Quote:
Originally Posted by Try2paz
A lot of it boils down to time is money.. I've made more in the last three years financially then the previous 5 but with that came the disappearance of time. I travel nationwide for work, had two babies and got married during the last five year span.
Three years ago I was doing track days with a CTS V... It was pretty low stress I picked up the lines quickly on tracks, the car made plenty of power 550HP..upgraded the brakes and intercoolers and would drive to the track with music on with the AC seats cooling my A$$ and run the car all day.
The 20-30 min break in between sessions was for driving review, water and chopping it up with friends. It was low stress... it was fun
I've yet to have a day like that with the Mustang.. I leave more stressed out then when I arrived. I've also realized I'm not an ASE mechanic I'm a hobbyist and frankly I'm there for the fun not the work.
I've always had a passion for old cars though and thats what drove me to build the 66.
The smells, sounds, design it cant be re-produced with new cars. I rent new mustangs, camaros, friends let me drive their Porsches and vetes and while they are all great they just don't excite me like the 66 does.
I live in what id call middle to upper class neighborhoods. The Blackhawk C&C is my local show and I've seen every variant of GT3's, Mclaren's, Ferraris... and I just walk right past them. I pull in with the 66 and a crowd gathers and goes right past the 200k Porsche.
The smart move is go buy a Zl1 1le Camaro...66k and has camber adjustments built into the car with marks...how simple is that. Pull into the track grab a wrench and adjust to "track mode" leave set back to street drive home.
I'm sure once I catch a breather from all this I'll figure out the next move..I might just take a year or two off focus on the family..happy wife and then get a gt350r or Camaro..while boring and bland it gets me on the track day one.
thanks everyone for chiming in...good to hear I'm not alone
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Nate,
Without a doubt there is nothing cooler than a sorted and tracked classic - however with the new motor, suspension, shock towers etc.. adjustments/sorting out curve is necessary with refinements made at each outing until all the parts works together in unison. It took me a season to finally get my heap tight enough to run 20 minutes sessions without the stuff leaking/smoking all over the track.
Take the time off recalibrate and send it over to Ron to get Suttonized otherwise I agree the path of least resistance is a Zl11le or equivalent.
If the mustang has to go so you can get the Zl1 1le, you are still gonna wanna get a trackable classic again in the future because = cool
So the choices are (after taking some time off)
1) keep the mustang and sort it out slowly - till all the parts play nice together (with the help of friends and ASE mechanic)
2) same as above but get Ron S on the case then done - if Weld is happy, then you too can have some of what he’s having plus its quicker than option 1
3) Get rid of the mustang to get a ZL1 1le or lower cost equivalent
4) Keep the mustang and get a reliable lower cost track day special (c5Z or equivalent - would be less painful in the event it gets damaged vs damaging a new ZL1 1le)
Whichever your choice, you are good friends wise - none of us here are going anywhere and we all guarantee we will give you grief every step of the way whichever way you decide lol
Me I’ve got two girls 11 & 13 and do as much as I can to include them in the hobby lessens the “selfish guilt” - car shows (ho hum), autoX and tours - great fun.
It can be a selfish hobby but reframe it and get the family involved - if your girls are 1 & 2 you’ve got some time yet so a reliable track car you can drive to and from the track to get your fix maybe the key.
Me I havent figured out how to get the mrs involved but Im working on it )
question is can you accomplish your hobby with one or two cars (touring car & track day car)
Good luck