The 24 Hours of Lemons Forums → Lemons Newcomers → Found our new car to enter
We ran Nelson Ledges last year in an 87 Buick Regal and had a good time. The gas bill was not a good time. We were only getting 1 hour segments for each driver on a full tank, plus weighing 1,000 more pounds than the rest of the competition wasn't very good.
We found a new car that's lightweight and gets good mileage.
Hey, we were right across from you guys at NL with our own Buick monstrosity.
Seeing a "GNX" represented there made me smile, what did you guys have under the hood anyway?
We found a new car that's lightweight and gets good mileage.
It... it's BEAUTIFUL! The Lemons gods shall shine down upon you.
Don't change the apearance at all. Don't even wash it. Keep those wheels (widen them if you have to). Paint whitewalls on your race tires.
It's the Lemons sleeper of the century!
I concur. DON'T wash it!
My friend's Mom drove a 'Vette - wagon! I would do it up as a Grand Sport 'Vette!
You got yourself some kind of machine there! Weld up those front strut towers, they break really easy.
Think of the mileage improvements if you go with the diesel engine!
is that moss on the bumper/grill? Green patina!
I would do it up as a Grand Sport 'Vette!
+1
Seeing a "GNX" represented there made me smile, what did you guys have under the hood anyway?
Nothing special, just a craigslist small block 350. It went pretty good until the radiator cap let go and the driver didn't notice. It was a great time though.
I was thinking the Gran Sport theme is a little boring. I'm thinking a ZR1 theme with a lexan hood window would be much more fun. Covering the roof in carbon fiber vinyl would add 50hp for sure, so that's almost required.
but that isn't a vette, its a Pontiac 1000. How could you bring that magnificent vehicle from gm's performance division down to the level of a Chevrolet.
But there is no pseudo heritage with a 1000, 'Vette makes a better crossover for a theme. A Sunbird/Firebird could pull off the Pontiac crossover even though it's just a Monza in drag. The security guard when I was in college had a T1000 with a bubble gum machine on the roof. we used to drop water balloons on it all the time.
CarRacer wrote:We found a new car that's lightweight and gets good mileage.
It... it's BEAUTIFUL! The Lemons gods shall shine down upon you.
Don't change the apearance at all. Don't even wash it. Keep those wheels (widen them if you have to). Paint whitewalls on your race tires.
It's the Lemons sleeper of the century!
i don't think "sleeper" means what you think it means. 
Loren wrote:It's the Lemons sleeper of the century!
i don't think "sleeper" means what you think it means.
I didn't say not to repower it and make the suspension and brakes work... I just said don't change the APPEARANCE of the car.
What could possibly go wrong?
I've never even seen one of those awesomemobiles.
in the races I've done I drove a mid weight/power car and a LIGHT car with NO power....both are fun, but different..... I do think it would be fun to pilot a yank tank around the track...something huge with 4 doors and a monster V8....sure it would eat tires-brakes super fast and drink gas like crazy...but I still think it would be fun..... Something like King Henry V8th...but with more power.....
The 928 was 3100lbs racing weight (wet with driver), has 195whp and gets about 7 gallons per hour fuel...tires and brakes last a long time...2 raceweekends for the tires and just about forever on the brakes (51 hours but they do need to be changed)...
The Opel was 1800lbs (estimated) with 85whp...it did okay on gas...about the same as the 928 oddly enough...it barely wore the tires & just a bit on the brakes....
How was the Opel on the track? I'm guessing it was competitive? I'm not dreaming about winning but passing cars is still fun and our goal with the Chevette.
The weight (or lack thereof) and it's impact on brake and tire usage are positives that I'm looking forward to.
Based on personal experience driving a 40-58 hp ~1300lb car in Lemons, it's quite the experience. I'm not kidding nor exaggerating when I say 60%+ of our vision is rearward. However, it makes it that much more rewarding when/if we actually pass something.
I remember trying to pass you guys early on, that Buick was much faster then I thought it would be!
How was the Opel on the track? I'm guessing it was competitive? I'm not dreaming about winning but passing cars is still fun and our goal with the Chevette.
The weight (or lack thereof) and it's impact on brake and tire usage are positives that I'm looking forward to.
Spank is pretty accurate....while the opel is moderately powered at 85whp in 1800lbs...its lap times put it just about mid pack...so you pass about as many cars at pass you....it is quite a different experience than the 928....the 928 had enough power with good handling-brakes that it made passing much easier....less of the need to "run" at other cars to pass them...the Opel took stragey to pass.....you have to plan ahead by carrying speed through corners to pull off a pass....I found it quite rewarding to get it right....but very frustrating when you got it wrong....
I think if the Opel ran a perfect race, no penalties or break downs it could break the top ten...maybe, if we were lucky and faster cars broke down....
It all depends on the track too...Thunderhill is more of a power track.....something tighter with more sharper turns would favor the Opel....just like how the mini cooper did better at Sears.....but the 928 did very well at sears too....good enough for 3rd overall on Sunday...only behind the V8olvo and Eyesore!!!
Great, that sounds like a fun race. Passing in the corners is fun and carrying speed is a good skill to have.
Driving like that means you are a bit more aggressive with the brakes and gas. The Chevette has a solid front brake rotor, I'm worried if that will handle the heat that's going to get generated. Does the Opel have a similar brake setup?
Thanks for all the great info, it's a big help.
We're running a 1600lb - 55HP Geo Metro this weekend. Hope we can pass ANYONE. Hopefully, having been a Miata driver in groups of Porsche's will help. As others have said, it's all about momentum.
Luckily we've had the car on the track at Autobahn twice already, and it handles ok. The good thing is you can almost run in 3rd gear the entire time, and almost NEVER brake. 
It's like driving an underpowered rental go-kart. Just keep it floored and drive.
Of course if you want a bit more power those engine bays will fit anything up to a sbc. Although even a small 6 would make that car pretty quick with it being as light as it is.
The opel also has a solid front rotor and a drum rear.....they made the whole race with only slight warping of 1 front rotor by the end of the race
That is awesome. I hope I get to see this at an event. My first car was a T1000, and I never see them. I think it would be hilarious to build one.
The 24 Hours of Lemons Forums → Lemons Newcomers → Found our new car to enter