Leeleelemon wrote:OnkelUdo wrote:AWD transmission are hard to find but the "conversion" to FWD automatic is (from memory so do not quote me) just swapping the mounts.
No unnecessary swapping of anything is planned! Hoping to just set it and forget it.
OnkelUdo wrote:So prepping a car for Lemons is a $3500-4500 for most people and more for many.
If that’s just for the car prep, not entrance and other fees, it's more than I expected. What would that include? I’m hoping to weld in a roll cage myself and look for good quality used safety gear.
Cage kit from RCC = $1100 plus shipping so likely $1250 in today's market (used to be $825 including shipping to freight dock near you). Add welding consumables of about $100 (seems high...likely is not with how much C25 and MIG wire are now). FYI, for us in our region with (lack of) discounts on DOM tube, RCC is the cost of shipping more than raw materials and well worth it.
Seat...good luck finding used as some can but we never did. Corbeau FX1 = $470. You still have to mount it. Might find and Ultrashoeld or Kirkey cheaper but I lost track.
Cheap latch and link harness is about $150
Fire suppression about $450 shipped.
4 tires in that size are likely to want, $140 plus mount and ballance. You can just run old all seasons, we have on two difference IoE contenders, but the experience is...special.
Full brake service($100-$200) and at least something that can handle the heat for front pads ($100) and decent fluid ($20).
Fresh fluid all the way around (less coolant as that is just water) $80.
These are the minimums. So if you just run the all-season that are on the car you can convince yourself you can do it for $3000...but you won't. This list is almost exactly $3500 and has no fat in it. As a veteran team with other cars to steal from we have fielded a car for $1600 back when a cage kit was $825 delivered by borrowing seat, harness, etc from a different car we were not racing that weekend.
Finally, this is car prep, not spares, logistics items, tools, transportation, fees, personal safety gear, fueling needs. Just "this car is race ready" (even forgot the kill switch and wire!). With a team of 304 likel-minded idiots, it is down to $875 each or less.