Any Challenge spectators up for forming a cheap team?

I was reading through some back posts and came up with this little gem that Mr. Poopy wrote when the Challenge was being discussed about moving to the left coast last October:

"Our tenative plan, assuming there was going to be a "west-coast" challenge, was to find cheap tix to "west," pick up a $200 running somethinguruther, bring a couple of ford van springs, pick up 3 quarts of rustoleum, have our wheels and tires sent via Greyhound, and build a sub-$500 car in the hotel parking lot. If you'd (whoever made the original post) like to do this next year in G-ville, I'm sure you'll find 20 or 30 drunken monkeys with tools at the hotel that will be more than happy to help (myself included.)"

This got me thinking as that this was an awesome idea! Since I have been reading GRM (about 8 years) have always wanted to do a Challenge. Prior work commitments, family, money have always interfered with that. Well this year I decided that I was going if even as a spectator. Then I read this little tid bit and thought "hey, I wonder if anybody else would be up for it?" If we got say 4-5 others and shoot for a $1000 build that would only be $200-250 each. Add in some more fools and, well we could be participating for peanuts or move to the full $2009 limit. Come in a couple of days early, find a car, hit up a junkyard and have at it. I have all kinds of crap in my garage (bondo, spray paint, springs, tools, jacks, ect...) that i can bring with me and I assume others do to. If somebody was flying in then an extra set hands will all they need to bring.

Some G-ville CL searches yielded the result that at any given time there is definitely some Challenge material that can be had.

http://orlando.craigslist.org/cto/1236026974.html http://orlando.craigslist.org/cto/1231325789.html http://gainesville.craigslist.org/cto/1231274400.html

I had about 6 more but accidentally closed the window before I copied them all.

Would we win? no, but the experience alone would be fun and being able to say we did it would be reward enough. So, what do others think? Are you up for it? PM me if interested. We can surely make this a Grassroots build and give the Hongs a run for the title!!!

Martin

Do it. Some of the coolest stuff happens in the hotel parking lot...

Forget ye not the Gainesville-based GRM'ers. With the right convincing, I am sure we could assist with some of the preparations to help make this possible.

Jeez-im sure at least ONE of us gainesville people could come up with a car from our side yard.

I've got $250 and some parts lying around. I was there last year sans entry. It was cool but I would've loved to have a horse in the race...

zoomx2 wrote: Well this year I decided that I was going if even as a spectator.

I did that last year, and I probably had more fun that I would have if I'd brought any POS I'd built.

I'd love to build a car in the parking lot.

dyintorace wrote: Forget ye not the Gainesville-based GRM'ers. With the right convincing, I am sure we could assist with some of the preparations to help make this possible.

Storage could prob be arranged for the fee of keeping my Gainesville cohorts fueled with frosty beverages for the weekend. I promise they don't drink..... too much.

Said last year I was going to enjoy the hotel part of the event this year, last year I barely made the banquet having had less than 10 hrs of sleep that week.

MrJoshua wrote: Jeez-im sure at least ONE of us gainesville people could come up with a car from our side yard.

Or a car soon to arrive in someone's side yard...

ill be down to help, im all the way up in Georgia...

dyintorace wrote:

MrJoshua wrote: Jeez-im sure at least ONE of us gainesville people could come up with a car from our side yard.

Or a car soon to arrive in someone's side yard...

If you are serious, that car or a car like it would be a great starting point.

You would probably have to push people away that want to help but there is no room for them. I can imagine the quality of work from a fleet of drunken mechanics, though. Let the insanity commence! And I'm sure the magazine folks would be all over you as well.

cwh wrote: I can imagine the quality of work from a fleet of drunken mechanics, though. Let the insanity commence!

I think there is actually a direct relationship between beers consumed and how hard someone is willing to work on a beat up POS at 2am. No beer-no mechanics!

Rusty_Rabbit84 wrote: ill be down to help, im all the way up in Georgia...

You are close enough to me that we could work together. I've got a yard full of cool unfinished Challenge projects.

Messages sent.

Oh yeah, I'm serious about it. I'll continue thinking out loud as this has seemed to peak some interest, nothing as formal as a plan yet, but rather general musings:

Dyno and Spin, local help would be a necessity and any help would be welcomed. As people step forward and commit, we'll definitely be in touch.

Rusty, I forgot about your VW and that could be an option. Again as people commit we would have to discuss the goals and come to a decision as to what path we would want to take. Although knowing what car we would be using ahead of time would be a tremendous advantage to pulling this off. Will it make the trip to G-Ville? I don't have hauler, only 2 minivans and a Miata. Are you still using it for LeMons? Any interest on having it sit for 2.5 more months?

Budget, again majority would rule, but $1000 I think would be a good starting point.

Everything split evenly between the number of guys who commit and show.

I will have to read the rules again but if I recall no registration is needed but insurance is. Correct me if I'm wrong? I can handle insurance if it is required.

Arrive on Tuesday morning, find car by evening, and have 2+ days to work on it to have ready for Friday.

Known cars such as Rusty's VW or something RWD and domestic? Domestic will mean being able to get parts faster and easier (Autozone, etc..), as well as having a larger used performance pool close by. Known car we could plan ahead and start acquiring parts to bring.

General tire size? If we chose a tire size that would work for a wide variety of cars we can start searching for those right away. Used R compounds are few and far between and the more time to look the better. If we need another size rim from what comes on the car we can hit up the junkyard.

Nitrous?

Theme? I would like to build a competitive car, not a LeMons or Babe, but a cool theme is always fun.

Disposal of car. I have no interest in bringing this thing back to Wisconsin. My vote would be to give it to a local that helps us or if another team member really wanted it they can have it. In the case of multiple people wanting it draw straws, rock paper scissor, etc... In no way can we just abandon it as that would look very bad on GRM.

Larger tools? I have a air compressor I can haul. My welder is a 220v so that isn't feasible.

Right now I would like to give this thread a week or so to build momentum and to have guys see if they can commit.

Of course if at the last minute somebody decides they want in they would be welcome, the more the merrier. Hell, the Georgia Tech team has what like 20 people?

If you know for sure you want in please post and plus it up.

My e-mail is: martin_manry@yahoo.com

Thanks, Martin +1

Hey Martin, Might I suggest doing an off board eMail of serious people and fishermen?

Personally if one of the G'Villains has a ready project, and we have say 10 people total interested, the budget would be $200.00 plus 1/10th of the entry and "necessaries" (team shirts matching thongs what have you) I will suggest a $300.00 put up or shut up charge initially. One person would hold the coin and be the chump... er checkwriter. After the Challenge the owner of the car has the choice of selling it and donating the money to charity (American Cancer Society?) or keeping it and remembering who his friends are

I can probably spin a wrench a few nights. My specialty is removing/breaking stuff off of car and throwing said detritus into piles.

im sure it will make the trip if i were to drive it, though it would be a slow trip. I have no problems letting it sit as a team gets constructed. im going to move it to my work so its not in the driveway, pissing off the HOA. I would love to use it for LeMons and it would be even cooler to use the same team as the Challenge!! Just let me know...

Might I suggest Drunkmunkee Motorsports?

A play on the trunk monkeys that will be getting the work done on the car.

From Newstados Unidos

Here's a candidate just down the road from Gainesville: 240SX with SR20DET unfinished: http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/cto/1237768884.html

wow, if you can talk em into a bit less, plus recoup a few bucks to finish it, holy cow, and with the s13's market value being through the roof with the drifter crowd you could prob turn a profit with it after the challenge.

Rusty_Rabbit84 wrote: ill be down to help, im all the way up in Georgia...

ditto 5 miles away from the teatnus bunny

Fit_Is_Slo wrote:

Rusty_Rabbit84 wrote: ill be down to help, im all the way up in Georgia...

ditto 5 miles away from the teatnus bunny

you helped me purchase one said bunny

Gainesville RX7

BMW