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SV reX
SV reX MegaDork
3/14/22 11:45 a.m.

You really need to build a barstool pit bike. 

B13Birk
B13Birk GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
3/14/22 2:06 p.m.
SV reX said:

You really need to build a barstool pit bike. 

Too funny. I was just discussing this the other day with a buddy of mine. A+ idea sir. 

Lof8 - Andy
Lof8 - Andy GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
3/14/22 2:48 p.m.

This is fantastic!  Good luck!

dyintorace
dyintorace GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
5/25/22 3:44 p.m.

Any new buy/sell/trades towards your Challenge car?

B13Birk
B13Birk GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
10/1/22 8:43 a.m.

Hey everyone! It's been a crazy few months with work and some family health stuff. Not a ton of progress here. But there are updates! 

1. I have amassed $829 from selling free junk I have found on the side of the road or was given to me. This is awesome. I feel like I'm halfway to my goal even tho I'm not! - So close - 

2. That Miata sale fell through. The guy just went silent. -> It's not a huge deal because frankly, I haven't had the time or the space for another car at the house. I need to get rid of a few things and then Ill be good to go. -> I do have my eye on another miata that is VERY rough and missing basically everything but the dude wants $100 for it. So I may jump on that. I'd rather do a FWD sr20 platform since I have the most experience with those but they are harder to find and going up in price as are the Miatas I guess. we will see. 

3. The biggest news is that I won't be at this year's event. We had to move some work stuff around and I'm now officiating a wedding that Saturday and I have to work that Sunday ... So I'm once again kicking the can to next year. 

 

Anyways. Thats the update. I have $$ but no car and no plans to be there this year. Huge bummer. 2023 will be my year... I think. 

- Barstool Motorsports Out 

 

MaxC
MaxC Reader
10/2/22 5:05 p.m.

It's too bad you're on the opposite side of the country. I just acquired a 98 se-r that had a minor front end incident that's been sitting for 4+ years.  Don't know what I'm going to do with it yet, all its doing it tempting me away from my perfectly good s12 racecar. Hope you find a similar sr20 car!

03Panther
03Panther PowerDork
10/2/22 5:19 p.m.
B13Birk said:

In reply to dculberson :

That's exactly what it was! Yeah, I'm hoping to slowly do the same thing. My issue is that I tend to fall in love with too many projects and have a hard time flipping stuff after I get my hands on it. 

I was in to say the same about the one red paper clip. 
I know I can't pull it off, due to same reason you mention blush

B13Birk
B13Birk GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
10/2/22 8:42 p.m.

My wife may very well kill me as I was told to get a few of the cars off our property before bringing home another one. BUT

I think I found the car. 1981 280zx. Its an NA and automatic but it runs, it has minimal rust and I talked the dude down to $500. I think that's a pretty good starting point. I know this is the least desirable of the z's but It's in the wheelhouse of what I know and I think we can make it a great little car. I'm going to check it out tomorrow. Ill keep yall in the loop. 

Stampie
Stampie MegaDork
10/2/22 10:08 p.m.

Oh headlight covers.  That's worth the asking price.

EDIT - See if they have any 16 inch wheels.  I really really don't want to spend $150 per wheel for the drags.

AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter)
AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
10/3/22 1:10 p.m.

should be really cheap to throw a SBC and TH350 in that.

classicJackets (FS)
classicJackets (FS) SuperDork
10/3/22 1:20 p.m.

Nice. I was going to sell it to someone via FB, but i have a manual pedalbox for a 280zx I could probably get to you if you are interested.

B13Birk
B13Birk GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
10/3/22 8:27 p.m.

In reply to classicJackets (FS) :

Oh man! That would be super clutch. - heh puns -  I would definitely buy that from you! I really appreciate that. 

B13Birk
B13Birk GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
10/3/22 8:34 p.m.

 

So I bought the car today. 

$500 for a car that was running and driving before it was parked. The car is partially taken apart because the p/o was going to swap it. 

The current plan is to turbo the L28 that is in there throw a 5sd in it and get a great suspension setup and make the car competitive in all three categories including the concourse. I don't think it will excel in any particular area but we are excited just to participate. My dad and I have wanted to do this together for 20+ years so to just have a plan and a car is pretty special. 

very little rust and none in the important places. 

I will go pick up the car in a few weeks. 

 

B13Birk
B13Birk GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
10/3/22 8:37 p.m.
Stampie said:

Oh headlight covers.  That's worth the asking price.

EDIT - See if they have any 16 inch wheels.  I really really don't want to spend $150 per wheel for the drags.

No 16's on hand. But i will keep my eyes peeled. I find cheap wheels a good bit. What bolt patten do you need?

Stampie
Stampie MegaDork
10/4/22 8:07 a.m.

In reply to B13Birk :

4x114 but I need them soon so don't worry. I'll probably buy new ones off eBay. 

classicJackets (FS)
classicJackets (FS) SuperDork
10/4/22 8:19 a.m.

In reply to B13Birk :

Sent you a PM.

Edit: As I think about it, I probably have several of the parts you will need for manual swap, that I haven't even posted bc I don't feel like dealing with boxing and shipping clunky stuff. If you are able to make it to the challenge I think I can get a box'o'parts in with a buddy who is going down.

MaxC
MaxC Reader
10/5/22 3:33 p.m.

Great find.  Didn't know deals for datsuns still existed. Even non-desirable ones... although at least this isn't a 2+2! I daily drove one of these when I was 18, and had nothing but problems with it... but mostly because I was a very newb mechanic.  This is a decent, but unloved platform. I think it'd make a great racecar for champcar/LDRL/Lemons. Big fuel capacity, low value in champ, decent power and/or swap potential. 

Brett_Murphy (Agent of Chaos)
Brett_Murphy (Agent of Chaos) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
10/5/22 4:08 p.m.

Subscribed. Good luck!

 

preach (dudeist priest)
preach (dudeist priest) GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
10/5/22 4:30 p.m.

Barstools to Z-car? berkeley yeah!

B13Birk
B13Birk GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
10/25/22 5:29 p.m.

I wanted to give a special shout-out to ClassicJackets for selling me the parts I need to do a manual swap on the 280 and to his friend Ryan with the rear-engined insight (not sure of forum name) for hauling the boxes and drive shaft to the challenge for me. 

Pedal box, Flywheel,Driveshaft and Cross member and some other bits for $190

 

papamilad
papamilad Reader
10/26/22 1:00 a.m.

Oh man I wish I saw this thread before the challenge, I've got a 4speed I pulled out of my 280Z if you want, works fine I just upgraded to a 5spd.

B13Birk
B13Birk GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
10/29/22 1:08 p.m.

In reply to papamilad :

Thanks, man. That is super kind. I'm hoping to keep my eyes peeled for a 5spd I can fit into the budget

B13Birk
B13Birk GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
10/29/22 1:16 p.m.

I finally got the car to my house. My wife only half hates the car. LOL. I have a brand new car cover for it so at least its not a complete eye-sore. The silver miata I have that I'm working on flipping is currently in the garage but once that's out and I can roll the 280z around it will move to the garage to begin the disassembly process. 

The car is really solid. It has a few spots of rust on panels in the normal spots you would expect. The hood is worse than I thought it was so I'm going to need to find a new one of those. Between the dents in it and the rust on the lower hinge support, I think that's the right plan. 

The plan I'm still leaning towards is to use this engine for the challenge. I have been told its a running driving car when parked and before the PO was in the process of pulling it. I'm also tempted to throw a carbed V8 in it or even a single cam Ka24 for something. But currently, it's going to be L28 plus a turbo. 

 

B13Birk
B13Birk GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
10/29/22 1:17 p.m.

As far as my progress on funding the project goes. I have added a few things over the past month that I need to clean up / repair to sell. 

2 echo weed eaters and a echo blower

2 truck tool boxes

All of these were just on curbs on trash day. 

WILD to me... 

B13Birk
B13Birk GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
11/2/22 6:15 p.m.

My plan continues to play out. I was able to sit down and crunch potential numbers and I think the path is clear. Im headed out of town on an offroad trip for 9 days but when I get back ill be starting on the car. BUT. I found a DIY autotune ms3 setup for $200. 

This is a great first step and helped me achieve a goal. Megasquirt for $250 or less. That helps the budget. 

 

The plan is to zero out the budget on the car. I should be able to do that. From there the budget breakdown is simple. 

Roughly $1000 for performance, $500 for Handling and Stopping, and $500 to make the car competitive in the concourse. 

So that's the plan. Cant wait to dig into this thing

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