Am considering retirement, Just ranting .... Options

[98_1LE]

They call those daily drivers (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[AllZWay]

They call those daily drivers (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Kind of funny how over time you forget how much of a Cadillac a stock
f-body rides and quite it is. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[bowtieboy]

Well Mitch, now you see why I have tried my "darn"dest (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)
to stay away from track days. Yes, autocross isn't daily driving but I feel it's not as hard on the car, JMO.....and I know that I would get hooked in a second if I started.

......come to the dark side (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Jeff97FST/A]

Kind of funny how over time you forget how much of a Cadillac a stock
f-body rides and quite it is.  (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Not according to my wife - and that's with the shocks on full soft... (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

[trax]

I will toss in a left-field anecdote on this.

One of my other major hobbies is competitive shooting. I own a German-made Anschutz 1907 smallbore precision rifle. In college I only shoot once every two weeks or so, but I used to shoot 5 or 6 times a week in high school (we had arguably one of the top teams / coaches in the midwest). After four years in it, I came to college and just lost interest.

I still shoot now and then, but I just got burnt out on constant practicing. In the end the best way to handle it was to throttle off and only come back to it whenever I really feel the urge. Even though that might only be once or twice a month, on those nights that I do sit down and shoot, I seize the moment and genuinely enjoy every minute of it.

[mitchntx]

Well Mitch, now you see why I have tried my "darn"dest (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)
to stay away from track days. Yes, autocross isn't daily driving but I feel it's not as hard on the car, JMO.....and I know that I would get hooked in a second if I started.

......come to the dark side (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Having done both, I disagree.

AX was more violent and the car was on the rev limiter constantly.

And the stone chips from Mineral Wells was too much

[SuperCricket]

I've got a lot of friends talking the same way right now. I think It's the weather change. It is something everyone goes through from time to time. You can get burned out on just about any hobby or activity under the sun, like Trax said. Moderation is the key to everything. I think if you take a break for a little while, you'll be alright.

Everyone on this board does what they do because they enjoy it, none of his are making any money from it. Some of us do it because they like the competition, some do it just to drive their car and have fun, and some do it for a little bit of both. If your not enjoying it at the moment, just take a break, no big deal. Let her sit just long enough for you to walk outside one of these Texas spring days when it's 75 degrees out, no wind, and blue skies. Then pull her out of the shop, roll the windows down, and you'll be "sane" again. I know it will happen, done it many, MANY, a time.

[prockbp]

multi-hobby is the way to go


one way to gain a different perspective on things is to go float down the Guadalupe River for 3 days straight... 72 hours of relaxtion and about 12 cases of beer will have you begging for the stress of normal life and hobbies

just a suggestion..

gotta wait till Summer though.. Guadalupe is cold!

[C3SS]

one way to gain a different perspective on things is to go float down the Guadalupe River for 3 days straight... 72 hours of relaxtion and about 12 cases of beer will have you begging for the stress of normal life and hobbies

Oh HELL yes!!! That reminds me, I gotta start planning this summer's trip...before I go insane from work.

<sorry for the semi-hijack>

[98_1LE]

trax, that is what I do, but a little different. In 2000 I was a drag racer, 2001 I did a bunch of autox and HPDE, in '02 I mainly did HPDE and not much. In '03 I did a lot of autocross, and in '04 I am (was) doing HPDE. Maybe it is time to go back to blowing up clutches and rear axles, since they are the remaining weak link in my car, or maybe I could rice it out and make it a "show car" (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

As for the autox/HPDE comparison, I think that autox is harder on suspension and tires, and in much smaller doses. Autox requires more skill, HPDE requires bigger cojones. HPDE is harder on the motor and brakes, and while is purchased in much larger blocks of time, is about 1/3 as much per minute of seat time compared to autox. Of course autox is competitive, while HPDE is a "non timed, non competitive event" cough.

[Bald54]

I burned out on autocrossing around 1988. Before that I ran pretty religiously every weekend. I had a dedicated autocross car that I put about 9000 miles on one summer just driving to events. Eventually I got sick of spending every Sunday in a parking lot. Now that my son is interested in the sport I have renewed my interest again and am looking forward to this season. I does do a person good to take some time off. I played trombone in high school and never touched the horn again for about 25 years. When my son started to play, I took it up again and am now playing in two bands. These are both activities we can do together and it has been fun.

[robz71lm7]

If it's competition you want and a real sense of winning why not try CMC or spec miata like someone else stated? You could always make a trip out to a foreign track to shake things up. Running MSR all the time might be part of it.

[GlennCMC70]

i now bring my own time! (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

[94bird]

Mitch, the decision you're coming up against now is one I faced the year before last. I decided to make the car into a race car and take it off the street. That way at least I was driving the car hard for something. OT days just didn't do much for me. I found myself letting up some laps to wait for someone else on track to be close to me so I could try and lose them, if noone was in front of me. However, going AI or worse yet AIX does take a HUGE amount of preparation time. Since my work schedule is picking up more this year and my son is taking up more of my time I'm finding it very hard to keep up.

I'd let it sit for a little while and then truly evaluate your options. If your time is limited I'd strongly consider CMC. I don't think LS1 engines are allowed in CMC, so you'd have to sell your car and either get a LT1 or 3rd gen, but it's low budget racing. There's always Spec Miata but I just don't ever see myself road racing something that low on power.

[bowtieboy]

Having done both, I disagree.

AX was more violent and the car was on the rev limiter constantly.

And the stone chips from Mineral Wells was too much

Ok, I'll give you that AX is much more violent in transactions but to me that translates to shock & tires (for the most part). On the car being at red line, that should happen on rare occations......to the best of my knowledge, I only hit it twice all season in Chuck's car last year. Most of the time should be spent in the 3000 - 4500 RPM range where the power is usable.

I also give you MW, don't care for the place much myself, but I use tape to prvent the "sand blasting" and that seems to work.....but there are pleanty of other events.

But I guess the point that you're getting at is that any type of "racing" is going to be abusive to our cars. I just feel that AX is minimizing the potential risks....to a degree(again JMO).

Good luck in your decision.

[Teutonic Speedra...]

I guess it's a good thing we have an off season during the winter. I can't wait to get to the track again......21 more days left! It's like waiting for Xmas when you were a little kid. How many different tracks do you go to? That makes a difference too. In the Northeast, we have Watkins Glen, Summit Point, Jefferson Circuite, Shenandoah, Limerock, BeaveRun, Mid-Ohio, Pocono, and Virginia International (all within a ~8 hour drive, most within a 4 hour drive). The variety helps out too I guess.

[mitchntx]

Having done both, I disagree.

AX was more violent and the car was on the rev limiter constantly.

And the stone chips from Mineral Wells was too much

Ok, I'll give you that AX is much more violent in transactions but to me that translates to shock & tires (for the most part). On the car being at red line, that should happen on rare occations......to the best of my knowledge, I only hit it twice all season in Chuck's car last year. Most of the time should be spent in the 3000 - 4500 RPM range where the power is usable.

I also give you MW, don't care for the place much myself, but I use tape to prvent the "sand blasting" and that seems to work.....but there are pleanty of other events.

But I guess the point that you're getting at is that any type of "racing" is going to be abusive to our cars. I just feel that AX is minimizing the potential risks....to a degree(again JMO).

Good luck in your decision.

Thanks for your input ...

I also wonder if the driving arrangement you and Chuck had last year was a precursor to his troubles now. Double the "abuse" couldn't have been good ...

[ESPCamaro]

I don't think there is a very competitive autoxer that doesn't have a co-driver. Especially in SP and SM since the tires are bigger, and a co-driving tire-warmer is much more beneficial.


I think as far as oil starvation goes, the RR stuff has to be harder. True the transitions could un-cover a pickup, but it's right back. The RR corners sustain, the high G's AND high RPM's

[Bald54]

As far as the sand blasting goes I'm going to be using clear 3M film on my paint for vulnerable parts. I just bought some bulk film that I'll cut out and apply to the rockers and the fenders behind the tires. They also make pre cut pieces for the front end ect. If interested check out

http://www.clearbra.com/

[bowtieboy]

Thanks for your input ...

I also wonder if the driving arrangement you and Chuck had last year was a precursor to his troubles now. Double the "abuse" couldn't have been good ...

Well, it is just my opinion but I don't believe that to be the case, knowing 1st hand the stresses the engine went thru, unless it was a factory flaw to begin with(but I guess anything is possible). The argument could also be made on 1/4 mile runs and/or the occational street race between events could have led up to the issue as well.....but again, I don't think that to be the case.

Knowing f-bodies have a poor oil pickup system, it is my belief in RR the sustained higher RPM's coupled with the G loads (and durations) and oil pickup problems are a recipe for engine relate issues.(ESPCamaro beat me to the punch) (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) So with that being said, from my end, I guess we will just agree to disagree.

.........the debate rages on (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)