The 24 Hours of Lemons Forums → Lemons Newcomers → BS laps...
Thanks to all in this thread with observations, advice, words of encouragement, and yes even words of discouragement. It was just the opportunity to vent that I needed, very theraputic. Thanks for that, internet.
I'm really looking forward to the next race. The main thing I regret about Gingerman was not taking more time to wander the pits and meet people and really see their cars and the work they put into them. Won't make that mistake again.
Thanks to all in this thread with observations, advice, words of encouragement, and yes even words of discouragement. It was just the opportunity to vent that I needed, very theraputic. Thanks for that, internet.
I'm really looking forward to the next race. The main thing I regret about Gingerman was not taking more time to wander the pits and meet people and really see their cars and the work they put into them. Won't make that mistake again.
No worries. Besides your theme was fine. I heard a number of people comment favorably! Its all attitude and experience. The more folks get to know you, the more fun it will be....
BTW Spinnetti I've been meaning to mention to you,
One of my teammates and I are both Toyota TM's, part of the NCG rotation program. We were in Erlanger for two months (July/Aug), are now in Ann Arbor, and about to move again. Me to TX and the other guy to K.
Back in Erlanger two guys from Team Toyota gave a tour of the lab and a look at the Lemons cars, I don't know if that was you, sorry I don't remember who it was...
Remember -- your car wasn't glowing with Cheatonium like some SE-Rs (cough 1-UP cough), it was just a little too nice for five hundred clams and your story was a little too full of BS.
Anyhow, get a residual from Jay -- I bet he lets you keep the car as is.
Dude, wear your penalties with PRIDE man! That's half the fun! It means you are doing something right in the cheaty department. (SER > Lemon) Bring it and race it!
Shoot, we can't seem to get ANY penalty laps and once had to force them to take our bribes. They obviously don't realize just how close we were to dominating the competition.
/jealousy.
Remember -- your car wasn't glowing with Cheatonium like some SE-Rs (cough 1-UP cough), it was just a little too nice for five hundred clams and your story was a little too full of BS.
Anyhow, get a residual from Jay -- I bet he lets you keep the car as is.
How does the residual value work if we want to change something, specifically change something back to stock?
Say we got a $499.99 residual value for the car as is was raced, which included the header. If we wanted to put the stock exhaust manifold back on (scared about cracked header reliability, and seriously doubt it made us any faster), does that instantly make the residual value null-and-void because the car is no longer in the exact state it was in when the residual value was declared, and we need to go through the whole BS rigamarole again? Or would a downgrade/revert to stock form not be an issue?
And why does this forum not have PM? I want to ask Jonny why I'm not seeing as many articles on Autoblog from him
Judge Jonny wrote:Remember -- your car wasn't glowing with Cheatonium like some SE-Rs (cough 1-UP cough), it was just a little too nice for five hundred clams and your story was a little too full of BS.
Anyhow, get a residual from Jay -- I bet he lets you keep the car as is.
How does the residual value work if we want to change something, specifically change something back to stock?
Say we got a $499.99 residual value for the car as is was raced, which included the header. If we wanted to put the stock exhaust manifold back on (scared about cracked header reliability, and seriously doubt it made us any faster), does that instantly make the residual value null-and-void because the car is no longer in the exact state it was in when the residual value was declared, and we need to go through the whole BS rigamarole again? Or would a downgrade/revert to stock form not be an issue?
And why does this forum not have PM? I want to ask Jonny why I'm not seeing as many articles on Autoblog from him
So, you document that you changed out the exhaust, preferably with lots and lots of photos. You could then subtract the cost of the extra-special exhaust manifold from the $499.99. However, if the current exhaust gets by Jay with a residual under $500, why change it?
However, if the current exhaust gets by Jay with a residual under $500, why change it?
Because the current one is cracked is what Im gathering from his posts.
Doh! Missed that detail. My bad!
How Residual Value Works:
Easy. When you initially built your car, you had a $500 budget to do so. Residual Value is what the powers that be say your car is worth AFTER the race. Subtract that residual value from $500, and that's what you have left to spend. Otherwise, all the same rules apply. If you can sell parts off of the car (as it was raced), you can increase your available budget by that amount.
So, if you get a $400 residual, you have $100 to spend. If you then sell cheater parts off of the car for $50, you have $150 to spend. As for the stock parts to go back on the car, you can probably get them to believe that you had them leftover from the initial build... unless you specifically said that you sold them in your original documentation!
It's a very simple numbers game, and the judges are usually pretty easy about it... unless you show up with an SE-R. Keep your documentation tight!
I'd just weld the crack. Sure, another is likely to show up, but it won't be a problem until after the next race, at which time you'll weld it again. Eventually, you'll have a very nice brain header... 
how many BS laps did you get anyway?
Here's my tips from personal experience:
If you're going to show up in an SE-R, be sure it has about 300lbs of concrete caked to the bottom of it, worn out EVERYTHING, and lots of good baksheesh sitting on the hood. We were praised as the first non-cheaty complete crap SE-R, and we're bringing it back to CMP. Although we did beat the fenders to make room for our wheels so much that I think at least 150lbs of the concrete fell off the bottom haha
how many BS laps did you get anyway?
I was wondering the same thing. Unless you are hell bent on actually winning, the number of BS laps has no real bearing on the amount of fun you can and will have in the race.
(I would LOVE to do a proper crazy Lemons build peicing together a few cars that were never meant to mate, but right now that’s just not feasible because none of us have the facilities or tools)
Dude, you don't need the facilities or fancy tools to do a crazy transplant a la Lemon. The true lemon spirit is to have a beer come up with a dumb idea and then just utter the best phrase in the world: "how hard can it be."
Take my team for example. We had few beer decided on creating a Lemon race and next thing we know we have 2 Geo Metros a snowmobile , no room and no idea how to accomplish the crazy idea. If you don't want to get BS laps just add a custom electric engine assist, a wind turbine on top and a green hybrid theme and you're golden.
And remember, if it ain't broke you're not trying.
If you're worried about BS laps then you must be trying to win the race. If you're trying to win the race then you're doing it wrong. As far as I'm concerned as long as the judges don't kick us out of the race or decide to destroy our car, they can give us 1,000,000 laps. We made a total of 11 laps last race with zero penalties. -999,989 laps is a much cooler total than 11 IMO.
If you've got a car that runs and is fun to drive then stick with it. Put all your time and energy for the next race prep into the theme. Bolting something with a lot of surface area to the top of the car would be a nice touch. The idea is to spend more time, energy, and money on making the car cool/funny/WTF than you do on making it fast.
The 24 Hours of Lemons Forums → Lemons Newcomers → BS laps...