Went out to the Firebird this morning, after doing a bunch of work yesterday to get the thing ready to run. The good news is I fixed its oil leak. The bad news is its losing coolant and transmission fluid*. Between this and other issues, I think I'm out for this year. Working on it for the next 6 weeks in my spare time would at best result in a car with a middling drag time, middling autox time, and middling concours score. Worst case, it would strand me somewhere on the way to Florida. If this was my first challenge, or it was a novelty entry, I'd probably be willing to push it, but since it'd be my fourth event, the goal was to be competitive enough to make it into the top ten. Mediocrity is not an option this time around.
At least with an extra year of time, and more space in my garage (two non-running project cars in a two car garage at once is a bad idea), the car should turn out better in 2011. Perhaps I'll try to put together a team instead of trying to do most of the work myself.
I'll still be coming down to spectate (need the time off from the insanity at the workplace). Can't wait to see what shows up, and really can't wait to see Wheels's car this year when its done. 
So anyone else who's delaying their car going to come down to watch? Maybe we could start Team Stealth Car, and just claim none else can see it. 
*Maxlife Dexron smells awful when pouring it out of the bottle. Smells just as bad when its all over the floor of the garage.
GPDren
New Reader
8/22/10 8:10 p.m.
I'm delaying my car until next year but I don't think I'll make it down to spectate either. For me it was a combination of time getting short on me real fast and getting hit with more medical bills....oh and my challenge car becoming my daily driver after totalling our Accord while out-of-state visiting family. It's been a rough 12 months.
On the plus side I'll have an extra dollar to spend, I'm looking for better deals on parts and I'm now healthy(ish).
that sucks.. but at least it gives you a year to troubleshoot and put some (free) time into it
mad_machine wrote:
that sucks.. but at least it gives you a year to troubleshoot and put some (free) time into it
not to mention a bigger budget
good luck, sorry to hear about the trouble...what gives? ...or gave...you know what I mean.
Medical bills, you hit it squarely on the head. When a Challenge budget of bills that were not expected hits you on the head just over two months before the big gig, well, something's gotta give. Unfortunately, I like my credit score, and since they threatened immediate legal action (from a hospital visit at the start of the year, so even though they only decided with the insurance company how much was covered, they consider it overdue), I had to pay and siphon everything out of savings. Have to build that up, since I am only allowed to play with a safety net in place.
However, it will give me more time to get the car ready for next year. Or sell the car and pick up the twin turbo E28 five series that I just found...
Sorry to hear about the medical bills issues, guys. At least I'm lucky that isn't the cause for me. However, just going to spectate instead of to compete should save me $800-1000 this year in expenses between gas, tires, entry fees, and various other little things.
4cylndrfury wrote:
good luck, sorry to hear about the trouble...what gives? ...or gave...you know what I mean.
Lets see, even if I got it running in the next few days, there's very little time left to shake it down, and find all the currently hidden problems. Then there's the known issues: coolant and trans leaks, no rear brakes (the line has been cut and pinched off), rust repair, dent repair on the drivers door, interior in dire need of cleaning, wiring issues, headlight brackets are broken, need to mount the race tires, rust repair on the subframe where the transmount attaches, and tons of other little stuff.
I've also made several compromises to my plans in the last few months in an attempt to get it together, which has hit my budget hard. I've got a nitrous setup for the car that won't fit in the budget right now. An extra year will let me fab up cheap replacements for parts I've had to buy, and may allow for some more trading, and for selling off spares.
Work has been nuts lately, too. I'm in the health care technology industry, and there are some major regulatory changes coming up Oct 1st that I'm dealing with, so spare time is not going to be as easy to come up with as I'd like. Going to the challenge to spectate will be a major relaxation.
I too will be pushing back a year (again). Sensable people might give up, but not us.
still trying to get er done
wheels777 wrote:
eastsidemav wrote:
....I think I'm out for this year. ...
I 'm bummed Dude.
Eh, better to regroup for next year. I know I've got no chance to beat the top contenders (unless there's a major rash of equipment failures), but I'd rather get close than be somewhere in the back of the pack. This does open up more possibilities. The car may get a cage or rollbar as long as they stay in the saftey rules. It could use a bit more weight over the rear axle
