I'm located). Shouldn't be too hard to convince a drug dealer in Modesto he needs my $500 more than his old wagon

Honorable judge Martin, as willing as I would be to run around in a furry cat costume in the 110+ degree august heat, I'm not sure I'd be able to convince my more dignified teammates to do so as well.

  • From: Bloomington, IN
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Re: New to the Lemons scene... College student from California

Look at the last few races.  You don't get crushed unless you drive like an asshat!  Since Nelson's last year, they changed the crushing rules.  Iirc, you have to get more than 50% of the vote to get crushed.  That is very hard to do.  If you bring a non cheaty car, drive fairly clean, and are decent and helpful to others in the paddock, you will not get cursed.  It's very simple.  Pick a car that you can work on, have a good theme(california seems to be the theme high point) and have fun.  Get done with the weekend, realize you are hopelessly addicted, and do again, and again, and again.  Good luck!

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  • Registered: 2009-12-26
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Re: New to the Lemons scene... College student from California

I drove a crown vic at infineon and it was surprisingly quick.  It handled well and had great brakes.  We switched from an rx7 to a crown vic after THill last year when we noticed that all the crown vics were faster than all the rx7s.  There was a very fast crown vic at infineon that had a manual transmission.  The ones with automatics suffer accelerating out of corners; the torque converters waste the power of the big engine.

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  • Registered: 2009-12-26
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Re: New to the Lemons scene... College student from California

Also, since it is a body on frame car, I would think a Crown Vic could be put on a serious body lightening program without much compromising of the overall strength of the car.

Here's a crazy idea:  Take a holesaw to the whole body so that it looks like a honeycomb.  Then glue paper or a cloth onto the surface like a ww1 airplane.  Papier Mache.  That's what the Wienermobile was made of and it held up very well.

I'll bet you could take the 4,000 lb car down to 3,000 lbs.  It would be wickedly fast.  And goofy enough that the judges would probably love it.

Dang.  Now I want to do it.

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Re: New to the Lemons scene... College student from California

One problem with a big car is you need a big hole to make it thru traffic. The Hondas, Sentras, E30s, etc, can squirt by almost anywhere there's a gap.

  • Registered: 2009-12-26
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Re: New to the Lemons scene... College student from California

People make room when there is a huge car careening towards them at a crazy speed.

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Re: New to the Lemons scene... College student from California

Not me. I'll play chicken.

  • From: Land Of Subarus, Colorado
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Re: New to the Lemons scene... College student from California

squidbreath wrote:

Also, since it is a body on frame car, I would think a Crown Vic could be put on a serious body lightening program without much compromising of the overall strength of the car.

Here's a crazy idea:  Take a holesaw to the whole body so that it looks like a honeycomb.  Then glue paper or a cloth onto the surface like a ww1 airplane.  Papier Mache.  That's what the Wienermobile was made of and it held up very well.

I'll bet you could take the 4,000 lb car down to 3,000 lbs.  It would be wickedly fast.  And goofy enough that the judges would probably love it.

Dang.  Now I want to do it.

Why not just remove the body completely? I keep trying to talk Crown Vic teams into replacing the steel body with one made of plywood shaped like a Countach. Plyborghini!

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  • Registered: 2009-10-25
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Re: New to the Lemons scene... College student from California

MurileeMartin wrote:

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/im … -500px.jpg

I might be willing to sell my strong-running '97 Crown Vic P71 for 500 bucks... to a Lemons team that agrees to do a Wanky The Safety Cat theme, complete with furry costumes featuring light-up eyes.

http://jalopnik.com/assets/resources/20 … kes_On.jpg

You guys MUST do this.....it has the Lemons Supreme Court approval....and they might even give advice or help a touch......DO IT

Personally I love yank tanks....I drive one EVERYDAY at work.....  The good news is you are somewhat local to Sac or the Bay Area where some judges and Lemons friendly shops are.... 

DO IT.....you will not regret it...just get 1 more student loan to pay for it.....speaking as someone who is swiming in student loans (think BIG $$$$$$) another k is no biggie

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  • From: Norcal or South Carolina
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Re: New to the Lemons scene... College student from California

A custom-bodied crown vic would be quite interesting indeed. Hmm the possibilities...

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Re: New to the Lemons scene... College student from California

I'd probably sell my car for 500 bucks to a team that promised to remove the body and build a new one. It's that or be Team Wanky The Safety Cat.

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  • JThw8
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Re: New to the Lemons scene... College student from California

MurileeMartin wrote:

I'd probably sell my car for 500 bucks to a team that promised to remove the body and build a new one. It's that or be Team Wanky The Safety Cat.

Can you deliver to NJ?  smile  Just the chassis, keep the body there wink

It would still be less work to rebody that thing than build our franken car.
I wonder how long chicken wire and paper mache would hold up at track speeds....
Plybroghini does have a nice ring to it.

How does this fly with the big guy (Jay)?  He does seem to like some semblance of a factory produced  car to remain.

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  • From: Land Of Subarus, Colorado
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Re: New to the Lemons scene... College student from California

JThw8 wrote:

How does this fly with the big guy (Jay)?  He does seem to like some semblance of a factory produced  car to remain.

Jay would love a Plyborghini; I know because I've mentioned it to him. Actually, he's the one who came up with the Super Duper Seven idea: Crown Vic (or truck) frame made into an 8:5 scale Lotus Super 7.

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Re: New to the Lemons scene... College student from California

MurileeMartin wrote:
JThw8 wrote:

How does this fly with the big guy (Jay)?  He does seem to like some semblance of a factory produced  car to remain.

Jay would love a Plyborghini; I know because I've mentioned it to him. Actually, he's the one who came up with the Super Duper Seven idea: Crown Vic (or truck) frame made into an 8:5 scale Lotus Super 7.

Ok, I'll add it to my future insanity list.

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  • From: Land Of Subarus, Colorado
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Re: New to the Lemons scene... College student from California

The Super Duper 7 would be pretty quick, I betcha.

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24 Reply by RobL (edited by RobL 2010-04-27 10:23 AM)

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Re: New to the Lemons scene... College student from California

MurileeMartin wrote:

The Super Duper 7 would be pretty quick, I betcha.

Well, talking to Speedycop - since this is basically what they did for thier Lincoln.  Yes, it's fast, but with no weight over the rear tires it has intersting handling.

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Re: New to the Lemons scene... College student from California

MurileeMartin wrote:

The Super Duper 7 would be pretty quick, I betcha.

Definitely, and fairly nimble with alot of the weight removed.

Does it have to be a crown vic or will any old body on frame V8 monster suffice (one of our teammates just got an old V8 chebby truck for $75, but its 4wd so maybe not)

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