Why do we do this again? Options

[JKnight]

The plan was for Chris to shake the Camaro down in Super Unlimited this weekend at Willow Springs, and I was going to roll out in the Sentra track car for the Driving Concepts Comp. Race school this weekend. I spent Monday putting a bigger brake setup on the Sentra, but a soft line was bad. Of course I didn't figure it was the soft line until I'd built two new hard lines. (At least I know how to make hard lines). Get the new soft line overnighted and it fixes the leak, but now I gotta bleed the brakes. I do a preliminary bleed, but Chris needs to go to bed, since she sprained her wrist working out with her trainer (I told her exercise was detrimental to her health!). So I drop the Sentra and roll it a little in the garage to see if we have brakes, and it's next to nothing. So it looks like I'm taking the M3 to Willow Springs. Not a big deal, but the Sentra is worth 1/10th of the M3, and the M3 is "retired" and needs bushings. The M3 will be fine, but I don't care to change plans at the last minute.

So there's Chris' wrist. The Camaro's transmission doesn't like to stay in gear at this point, but I figured it was ok, since I could drive it reasonably well at Buttonwillow in November. Not so with a questionable wrist. I've been staying up until 10 or 11 every night getting the Camaro somewhat ready (don't even ask me how many hours I've devoted to getting this new hood almost perfectly bolted on!), and now it may not even get the shakedown that it desperately needs before Cal Speedway.

I'm taking a sabbatical from cars after I get this all sorted out and working on the garden. Gardening relaxes me; working on cars does not.

It'll all work out. But I figured that if anyone would understand you folks would.

Since I'm a glass half full kind of guy, the good news is that I get to put my M3 on track this weekend! And at Willow Springs no less, I love that track!

Jason

This post has been edited by JKnight: Feb 10 2006, 06:39 AM

[killer_bluebird]

I hear ya, Here in the northeast we are still two months away from any kind of racing. But I'm going to be screwed since I don't like gardening. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

May be I should pick up fishing or something (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[firehawkclone]

The plan was for Chris to shake the Camaro down in Super Unlimited this weekend at Willow Springs, and I was going to roll out in the Sentra track car for the Driving Concepts Comp. Race school this weekend. I spent Monday putting a bigger brake setup on the Sentra, but a soft line was bad. Of course I didn't figure it was the soft line until I'd built two new hard lines. (At least I know how to make hard lines). Get the new soft line overnighted and it fixes the leak, but now I gotta bleed the brakes. I do a preliminary bleed, but Chris needs to go to bed, since she sprained her wrist working out with her trainer (I told her exercise was detrimental to her health!). So I drop the Sentra and roll it a little in the garage to see if we have brakes, and it's next to nothing. So it looks like I'm taking the M3 to Willow Springs. Not a big deal, but the Sentra is worth 1/10th of the M3, and the M3 is "retired" and needs bushings. The M3 will be fine, but I don't care to change plans at the last minute.

So there's Chris' wrist. The Camaro's transmission doesn't like to stay in gear at this point, but I figured it was ok, since I could drive it reasonably well at Buttonwillow in November. Not so with a questionable wrist. I've been staying up until 10 or 11 every night getting the Camaro somewhat ready (don't even ask me how many hours I've devoted to getting this new hood almost perfectly bolted on!), and now it may not even get the shakedown that it desperately needs before Cal Speedway.

I'm taking a sabbatical from cars after I get this all sorted out and working on the garden. Gardening relaxes me; working on cars does not.

It'll all work out. But I figured that if anyone would understand you folks would.

Since I'm a glass half full kind of guy, the good news is that I get to put my M3 on track this weekend! And at Willow Springs no less, I love that track!

Jason

For the good time's......It's just hell getting there though (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/nutkick.gif)

I have been doing the same thing Jason, working on the bird, RV, sentra, and my truck (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/banghead.gif) Oh and working on 3 national contract's that just HAVE to be done on time (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

[rmackintosh]

That's how working on cars goes for me! (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) Who knows why I enjoy it so much.....the track weekends make it all worthwhile I guess....but.....I feel your pain!



























.....I will pray for you in your attempt to put a B.M.W. through ANY sort of rigorous paces....hate to see you have to rebuild everything but the flux capacitor on that thing.... (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/rotf.gif)

[CMC #37]

Dang! That's too bad Jason! I am going to do one more shakedown on the new CMC car Feb. 24th at T-Hill. Alan has a few more tweaks he wants to get in before the big debut at California Speedway. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[CMC#5]

You guys are missing the point. Stories like this are precisely why we play with cars! (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/rotf.gif) :leaving:

Hope it works out Jason...not sure about that gardening thing though (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[v7guy]

the all week thrash sessions make the greatest stories don't they? (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/rotf.gif)

I've been there so many times I couldn't forget the expierence if I wanted to. It unfortunately makes me procrastinate a bit before I finally do a job that "needs" done.

Overall, even though I occasionally get worked up over it, most of the time I enjoy it. There are definitely periods where a rest is needed though.

This post has been edited by v7guy: Feb 10 2006, 06:44 PM

[nape]

Week long thrash stories? I can't wait until I'm at that point. It seems like I'm thrashing for over a month to get this thing up to snuff/fix things I break. Good thing I like working on it. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/rotf.gif)

[v7guy]

I remember the first time I tore the car apart it was a 9 month ordeal. Now I look back on it and think how I wish I did this different and that different etc. It never ends.

getting it back on the road makes it all worthwhile though.

[robz71lm7]

(IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) Working on your car is half the fun for me.

But this why I have other hobbies like shooting, fishing, and boating. Otherwise I'd get burned out too easily.

[CamaroFS34]

"Why do we do this again?"

The standard answer between me and Tim Aro was always.... "FSA". The "f--king social aspect." I started laughing when I saw the thread, because that line is such a running joke between us.

Seriously, I think we do it for the social aspect. After fighting with getting the green car running this last week after a water pump install gone poorly, I'm ready to just say "screw it" to autocrossing this year. Yet, deep down, I know that I'll be very unhappy if I do that.... it puts me in a quandry, as I've been pretty unhappy with how I've finished at a lot of events this past year, but I generally have a good time otherwise.

Karen

[JKnight]

It was all pretty much worth it. I was in the Driving Concepts school, which pretty much consumes the day from 8-5 Saturday and Sunday, with maybe an 1-1.5 hours where we weren't on track or in the classroom. So I didn't see Chris much nor would I have a chance to work on the Camaro.

Because of Chris' wrist she chilled on Saturday and did the social thing (she's a pretty good pit cruiser / social bunny). We have two guys that are down with being pit crew for a good part of the year, so they did all the work on my Camaro list (the little things I hadn't gotten a chance to get around to) and got the car ready for her on Sunday. She ran it Sunday in hpde 4, and the car ran flawlessly. I'm extremely happy that what I did worked, and that she was able to get in enough laps that she feels comfortable in it for Cal Speedway.

Our crew also informed us that the new Toyos are bigger than the old ones. We, uh, hadn't noticed that the only tires we had left, and were running the last two (non-race) events, were two + year old 255s. We've been running only 275s for 2 years. Apparently new, wider tires all around do wonders for grip!

So I guess it's all worth it.

Jason

[CMC#5]

Excellent Jason...glad you guys had a good weekend.

[CMC #37]

See you guys at California Speedway! I'll be there bright and early Friday testing the new #37!

[firehawkclone]

It was all pretty much worth it. I was in the Driving Concepts school, which pretty much consumes the day from 8-5 Saturday and Sunday, with maybe an 1-1.5 hours where we weren't on track or in the classroom. So I didn't see Chris much nor would I have a chance to work on the Camaro.

Because of Chris' wrist she chilled on Saturday and did the social thing (she's a pretty good pit cruiser / social bunny). We have two guys that are down with being pit crew for a good part of the year, so they did all the work on my Camaro list (the little things I hadn't gotten a chance to get around to) and got the car ready for her on Sunday. She ran it Sunday in hpde 4, and the car ran flawlessly. I'm extremely happy that what I did worked, and that she was able to get in enough laps that she feels comfortable in it for Cal Speedway.

Our crew also informed us that the new Toyos are bigger than the old ones. We, uh, hadn't noticed that the only tires we had left, and were running the last two (non-race) events, were two + year old 255s. We've been running only 275s for 2 years. Apparently new, wider tires all around do wonders for grip!

So I guess it's all worth it.

Jason

I don't know how you stayed in that room all weekend Jason, it was HOT in there!

Chris came out in front of me from the hot pit in the 3rd session, i had a run on her... but it was gone by the exit of 2b (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) And I just watched her pull away from me the rest of the session! So yeah...... the car looks good from the rear (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)