How to do this - Now?

#1

There was a thread called “how to do this”, but I can’t find it.

I have 2 325is, one for a racer and one for parts. I have the approval of the new accountant(wife) to go ahead and build the car. I have an appointment with the cage builder and about 40% of the parts in stock.

And now the economy is in the toilet and is heading for the sewer. I am nervous about pulling the trigger to spend the remaining $8k+ to build the car.

I guess I am looking for encouragement(insults and such) to stop being a Wussy and just go do it.

What other ways do you have to cut costs?

#2

I think if your smart, and build the car to the minimum of the rules. Doing the work yourself you will have a finished car worth a little more than you spent.

You can add all the cool trick parts later.

Just don’t skimp on safety.

#3

Peakracer.com wrote:

Stop being a Wussy and just go do it! You only live once, right?:wink:

#4

Peakracer.com wrote:

People have been racing cars as long as I can remember. And I can remember recessions and gas crisis’.

I made a lot of bad decisions (which had favorable outcomes fortunately) by using simple “It’s A Once In A Lifetime” peer pressure based logic. “Are you ever going to have this chance in your life again?”

Peakracer.com wrote:

Ask Al Taylor. In fact, he wrote something up already on how to keep racing on the lo-lo when things turn ugly. Use the search for “how to keep doing this” or something like that.

#5

Here’s Al’s original post…

http://spece30.com/component/option,com_kunena/Itemid,86/func,view/id,27887/catid,31/

#6

Keep the car street legal, use it in some way that you are able to write off the mileage.

Do not buy all the trick parts, ask Travis about his swaybars…or mine now that I think about it.

Shop around on the safety stuff, granted you should not cut corners, but buying a HANS that was used once and cost $400 is a pretty good savings.

Make friends with a welder, buy him good beer or liquor. I always bring mine some sort of tool or something everytime I visit, like if I find a killer deal on brake clean, I might take him a case.

Beef jerky or hard salami sandwiches at the track. Buy distilled water by the gallon, I bet I save $10-20 a weekend on that alone.

Cancel your cable TV or Satalitte service, use the internet at the coffee shop or motel parking lot.

Start leaving GI Bill pamplets around the house for the kids.

Do medical experiments on the weekends when not working on your race car, I did one that paid $2700 once and it didnt even hurt that much.

Buy or Bum used tires when just starting out, it will do you no good to have new tires when doing schools or just strting w to w. Travis ran on some of my old Michelins for a long time. Hell Osbourne did at least 1 school on Michelin TRX’s!!!

Take the family dog on a road trip, one way.

I think being able to use my race car as a “car” makes the biggest difference, having a 10k lump that sits and does nothing is pretty tough. Hell Vic drove his down from MD to the rock last race…and he is a bonafide “cityboy”.

Go to the dump and shoot some rats, they are buying rat pelts for gloves and hats, I know a guy that made $15 in one tuesday night!

Al

#7

those tips could also come in handy for anybody who has been in the stock market

#8

FARTBREF wrote:

[quote] Hell Osbourne did at least 1 school on Michelin TRX’s!!!

Al[/quote]

I still have to TRX’s if anyone needs a set. I think the two E28’s in the barn have them to. Will make a deal for whoever whants them.

Michael
#36
Great Lakes Region