MM Club Racecar

[G.Irish]

I don't think it's dumb. I think if you can get some sufficiently motivated people together you can get some sort of car/kart that you guys can run hard and have fun with. What I've learned over the years is that for stuff like this to succeed, you have to have at least one irrationally hardcore person to lead, preferably two. Because it's gonna be hard and it's easy to get discouraged, or distracted by drinking and people you'd like to have sex with.

But you get one or two lunatics to drive it forward and others will follow. So, feasibility wise these are your options:

1. Kart
2. RallyX or AutoX car
3. GRM $20XX challenge car
4. Chumpcar


Option 2 could be potentially be a track car too, but you get into the problem of people wadding it up and whether or not there should be a group beating if the person can't/won't pay up. Kart is the easiest and cheapest way to go, and you can autocross it as well.

[Apoc]

I don't think it's dumb. I think if you can get some sufficiently motivated people together...

[*insertusernamehere*]

Yeah let's not forget, along with all the other distractions school carries, we don't really need to add another dimension of stress of sourcing money, getting things done by a deadline to actually drive the car and college only gets more time consuming the longer you're there. Literally all the students talking big right now are freshman that have all the time in the world but no money. Give it another year and a half and they won't have any time either.

That's for a full on car. I think karts are a more manageable idea. We could even have multiple small teams going.

[Senor_Taylor]

Sorry Taylor but we've done this before like everything else. Dan and I had the same idea and identical thread a few years back.

The club is just that. A club. It's not a legal entity. It can't own property. For all of the reasons above this is a bad idea. It's just not feasible. Who will own it? If someone gets hurt in and/or on the car who is going to assume liability? Not to mention the fact that it would cost you thousands of dollars to prepare a track car as others have stated and thousands in personal safety equipment.

My idea is for Scca Rally but I haven't had the time to articulate it. Something like a car to autocross or rally is totally feasible. Raise $1000 and buy a Volvo and hoon it at Scca events. No race prep, no legal liability. Finding someone to do an it is no problem. (Me after I graduate).

Start big and narrow your scope. I can't fault you though. Sometimes I get a bit upset when I see someone new come into MM and have a grand idea with big innocent eyes just to have to tell them we've tried it and found it impossible.

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[Senor_Taylor]

Look. I'm 100% down to formulate and lead a project on getting an Scca rally car in the works. We can title it in my name and everything. We can preferably get something cheap that runs for less than $1000 and find some way to trailer it to events. I think the likelihood of breaking something to where it can't drive back home is very high. I think this has the absolute lowest cost of entry and maintenance as karting costs >$100 per event and there are other people on track. The risk is really low with rally and so is the price. That way each member can just pay their entry and use the car.

We just need someone that's local to hang on to the car and allow space for someone to come fiddle with it. I think if someone wants to drive they need to pay a fee that will be lopped into a fund to pay for repairs and gas each time they drive it.

We have personally seen two <$1000 volvos join the club in perfect running order in the last 4 months. Why not find a 3rd one?

[*insertusernamehere*]

Since you want a Volvo

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You can park it at my place.

[*insertusernamehere*]

Even better y'all can just pay me back. I'll go get it tonight

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[Senor_Taylor]

Even better y'all can just pay me back. I'll go get it tonight

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Slow your roll, bud. Let's get something written up and formulated.

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[GTBrandon]

I realize that I am one of these wide-eyed freshman with all the time in the world, and no money to back any of my ideas up...BUT. The whole idea behind this was to have something people could build, work on, and learn from. Not just some craigslist car to thrash on in a parking lot. I like the concept of the karts because they are small, inexpensive, and could possibly be more than one involved. But also would want to know the extent to which these karts could be taken, build and race wise, before a "bigger brother" would be wanted/needed, aka a car.

[.RJ]

Not just some craigslist car to thrash on in a parking lot

MM is so grown up now :lol:

[*insertusernamehere*]

I realize that I am one of these wide-eyed freshman with all the time in the world, and no money to back any of my ideas up...BUT. The whole idea behind this was to have something people could build, work on, and learn from. Not just some craigslist car to thrash on in a parking lot. I like the concept of the karts because they are small, inexpensive, and could possibly be more than one involved. But also would want to know the extent to which these karts could be taken, build and race wise, before a "bigger brother" would be wanted/needed, aka a car.

The car is still going to break when you buy it running and thrash on it, 6 people at a time. You'll have plenty to learn on a sub $1000 POS. Trust me.

[Jake]

Sometimes I get a bit upset when I see someone new come into MM and have a grand idea with big innocent eyes just to have to tell them we've tried it and found it impossible.

Just remember, you were one of them too. We all were.

If you get a car with a platform that doesn't suck for aftermarket parts and support, it can start life as an autocross/rallycross car and be turned into something bigger down the road. That's always an option. So yes to BMWs, Volvos, Miatas, Mercedes, ZX2s, Focii, etc. and no to like... a Chevy Corsica. Keep that in mind while Craigslisting.

[Senor_Taylor]

Sometimes I get a bit upset when I see someone new come into MM and have a grand idea with big innocent eyes just to have to tell them we've tried it and found it impossible.

Just remember, you were one of them too. We all were.

If you get a car with a platform that doesn't suck for aftermarket parts and support, it can start life as an autocross/rallycross car and be turned into something bigger down the road. That's always an option. So yes to BMWs, Volvos, Miatas, Mercedes, ZX2s, Focii, etc. and no to like... a Chevy Corsica. Keep that in mind while Craigslisting.

I agree with you 100%. The fact that I even mentioned getting upset is because I understand we shouldn't and I recognize that. That said, I think we should get something crazy reliable and cheap with a large aftermarket and not worry about it being "fast". That's something the young guys DO need to know. You'll have fun no matter what car you're in, especially if it's a car like an MM car that has special meaning. I do think it should start as an autocross/rally car and we need to remember that we need to be reasonable and realistic. Other than Matthew and I, no one else wanting this to happen that is current in Harrisonburg has the means or knowledge to make this come to fruition because they're all freshmen right now. BUT if alums and (soon to be alums) like me can get the ball rolling and do a little hand holding, I think it's totally possible for this to happen.

After spring break I'll definitely make some time and get "Constitution" written up and submit it to you guys to review before we move forward.

Everyone do me a favor and don't derail this thread so that we don't lose focus of the task at hand.

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[Jake]

Do a Volvo and make MM SwedeSpeed a thing.

[ScottyB]

I think we should get something crazy reliable and cheap with a large aftermarket and not worry about it being "fast".

mustang, and if you have no dignity whatsoever, a V6.

[SlimKlim]

I'll buy a seat in a RallyX car. I don't want anything else to do with it, but I'm down for that. 8)

[GTBrandon]

So what's the vote on the base model? Something that has a large aftermarket, easy to work on, and won't be a puddle of fluids after one or two auto crosses. Soooo BMW?


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[Mike]

I can lock down a date and an insurance certificate with two phonecalls, then put on an event there to just about any spec. Ballpark estimate is $3500/day. Ready for deposit anytime ;-) OR you could just go to any number of legit existing events instead? :lol:

who are you even? :bootyshake:

[Senor_Taylor]

So what's the vote on the base model? Something that has a large aftermarket, easy to work on, and won't be a puddle of fluids after one or two auto crosses. Soooo BMW?


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No, not BMW. I understand people might scream E30!!! OR E36!!! But I do not think we need to shoot that high. V6 mustang or Volvo or a Honda Civic are the way to go.

I do hope you were just joking.

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[GTBrandon]

So what's the vote on the base model? Something that has a large aftermarket, easy to work on, and won't be a puddle of fluids after one or two auto crosses. Soooo BMW?


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No, not BMW. I understand people might scream E30!!! OR E36!!! But I do not think we need to shoot that high. V6 mustang or Volvo or a Honda Civic are the way to go.

I do hope you were just joking.

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How about an Acura


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