Re: Which Car?

BoB wrote:

... seems most estimate between 3-5K to really complete a build.

Yeah, I would say about $4K and that does NOT include the personal safety gear required.  Lots of noobs are lured in by the $500 car thing, but in reality that figure isn't even close to being realistic.

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

Re: Which Car?

But is still SOOOOOOOOO Much Cheaper than anything else! Except circle track FWD.

Mistake By The Lake Racing (MBTL)
88 Thunderbird "THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO!", Ex Astris, Rubigo / Semper Fracti
A&D: 2014 Sebrings at Sebring (NSF), 2014 NJMP2 Jurassic Park (SpeedyCop), 2012 Summit Point J30 (PiNuts)
2018 Route Sucky-Suck Rally Miata, 2019 World Tour Of Texas 64 Newport

Re: Which Car?

Saturn...cost about $3500 (not counting tools bought).  Bare tube bent by us and welded in by a buddy for beer and a promise of stint in the future.  Cheap Kirkey seat and cheapest legal belts out there.  No spares.  One set of 300 treadwear budget "performance" tires.

Dustbuster...guessing about $3500.  Recycled seat and belts, real tires, some reliability and brake upgrades, pre-bent cage, lots of spares.

'48 Plymouth...no clue but we went way overboard on checking and replacing a lot of stuff (saving old for spares) because there are no PnP parts.  Brakes were also overbuild from the start because...lessons from other cars.  Safety was likely only about $1000 for pre-bent cage, recycled belts and seat.

I tell people plan on $4000.

29 (edited by BoB 2017-01-25 07:56 AM)

Re: Which Car?

THere is also a bunch of small things we all forget we purchased, like a bunch of 5 gallon fuel cans, because hopefully you will need to refuel the car sometime during the race, and drip pans, and fire extinguishers for fueling.  I decent hydrolic jack and full set of jackstands, etc.

Honestly the only time I really realize how much crap I've collect for the race is when packing or unpacking for the race.

Racing 4 Nickels - 1989 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera
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Re: Which Car?

Maybe you will get one more to laugh at… smile
So only the price of the car is sort of limited? There is no limitation on how much you invest later in it?

31

Re: Which Car?

JB77 wrote:

Maybe you will get one more to laugh at… smile
So only the price of the car is sort of limited? There is no limitation on how much you invest later in it?

No, there are things that count towards the budget and things that don't.  Safety does not count towards the budget.  You can spend as much as you want on making your car safe.  Also included are things like brakes and tires.  Also after the race you can request a residual to fix things you broke. so you don't have to start over again.

Its all layed out in the rules and the judges are pretty good at determining if you are trying to pull a fast one, and whether they should care or not.

Racing 4 Nickels - 1989 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera
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Re: Which Car?

Basically try your best not to go nuts, and document it, and odds are you won't get popped at all. Invest what you can in brake consumables and stainless hoses for them.

And change all your Fluids!

Your money will be better spent on making the interior comfortable and accommodating. Driver Comfort and information is one of the things that you can spend unlimited on. Put that to good use. People undervalue keeping the driver comfortable and not fatigued. Fatigue causes mistakes. Sometimes very expensive mistakes.

Also consider cardio. Seriously, Endurance means endurance.

Mistake By The Lake Racing (MBTL)
88 Thunderbird "THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO!", Ex Astris, Rubigo / Semper Fracti
A&D: 2014 Sebrings at Sebring (NSF), 2014 NJMP2 Jurassic Park (SpeedyCop), 2012 Summit Point J30 (PiNuts)
2018 Route Sucky-Suck Rally Miata, 2019 World Tour Of Texas 64 Newport

Re: Which Car?

For the first time we will go easy on spending for the things. It’s good to know what really matter and on what to put our money on – safety, driver comfort and things like this.

Re: Which Car?

I have another car related question. After what time period do the teams change their car? Or they race with the same car for as long it’s going? How does that work?

Re: Which Car?

Again, this varies.  we ran our Saturn for two years before we realized the fun (for us) was in the weird builds and "competing" in class C.  We tried to sell the Saturn but ended up allow excess team members to race it (ours and an alligned team) until they "accidentally" set it on fire.

The van ran for almost 18 months before we got the itch again.  It will run in parallel with the '48 Plymouth until we get bored with it or start the next build.

Unless we destroy it, the Plymouth is going to stay with us until it is some serious Frankenstein like the Model T GT.  Even then, not planning on that one leaving the fleet.

Re: Which Car?

Ok, if you destroy the car I understand that you change. But are there teams which race with the same car for a few years? Or it’s like the themes here, more you change them more you have fun?

Re: Which Car?

Some people change every race.  Some have had the same theme for years/multiple races.  Up to you.

1990 RX7 "Mazdarita"  1964 Sunbeam Imp (IOE 2013 Sears Pointless) 2002 Jaguar x-type (Winner C-Class 2021 Sears Pointless)
Gone bye-bye
1994 Jaguar XJ12 (Winner C-Class 2013 Sears Pointless)  1980 Rover SD1 (I Got Screwed 2014 Return of Lemonites)

Re: Which Car?

As OnkelUdo stated, it really depends on what team you wish to be. Some teams like the car building part of this series and show up with a new car every year or two. Some teams are racing the same car they have been for close to a decade, updating it when the rules require. Team Non Sequitur, for example, have been racing their Integra since the first midwest race way back in '07.
The Scuderia Limoni guys had so many races on their Alfa Romeo that it started to split apart from the metal fatiguing from years of g forces. Eyesore Racing has been racing their Miata since '08 and have done over 40 races with it.

Fourteen time loser. You'd think I'd know better by now.

Re: Which Car?

At what point do you have to start being concerned about inspecting the cage?

Mistake By The Lake Racing (MBTL)
88 Thunderbird "THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO!", Ex Astris, Rubigo / Semper Fracti
A&D: 2014 Sebrings at Sebring (NSF), 2014 NJMP2 Jurassic Park (SpeedyCop), 2012 Summit Point J30 (PiNuts)
2018 Route Sucky-Suck Rally Miata, 2019 World Tour Of Texas 64 Newport

Re: Which Car?

cheseroo wrote:

Some people change every race.  Some have had the same theme for years/multiple races.  Up to you.

I guess that for now we'll go with one car as longest we can, we'll gather some experience in the races and then see how to go forward.
Does any team have like multiple cars - for each race different car?

Re: Which Car?

JB77 wrote:
cheseroo wrote:

Some people change every race.  Some have had the same theme for years/multiple races.  Up to you.

I guess that for now we'll go with one car as longest we can, we'll gather some experience in the races and then see how to go forward.
Does any team have like multiple cars - for each race different car?

http://www.murileemartin.com/UG/LBW16/1142-Spank%20(6).jpg
Meet Spank. He owns these six race cars (plus another out of shot) that he typically rotates through for various races. Other teams, such as Speedycop, Knoxvegas Lowballers, Three Pedal Mafia, and hosts of others have multiple Lemons cars.

Fourteen time loser. You'd think I'd know better by now.

Re: Which Car?

I think I've seen as far as D or E after a team name. Some people go big! Others "Spin-off" teams so diffrent objectives can be focused on.

I on the other hand can't even find a 4th full team member so your mileage may vary.

Mistake By The Lake Racing (MBTL)
88 Thunderbird "THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO!", Ex Astris, Rubigo / Semper Fracti
A&D: 2014 Sebrings at Sebring (NSF), 2014 NJMP2 Jurassic Park (SpeedyCop), 2012 Summit Point J30 (PiNuts)
2018 Route Sucky-Suck Rally Miata, 2019 World Tour Of Texas 64 Newport

Re: Which Car?

Maverick74 wrote:

Meet Spank. He owns these six race cars (plus another out of shot) that he typically rotates through for various races. Other teams, such as Speedycop, Knoxvegas Lowballers, Three Pedal Mafia, and hosts of others have multiple Lemons cars.

So that's actually happening. Great, it's a good idea for the future.
I don’t want to make any big plans but I think that my team will go in this this direction (multiple cars) if everything will be ok over the time. That just look so interesting.

Re: Which Car?

JB77 wrote:

I don’t want to make any big plans but I think that my team will go in this this direction (multiple cars) if everything will be ok over the time. That just look so interesting.

Yeah, keep focusing on getting that first car to the track, with a team, passing tech, starting and finishing the race.  Those activities listed rarely occur for new teams on their target first race...at least not all of them in the same race.

Team implodes and one guy is left with everything plus finding a new team
Everything takes way longer than planned and they miss the first race
Car explodes an hour in Saturday and the team has to rush out to get a spare X and thrash all night to get it in
Fail tech and have to add Y bar, missing the green

Etc, etc, etc.  It is exciting and all but the process of getting to that race and finishing it is a bigger undertaking than you could ever imagine.  Keep your eye on the prize for now...the dreaming should be for after you finished race two or three.

Re: Which Car?

Yes that's first and most important step - getting car to the track. I hope that with all that safety and other regulations we could do it. But I can’t wait to try this out.

46 (edited by nimblemotorsports 2017-02-02 09:47 PM)

Re: Which Car?

I really don't expect to spend more than $1500 on my car, I must be missing something??
I have a tube bender to make my own cage.    Pinto was $250, motor and trans were free,  where does the other $3500 come from?
Are you required to have $1000 seat??   

I also just bought a 67 Corvair, which after selling some parts is now free.  I will be putting in a Prius drivetrain in back, another electric in front for awd, and thinking of changing the 1.5l motor with a 2.2l. 
What I'm wondering is how high of a top speed is needed for the tracks on the west coast?   
The Prius transaxle appears to have a max of 110 mph,
which is the limit of the mg2 main drive motor at 6500 rpm.   Good enough?  smile

Re: Which Car?

Someone called?

Started with a '62 Mini for my first race. Brought the mini and also a 71 Citroen for my second race. for my 5th race I added a moke...

I have automotive ADD.

I think I've built like...

crud, I gotta count.

mini, moke, Austin America, Mg Metro, Citroen, SIMCA, Dacia, Harley Powered Prius, Stock Gen2 Prius, Corvegge, Toronado, Hyundai Excel, Yugo (Plus contributed to 2 other builds)

So that's 13 cars in 7 years or one the first year then 2 per year after that. (I've got 3-1/2 to build for 2017)
Speedycop has done more, I'm sure.

So, yea, you need to build an average of 1 car for every 3 races.

Re: Which Car?

nimblemotorsports wrote:

I really don't expect to spend more than $1500 on my car, I must be missing something??
I have a tube bender to make my own cage.    Pinto was $250, motor and trans were free,  where does the other $3500 come from?
Are you required to have $1000 seat??

$300 Seat
$150 belts
$500-800 in tires
$3-400 in brake pads
Spares...(varies)
etc

Re: Which Car?

OnkelUdo wrote:
nimblemotorsports wrote:

I really don't expect to spend more than $1500 on my car, I must be missing something??
I have a tube bender to make my own cage.    Pinto was $250, motor and trans were free,  where does the other $3500 come from?
Are you required to have $1000 seat??

$300 Seat
$150 belts
$500-800 in tires
$3-400 in brake pads
Spares...(varies)
etc

Kill switch
roll bar padding
fluids
filters
sheetmetal
wire
hardware
welding supplies
etc
etc
etc

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50

Re: Which Car?

Besides the big stuff any project like this will nickel and dime you to death, always little things you need to buy like tow hooks and fire extinguishers and a bunch of 5 gallon jugs and drip pans, plus things you only need for your car like that stupid fuse that kept blowing, sure it was only for a couple non racing things but it was nice to have working when you did stuff on the car.  Let alone that one tool that you've never needed before but now you desperately need for this car for some odd reason.

Racing 4 Nickels - 1989 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera
2011 SHOWROOM-SCHLOCK SHOOTOUT  IOE Winner
2012 The Chubba Cheddar Enduro Class C winner
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