My current conundrum. (WWCRD)

[Draco-REX]

A little while ago, I decided I should have a big goal of some sort. I've never had larger goals in life beyond day-to-day stuff, so I thought I'd set one and see if I could achieve it. It had to be something big with a clearly defined end and feasibly within my capabilities (sorry, no curing world hunger for me). I chose crossing the finish line at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. I've given myself 3-5 years to give me a some wiggle room if my application is turned down at first and any other hiccups along the way.

 

To achieve this there are a number of smaller goals that need to be met. One, obviously, is to have a car for this. Beyond a stronger than usual cage, and other safety requirements, the car has to pass visual muster as well. I can't just take someone's old beat up club racer and expect to get accepted. The organizers can afford to cherry-pick their entrants, so they want the best qualified and best looking field they can get.

 

I've thought of a few options and figured I'd toss them out into the CR waters and see what bites. If nothing else, I'm sure I'll find this thread entertaining.

 

Option #1:

In both the BRZ and STI I have a couple great platforms for a hillclimb car. I think the STI might be a little played out, especially being an older generation, and it would make a better DD. The BRZ, while new, might be just as common come 3-5 years, but it's a newer look and I think it'd be more entertaining to drive up the mountain.

 

So for this option I would remove the STI from "protected" status and start using it as a year-round DD. The BRZ would become the project car starting with the supercharger I posted in another thread. And Coltboostin managed to wedge the idea of compound charging into my head and I'm starting to think it would make a good hillclimb setup.

 

Pros:

I already own the chassis and can upgrade it slowly over the next few years as I grow my racing "resume'".

The STI is a far better DD than the BRZ.

I don't have to sell the STI.

Instant gratification. I could start on the BRZ this year with the supercharger.

 

Cons:

The BRZ was purchased new so it will hurt to start stripping it eventually.

As the BRZ becomes more and more race-prepped, it will lose its "fun factor" which I will miss.

Putting miles (and salt) on the STI will drop its value quickly. If I DO end up wanting to sell it, I'll get much less than if I were to sell it now.

 

 

Option #2:

While both the STI and BRZ would be great places to start, they're both really nice, and it'd bea shame to strip one out. Since buying the BRZ, the STI feels sluggish and not quite as fun to drive. Granted, once it gets going, it's a fun ride. But there just feels like there's this soft cusion between what I do with the pedals and wheel and what the car does.

 

One thing I was considering was building a Factory Five 818-R for hill climb. I could sell the STI and use the money to get an 818 kit and donor car. Then I could build it up over the course of a year or two and have a super light, super responsive, and super flashy car to enter.

 

Pros:

The experience of actually building a car.

I'd have a true no-holds-barred race car with crazy performance.

The 818 would BE a nice car, rather than a car that was once nice.. If I play my cards right, I could even get it registered for street use.

 

Cons:

I'd have to sell the STI, I love that thing still.

No fun mods on the BRZ, best to save the $$ for the 818.

I'd have to use my only car for HPDE's and other events until the 818 was done.

No instant-gratification. I probably couldn't start in on the 818 until next year.

 

 

Option #3:

Forget the whole Pikes Peak thing, just be happy with dodging cones, and play with the cars I've got with no real goal in mind.

 

I'd have more money for stuff and wouldn't have a looming deadline or pressure to get in as much racing experience as possible over the next few years. But I'd also kind of feel like a failure for giving up on this, which admittedly grew from a seed planted by "Wild World of Sports" when I was a kid and saw an episode on the PPIHC.

 

Pros:

Less pressure

Can keep the STI

More freedom in what I do with the cars mod-wise

More money

 

Cons:

No grand adventure or "Thrill of Victory"

No real direction with the cars mod-wise.

 

So what would CR do? Run what ya brung? Start from scratch? Or forget the whole thing and go watch a movie?

[zeitgeist57]

Not discounting your original goal of doing Pike's Peak, you're better off and cheaper option would be to build a Factory Five 818 and do Option 3. Probably cheaper in the long run than everything associated with Pike's Peak.

 

Plus, you'd have a blast building the 818, and I'll bet you could sell it for a pretty penny once finished. Do it all over again...

[Aaron]

Seems like a lofty goal, one that would take a lot of time, effort, and money to accomplish, and then what are you left with?

 

I'd do option 3, use your cars more, modify them more, etc.

[El Karacho1647545492]

Which car do you envision yourself driving across the finish line in, and what do you expect to do after that? I'm not too familiar with the 818R but is that something you could quickly/inexpensively change to track use after a hill climb setup?

 

I'd go 818 for the sake of future racing endeavors after Pikes Peak

[1fast5gp]

I'd go with Option 3, selling the STI should be out of the question for you. I thought we went through this before? You are keeping the STI forever.

[Not Brian]

Option 3.

[Draco-REX]

Which car do you envision yourself driving across the finish line in, and what do you expect to do after that? I'm not too familiar with the 818R but is that something you could quickly/inexpensively change to track use after a hill climb setup?

 

I'd go 818 for the sake of future racing endeavors after Pikes Peak

 

A car built for the PPIHC would pass tech for anything I can think of. The cage specs are similar to NASCAR. So I was thinking of Targa Newfoundland and anything else I could think of afterwards.

[WrxRcr]

Sell your sti so i can buy it. :-)

[Draco-REX]

I'd go with Option 3, selling the STI should be out of the question for you. I thought we went through this before? You are keeping the STI forever.

 

But can I justify keeping a car just as an engineering example/sentimentalism? I could do like Clay said and sell it to build an 818 for fun.

 

Hmm, at that point, I could build a Mevabusa instead of an 818 if I didn't have to worry about making it pass PPIHC tech..

[99StockGT]

Option 3 and mod the Ruck? Think of how much a hill climb would be in THAT!

[Draco-REX]

Sell your sti so i can buy it. :-)

 

I could be persuaded right about now...

[Mallard]

You need to spend your time driving, not building a car. Make one of your cars a race car or start renting a ride and get involved with some racing organization. Your number one goal is tuning the nut behind the wheel.

[Forrest Gump 9]

You need to spend your time driving, not building a car. Make one of your cars a race car or start renting a ride and get involved with some racing organization. Your number one goal is tuning the nut behind the wheel.

 

+1

 

And I also like option 1. I would try to keep both car as close in mechanical as possible (engine, turbo, manifold,.....) so in case the race car brake down and it will, you can rob the other one for quick parts.

[Draco-REX]

You need to spend your time driving, not building a car. Make one of your cars a race car or start renting a ride and get involved with some racing organization. Your number one goal is tuning the nut behind the wheel.

 

I am aware of that and even mentioned it in my post. This thread is about the car to carry the nut up the hill.

[Draco-REX]

+1

 

And I also like option 1. I would try to keep both car as close in mechanical as possible (engine, turbo, manifold,.....) so in case the race car brake down and it will, you can rob the other one for quick parts.

 

Nothing swappable between the two.

[Forrest Gump 9]

Nothing swappable between the two.

 

Really?

[Draco-REX]

Really?

 

Sorry.. lug nuts.

[Aaron]

STI>BRZ

[Aaron]

What about daily driving STI, sell BRZed?

[Draco-REX]

What about daily driving STI, sell BRZed?

 

I enjoy the BRZ too much.

[99StockGT]

How often do you drive the STI? Seems to me it's become a bit of a garage queen...and at this point you could probably get a pretty penny for it. Sounds like its just an investment loosing money and not being enjoyed to me... just my .02

[SRTurbo04]

What about daily driving STI, sell BRZed?

 

this drive the sti sell brz and buy some one elses 818 car that's already built and bam skip all the other long term steps

 

BOOOM end thread.

 

 

if this isant an option then option 3.

[Tripleskate]

How much racing experience do you have, and is any of it on dirt? I know that Pikes Peak is mostly paved now, but still, could get pretty hairy.

[Draco-REX]

How much racing experience do you have, and is any of it on dirt? I know that Pikes Peak is mostly paved now, but still, could get pretty hairy.

 

RallyX is my meat and potatoes. But it's all paved now; 2011 was the last year with dirt.

[Xyster101]

I say option #3; here is why:

 

How much track time do you have? Real track time, not cones.

How much rally time do you have?

How much money are you willing to spend on the car?

What is it going to cost to take your car out there?

What are your chances of actually getting in?

Why not do road racing around here at Mid Ohio, Nelson, VIR, Putnam Park, etc?

 

Think about this:

Cage: $3k

Seat/Harness/Hans: $1500

Race suit, shoes, gloves, helmet: $1500

Truck to pull car out there: $5-10k

Trailer: $1500

Spare tires,brakes,parts: $5k

Fuel:?

 

Upgraded brakes: $2k

coilovers: $2k

Supercharger with tune? $5?

 

Sounds like you need a lot of disposable income to do this. I make $50k a year and I can not afford to do Pike's Peak. I wanted to start Spec Miata racing, can't afford it even when a race car can be had for $6k.

 

I drive a mostly stock MR2 (suspension, tires, brakes, boost contoller) at the track. I figure 2 days at Mid Ohio is $1k (on the high side) when it is done.

$360 to enter

$150 gas

$100 in brake wear ($400 new pads, $120 in rotors)

$100 in tire wear

$50 food

So that is $850, but no hotel. No cage, no suit, no race rubber, no trailer.