datsun-roadsters
[Top] [All Lists]

RE: Scared off of the car - I am not going to get it

To: "'Bob Davis'" <rdavis4@cfl.rr.com>,
Subject: RE: Scared off of the car - I am not going to get it
From: "linob" <lino.baggio@idxcorporation.ca>
Date: Fri, 2 Aug 2002 14:09:57 -0400
In any type of racing, the vehicle of choice is a fraction of the costs
associated with the act.  There is also entry fees, travel expenses,
support vehicles, support staff, time able to spend away from work,
sanctioning licenses, drivers' schools to qualify for licenses,
+,+,+,+...
Grassroots Motorsports have done several articles on 'what to race for X
dollars' in many different categories from autocross to vintage racing.
If you've caught the racing bug, first part of the cure would be a
budget for yourself of both time and dollars. Figure out how much of
each you have available for your racing passion and chose your venue
accordingly AND realistically.     

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net
[mailto:owner-datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net] On Behalf Of Bob Davis
Sent: Friday, August 02, 2002 1:08 PM
To: Adam Bradley; Karl Shepard; datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Scared off of the car - I am not going to get it


All vintage cars are more or less expensive to maintain. A good new
crate engine, 289 or 302 (not one from a discount auto store) for a
Sunbeam will cost a lot of money, too!. Then you need to do something
about heads and exhaust. Triumphs and MG's aren't cheap either and they
won't give any where near the performance of a good 2 liter or a 1.6.
I've owned and raced many of the English cars.

A well maintained 2 liter engine will run a long time. Run synthetic
oils, change the timing chains at regular intervals. Don't overheat it.
Not a bullet proof engine but does give you a kick in the pants when
properly tuned. Same with the 1.6.

Bob Davis
67.5 2L Roadster
Vintage Racer
----- Original Message -----
From: "Adam Bradley" <ambradley@attbi.com>
To: "Karl Shepard" <karls@structured.com>;
<datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net>
Sent: Friday, August 02, 2002 12:09 PM
Subject: Re: Scared off of the car - I am not going to get it


> Where can you get the timing set for $600???  Enquiring minds want to
know,
> and I don't even have a U20!  Don't compare your newer car to a Datsun

> Roadster.  It's not about ultimate performance; at the Auto-X at 
> Shasta
the
> 510's whomp on the Roadsters for the most part, due to all kinds of 
> things
> - IRS, wider rear track, and I'm just guessing here 'cause I don't
race.
>
> Sunbeam Tigers have parts readily available?  Well maybe, since 
> they've
got
> a Ford engine, right?  But what about all the other parts that make it

> a Sunbeam instead of a Falcon?  Speaking of which, if you want a 
> 4-door '64 Falcon, I can help you with that...  And you can't buy a 
> nice Tiger for $2300 or thereabouts, can you?
>
> It's not an incredibly expensive car if you want a driver.  Overall 
> they are very reliable vehicles.
>
>
>
> At 08:37 AM 8/2/2002 -0700, Karl Shepard wrote:
> >All, I have decided not to buy the 1970 Datsun 2000. After surfing 
> >the net yesterday, I discovered that to  maintain this car it would 
> >take a boatload of money.  What I wanted to do was race it as an 
> >historic.  I can just see me getting this car completely race ready 
> >and then losing the nerve to race a very expensively rebuilt car.  I 
> >called my father-in-law's grandson last night and left a message to 
> >decline the car.  The rebuild of everything on the car is just too 
> >much money.  $250 for calipers, more than $600 for the timing chains,

> >NLA on many parts, - this would be a nightmare.  Breaking at the 
> >track would not be any fun at all.  The owner was offered $2300 for 
> >it and I am going to tell him to take it.
> >
> >My 1988 supercharged MR2 by contrast is far cheaper, parts are
readily
> >available, and there are performance parts available for it.    And
the
> >car is extensively modified.  It is not however an historic, nor I am

> >willing to tear out an almost flawless interior to make it raceable.

> >It would not be competitve in any class that SCCA would put it in 
> >anyway. So I will continue to hot lap the 2 on car club days at PIR 
> >and just have fun.
> >
> >I think I am going to look into Sunbeam Tiger or some other car that 
> >has parts readily available and can be built up less expensively.  I 
> >really do want to race some car next year and historics look like a 
> >lot of fun.
> >
> >I will hang out on the list for a bit and then unsubscribe.  From 
> >what I have seen in my brief time here I am quite sure that your 
> >group would be helpful and fun.  Unfortunately, I cannot justify 
> >owning such an incredibly expensive car to rebuild and maintain.
> >
> >Karl Shepard
> >
> >///  datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net mailing list
> >///  Send admin requests to majordomo@autox.team.net  or go to ///  
> >http://www.team.net/cgi-bin/majorcool
> >///  Send list postings to datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net
>
> Adam Bradley
> '70 Datsun 1600 Roadster SPL311-28181
> '66 Datsun PL411 sedan PL411-022447 http://www.picturetrail.com/abend
>
> ///  datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net mailing list
> ///  Send admin requests to majordomo@autox.team.net  or go to ///  
> http://www.team.net/cgi-bin/majorcool
> ///  Send list postings to datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net

///  datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net mailing list
http://www.team.net/cgi-bin/majorcool

///  datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net mailing list


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>