New Zealand. Yes things are expensive there, but that's bred a very resourceful motorhead community, and the country is still sparsely populated enough that the hooning possibilities are endless.
http://www.motorsport.org.nz/calendar/month
New Zealand. Yes things are expensive there, but that's bred a very resourceful motorhead community, and the country is still sparsely populated enough that the hooning possibilities are endless.
http://www.motorsport.org.nz/calendar/month
Adrian_Thompson wrote: Prefer Hillclimbing to Road Rally? This is available for £12,500 GBP (just under $16K) with a Hewland FG trans, just add your own Cosworth DFV/DFX/DFS etc
That Cosworth is going to cost at least as much as the car itself though, isn't it?
BoxheadTim wrote: That Cosworth is going to cost at least as much as the car itself though, isn't it?
Nope, it's going to cost 3-4 times what the car costs with ECU, exhaust etc. Hence the smilies in my post. Hillclimbing is cheap though. Like Autocross here you can enter your unmodified street car, but you will need Nomex rather than just a helmet.
Adrian_Thompson wrote: Prefer Hillclimbing to Road Rally? This is available for £12,500 GBP (just under $16K) with a Hewland FG trans, just add your own Cosworth DFV/DFX/DFS etc
OT: I am going to roll into my next autocross with my tires shrinkwrapped. That will psyche some people out.
In reply to Adrian_Thompson:
Having seen some of the venues a friend of mine does motorcycle hillclimbs on (which IMHO is a completely different kind of insanity), a roll bar might also be a good idea 
.
Speaking of hillclimbs, I like Charlie's blog about her participating in the French hillclimb championship.
In reply to ProDarwin:
There is a lot of other hardship I would endure before giving up track days.......
People do manage to burn gasoline even in the darkest winter months.
RevRico wrote: What about South Africa?
I thought about mentioning that option myself but...it didn't feel right to promote it.
GameboyRMH wrote:RevRico wrote: What about South Africa?I thought about mentioning that option myself but...it didn't feel right to promote it.
This may be amusing to some since I live just outside Detroit, but I'd be worried about safety there. I've met many people who have lived in South Africa for a time, and it seems that metal bars on your windows and a metal gate you close at night inside the house to make the bedrooms safe from intruders with a gun at your bedside are SOP to live in a decent middle class area. No thanks. NOTE I could be way off on this, but it's what I personally have been told by people who have spent time down there.
^Sounds right to me Adrian. If you're "middle class" (definitely not the right term as they don't really have one) or above you live in a gated community with all that stuff, if you're below "middle class" you live in a shantytown.
Frankly I don't know how wealthy South Africans sleep at night while unashamedly benefiting from such a hyper-unequal economy that's right in their face every day. I couldn't do it.
In reply to GameboyRMH:
It's one I've thought about for a few years. Like had I not had a kid, I'd probably be moving there in another year. Iceland too, but the rally scene there is more a side benefit of it's main draws for me.
Based mostly on vehicular activity access, this is an interesting question though. Hard for a good answer not knowing the job field or actual prices for parts/races and stuff is tricky. Looks like UK or the great white North would be the easiest/lightest hit on the wallet, but there are more interesting places out there.
It seems the more remote or out of the way places lead to the best fabricators though, there's crazy custom work being done where parts are unobtainable and I'm sure that translates into actually using the vehicles when they're built. But could be challenging with the job and family side of things.
Kreb wrote: New Zealand. Yes things are expensive there, but that's bred a very resourceful motorhead community, and the country is still sparsely populated enough that the hooning possibilities are endless. http://www.motorsport.org.nz/calendar/month
I was thinking New Zealand as well, although if I were to move to the other side of the planet, I would also pretty much plan on giving up the car hobby in general. For better or worse, I have plenty of bikes and guitars to keep me busy.
If anything, I might - might - take my Mini with me. Since it's already RHD.
Serious Q, any one seriously looked into Australia or New Zealand? I always thought that they had pretty restrictive immigration rules for living and working. One thing we forget with all the rhetoric is that the US is a very open and welcoming country for people to move too legally. Look at places like Germany where you can live there for 3-4 generations and people born there are still not citizens.
Adrian_Thompson wrote: Serious Q, any one seriously looked into Australia or New Zealand? I always thought that they had pretty restrictive immigration rules for living and working. One thing we forget with all the rhetoric is that the US is a very open and welcoming country for people to move too legally. Look at places like Germany where you can live there for 3-4 generations and people born there are still not citizens.
It is very restrictive. Slightly easier if you have a profession or degree in demand (doctor, teacher, engineer).
I lived in Melbourne while my dad was working on a temporary visa. Looked into going back.
Flynlow wrote:Adrian_Thompson wrote: Serious Q, any one seriously looked into Australia or New Zealand? I always thought that they had pretty restrictive immigration rules for living and working. One thing we forget with all the rhetoric is that the US is a very open and welcoming country for people to move too legally. Look at places like Germany where you can live there for 3-4 generations and people born there are still not citizens.It is very restrictive. *Slightly* easier if you have a profession or degree in demand (doctor, teacher, engineer). I lived in Melbourne while my dad was working on a temporary visa. Looked into going back.
I have a child hood friend, her and her husband moved first to NZ, then Oz as he was a qualified brass band conductor!! They've been there 15 plus years now. Strange skills are in demand down under.
GameboyRMH wrote:NOHOME wrote: Canada? Pretty much got it all covered. Find some kind of work that you can do on-line with a laptop.Might be one of the next best options to the States, but cars and parts are still a good chunk more expensive than in the US. Inescapable winter has to count as something of a ADVANTAGE because winter is glorious for automotive and non-automotive pursuits too - although on the other hand you can't have ice racing without winter.
Also I find that our used cars are actually less than in the US. Parts are definitely more expensive. There is that rust thing too.
Adrian_Thompson wrote: Strange skills are in demand down under.
Agreed. With less than 10% of the population of the USA (and less than 3x of NYC alone), but similar landmass, there are unique challenges.
I really enjoyed my time there, but people who have never been need to realize it isnt america (or great britain, though closer) lite. When they had a mass shooting, there was no discussion or deliberation. Guns are done. When islamic extermists start making noise about sharia law's supercedence to australian law, they're deported. You play nice or get out of their sandbox. And i mean that in the best way possible. They have a nice country going, and mostly want to be left alone to continue that.
But the US centric view of individual rights over all else with simultaneous offloading of personal responsibility (its not your fault!) isnt going to play well. Not sure i described that adequately....not better or worse, just different.
JohnRW1621 wrote: Australians are resourceful, heavy on V8 and Rotary and generally crazy (in a good way.) If I had to leave The US, Australia seems the most appealing other country to me (on all reasons combined.)
This would be my vote.
GameboyRMH wrote:RevRico wrote: What about South Africa?I thought about mentioning that option myself but...it didn't feel right to promote it.
South Africa is berkeleying scary. That ranks very high on my lolnope scale. The stories ive heard (uncle born and raised there) aren't pleasant.
If I were to uproot, I would be headed to Central or South America. Vintage Fiats in abundance, weather that borders on tropical, amazing food and culture.
Find a democratic, Spanish speaking country with some semblance of "the right to roam" and eek out a living fabricating and fixing things. The thought has crossed my mind before.
Flynlow wrote:Adrian_Thompson wrote: Strange skills are in demand down under.Agreed. With less than 10% of the population of the USA (and less than 3x of NYC alone), but similar landmass, there are unique challenges. I really enjoyed my time there, but people who have never been need to realize it isnt america (or great britain, though closer) lite. When they had a mass shooting, there was no discussion or deliberation. Guns are done. When islamic extermists start making noise about sharia law's supercedence to australian law, they're deported. You play nice or get out of their sandbox. And i mean that in the best way possible. They have a nice country going, and mostly want to be left alone to continue that. But the US centric view of individual rights over all else with simultaneous offloading of personal responsibility (its not your fault!) isnt going to play well. Not sure i described that adequately....not better or worse, just different.
I'd very much like to hear more of your thoughts and/or experiences from down under. either here or in a stand alone thread if you have time. Comaprisons to here (or the UK). Costs, culture, availability of 'stuff', housing, cars, employment, demographics, weapons etc.
Adrian_Thompson wrote: I'd very much like to hear more of your thoughts and/or experiences from down under. either here or in a stand alone thread if you have time. Comaprisons to here (or the UK). Costs, culture, availability of 'stuff', housing, cars, employment, demographics, weapons etc.
Happy to...will start a thread in off-topic later this week when i have some time and can use the laptop, rather than smartphone. Trade for some thoughts on the UK? (I'm assuming based on dangermouse avatar, apologies if in error)
I've been to visit several times in 2-3 week blocks, but its not the same as living there. Most were outskirts of London for work.
In reply to Flynlow:
Cheers. Will do on the UK comparison, although I've lived here for 22 years now so memories of the UK are fading :) Today's not the best day to ask me for a comparison, I'm one of the people mourning last nights results right now.
Spain for motorcycle roadracing, at least for spectators.
I'd look to Argentina or Chile. Lots of opportunities for off-road adventures. Lots of European cultural influence, especially in the highlands, and they are getting a lot better at that rule of law stuff.
Bonus: I likely have relatives there, my Cornish ancestors came to the US by way of Chile, they were miners. My great grandmother was born there, emigrated back to England for marriage, then my grandfather came to the US as a teen-ager with some other relatives.
To this day there are pockets of Welsh speaking people in those countries.
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