Topic: Future of the G.L.C.O.A.T.

After much careful consideration, in-person discussions with the Lemons staff, and talks with the co-drivers, I have decided that, when the car is finally driveable, it will go to a Lemons race...
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...as a Pace/Parade lap car.

I know that a great many people will be saddened not to see it being properly hooned on the track. The bottom line is that I bought what appeared to be a homemade automotive oddity on Ebay, expecting a cobbled-but-hella-cool hooptie. When it was delivered, I discovered I'd purchased a stellar, one-off exotic car of utterly amazing craftsmanship and mind-numbing ingenuity! It's unfinished, and there's lots still to be completed, but in order to preserve the only model in existence, I cannot bring myself to endanger it in an actual crapcan race. One simple mishap could destroy thousands of dollars worth of extremely-difficult-to-duplicate heavy fiberglass panels, custom light lenses, and unique suspension parts. That's IF no one blows the exotic twin 12A rotary engines up, or cooks the complicated and difficult to repair inboard brakes.

I have been really torn about this for a while. I didn't want to seem like a scheming fraud who merely used would-be drivers as a cheap loan source in some bait-and-switch game. My reputation as a Christian and a stand-up individual is important to me. I spoke with the other drivers, and offered to either refund them with interest, or let them race one of my other cars, while alternating in the octocar as needed for pace laps during full course yellows. All but one is staying on board, and he totally understands and refused the interest on the refund. He just doesn't really have time to be a part of this right now, as much as he'd like to.

Being a true car guy and genuine racing fanatic at heart, it wasn't easy for me to change the plan, but I think it's the right thing to do in this case. The genius who spent years (and nearly $100k) creating this masterpiece might roll over in his grave if it was crashed while being flogged in a $500 car race. I prefer to preserve, restore, and document its existence, then pass it along to someone with much deeper pockets, and use the money to pay off some debt. Its value is many times what I paid for it already, based on responses and offers I've received since posting pictures of it upon its arrival. Perhaps I will send it to Barrett Jackson upon its completion, or maybe Jay Leno et. al. will make me an offer I can't refuse. Either way, I'm going to do my best to finish it the way I imagine the builder wanted it to be.

I hope this community understands. I think that you will, once you've studied it in person. I'm now shooting for Summit Point in June, and I'll take any help I can get in getting it finished by then! I will continue to provide updates here, and on www.speedycop.com

-Speedycop

Captain: Speedycop & The Gang Of Outlaws -'94 Mark VIII (Least Horrible Yank Tank Stafford '09, NOLA '10) '61 Caddy (Org Choice-NL '09) '63 Tbird (EPIC Repair Failure-Gingerman '10, I Got Screwed-Summit Pt '10, I.O.E. WINNER Stafford '10!) '77 Lancia Scorpion (I.O.E. WINNER Joliet 2010!) '67 Galaxie 500 (Judges Choice-CMP '11)
Future Fleet: 1957 Ford Prefect 1942 Buick 1959 Bugeye Project GLCOAT

Re: Future of the G.L.C.O.A.T.

This is entirely sensible, perfectly reasonable, and an excellent fate for the car.  Despite all that, it's still a good decision.  I agree and wish you the best with it.

1982 MG Metro 1300: IOE 2015 Pacific Northworst GP, Longest Distance 2010 Cd'L Box Wine Country Classic
1980 KV Mini 1: Worst of Show and Fright Pig Supremo 2009 Concours d'Lemons
1978 H Special: Second-Round Elimination 2010 Lemons Pinewood Derby at Sears Pointless
1967 SAAB 96: IOE 2012 Pacific Northworst GP, Organizer's Choice 2022 Hell on Wheels California Rally

Re: Future of the G.L.C.O.A.T.

I don't think that anyone doubts your intentions.  Really, those of us that have met you in person can attest to it, and everyone else has been told that you have achieved a level of Lemons crazy that mere mortals cannot hope to get to.  More than likely, a very smart move.  Hopefully I can see the car in action, but if not, enjoy it.  But you have set the bar very high.  I'm sure the next one will be incredible.  Slant 12?

Bloomington, IN
We'll bring Beer!  Motorsports
Team Fiery Death! #0 2009 Lamest Day(65th), 2010 American Irony(24th), 2010 Detroit Bull(4th),2012 Capitol Offense (8th) 2012 American Irony (11 th), 2013 Capitol Offense (3rd) 2013 Chubba Chedder (4th, Judge Choice!) Now sadly part of a scrap pile. 
Toothless Racing Deadbeats #110 2011 Summit Point (61st) Currently being rebuilt into the new car!

Re: Future of the G.L.C.O.A.T.

As much as it was a difficult decision it was the right one.

From my viewpoint  there was lots more to that car then was being advertised or could be seen, if it had been a bit closer to me I may have been a interested non lemoneer bidder.

Homestead Chump 5th-Sebring 6th-PBIR Lemons 9th - Charlotte Chump  CrashnBurn 9th
Sebring 6th again -NOLA Chump 1st -PBIR Chump Trans Fail 16th
Daytona 11th - Sebring 6th - Atlanta Motor Speedway 2nd - Road Atlanta Trans Fail 61st-Road Atlanta 5th
Daytona 13th - Charlotte 9th - Sebring 2nd-Charlotte 25th broken brakes - Road Atlanta 14 10th-Daytona 14  58th- Humid TT 19th Judges' Choice!

Re: Future of the G.L.C.O.A.T.

Team Infinniti wrote:

if it had been a bit closer to me I may have been a interested non lemoneer bidder.

I was blessed to be able to have it shipped 12 hours to my door by an insured shipper in an enclosed car trailer for $650 plus a $70 tip. It would have cost me more in fuel to go get it!

Captain: Speedycop & The Gang Of Outlaws -'94 Mark VIII (Least Horrible Yank Tank Stafford '09, NOLA '10) '61 Caddy (Org Choice-NL '09) '63 Tbird (EPIC Repair Failure-Gingerman '10, I Got Screwed-Summit Pt '10, I.O.E. WINNER Stafford '10!) '77 Lancia Scorpion (I.O.E. WINNER Joliet 2010!) '67 Galaxie 500 (Judges Choice-CMP '11)
Future Fleet: 1957 Ford Prefect 1942 Buick 1959 Bugeye Project GLCOAT

Re: Future of the G.L.C.O.A.T.

davisriley wrote:

I'm sure the next one will be incredible.  Slant 12?

Hey, if I can find two running slant sixes cheaply, sure! What I lack in mechanical engineering knowledge I make up for in sheer dumb willpower.

Captain: Speedycop & The Gang Of Outlaws -'94 Mark VIII (Least Horrible Yank Tank Stafford '09, NOLA '10) '61 Caddy (Org Choice-NL '09) '63 Tbird (EPIC Repair Failure-Gingerman '10, I Got Screwed-Summit Pt '10, I.O.E. WINNER Stafford '10!) '77 Lancia Scorpion (I.O.E. WINNER Joliet 2010!) '67 Galaxie 500 (Judges Choice-CMP '11)
Future Fleet: 1957 Ford Prefect 1942 Buick 1959 Bugeye Project GLCOAT

7 (edited by Team Infinniti 2011-03-04 06:33 PM)

Re: Future of the G.L.C.O.A.T.

$650 WOW!!! Shipping was my biggest hangup, glad it went to someone(you)that has documented its wonders publicly rather then squirreled away never to be heard of again.

I payed that much to get a running Corvair open shipped from Ohio to S Fl. I hope you saved his #

Homestead Chump 5th-Sebring 6th-PBIR Lemons 9th - Charlotte Chump  CrashnBurn 9th
Sebring 6th again -NOLA Chump 1st -PBIR Chump Trans Fail 16th
Daytona 11th - Sebring 6th - Atlanta Motor Speedway 2nd - Road Atlanta Trans Fail 61st-Road Atlanta 5th
Daytona 13th - Charlotte 9th - Sebring 2nd-Charlotte 25th broken brakes - Road Atlanta 14 10th-Daytona 14  58th- Humid TT 19th Judges' Choice!

Re: Future of the G.L.C.O.A.T.

Yeah, it was a lot of hassle to find a cheap shipper, but eventually I found someone who had an open spot for a return haul on a two-car trailer (HJM Shipping was the shipping locator service who agreed to waive their fees, and hooked me up with the shipper).

Captain: Speedycop & The Gang Of Outlaws -'94 Mark VIII (Least Horrible Yank Tank Stafford '09, NOLA '10) '61 Caddy (Org Choice-NL '09) '63 Tbird (EPIC Repair Failure-Gingerman '10, I Got Screwed-Summit Pt '10, I.O.E. WINNER Stafford '10!) '77 Lancia Scorpion (I.O.E. WINNER Joliet 2010!) '67 Galaxie 500 (Judges Choice-CMP '11)
Future Fleet: 1957 Ford Prefect 1942 Buick 1959 Bugeye Project GLCOAT

Re: Future of the G.L.C.O.A.T.

I personally just want to see the thing running, out and about at a Lemons race where it will be appreciated, not necessarily IN a Lemons race (although that would have been un-toppable).

I think you rock. As the true genius of the machine became more apparent, the plan changed accordingly. And that's about as honorable as it gets.

But promise us it will at least get a few laps at a track day, on film? Wearing a dumb costume?

"Real ZomBees prefer Bacon"
IOE(x2) MGB/SAAB 96, Judge's Choice, Class C Win, & 2011 Hooniverse Car of the Year!
MRolla, Stick Figure/Animal House, Free Range MR2, SAAB Sonett, "The Death Flip"
2008 Exoskeleton Jag Fiasco, Concours d Lemons - Rue Britannia, worse British car.

10 (edited by Speedycop 2011-03-05 06:18 AM)

Re: Future of the G.L.C.O.A.T.

Oh, it needs a few hot laps for sure, at some venue. I really want the Top Gear gang to drive it, though Clarkson won't fit with the lexan T-Top/window things in. After all, Top Gear magazine is already gonna feature it! I dunno about the dumb costume, but maybe I'll reach out to the Hoff, and see if he wants to take it for a spin. I'll need some JC Whitney red sequencing LEDs. If not, maybe Val Kilmer or Christian Bale will, though I was always more partial to Micheal Keaton in that role for some reason.

BTW, I see that I have successfully deluded you into believing that I rock. Mission accomplished! Amazing what I was able to do with just a couple thousand hours of free time, a welder, a plasma cutter, and a credit card. No, I say YOU rock, sir, for bringing back the Bee when the rest of us thought it was done for.

Captain: Speedycop & The Gang Of Outlaws -'94 Mark VIII (Least Horrible Yank Tank Stafford '09, NOLA '10) '61 Caddy (Org Choice-NL '09) '63 Tbird (EPIC Repair Failure-Gingerman '10, I Got Screwed-Summit Pt '10, I.O.E. WINNER Stafford '10!) '77 Lancia Scorpion (I.O.E. WINNER Joliet 2010!) '67 Galaxie 500 (Judges Choice-CMP '11)
Future Fleet: 1957 Ford Prefect 1942 Buick 1959 Bugeye Project GLCOAT

Re: Future of the G.L.C.O.A.T.

Don't worry about your reputation; plans change, especially if all the information isn't in yet when they were made.

You just made it much more important to me to make it to the Summit Point event.  I want to sit in the thing.  Please?

Quad4 CRX - Wartburg 311 - Civic Wagovan - Parnelli Jones Galaxie - LS400 - Lancia MR2 - Boat - Sentra - 56 Ford Victoria
Known Associate of 3pedal Mafia, Speedycop, and the Russians.  Maybe even NSF.

Re: Future of the G.L.C.O.A.T.

Anyone who wants to sit in it and make vroom vroom sounds will be permitted to. It will be a hands-on display all weekend.

Captain: Speedycop & The Gang Of Outlaws -'94 Mark VIII (Least Horrible Yank Tank Stafford '09, NOLA '10) '61 Caddy (Org Choice-NL '09) '63 Tbird (EPIC Repair Failure-Gingerman '10, I Got Screwed-Summit Pt '10, I.O.E. WINNER Stafford '10!) '77 Lancia Scorpion (I.O.E. WINNER Joliet 2010!) '67 Galaxie 500 (Judges Choice-CMP '11)
Future Fleet: 1957 Ford Prefect 1942 Buick 1959 Bugeye Project GLCOAT

Re: Future of the G.L.C.O.A.T.

Absolutely the right decision Speedy.  We all want to see it run and drive on a racetrack but there is no need for it to actually race.  Had it been IN a race, it would have been a rolling chicane anyways.  It's just too big and too heavy to dice with the rest of the pack. 

Finish the car, get it to a Lemons race and WOW the crowd by taking a few hot laps.  The put Jay in the driver's seat and let him pace the race.  Everybody wins.

BRE Datsun (Broke Racing Effluence) formerly Dawn of the Zed Racing
'74 260Z
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/editpicture.php … 2559430584

14 (edited by Hoonatic Racing 2011-03-05 12:41 PM)

Re: Future of the G.L.C.O.A.T.

Speedycop wrote:

What I lack in mechanical engineering knowledge I make up for in sheer dumb willpower.

Ditto

On the subject of GLCOAT, i can not think of a can not think of a better man to be the caretaker of such a creation. Although the rest of the world (and some Lemons people) think you are an "utter madman," your judgment is wise. I hope to see it as a traveling spectacle some day. It would be nice if it made it to a couple of races across the US.

Yee-Haw 2010 "Most Heroic Fix" & "I Got Screwed" -2 trophies for 1 lap, but I took checkered on my lap.
Gator-O-Rama 2012 "Organizers Choice" -2 laps 1 trophy, but i still finished ahead of an E30
Yee-Haw 2013 No trophy -26 laps, I think I see a pattern here
Gator-O-Rama 2014 "Waiting for the Last Minute Call from the Governor Award" -who's counting? John

Re: Future of the G.L.C.O.A.T.

Hoonatic Racing wrote:

It would be nice if it made it to a couple of races across the US.

It would be great to see it RACE across the US, Canonball style.

"Real ZomBees prefer Bacon"
IOE(x2) MGB/SAAB 96, Judge's Choice, Class C Win, & 2011 Hooniverse Car of the Year!
MRolla, Stick Figure/Animal House, Free Range MR2, SAAB Sonett, "The Death Flip"
2008 Exoskeleton Jag Fiasco, Concours d Lemons - Rue Britannia, worse British car.

Re: Future of the G.L.C.O.A.T.

Jeff, all of us on Team Speedycop are used to being rolling chicanes... except the Linoln... and maybe the Toyota/Lancia (which totally blew our minds at how well it performed)..

____________________________________
Always running on E \ ' ' ' ' F 
Speedycop and the Gang of Outlaws Official Ten+ Time Loser
Owner #132 Lancia/Toyota Beta/MR2 Scorpion

Re: Future of the G.L.C.O.A.T.

"Sparky" Pete wrote:
Hoonatic Racing wrote:

It would be nice if it made it to a couple of races across the US.

It would be great to see it RACE across the US, Canonball style.

Throw an aircooled VW motor in it and claim it's a kit car

http://www.beetleball.com/upcoming.html

http://wartburg.misfittoysracing.com
OTTER: "I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part."
BLUTO: "We're just the guys to do it."

18 (edited by sbarton 2011-03-09 03:08 PM)

Re: Future of the G.L.C.O.A.T.

Sucks you're not racing it, but totally understandable.  I still want to see this thing do a hot lap though.  Just be careful not to high center the thing cresting over T5 at NJMP, lol.  Think Jay can give you a couple minutes of free track time to see what it can do? 

-Scott

Scott Barton

Re: Future of the G.L.C.O.A.T.

I'm sure Jay wants to see it driven on-track as much as anybody, but NJ is too soon. I'm shooting for Summit Point. With 4 axles and only 17' in total length, it won't high center very easily, even with a mere couple inches of ground clearance. It only looks super long because the roof is just below waist-high, and it's extremely (85") wide!

Captain: Speedycop & The Gang Of Outlaws -'94 Mark VIII (Least Horrible Yank Tank Stafford '09, NOLA '10) '61 Caddy (Org Choice-NL '09) '63 Tbird (EPIC Repair Failure-Gingerman '10, I Got Screwed-Summit Pt '10, I.O.E. WINNER Stafford '10!) '77 Lancia Scorpion (I.O.E. WINNER Joliet 2010!) '67 Galaxie 500 (Judges Choice-CMP '11)
Future Fleet: 1957 Ford Prefect 1942 Buick 1959 Bugeye Project GLCOAT

Re: Future of the G.L.C.O.A.T.

I think the GLOAT should be the official face of Lemons.

Re: Future of the G.L.C.O.A.T.

I look forward to being paced by such a "car" at Capitol Offense.

FastISH and the FURRiest 1991 Volvo 240 wagon
WV 13th, FL 8th (GRM), NJ 8th (B win), WV 4th (B win), NC 14th, NJ 14th, WV 62nd,  NH 17th, NY 54th
2012 Sears Point Outlaw...74th!

Re: Future of the G.L.C.O.A.T.

towerymt wrote:

I look forward to being paced by such a "car" at Capitol Offense.

Yeah. We all get to stop dead while Speedycop and his co-conspirators negotiate the hook.

Driver, Pit Monkey, Rod Buster and Engine Fire Starter
Team FinalGear

23

Re: Future of the G.L.C.O.A.T.

See you at Summit!  My daughter will probably want to sit in it haha.

Jer / Schumacher Taxi Service
2010 Spring CMP I.O.E. winner
2010 Sebring overall winner
1996 Miata, 1991 BMW E30, 1987 coROLLa (retired), 1984 Citation (retired), 1993 Miata (retired)

Re: Future of the G.L.C.O.A.T.

"Sparky" Pete wrote:
Hoonatic Racing wrote:

It would be nice if it made it to a couple of races across the US.

It would be great to see it RACE across the US, Canonball style.

I'm trying to register the 27 ft Lemon Limo and then do the LEMONBALL RUN!

Pit Crew Revenge Racing   Rolling chicanelimo,95Lamdspeeder,Gimp Pimp Cadi,300zx Car show kaboom!! 90 Wagovan, mazda v8 Lemons LOGO TATTOO!  Aces 84 Cadi Eldo Briattz I O E WINNER
Class C win with LemonOdy Cannonball Run Whambulance !EX K Captain
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