• Registered: 2010-07-31
  • Posts: 9

Re: cool vs reliable?

You've gotten a lot of good advice so far.

I agree with the above. Think of the acronym KISS, Keep It Simple ... Stick with American, I'd shoot for 90s personally, but understand that electronics can be a pain. Find something with 150-200HP and you should have a fun time. You won't be the fastest car, but you won't be the slowest. Your suspension will be OK, and the engine should be OK.

When we were looking for our first car I wanted something 'cool' and we ended up with an old Audi that's basically impossible to find parts for, and which has lasted all of 5 hours total out of two races. We'd probably have had a lot more fun if we had started with an Escort or a Malibu or something equally bland but mass produced.

Don't bother with a Miata or BMW because you'll get crap, and you're not going to win anyway, so don't pretend you are. Learn how to race with something that is within your driving abilities, and progress from there as you get older and more experienced.

  • From: Sacramento
  • Registered: 2010-08-09
  • Posts: 1,665

Re: cool vs reliable?

Plymouth Scamp. Theme as the teenagers you are. 'nuf said.

28 Reply by BoB

  • BoB
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  • From: Elmhurst, IL
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
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Re: cool vs reliable?

I believe you said you are around Denver.  Judge Phil is around Denver and seems to know a guy who has a Junk Yard full of awesomeness.  Possibly if you beg, and offer some prerace bribes, he could give you a lead on some nice potential cars out of the yard, either that or the forum people while bored at work and scan craigslist and give you a pile of potential racer cars.

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29 Reply by ninjacoco (edited by ninjacoco 2011-04-06 09:44 AM)

  • From: Austin
  • Registered: 2010-09-13
  • Posts: 1,478

Re: cool vs reliable?

Some teams are really good at making cool, odd cars reliable, so if you can do it (or get some serious help from someone who can), that's the best of both worlds, IMHO.

That being said, it would suck to have to go home early because the car doesn't work. Spend some good, quality time fixing up the car before heading out to Lemons. If any of you know a lot about a certain car, try finding one for cheapo, theme the pants off it, and stick to what you know. If you don't know squat about anything, (as other people have said) simple is good. I've heard of teams searching forums related to their cars for common problems and trying to fix common failure spots before getting to the race. Often if there's a common fix to swap out/shore up parts that tend to fail, make the car run better, or what have you, it'll be posted somewhere online. That would be a good idea. You want to build a reliable car. If it's reliably fast, great, but reliability needs to be the #1 priority. Guys who only build for speed tend to get back on the trailer fairly fast after the start of the race.

Our car (the Type 3) wasn't fast. We got passed by pretty much everyone. While I had a blast making people smile at the ancient VW dressed as a bunny flopping around the track, I can see how the lack of power might get on other drivers' nerves. Decide what your team wants to go for, then find a car that suits it. Old aircooled VWs were easy enough for hippies to fix, though, so if you're going for lulz/IOE/Organizer's/etc., it might be a decent option. (read: Fluffy Bunny wants friends!)

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  • ronman
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  • From: Orlando, FL
  • Registered: 2009-09-15
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Re: cool vs reliable?

To go a little further into what ninjacoco said, if it's at all possible, register and insure the car and drive it! There are a bunch of teams here who drive their Lemons around town, to work(?!) and so on, and those shakedown cruises are INVALUABLE when it comes to finding the next part that's gonna break. Much better to break down 3 months before the race, 5 miles from home than it is to do so on the track.

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  • From: Land Of Subarus, Colorado
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 9,416

Re: cool vs reliable?

ronman wrote:

To go a little further into what ninjacoco said, if it's at all possible, register and insure the car and drive it!

http://www.murileemartin.com/LAS10/ArseSweat10-322.jpg

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  • JThw8
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  • From: Mullica Hill, NJ
  • Registered: 2009-06-10
  • Posts: 1,781

Re: cool vs reliable?

Wartburg was/is/shall be street legal too.  Hell we drove her to New Orleans and back.  Drove her around during the summer after Lemons too.  She's mid-teardown for Wartburg 2.0 but otherwise I'd still drive her.

I still say this Lemons stuff is easy.  If you wanna really show you got a set, take your $500 car and put it on a 1500 mile road trip from NY to New Orleans on BABE.  If it lives through that Lemons should be easy, right?  wink

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  • Registered: 2009-11-22
  • Posts: 27

Re: cool vs reliable?

I probably drove the grand prix over 100 miles around town.  The taillights worked and I used hand signals.  I got the most hilarious looks from other drivers at lights.  It is great for just running the car.  Go out in the country and on long, clear straights you can do some acceleration practice.  Great way to iron out fluid leaks, engine temps and build confidence.  Be sure and have insurance.

34 Reply by ninjacoco (edited by ninjacoco 2011-04-06 07:53 PM)

  • From: Austin
  • Registered: 2010-09-13
  • Posts: 1,478

Re: cool vs reliable?

One of the local tracks (Harris Hill) usually hosts a few test and tune days before Lemons/Chump races in TX. Last time I went to just a normal trackday, someone was out testing a LeMon, too. All of those seem like good opportunities to beat the snot out of a Lemons car for a short period of time to see if it'd last longer in case you can't/won't register it for the street.

I'm starting to feel like I'm missing out on something, though...like the epic win of being pulled over in a giant purple bunny rabbit......

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  • From: Aumsville, Oregon (Near Salem)
  • Registered: 2010-08-22
  • Posts: 1,913

Re: cool vs reliable?

ninjacoco wrote:

I'm starting to feel like I'm missing out on something, though...like the epic win of being pulled over in a giant purple bunny rabbit......

"Yes, officer, it is a Rabbit."  smile

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  • From: Gilbertsville, PA
  • Registered: 2009-12-22
  • Posts: 3,251

Re: cool vs reliable?

JThw8 wrote:

I still say this Lemons stuff is easy.  If you wanna really show you got a set, take your $500 car and put it on a 1500 mile road trip from NY to New Orleans on BABE.  If it lives through that Lemons should be easy, right?  wink

But Jim,  I think making the car run for all 14 1/2 - 24 hours is the trcky part...

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