Liner budgets.

[Jessechop]

LSR budgets are real simple to figure out.

B x (g/100)=A

B=money saved, aka your budget
G=goal in mph
A=actual cost

So, say you have $12k budgeted with a 175 mph goal. That would be $12,000 x 1.75 = $21000 and probably still a few mph short

[lsrjunkie]

I'm not building a liner. Just a little old competition coupe. From the beginning my budget was, whatever it takes to get it done and done right. The definition of "right" has changed through out the build, nonetheless I decided long ago that my vision won't be compromised due to lack of funds. The time frame may get stretched out a bit, but it will be the way I want it to be when the time comes to put the wheels on the salt.

Some guys have a bunch of money and no time. Some have no money, and nothing but time. I have been blessed with not much of either.

My project has entered it's second year. That's a long time for a guy that could build two street cars in a years time. But this means so much more to me than a street car.

Will it get done this year... Maybe. But I can promise this, it will get done. Budget to me is not only money invested, it's time as well. Not only time spent actually working on the car, but the long sleepless night trying to come up with solutons to problems that are inherent with designing something from scratch. The hours spent on the phone tracking down obsolete parts. It's such a cliche' but it is most definitely the blood, sweat and tears that go into it.

[Sumner]

Before we turn someone away I think we need to mention you can race on the salt with somewhat limited funds.  The expenses will be based on what you are trying to achieve.  Sure over say 250 mph and the cost starts to really escalate in most classes but not all.  The real cost is if you are going after a record then the engine costs can get very high as you need to have a better engine than the current record holder and finding those last couple HP can get real expensive.  Still there are some soft records out there if that is all you are interested in.

If your goals are more personal and say like a lot of people your goal is to run over 200 and you do "all" your work on the car yourself and/or have friends that will help you then it is possible to build a 200+ mph car for under $15,000 and maybe even less than $10,000 if you already have some of the parts like the car to start with and a decent engine.

Here is how to do that....

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/hooley/hooley-2004.html

.... work your a$$ off, have friends that work their a$$'s off, use what you have and lots of swap meet stuff.

I decided on a lakester since it is mainly a lot of work and you don't even have to buy a body  .  The main expense if you want to run over 200 with one (no record) is the tires and safety equipment.

Even a 400 mph car could be built for less than 100K if there again you did it all.  One disservice the magazines have done in the last 20+ years is their format has changed from showing you how to do something yourself to showing you how a 'shop' does it and that maybe you should just leave it to them.  They have to support their advertisers first  ,

Sum

[Milwaukee Midget]

It's really simpler than any equation would lead one to believe. 

There's a simple "go/no go" gauge in your kitchen. 

If you still have food in your refrigerator, you are under budget.

If you have to pawn your refrigerator, you are over budget.

[Dean Los Angeles]

I saw 5 models that Ron Main had built for the Main & Poteet liner. They were wind tunnel tested prior to the final shape being chosen.

The rest of us would build the full size body by making a wooden buck, cover it in foam and shape it. Fiberglass female mold taken to make the actual parts.

Main & Poteet had a 3D drawing post processed into a CNC program and had a 5 axis mill cut the mold. Burt Rutan's Scaled Composites factory (They are building SpaceShipOne.)  built the bodies.

When you are talking about that level budget or the lowest level liner budget don't forget all of the peripheral items that go with it. The pop-up shade and the tarps, as many spare parts as you can afford, motel and food, tools, tools, tools . . .

[lsrjunkie]

MM, don't forget that beer needs to be figured in there somewhere as well. 

[tauruck]

I started out with NOTHING and I've still got MOST of it left!!!!

Chris, I liked your budget calculator best of all.

[Bob Drury]

  .... and when it is finally finished you can now head for Speedweek.  For me this takes:   $1500 for fuel
                                                                                                                                  $1000 for each room (two beds each)
                                                                                                                                  $400 to $600 for entry
                                                                                                                                  $1000 to feed crew and myself
                                                                                                                                  $500 to help pay for crews gas
                                                                                                                                  $500 for blown trailer tires on trip
  .... and the really good news is that this doesn't include one dime for the race car itself, no parts, fuel, tires (my spin at 2012 World Finals ate $1600 worth of M/T tires), but then again, I have VISA for a sponsor (since 1998 and still unpaid in full).                    One Run, out.................
                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                             




























4

[jl222]

  Bob I sleep better if I don't add it all up

            JL222

[Jessechop]

It's really simpler than any equation would lead one to believe. 

There's a simple "go/no go" gauge in your kitchen. 

If you still have food in your refrigerator, you are under budget.

If you have to pawn your refrigerator, you are over budget.

Ok, your calculator wins! Love this one

[Sumner]

.... $1500 for fuel
.....$1000 for each room (two beds each)
.....$400 to $600 for entry
.....$1000 to feed crew and myself
.....$500 to help pay for crews gas...

You know I often see the above stated and actually can't figure it out.  None of our crew would think about asking Hooley to help with our gas, pay our rooms or food.  I mean he has spent thousands so that we can live the experience and he is a working guy that is now retired so the money doesn't come easy for him. 

Whoever drives out with him helps him with gas.  We often pick up the bill at the fuel truck.  He gives us T-shirts and I personally feel guilty not paying for them.  Ruth and I helped out substantially this past year, but I got to drive the car and he ended up not getting to drive it.  Still even though Ruth and I put in a fair amount it nowhere matched what he put into the car just this last year and that doesn't count the years before.

Yes the whole deal is expensive, but you can have memories that 99.9999% of the population will never have.  Put a price on that  ,

Sum

[Bob Drury]

  So that's why Hooley gave me that "Lucky" horseshoe. 
  He has you guys feeling sorry for him while he is betting on the ponies, and he is not even bribing you!
  My guys are all Union labor and have been known to lock me in the Little Green Chapel if demands are not met!
  The only thing going in my favor is the continuing Visa Sponsorship (along with M.C., Discover, Sears, a couple of Credit Unions, and any other scam I can dream up).
  I wouldn't want it any other way.......................  One Run

[kiwi belly tank]

Jeez Bob, you're scaring them off!! Use your inside voice.
  Sid.

[Podunk]

I'm with you Sum. Been crewing with Sparky since 07. Can't put a $number on hearing he just became the 1st unblown gas lakester over 300. But we all split the room.

[tauruck]

Hooley likes the ponies??

That's my next thing!. Yup, going to give them a try.