Is it as simple as this?

[sheribuchta]

rockey  nice to meet you --sounds like you have a good plan so far --one thing that i try to do is to build for as many classes as possible  --plan -plan -plan    willie buchta

[bvillercr]

    We too were looking for a Firebird, but couldn't find one so we bought a wrecked camaro and used it.  Not as Aero as a Firebird but close.

[MCR]

...
I have been thinking about doing this for a long time. It is only in the last two years that the two things have come together that I needed to make it happen, Time and Money.

I have a basic plan and it goes like this.

Year one.

1. Go to Bonneville and take as many pictures and talk to as many people as I can.

2. Decide on the car, it comes down to a Honda S2000 or a  89 to 91 Firebird. I don't want to buy one that is ready to race as I want to have the satisfaction of going fast in something I build.

3. Do all of the safety work first (roll cage etc.). This would include the tires and wheels as I see from what I have read that the car will go "straighter" on the salt with the correct tires. Also, I don't want to buy anything twice (as you recommend)

4. Go to Bonneville and race it in the 150 MPH club. Make sure the car will be legal for the class I want to run in October, make the modifications, if necessary, and race at the finals.

Year two

5. Make the performance modifications necessary to get the HP to the level necessary to be class competitive.

6. Race three times that year, developing between each race to get the car to the speed I want.

Year three

7. Make the changes necessary that winter to go back and make a shot at getting into the 200 mph club.

None of that is set in stone, but as you say if you have developed a good plan initially, not much should have to be changed.

Everything I am going to do will be pointed at making the car capable of #7 as I don't want to do a bunch of work (read: money) that will have to be redone. Yes, it is more money up front, but in the end I see it as a better plan to get to where I want.

In effect I will use sound business planning models to get through the project.

I set up a plan too:

• Put together something safe.  (this includes the driver)
• Show up and get my arse kicked.
• Lick wounds, figure out what went wrong.
• Try again until I succeed.

This has worked well for me for years.  I'm new to LSR, but I'm not new to being a rookie and getting stomped.

If you wait until everything is perfect, you will wait forever.

[Sumner]

...........................If you wait until everything is perfect, you will wait forever.................

I've seen way too many people take that approach and not just in racing.....

............. life is only so long and the rest of it starts right now, so get with it.......

Here is the way I look at it.  Let's say you are 60 and in reasonable health and maybe still have 15 to 20 years that you can get around in the shop and accomplish something.  So if you would have 15 that would be like going back to when you were 45 and what you could/did get accomplished between then and when you reached 60.  The best part is if you are much over 60 you had better be retired and don't have to waste all of that time going to work 

c ya,

Sum

[Blue]

If you wait until everything is perfect, you will wait forever.

Now, THERE'S a quote we can all live by.

[fredvance]

Unfortunately I am over 60 and not retired, work 55 hrs a week, and that really gets in the way of working on the bike. But at least its a bike not a car. I could never gotten a car ready for Bonneville in the 8mo I have been at it on the busa.

Fred

[canadianrocky]

rockey  nice to meet you --sounds like you have a good plan so far --one thing that i try to do is to build for as many classes as possible  --plan -plan -plan    willie buchta

Hi Willie,

With the S2K, I would start out by targeting the build towards G/GT. It would be a goal to get over 200, so with a few modifications I could change over to Modified Sports. That opens up forced air induction and alternate fuels which could then head the car towards the 200 mph mark especially with the aerodynamic modifications that could be used.

With the availability of GM parts it might be easier (and cheaper) to build the Firebird, but I am pretty sure that once I get over 200 that 300 would be the new focus and I would change classes and cars at that point. I see whatever car I do first as a stepping stone to the second car and the project itself will be used as a learning tool.

[willieworld]

rockey   i was just posting on another area and something should be said about tires--you were talking about 200 mph and 300 mph --you are better off reading it in the rule book--its in the tire section--its about your tires --if you run on an open record your tires have to be rated for the class above yours if no record the class above that ect. ect.   just some thoughts  willie buchta