Quote:
Originally Posted by Beejay
That's a lot of car for the money!
Ben
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Sure is, but before anybody gets all starry-eyed about the fun of competing in what is undoubtedly a well-proven race car, you should ask yourself do you have the purchase price X 3 at your disposal?
You'll need to buy the weapon itself, then you'll need a trailer and tow vehicle and you'll need somewhere to garage the race car and the tow vehicle (and maybe the trailer) then you'll need heaps of space to work on the car, assuming you have the necessary mechanical expertise and time and equipment to do this. A hoist would be nice. Then you need some guys to help out on race weekends, and ideally with race prep on a regular basis between meetings. An unpaid crew with race smarts is hard to find, so you're going to be up for professional help a lot of the time. More dollars. All the while you'll be working to pay the bills. It's hard to front up for work after you've pulled virtually an all-nighter on a week night, and it's doubly hard to concentrate on what you're being paid to do when all you can think about is whether your parts will arrive in time for the next meeting, or whether the guy you're paying to do some work is going to get sidetracked with other jobs coming into his shop. Everyone wants their stuff done today!!! and you're just another one in the queue. The only one who thinks you're deserving of special help is you. Then if your partner is OK with a large chunk of the household budget going on your (selfish, let's face it) obsession in the form of consumables, spares breakages etc when the kids' school fees are due, and if you need a set of wets just as the rego for your other cars comes in, and if you can accept that the amount of time you spend actually doing it, that is actually being out on the track RACING, is about .5% of the time you are otherwise involved with the race car, then just jump in and have a ball. Just be sure that you have the wherewithal to do the job to a level that will give you satisfaction and success.
Many years ago I raced a Centaur clubman. Out on the track, it was the best feeling of my life. It wasn't the quickest and I certainly had nowhere near the budget that many guys, even at this basic level of motorsport, had at their disposal, but I loved it. I only raced for a couple of years because I simply couldn't afford to continue. I'm glad I did it but I admit I went into it without a clue as to how all-consuming in so many facets of your life having a race car can be.
I hope Geoff's fantastic car goes to someone who can do it justice, who can campaign it in the manner in which it deserves, and who derives untold amounts of fun and excitement and satisfaction from owning and competing in a car that many would aspire to.
It is
indeed a lot of car for the money.