Quote:
Originally Posted by Try2paz
Just coming up for air after the weekend and work.
Well my Sunday didn't work out like I anticipated.
The car is essentially new (shock towers, suspension, motor, etc)
I literally picked up the car from the motor builder and drove straight to t-hill no street miles.
I pull into tech attempt #1 ...car is leaking coolant out of lower radiator hose. (loose clamp) push back to stall tighten clamp drive back to tech.
Tech attempt # 2.. no brake lights... wont let me on the track without them. So I grab a multimeter and start chasing it down. I find that the pressure switch is low on voltage. I drive into willows buy a generic one and wire it up.
It's almost noon now and green group is on the course. The Shelby guys know me and tell me go head out get some laps in before lunch.
I get on the track and motor isn't making any power.. I coast the track and pull into pits. I thought I melted a wire / plug checked everything. By 2PM I gave up and drove it back to the motor builder.
Motor builder called me Monday...fittings going into he fuel pump where loose and sucking air. Easy fix and maybe if I wasn't so frustrated id been able to fix it at the track but I was just burnt out.
I'm defeated to be honest with tracking an older car..I've done everything I can possibly think of to make it bullet proof but keep getting bite by little things.
My wife wants me home with my two girls (2 /1 ) and the last few track days I come home pissed off as I burn time away from my family with nothing to show for it.
The motor builder is putting the car not the dyno this week for prospective buyers. At this point I'm going to take some time off from the sport and focus on the family. I know I'm going to take a significant loss and at this point I look at this whole endeavor as selfish act. I should have never put 130k into a Mustang... I should have put it in my kids college fund or buy a cabin for my family or a motorhome etc.
Sorry if I sound like a sad sack but I give up  |
Sad sack isn't the correct term ------- REALISTIC and HONEST is the correct description.
People that haven't done this don't quite understand. You don't just show up on Friday and race all weekend.... It's usually a thrash..... it's expensive... it's not something most peoples families are in to. If you have young children -- it's all the more difficult.
I spend thousands of dollars per year to do this -- and run a total of about 4 or 5 weekends.... the costs are stupid high. Entry fees - getting there and back - prep expenses - tires - brakes - fuel - rebuilds - "infrastructure" such as trucks and trailers we otherwise wouldn't need.... tools.... all of that. Now factor in the TIME. I left Wednesday for a Saturday track event.... I got home late Monday... that's 5 nights in a hotel room - and eating 3 meals a day "out"....
Let's multiply that times 4...... and it's all selfish "me" time. Now.... if I worked - and had to take vacation days -- and my wife still wanted to go to Hawaii on "her" vacation.... yeah.... it doesn't work for most folks.
Nate ---------- So sorry about your weekend! We've all been there.... getting all jacked up for a big weekend only to have it go south because of something stupid.
I've been running with NorCal Shelby -- "tech" is self tech - nobody is looking (nor are they responsible!) at your car if you're a "regular" -- you're expected to know the rules and standards..... So in actual fact -- nobody has really "teched" my cars for quite awhile. Rob talks me into running back to back weekends in August - NorCal Shelby Mini-Nats at Sonoma and the following weekend with NASA at Thunderhill. Well....... NASA has REAL TECH...... three guys in my shop pointing out all that's wrong with my car! Out of date seat - out of date fuel cell - cage not up to date/standards.... they even found that my "shut off" switch didn't really shut the car off!! I didn't know!! So what I learned is all the things that should be improved. They allowed me to run... with a warning - there'll be no next time until all deficiencies are brought up to their specs.
My point is -- that I'd spent an extra week wasting time (spent in NAPA with Gwen) in between events.... and, had the Tech team not liked the car - and understood it's an "older" track day car.... I would not have been allowed to run. THAT is racing..... crap breaks - rules change - weather changes.....