Greetings from Oklahoma!

#1

Hi all,

My name is Joe Freeland from Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. I’ve been looking for an E30 for about a year as a track/autocross car. I work SCCA and vintage races in Oklahoma and Texas in timing and scoring, grid or corners. At every race, I get the fever to try my hand at driving. I am trying to work a deal to rent a car for a driver’s school this winter in Texas. I could have probably made this weekend’s NASA event at Houston in a Spec RX-7 if I’d gotten an earlier start.

Anyway, I saw the GRM article and was hooked. I think this is exactly what I’d like to do. I don’t know yet if I’ve got the guts to race wheel-to-wheel, but I’m not getting any younger (47, married, with 3 girls - 13, 9 and 4). I want the car anyway, so this is a good direction to pursue.

I’ve been pretty selective about a car. I HAD been wanting to find a 91 318is. Now that’s out, and I’d like to find a good to excellent plastic bumber 325i (2 or 4 door) or 325is. I’m not really interested in a race prepared car at this point. Any help would be appreciated. Needs to be adjoining states to Oklahoma or a car someone knows about personally. I’ve been studying the rules and forum archives which has answered a lot of my questions so far.

Are there any participants from Oklahoma or North Texas? I’d love to make some local contacts that are either racing or building their car now. You can contact me by email "doublestarsATgmailDOTcom".

Thanks in advance for your help.

Joe Freeland

#2

Welcome Joe!

#3

Welcome…
How cl;ose is Norman???
http://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/car/212237323.html

#4

Welcome Joe!!!

Does this track look familiar:

Alex and I breezed through during One Lap, and it’s one of my favorite tracks in the world - I think you’d be the first Spec e30 in Oklahoma, but I’d love to make the (long) drive out there to race at Hallet some day!!!

-Vic (Hallet Spec E30 track record holder…kinda)

#5

Joe

I took the plunge last year and getting closer to finishing my specE30. I’m 40, with 3 girls (16,13,9) also. Don’t let the female thing hold you back. Seriously my wife and kids support my addiction, I mean vocation, but not the financial end of it.

Just don’t get an E30 that needs more than a few hundred in body work or with rust issues. Check it out carefully for past collisions and body repairs.

#6

Hi all,

Thanks for the replies, I feel very welcome.

Sean, thanks for the information, I never think to check craigslist. Norman is only 40 miles.

Vic, thanks for the photo, I totally agree. Hallett is a great track. The Stephens family is wonderful and it is such a nice, safe, technical track. There is always a nice atmosphere and there are plenty of opportunities for track time at a very reasonable cost. It should be on everyone’s list of tracks to visit. Please let me know if anyone is going to be at Hallett, if I’m not working I’d be happy to crew for you. I wish there were more participants in this area, but that’s OK. For me, it’s more about the car. If I were just interested in having someone in my class to race, I’d get a Miata. :sick:

David, good luck. I, too have a wonderfully supportive wife and kids. I agree with what you are saying about a car with no serious cosmetic faults. I’d rather spend a little more up front to get a car in good to excellent condition. I appreciate the advice.

Thanks again,

Joe Freeland

#7

Joe:

It’s good to have you here. Keep us up to date on your progress.

Carter Hunt
Spec E30 Administrator
40-three kids 9,7,3

#8

I’m serious now! I sold my '59 MGA which gives me garage space and some cash for a car. I guess I forgot to mention in my intro that I was an MG person. I had a nice MGA show car and still have a '72 Midget and 74.5 MGB-GT (drivers). I tired of taking the same car to car shows.

Seriously looking for a nice car I can set up next year to run all of the track days I can get to, with hopes of having a race prepared car (same or different car) for 2008.

I’d like a good to excellent '89-91 325i (4 door preferred) or a 325iS. I hate to say it, but right now A/C is a must. I’ll be driving it to events in Oklahoma and Texas.

Any help in the search would be appreciated.

doublestarsATgmailDOTcom

#9

Welcome Joe. I too was an english car person (many TR6s, TR250, etc.) and we are now working on my car (my son Michael #30 started racing last year). I was discovered at a recent event when I asked someone for a "spanner."

Also check out www.roadfly.org. They have several listings within driving distance of OK. I was looking at a car in TX before I chose one from PA. You may try contacting Dashiell, Matthew {FLNA} [Matthew.Dashiell@fritolay.com] to see if it is still available.

Ed