So if you do you the math, ($20XX Challenge style at least), this year marks our 15th anniversary of our Challenge events (since we skipped 2000). We already have more entrants this year than we did at this time last year, we have Al Unser Jr. coming, and I just asked Amelia Island Concours founder Bill Warner, if he will help with judging. We have a bunch more cool stuff planned.
I propose we see how many Challenge cars from past years we can get back for our big 15th anniversary event. Denny Crabill, do you still have that CR-X? Mike Guido, where is that midget? How about the Zamboni, the Cheaparall, the V8 Datsun 510 from San Diego, the 500 cubic inch Cadillac powered BMW or the rotary Isetta?
We want to see these cars and their drivers (or new drivers, if they have been sold) back for $2015. We know where some of them are. You guys know the cars and the people that made these events what they are today. Heck, I might even let Wayne and the evil Hong Norr guys back, as long as we have decent security.
Roll call please… how many of these cars and drivers can we get back. Andy N., Aussie Steve, Bill C. and others, help us find some of these cars and drivers.
Thanks to all who have made these events so great over the last 15 years. Let’s make this one the biggest bash of them all.
My email correspondence with Amelia Island founder Bill Warner. You guys will like Bill. He races a Triumph and is one of us:
THAT I can do. Count me in !!
Bill Warner
Founder and Chairman
The Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance Foundation
3016 Mercury Road South
Jacksonville, Florida 32207
To hell with Monterey. How about you come and judge at our $2015 Challenge event. Al Unser JR. and I will be your co-judges. The date is Saturday October 24th? I’ll can put you up one or two nights, feed you and give you beer?
Tim Suddard
Publisher:
Grassroots Motorsports magazine
Classic Motorsports magazine
Free Wayne!
Great news! Great times!
re:Hong Norr As long as security has big mirrored sunglasses and is constantly carrying a pitcher as his beer mug things should go fine.
I've been doing my part.
Andrew
I owned an orange FB RX7 with a SBC and powerglide that I think was in the challenge in 2007 and 2008 ish. I only owned it long enough to hoon it, break the diff, fix the diff, and sell it on. I believe the builders were from Milwaukee.
I may be able to track down the new owner since I did sell it on eBay...
Great idea, Tim! And what an impressive lineup of judges!
tb
HalfDork
8/6/15 4:10 p.m.
This could be a lot of fun to see where things came from and how they wound up where we are today. I have contacted several former challengers and will try to pester them into coming back or at least shame them for leaving!
Of course, I am still daily driving my $2013 car but it has gone a bit over budget by now (looks a lot better, though). I would have to get awfully creative with the accounting to even pretend to still be a real challenge car.
I have already started trying to track down my $2010 car but really have no hopes of making that happen. I know it wound up going on the babe rally sometime in 2011 or 2012 but in true crap can style I bet that it has been passed around like, well, um... passed around a bit since then.
I wonder if I can find "Pinky" the turbo Shadow, or maybe the "tinfoil" Monza...
tb wrote:
I would have to get awfully creative with the accounting to even pretend to still be a real challenge car.
Just throw one of these on the hood and we'll call it even.
I've got Curmudgeon's Abomination from 06. I've already got the date marked on the calendar. I bet if I was suitably annoying, I could get him to come with me.
Do we get to run them or is it just for display?
I have 3 here, but how many are at Casa de Nelson.
I predicted 2015 to be huge, but it's shaping up to be simply Mega
SVreX
MegaDork
8/6/15 5:34 p.m.
I am bringing a four time contestant which has 2 8th place finishes, 2 "Spirit of the Event" awards, and a 3rd place autocross finish.
We plan to finish MUCH higher this year
I also have 3 more former Chalkengers in my yard, if anyone wouldlike to bring one.
JThw8
PowerDork
8/6/15 5:43 p.m.
I could haul the pieces of the Wartburg down but barring excessive outside intervention I dont think I could have it reassembled in time for the challenge.
JThw8 wrote:
I could haul the pieces of the Wartburg down but barring excessive outside intervention I dont think I could have it reassembled in time for the challenge.
We aren't that good at interventions, but challengers are great at parking lot builds!
pimpm3
HalfDork
8/6/15 8:04 p.m.
I have sold 4 out of my past 5 challenge cars. I have no idea where they are now The only one I would like back is the BMW powered RX7 from 2008...
Alas the guy I sold it to crashed it....
The fiero from last year may be back if I can finish it / don't find something cooler to bring...
does me bringing a car that PO campaigned in $2010, blew motor, and came in 2nd to last count? if so, hell yeah!
Pbw
New Reader
8/6/15 10:16 p.m.
The corvette Cheaparall was resting in the Corvette museum, seen it last week. I have some photos I will post them later.
Still (not sure how) have the Daytona from the class of 2002, not shinny anymore as she went Rally-crossing last season
Paul B
JThw8
PowerDork
8/7/15 6:45 a.m.
MrJoshua wrote:
JThw8 wrote:
I could haul the pieces of the Wartburg down but barring excessive outside intervention I dont think I could have it reassembled in time for the challenge.
We aren't that good at interventions, but challengers are great at parking lot builds!
I dunno, I'm still hurting from Tim referring to it as "that Trabant thing" in his earlier posts on bringing back past cars
Seriously though the car is COMPLETELY disassembled. I'd need a flat trailer and a large truck just to haul all the parts down there.
Anything that meets tech can still run. We will need to study budget overages, but we can at least run more expensive cars for exhibition to make them part of the party. We can make a display area for past cars, running or not, and promote them.
Our Turbolare Spider from 01-04 is up in the Traverse City area. At least last time I heard from it. We kept the powertrain, and that's in Dayton, OH.
I think I still have a standing claim from 2004...
At least I'm not aware of anyone doing what I managed to do.
Looks like i'm bringing the back the the green Eagle Talon. Same one that went to the Mitty this year.
I liked my failed $2014 car so much that I bought the exact car for $2015!
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/i-need-help-with-a-salvage-auction-purchase-able-to-bid-q45-challenge-content-again/103085/page1/
What a choice, I still own my 2002 entry saab but the years have not been kind. She needs a transmission installed. My plans are to bring back the truck.
it'd take a miracle for me to get down there this year. That being said if I manage, I may bring a parking lot build with me, but the Jaguars have a better shot of winning the super bowl this year.