Wartburg at GRM: a poll

Sonic wrote: When it comes down to it, the thing we base everything we've done on this car is about the spirit of the events we have run. We did it on BABE, we did it at LeMons, and we should do it for GRM. GRM's event is 3 parts, and we need to put the effort into all three parts. For the magazine, this is an editorial event, and they like cars that are not only interesting, but that look good in pictures. I think not doing at least some appropriate butifying would be missing out on the fullness of the last part of the trifecta. I've got my DA sander, a respirator, and am ready to go. I'll just have to forget that I don't really like bodywork.

I have been thinking about this before I posted.

This statement has swayed me. At Lemons I was a big proponent of leave it as is. But he's right. Your team has done an amazing job of getting each iteration of the "Burg to match the spirit of the event.

Competition-wise, yeah, its only 20%, but as well all discussed at length, GRM is as much about the hotel parking lot as it is the track.

So I am changing my position to finish it. You're graphix ability will certianly allow you to create a smaller matched graphic of the head gasket as well as the various "sponsors" you picked up at Lemons in smaller detial and certialy matched to a really cool Merc blue and/or silver paint that has been disucssed.

So, respectful of the effort you have put into this cool ride so far, I am changing my vote to finish it.

sigh there goes my summer

I have read this thread twice and considered the subject thoroughly. Sadly, I have absolutely no useful advice to give you.

I simply want to wish you good luck, whatever you may decide.

I say, run it at GRM

then finish it. it's definitely one-of-kind that will never be reproduced and its something to be proud of

just finish the driver's side...

We could do 'the burg' and 'the thing' at the same time ... it'll make the wife happy too!

can that subie harness be reduced down to just the motor? Ive been doing a bit of harness work an if itll help, have a lot of left over split loom tubing, maybe not enough to make a huge difference. Anyway if it helps the stress level to offload wiring to some one I can jump in (as sonic has the DA sander). I promise no fancy controllers or anything

littleturquoiseb wrote: We could do 'the burg' and 'the thing' at the same time ... it'll make the wife happy too!

Allow me to respectfully say....kiss my butt....

that would get waaay too confusing, too many parts everywhere

Tetzuoe wrote: can that subie harness be reduced down to just the motor? Ive been doing a bit of harness work an if itll help, have a lot of left over split loom tubing, maybe not enough to make a huge difference. Anyway if it helps the stress level to offload wiring to some one I can jump in (as sonic has the DA sander). I promise no fancy controllers or anything

The body harness is kinda nice since it is controlling lights and all, we may still be able to strip a bit more out of it though. You could also help us figure out why the turn signals act as 4 way flashers....something is crossed somewhere, just havent had time to look.

And I have spare sanders.

JThw8 wrote: And I have spare sanders.

if you've got a couch, I finally have some free weekends the next few months.

JThw8 wrote:

AutoXchick wrote: How about a middle ground? Finish it, but retain that rat-rod feel it has now by sticking with a grey primer and some pinstriping? Sort of like Rusty the Dungbeetle, only with less speed-holes. My favorite part of the Wartburg as it stands now is that rat-rod patina is has now, the shiny wheels juxtaposed against the bodywork that is not at all shiny. I think it will be possible to keep that feeling it has now, but polish it up a bit.

Again it comes down to if I get it far enough along for primer and pinstripes then its just another few hours to spray a nice satin blue and call it done. I originally started as the biggest proponent *for* painting before the challenge but the more I look at my plans for the car like adding in the sliding ragtop and other things *cough* one piece flip front *cough* I realize that post GRM its getting stripped down either way. I do know what you are getting and, and I *may* have a way to get that look you are talking about without interfering with future plans or wasting too much time on it....hafta think on it.

Again...

Fix the actual issues, tune it, clean up the boogers, detail it.

There will be 100 people there taking thousands of photos of this car. I am certain that the powers that be are already choosing a font for your multi page spread.

Chillax and enjoy your fifteen minutes, you have earned it

John Brown wrote: Chillax and enjoy your fifteen minutes, you have earned it

What he said..

JThw8 wrote: Wire management is high on our list but it looks as it does right now with a purpose. The car was wired the day before BABE rally, we purposely left everything exposed and unloomed to make troubleshooting easier. Those who havent seen it may not know but the car runs the entire subaru harness in it, not just engine management. Sonic even managed to retrofit the switch stalks from the original column to the wartburg column. Waste not, want not. Now that it has survived the first 2 events without electrical issues we will be going back and looming and hiding most of the wiring.

Would it help to have a bunch of black wire loom cover? Free? Well, cost of shipping.

Zip ties and covers go a long way to making a bundle of noodles look better.

If you are interested, shoot me an e-mail via my profile- or whatever that is...

(I picked up many, many yards of that stuff at the local recycler 15 or so years ago. Still can't really tell that I've used any...)

Eric

Meh.. black is so pedestrian.

If you want 20' of lime green, ping me.

Would it help to have a bunch of black wire loom cover? Free? Well, cost of shipping.

YES A THOUSAND TIMES YES. If it doesn't go to the wart im still interested.

oooh, lime green.. hmm.

JThw8 wrote: You could also help us figure out why the turn signals act as 4 way flashers....something is crossed somewhere, just havent had time to look.

I have an idea about that. I'm not sure it will be perfect, but I have a plan to find out what is happening.

Well I had finally made up my mind to start stripping it down and getting it ready to finish off right.

Then my "special guest driver" emailed me to accept my offer as long as I was ok with the risk of racing it one more time. He said the decision is ours but if we let him know the event he'll bring his gear. Tempting, very tempting.

If we do this it means she'll come to GRM as is cosmetically with all of our focus on fixing the mechanical and other issues first.

There's some other problems with the whole idea since I know for a fact which event we'd want to run in and I wont be able to be there with the car. The team can go without me but I sure would hate it.

Racing provenance+mechanical awesomeness should trump good looks.

Plus you can now say you were a team owner for "special guest driver"

It's cool that the question started out "Do I finish this or not?" and changed to "When are WE starting the final push to clean this puppy up?"

This is one of the things that drew me in, on this whole magazine: the willingness to drop or postpone what YOU'RE doing, to help a friend get HIS car squared away. 'Bread on the water', as it were, or building good karma if you wish....

Mikey52_1 wrote: It's cool that the question started out "Do I finish this or not?" and changed to "When are WE starting the final push to clean this puppy up?" This is one of the things that drew me in, on this whole magazine: the willingness to drop or postpone what YOU'RE doing, to help a friend get HIS car squared away. 'Bread on the water', as it were, or building good karma if you wish....

Well many of the "WEs" are members of the team who built the car in the first place, but you are correct many others have stepped forward and offered help. This is one of the best car communities around for sure.