While I couldn't be happier with the way our car performed I agree with others. Build what you want. I love the Challenge (and Lemons and BABE) because there are no real limitations (other than budget) to the weirdness I can create. I've played with weird cars for a long time but never had an outlet to "play" with them until these events came along.
Have fun with your car, building it and "competing" with it and the rest will all fall into place.
MrJoshua wrote: What cars were in the top 10 for the concours? Were there any "Very clean daily driver" types?
my MR2 had full interior, heater, power windows, all the factory sound deadening etc, my goal was to build a streetable car, and it was a 3 way tie for 9th in the concourse, I then blew the turbo after a single autocross run a limped down the quarter mile to secure my last place finnish (once I get it runnig again I intend to use it as a daily driver)
I disagree with alfadriver, the bar has been raised, ftd is no simple task, it would be simple enough to have the grm STR set a benchmark (of course only the first 4 runs would count), I suspect a well prepped sorted car could finnish high in the autocross but those top few spots are gonna be tough to beat
my sorted z31 after 3 years finnished 7th overall in 09, and was I think 11th in autocross, and I had some good missmatched (but still very sticky) autocross tires
anybody else like to see what Per and the LeGrand could do just for a crazy purpose built vehicle comparison at the challenge?
Definitely have LeGrand lust - bring it!
Ranger50 wrote: Well poo. Worked on my "free" Hemi and found it needs a new crank and one rod/piston.
Hmmm ... don't some of the 3G Hemis have a cylinder deactivation capability? Might be able to clean up the crank and keep one bad cylinder turned off. Sure, keeping that one or that pair off would play hell with NVH, etc, but for a play car ... Sorry, just thinking out loud.
I love the mix of cars I see in the Challenge, so the rules are OK by me as they are.
slantvaliant wrote:Ranger50 wrote: Well poo. Worked on my "free" Hemi and found it needs a new crank and one rod/piston.Hmmm ... don't some of the 3G Hemis have a cylinder deactivation capability? Might be able to clean up the crank and keep one bad cylinder turned off. Sure, keeping that one or that pair off would play hell with NVH, etc, but for a play car ... Sorry, just thinking out loud. I love the mix of cars I see in the Challenge, so the rules are OK by me as they are.
They all have the provisions for DoD/AFM/etc.... but mine came out of a 3/4 ton 4x4, so it needs all cylinders burning dinosaur DNA. Only beginning in '09, did the 1500 series get cylinder deactivation, along with the Eagle 5.7 Hemi.
I haven't mic'd the journal itself, but I put in a new bearing and the big end of the rod physically moves side to side on the journal. You can see the amount of movement with a naked eye. 
If I use the Dakota, I'm probably just going to put in a 360 instead. 
Brian
Ranger50 wrote: If I use the Dakota, I'm probably just going to put in a 360 instead.
Hey, quit looking over my shoulder. 
I'm planning to go through my 360 this winter.
Who knows, you might be able to scare up a crank/rod/piston before next October. 
spin_out wrote: ......and build what I want to own when done. .......
wheels777 wrote: But as spin said, you really should want to own it when it is done.
Amen to both. I was discussing this the other day with SVreX. I have built two Jettas because that's what I had at the time, the second because it was cheap. But after coming to 2 Challenges, seeing the cars, and looking at this years entries, I want to build something interesting. I'm going back to aircooled VW's, my roots. In $2009, I heard a lot people getting pumped about the Beetle going around the autocross at the end of the day, because it was interesting to watch, cheap car getting rowdy around the cones. It made you smile.
$2006 Jetta was my daily, full interior, matched springs/shocks/struts, simple motor swap, mild sway bars, Toyo Proxes. I sold this easily for what I had in it. Pro driver commented on nice torque, very neutral to drive. I drove this one home and got 30 mpg.
$2009 Jetta, gutted, lightened, coilvers/Bilsteins, nitrous, all springs no bars, Hoosiers autox tires. Moved way up in autocross but nearly the same drag time because of the clutch. Pro driver commented on the workout it took to drive it and it was trailered. This one caught fire and tried to kill me 3 times. It placed higher at the end but man it just wasn't work the effort. Effort did not equal results. Go figure. Also, almost ZERO interest when it came time to sell, got half of what I had in it and was happy to get it.
New car may show up, pretty, running well, well under $500, and I will actually want to take it home. Same Challenge fun at the end of the day, maybe I'm getting old.
One man's "don't want anymore" is another man's treasure! 
I think I've found it. $100 for an original motor, 94k mile Beetle. Some assembly required.
Will look something like this:
2002maniac wrote:wheels777 wrote:10's are old hat. What will it take to get a car in the 9's?David S. Wallens wrote: So, is it too early to start discussing next year's builds?What do people want to see?
the $2020 challenge,perhaps
i wanna run 9s so bad.
we should probably ditch the FWD and get out of the 11s first.
redzcstandardhatch wrote: i wanna run 9s so bad. we should probably ditch the FWD and get out of the 11s first.
I have the recipe to do it and most of the parts here, but I have to decide whether to chase 9's or a really quirky build. I guess its kinda Big talk for a guy whose never done faster than mid 13's.
2002maniac wrote:wheels777 wrote:10's are old hat. What will it take to get a car in the 9's?David S. Wallens wrote: So, is it too early to start discussing next year's builds?What do people want to see?
One power adder or a purpose built car.
wheels777 wrote:2002maniac wrote:One power adder or a purpose built car.wheels777 wrote:10's are old hat. What will it take to get a car in the 9's?David S. Wallens wrote: So, is it too early to start discussing next year's builds?What do people want to see?
Or for the rest of us: a Waaaaaay bigger power adder and crossed fingers!
In reply to MrJoshua:
Junkyard 350 add lots of giggle gas pull some timing and you can make the power to get there. Live for more than the challenge? Maybe not.
wheels777 wrote: One power adder or a purpose built car.
OK, here's what I want to see:
PACC Racing brings their traditional all-motor challenge car and it goes mid-10s, securing the drag win, but not by much because Westside brought a bigger turbo.
Then, as exhibition because it would probably put him $24 over budget, Andy arms the nitrous and rips a 9.90 in the mid-130's.
:-)
AngryCorvair wrote:wheels777 wrote: One power adder or a purpose built car.OK, here's what I want to see: PACC Racing brings their traditional all-motor challenge car and it goes mid-10s, securing the drag win, but not by much because Westside brought a bigger turbo. Then, as exhibition because it would probably put him $24 over budget, Andy arms the nitrous and rips a 9.90 in the mid-130's. :-)
It would have been $37 (for real)....but it's not legal per the new rules. We have a dual stage cheater and a power shot that are both very C friendly. And, just for the record, we are still sitting on the twin Rayjays 301EEs that are C friendly. One more part to make those worth dragging down....
Any interest in a Challenge friendly Land Speed effort? I am thinking about dragging the red Datsun out of the barn, saw it in two, add 20", slam it, dam it, wing it, clean up the front end, and tag it to boot. Won't roll the cones, but it be a hoot to share. If someone could show this thick skulled butt how to post a picture, we have a Fuzzy Bear rendering. Hold on, I think Fuzzy will be home soon.
ah ha figured it out!
here's a picture of the rendering in red
and here's a picture of it currently
I want you to bring that out of the barn just so I can hear it again! 
wheels777 wrote: It would have been $37 (for real)....but it's not legal per the new rules.
What rule would you have broken?
Super good to see Calvin online with us. Welcome!
I love the idea of a budget conscious land-speed effort. Even if it's not a "Challenge" budget ($2010 is kinda an arbitrary number anyway) it would be pretty awesome to see how much $$ it takes (or doesn't take) to crack 200 mph. I can't think of anyone on Earth better qualified to find out.
16vCorey wrote:wheels777 wrote: It would have been $37 (for real)....but it's not legal per the new rules.What rule would you have broken?
Corey, The black bug (which is my favorite of all our efforts) does not have fenders. It would be fun to bring it back sorted with tires and a little squeeze.
Tom, Thank you for the kind words. I wonder if there is interest. The fam does not want to do the Challenge unless we are in the regular class and not exhibition. But this year we are going to focus on trying to go fast. And finish the 2 Stude's. Any LSR effort will be over the Challenge budget while racing at those venues. Right now I'm trying to see if we can get it back under budget for the C after taking the tires off and a few other itms needed to run higher speeds.
MrJoshua wrote: I want you to bring that out of the barn just so I can hear it again!
Check this out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJOIFTgxhrU
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