Show us your LeMons

In reply to poopshovel: Before all Hell broke loose

Question: Is the reason that I don't see any Miatas because they're too nice a car to wreck? Or that they're too scary to be in when surrounded by yahoos?

I think it's because the Spec Miata guys have snapped up most of the easily found cheap ones.

The first obvious answer is that the Spec Miata guys have bought them and driven the price up to where even a beat Miata with a blown engine can fetch $1000. The second is that the organizers have a stone heart when it comes to that car and are not forgiving to spending over $500 on one.

Watch the whole judging process starting at around 8:00 - http://vimeo.com/2740564

There are a surprising amount of Miatas at the California races. The judges give them a lot of attention, they catch a lot of scrutiny. They also have had pretty lame themes with exception to a couple. My favorite was the one with a pirate skeleton steering a boat wheel, driving behind that thing was really trippy because the pirate would flop around as though he was really along for the ride. Fortunately, they were easy to pass. The Frankenmiata was interesting, but a bit dubious.

Bryce

miatas are around I believe that a miata won the CT race. they are prized for things other than there lemons capabilities so they seem to wind up in other places

here is a pic of our tragedy from the CT race sorry slight operator error will revisit when I figure the picture thing out!

Actually, we were sorta kinda looking for one because we too thought it would make the perfect LeMons car. Maybe it was the time of year we were looking, the phase of the moon, it's a Southeastern thing or maybe we didn't genuflect properly but the only MeOtter we found in the LeMons price range was a roller '94 with no front fenders, engine or tranny for $300.00. I think the judges are well aware of this common pricing as well.

Then I see the lucky dog on this board who bought one complete and running for $200.00.

Jensenman wrote: Then I see the lucky dog on this board who bought one complete and running for $200.00.

I'll do it one better. My LeMons team bought one that runs and is in good condition for $500 with a hardtop. We sold the hardtop for $900. My teammate felt so lucky he took the $400 and bet on black, the color of the car, and hit four times in a row profiting $3000. It's blowing a little smoke but nothing that a quart of oil every driver change won't take of...

That car is sitting in the wings possibly waiting for the Nelson Ledges race.

Here's a whole pack of leMons racers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGULcLUr0I4&feature=related

RobL wrote:

Jensenman wrote: Then I see the lucky dog on this board who bought one complete and running for $200.00.

I'll do it one better. My LeMons team bought one that runs and is in good condition for $500 with a hardtop. We sold the hardtop for $900. My teammate felt so lucky he took the $400 and bet on black, the color of the car, and hit four times in a row profiting $3000. It's blowing a little smoke but nothing that a quart of oil every driver change won't take of... That car is sitting in the wings possibly waiting for the Nelson Ledges race.

I am not living clean. Or something.

maroon92 wrote: <img src="" />

Ummm, can I mention how jealous I am of your garage?

there is a third stall, occupied by a Model A pickup....and there is a "clubhouse", a bathroom is being installed.

(it isn't actually my garage, it is my friends dad's...but it is heated, and well lit, and he lets us use it...so we do)

pinchvalve wrote: Ummm, can I mention how jealous I am of your garage?

You mean you don't have two cars without engines in your garage? I thought everybody here did? Imposter!!!

Bryce

Jensenman wrote: I am not living clean. Or something.

After totally dissing me in the other thread, I have to agree.

RobL wrote:

Jensenman wrote: I am not living clean. Or something.

After totally dissing me in the other thread, I have to agree.

Huh? Might have made some jokes, didn't mean to diss you. I apologize if something I posted rubbed you the wrong way.

The thread was the one about what alfadriver was doing for the last the 3 years. I asked about how his company solved the soot (particulate) problem associated with direct injection. You replied:

Jensenman wrote: Not trying to rain on the parade, but Mercedes and Isuzu were both using DGI about 4 years ago. The soot problem appears to have already been worked out.

You shut me down pretty hard when all I was trying to do was get some first hand information from an engineer who seems willing to share some non-secret information. Apology accepted.

ANYWAY....

I'm not into getting my car crushed. I've build the MR2 with a lot of sweat equity in it and we have honestly only spent $800 before we started selling parts off (and those brought us below the $500 mark). I have, however, thrown cubic man hours at the car. Might we (the people on this board) be able to make a gentleman's agreement that as long as we are not dicks on the track that we not target each other for the people's curse?

RobL wrote: You shut me down pretty hard ...

Were you an only child?

FWIW, if you think you have to ask to NOT get the people's curse you might want to re-evaluate your LeMons plan. It's an MR2...unless you drive like a dick, why would anybody want to give you the curse? Those things are a dime a dozen and not horribly competitive either. Also, how are the three shmucks here on the board that would be racing with you going to make a difference anyway?

Bryce

Nashco wrote: FWIW, if you think you have to ask to NOT get the people's curse you might want to re-evaluate your LeMons plan. It's an MR2...unless you drive like a dick, why would anybody want to give you the curse? Those things are a dime a dozen and not horribly competitive either. Also, how are the three shmucks here on the board that would be racing with you going to make a difference anyway? Bryce

Well, the three teams that I am fielding are not going to vote for us and if there are a few more teams on here that would like to not get crushed either we could all vote for the same car and have a much better chance of not getting crushed ourselves. The "losing" car in CT this year only had 8 votes for it so having a voting block of 6 votes is powerful.

The MR2s to date have not been competitive. We feel ours is - it's faster than the Corolla we fielded last year and is going to be more reliable. No one on my team is going to drive like a dick but having a fast car is a magnet for votes.

I refuse to vote for any car waving the GRM flag...(or sticker).

bonus points if you have a "Heavenly Cone" sticker.

I'm voting for Jensenman. Again.

We'll probably vote for ourselves. Again. That means we should have 3 votes before we even roll off the trailer.

Actually, if any one of the guys from Salizar comes down in anything, they will get my vote. Again.

In all honesty, if they show back up I personally will give them a chance to show they don't plan to be 'those guys' this time around. Of course, they will already have a strike against them...

They are local to me. The tales of woe that they spun locally made me angry. "They were targeted only because they were fast." "The event was a lapping day with point bys." etc. Anything to appear that they were innocent of all wrongdoing and that the organizers stacked the ballots because they were too good - not that they were intimidating the other drivers. They could come down with a float from the Macy's parade with kittens on it singing "kumbaya" and I would still vote for them before a wheel was turned in anger.

Wow. That's hard core when kittens singing 'Kumbaya' won't sway you.