Can't Be Bothered Anymore.....!!

[geoff Ives]

I have often regretted selling a possesion.
I have never regretted not selling one.

 

[Ex Skyline]

ok guys, had a long chat with Sarah regarding my Hypercar yearnings and iv'e decided to put it to bed at last (and also my long term hankering after a Noble)! She made me see a bit of sense at last in that, i'm always off to the Nordschleiffe, have a young family, throw an Ultima or Noble into the mix and i suppose (reluctantly) that there is a recipe for disaster somewhere along the line. Also, the spare cash will come in handy for other things at home (as well as sorting out the 944 Turbo)[8D][]!! Had a couple of chats with Jon Mitchell over the past 24 hours and, ive decided to stick with it after all. Sorry for all the whingeing and dramas guys, don't quite know what came over me. I do believe i must be having some sort of mid life crisis or, was having one. Things seem much clearer now though for some reason. ANYWAY........It's back to JMG next Saturday (or the Saturday after) to do a few more bits and bobs (i'm going to take my little boy, Sid)and, i must say, i'm looking forward to it already [].
Pete

 

[Hilux]

or a really good little track car like Ed's Civic? I've been passengered in that and it was a bonkers little car; massive fun and lower costs compared with the compromised road/track 944s IMO.

Thats what I did - bought a Mk1 Golf and stuck a 2L 16V ABF in it - approx 160bhp - doesnt sound a lot but its only about 860 kilos - 120mph in 4th!!!! and on the limit all the time - much more fun than any other car I`ve built. Also, importantly for me, if it goes boom its not a lot of money for another engine/gearbox and if its dented or crashed heavily its not a large outlay lost.

Means I can afford a very posh motorhome as well so best of both worlds.

What about a Mk2 Golf with an Audi TT BAM engine tuned to 300 bhp - not a lot will stay with it - £5000 ish if you are particular how it is built and looks and tons of support, specialised parts and knowlege from the racing fraternity. Their car forum Club GTi is probably technically the most interesting and knowledgeable on the web apart from 944/951 forums in my view.

One of my sons friends has a 460bhp Seat Cupra - bonkers mental on slicks. £7500 to buy and do I am told.

Any road up - good luck with whatever you do - drive what you like (always) - life`s too short.

PS: can I have a Pax lap or two in the Ultima please []

 

[TTM]

ORIGINAL: pauljmcnulty
We've seen enough heavily-modified 944 projects here over the years, and as I've said before, most seem to take longer and cost more than planned, the owner runs out of enthusiasm and they move on.

This point of view pretty much overlooks the tinkering/tweaking part of it all, which is where the interest can mostly reside.
I value what this interesting journey has taught me to more than what it has cost me this far. Considering my background I don't think I would have learned so much by following academic courses, and I suppose some others keep their ball rolling for similar reasons. Patience is a virtue 944 projects help develop - said tongue firmly held in cheek []

Congrats Pete for keeping on with it, you won't regret it.

 

[pauljmcnulty]

This point of view pretty much overlooks the tinkering/tweaking part of it all, which is where the interest can mostly reside.

Yep, and it's not a criticism I'm trying to make here but an observation. We've seen so many long-term project cars where, arguably, the owner has never really got much driving done. The project seems to be the goal, not the end result; this seems to then be a disappointment, and is sold off. I imagine, it's not my area of expertise by any means, that some owners might be better not trying to go down the highly-modified route if it's just a decent road car they want, and down a different route if it's a pure track car they want.

If it's an engineering project you're after then that's another thing. I wish I was more mechanically-minded! My concern is when people spend a lot of money getting a car tinkered with by someone else, then don't seem to like the end result. Perhaps they'd have been better off not starting to fiddle with what's not a bad car to start with? Putting a few thousand miles a year on a car seems to me more the point than having it off the road for years; rather the same way I feel about garage queens, of course, but each to their own. []

 

[Ex Skyline]

It's the "tinkering and tweaking" that leads to far more drastic projects for me i'm afraid []. Always has, always will. Just can't help it,it's an addiction iv'e had all my life and, nothing's really going to change. I have had some nutz cars in my time and, i always go the whole hog with them ie fully track prepared, before having quite a bit of fun with them and then selling them and moving on to the next project. Apart from Ultima's and Noble's (enough said about them),I have always loved the look of the 944, still do, and i think i'm going to sort out the suspension and brakes on the one i have along with a Apexi avc-r boost controller before taking him to the "Ring" for his first proper outing. I think only then will i know if it is going to be a long time love affair[]. Thank you for all your advice and comments guys, you have most definitely helped me to make up my mind[].
Pete

 

[John Sims]

Glad you have seen sense

I had written a beautiful post (all on my I phone) suggesting a kit car was a bad idea on so many levels. Best part of 1,000 words disappeared without a trace when it timed out. Oh how I laughed.

The summary was kit cars are bad on the road because you are vulnerable and can't see to overtake which then reduces any pleasure you might have. An Ultima would be rubbish on the road as, not only is it too low to see it is also very wide. If a crash was to happen there is next to no protection. The same can be said of track days when you are circulating with big metal cars. If a numpty in a 3 Series mounts your bum, because he didn't see you, guess which one of you is going to get hurt.

And kit cars are budget cars which ever way you look at it. They are a budget because someone wanted a Ferrari and couldn't afford one and are built of all sorts of different parts which weren't primarily designed for the task they are being put to. These parts may be old and worn before they started their elevated life. Even TVR's which were factory made kit cars, built with new parts, were/are notoriously unreliable because they don't have the development and testing budget of Ford/Porsche etc etc. And then if you add into the mix a man building a car for the first time, in his shed, learning how to make brake pipes and wiring looms etc. it is a recipe for disaster.

But all that has been averted

 

[Hilux]

The summary was kit cars are bad on the road because you are vulnerable and can't see to overtake which then reduces any pleasure you might have. An Ultima would be rubbish on the road as, not only is it too low to see it is very wide. If a crash was to happen there is next to no protection.

Possibly but particular to '7' type cars in my view. Its actually why I got rid of my Westfield.

A 944 is certainly not tall compared to the average modern car and my Ginetta G27 side swiped a lamp post, snapped it in half and rolled. It had roll over bars and harnesses and I ended up with (only) cuts and bruises and a load of broken ribs [&:]

I`m not sure an MX5 is a good bet either in a roll over and its not a kit car.

 

[Ex Skyline]

Hi John, an Ultima would be rubbish on the road for me as i am prone to sticking my boot in the loud pedal a bit too often []!! However, it is only as a track ("ring") car that i wanted one for, not for going to Waitrose for the weekly shop! Same can be said for Noble's, Caterham's etc,etc. I only wanted a "kit car" to drive over to the Eifel region of Germany, rag the bollox off it all weekend (approx 8 weekends per year) and then drive home again. I have other modes of transport for the rest of the week. The Nordschleiffe is a place where i get my jollies and get to keep my license![]. The 944 is a much more dignified and useable weapon of choice i must agree and, you can do so much to them. There's not much on the road that can stay with a well sorted one that's for sure. I might start another thread about organizing a touristenfahrten weekend next summer to the "Ring" like they do on Northloop and Ringers. I wonder how many takers i'd get or who would be interested? Hmm.........

 

[andy watson]

Pete,

Good news glad you are staying with us (will be down to the Maderia for breakfast again!)
Talked you out of Matt black and now selling up - smart girl that Sarah [][]

Take care and see you on the 18th

 

[Ex Skyline]

Cheers Andy, looking forward to meeting up with you all again! Sarah loves the 944 even more than i do if the truth be told,so do my kids! []

 

[TTM]

ORIGINAL: pauljmcnulty
Yep, and it's not a criticism I'm trying to make here but an observation.

No worries, I read it as such - sorry if my post came out to you as a criticism of yours as it was intended as an observation too []

 

[Copperman05]

Pete,

Good your back in the fold, for the ultimate in track times the ultima is a good car but as an overall package there is not much that comes close to a 944, just dont go too mental on the mods, remember to enjoy it.


Edd

 

[Ex Skyline]

I know, i make you right there Edd. Just a bit of suspension and brake work and, plumbing in the new Apexi avc-r boost controller for the immediate future [8D][]. Look forward to seeing you again on the 18th Edd.

 

[Frenchy]

Skyline, google you tube and find the 944 Turbo (a silverose i believe) doing the ring apparently just a set of sticky tyres and the rest stock ? was it 8 minutes ? somebody had a link to it on here recently, very impressive !