Went lapping at Mosport

turtlevette said:

clutchdust said:

You guys know I love Vettes as much as anyone here but I'll say it again. Vettes (especially early ones) make really crappy track cars. If not for the heavy, flexy, 50 year old frame and suspension but the "oh shit" factor when you wad one up.
Turtle, I say fix the Vette up to drive on a nice Sunday afternoon with the old lady and get some POS to bomb around the track with. That's what I did. Pics coming soon.

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I bought the V6 mustang convertible as a cruiser. She would not have liked the V8 because the exhaust is too loud. She did encourage me to get the V8 though so kudos to her. Decided to save that $8000 upgrade for vette parts.

I want to make it perfectly clear that i'm the slowest car in the club but still have a ton of fun with that car. I think it is because it's a handful that makes it so much fun. You can have fun going slow. I'm not going to buy into that progressive need for speed that is racing. It will bankrupt you in the end. The progression i see in COM is.

1. racing slicks $1200/yr I run decent street tires at half that price, and 3-4 times longer lifespan.
2. trailer for slicks $500-$1000 Never understood the tire trailer thing.
3. Woops i wrecked it going 9/10ths so in the future i need a car hauler and trailer. Enclosed car hauler $10,000. Yeah, but when you sell it you get some of that back, and you save motel costs by sleeping in it at the track. While we're at it let's get a nice tow vehicle. $35,000 My tow vehicle is my << $35k DD Silverado.
4. Suspension mods $5000 - $10,000 My whole C4 suspension transplant (including the ebay frame) was about $4k even. (My labor was free.)
5. More power $5000 - $25,000 I'd say 5-10k max for trackday stuff. Above that, you need to quit playing with us mere enthusiasts, and go compete with some real racers.
6. Totaled this one going 9.9/10ths so let's upgrade to a C5 Z06 $25,000 Writing a check for a fast car (and blending in with the crowd), No Thanks.
7. More mods $$$$$ The "big" dollars have already been spent (see above). It's pretty much just maintenance issues now.
9. Modded street cars are no fun anymore so lets get an open wheel. $15,000 - $100,000 Perhaps. But who's got the time (and enough willing friends) to devote to the care and feeding of a formula car?Do you see a trend here?

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Yes, but the slope on my trend is much lower than yours.

turtlevette said:

It's OK. I've known Clutchdust for a long time. We debate things all the time. He's right for someone who just wants to go fast. I don't care about going that fast, just having fun. Many of the guys in my club do 20 track days a year. I average 2 or 3.

He's going to track a 240Z. He's already told us how many days and how many pickup trucks it takes to change struts so we'll see how well an old jap car works. It definitely won't sound as good as my SBC at 6K rpm.

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Ahhh, but who's to say what engine might ultimately live in that 240?
I just bought a 240 that was already set up with a cage and everything (post pics later). Sub $300 purchase and if I wad it up, who cares? All it needs to get on the track is intake, carb, battery and fuel cell. All in all, I could have it running and on the track for under $1000, in theory. But then there is the list of stuff I want to do to it later. All it takes is cubic dollars.

Turtle, I respect your thinking. But you don't have to be going 10/10ths or 9/10ths, or 6/10ths for that matter, when you have a mechanical failure. You were talking about driving home with bad u-joints. Can you imagine where you and your car would be if one of those half shafts decided to let go in the middle of a turn on track?

Yes, I've invested in the trailer, and the truck is a natural byproduct of my work. So I understand if these things are additional expenses to you. But I just see a point when you're going to need the assistance from someone who's made that investment because you didn't. Not that there's a problem with that but just remember in that case, a six pack ain't gonna cover it.

clutchdust said:

turtlevette said:

It's OK. I've known Clutchdust for a long time. We debate things all the time. He's right for someone who just wants to go fast. I don't care about going that fast, just having fun. Many of the guys in my club do 20 track days a year. I average 2 or 3.

He's going to track a 240Z. He's already told us how many days and how many pickup trucks it takes to change struts so we'll see how well an old jap car works. It definitely won't sound as good as my SBC at 6K rpm.

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Ahhh, but who's to say what engine might ultimately live in that 240?
I just bought a 240 that was already set up with a cage and everything (post pics later). Sub $300 purchase and if I wad it up, who cares? All it needs to get on the track is intake, carb, battery and fuel cell. All in all, I could have it running and on the track for under $1000, in theory. But then there is the list of stuff I want to do to it later. All it takes is cubic dollars.

Turtle, I respect your thinking. But you don't have to be going 10/10ths or 9/10ths, or 6/10ths for that matter, when you have a mechanical failure. You were talking about driving home with bad u-joints. Can you imagine where you and your car would be if one of those half shafts decided to let go in the middle of a turn on track?

Yes, I've invested in the trailer, and the truck is a natural byproduct of my work. So I understand if these things are additional expenses to you. But I just see a point when you're going to need the assistance from someone who's made that investment because you didn't. Not that there's a problem with that but just remember in that case, a six pack ain't gonna cover it.

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so let's look at the guy who sold you the 240Z to example my concern. This guy was on the 240 forum and someone named turtle convinced him to sell his 240 at a huge loss so that he can now spend tons of money on a Miata. great news for turtle, not so much for the guy who HAD the 240Z.

It isn't right - help the guy go faster with what he has; don't be debbie downer and suggest that he's an idiot for not buying something else. It isn't right - needless stress without a point. As you said, this a Corvette site; the Miata site is two doors down with a cute little rainbow over the door.

That other comment about "what if the u-joint went"; are you seriously suggesting that if the car's not a Corvette it will remain unbroken? Fact is the u-joint didn't break there - so what's with the needless drama? Good lord, what if your truck loses its brakes on the way to the track? then you'd be hurt and the children - what about all those poor children?!!!! please.

I'm not really sure where you're going with all that but let me address a couple points.
First, it's Turtle's money to spend as he sees fit. He comes here and asks for opinions (just as I and others do all the time). I merely offer an opinion that I base in my own personal experience. It's his choice to make. I've made mine, he'll make his. I won't belittle him for his choice. You can look if you want, but I've said for a long time that "because I want to" is as good a reason to give as anything else. I have not and never would suggest he's an idiot for not doing it my way.
Second, sure my truck could break at any point. ***BUT*** I drive my track car on the track to the point of breaking. Maybe Turtle doesn't, but I get concerned when he says he drove back from the track with u-joints going. I've done this shit before. Drove 220 miles each way to a track even and the whole time I'm on the track I keep telling myself "this car has to get me home, this car has to get me home".
And as for the 240, the guy bought it because he's too much like me, a collector of projects. I have far too many to count. Just made a deal to buy a 78 Z earlier today. I'll part that one out and use whatever I can between my other Z cars. Just another project. I'm a dumbass.