Quote:
Originally Posted by Libila
 Just because you have a gun and you think you're tough doesn't mean you can kill me Bobby.
I never questioned your take on safety, it was your perception of time. Sure, it was ambitious but it doesn't mean it's not possible to do it properly. Your ostentatiously trite response, coupled with your favorite quote tell me your own racing endeavors have left you downcast and bitter. That may just be my impression of you though, seeing as I've thought you were standoffish ever since I met you years ago. I expected criticism when presenting this idea but I also expected some of it to be constructive since there are multiple active members of this site with numerous years of motorsports experience. Apparently I expected too much 
The one thing you're right about is the fact that I've never built an endurance car. But everyone starts somewhere, and a race such as this seems like a fun, safe and yes, fiscally easy place to start. |
Call me downcast and bitter all you want, it doesn't change the fact that someone will little racecar fabrication experience simply cannot build a safe car in 9-weeks
at any price. I know I couldn't do it, which is why I'm looking at joining a team that has actual pro-builders who already started their build back in January (with a car that was already a caged racecar no less, you know because of the tight build schedule).
Just because you disagree with what I'm saying or how I'm saying it, does not mean my criticism isn't accurate. And telling someone they're likely to kill themselves or others because of their inexperience may not be positive, but it is constructive.
If this race had a $5000 car limit, my tone would be totally different because you could start with something already relatively reliable and safe like a 90' Civic or something... but trying to turn a $500 hunk of junk into a safe racecar takes pro-level fab and repair skills or thousands of dollars to hire said skills. As much as I respect the experience of the folks here on SECCS, I don't personally know anyone here capable of pulling that off in 9-weeks.
If you're looking for somewhere to start. Start with a go-kart or autocross. Get into a spec-Miata or time trials of some sort. Move to a Legends car, or maybe Formula Ford. Or better yet, do what I'm doing and look to get on a team that's just looking for help... help out in the pits at a race, maybe drive a stint or two at Lemons, help out a shop with their build, etc.
That's the safe and cheap way to learn (though even a seat in a Lemons car will still cost you $1000-$2000 depending on how much of the safety equipment you've already got).