The Car

BSF = 0

The Search

I started my search for our race car where all race cars are found, Ebay or Craigs list. After I typed in my price range criteria I needed I was surprised of the few choices that I was given. Do these people not realize the need for $500 race cars? After several phone calls and e-mails I also came to the conclusion that Craigs list people are crazy...funny but crazy

I gave myself a list of things I wanted for my race car.

1) small and nimble
This would be good for corners and gas mileage
2) manual trans
This I thought would help save the brakes and better power thru the turns
3) Rear wheel drive.
Better to push thru the track then pull

My first hot lead was a Mazda 323. Ok it wasn't rear wheel drive but it matched on two points. I found this on Craigs List for $500. All it needed he said was a fuel pump. When I told him what I wanted the car for I thought at first I just created my own competition. He looked up the link for 24 hours of LeMons and wanted to enter the Mazda himself. I soon convinced him of the Danger and we started to haggle price again. After several e-mails back and forth I drove the prise down to $400. This would only leave $100.00 in our budget but seemed to fit the bill. He really wanted $450.00 and said if the car was not sold that night I could have it at 10:00 the next morning. The car sold that night.

Back to craigs list I went and searched in vane. Maybe something would turn up in a few days.

I went to the local "Buy here Pay Here" . I told the "Salesman" (I use this term loosely) what I needed the car for and how much I could spend. At first I was given the "Oh we dont have any cars for that price look" when a voice from the back of the sales trailer, yes I said trailer, said "How about that red car on the side lot?"

A 1992 Toyota Paseo, front drivers quarter was crunched and the car needed an alternator. Drivers door would not open so the "Salesman" opened the passenger door for me stating "For $500.00 the drivers door does not have to work".
I noticed the floor board had some loose change and I was told I could use it towards the purchase of the car. I asked his Rock Bottom price and was told $500. This would leave me no money for repairs I told him so he countered with He would get the car running and replace the alternator if I would display his company name on the side of the car. I was about to agree when the voice of reason that is my lovely wife sounded out. This would leave us no wiggle worm she declared. I was given a take or leave it offer so we left it.

Back to craigs list again......

electrical problem



Didnt know who really owned it



$500.00 and it runs great, when you get it running.

I then went another "Buy here pay her lot" and I saw the car I wanted peaking thru the line of cars. Could it be?. This was to be our car I thought!



"There it is Honey!"

My wife of better reasoning refused to get out of the car. She was not even looking at it let alone be driving it. But look!





To my surprise the "Salesman" would not take my offer of $400.00 (you know, wiggle room). After much discussion I was told to leave or he would release the dogs. So we left without my racecar....

Jackpot (May 8, 2008)

So a few more attempts at Craigslist with not much luck. Then I remembered a guy who had done some work for me in the past. He had some cars next to his building that may work. I made a trip out to his shop but was surprised to see his shop was closed and the cars gone. While standing there I noticed a gentleman working on a car in the driveway. I asked if he knew where Wayne had moved his shop. He said "Wayne? No he left a few years ago, I believe the Feds are after him or something". After a conversation of why I was looking for Wayne he introduced himself and started to search thru his "Collection" of cars around his shop. Most would be over $500 but just as I was about to leave he remembered one more car that might fit my needs. It was his mothers car who had passed away. We walked back to the car and There it was....

1980 Chevy Malibu 4 door.

After a quick check over I asked him if he was sure he wanted to sell his mothers car to me. After all this car would enter the 24 Hours of LeMons...Chances were very good it may not survive the battle without getting banged up. Well he explained, "I have Leukemia. I need to start getting rid of some of the things around here and enjoy life. Your race sounds like alot of fun". So not only did I buy a race car but I got a new member for my crew as Lindsey would help in the pits!

Would this car work? Well it wasn't small. It wasn't a manual transmission. But it was a rear wheel drive car, it was $400 and it RAN....................Sold! Yep this was our Race Car!

Well it needed the carb rebuilt but it did run. We brought the car up to the front of his shop and checked it out better

We got the car back to my shop where we begin to get an inventory of what we need to get prepared for the race. Now the fun begins!

So we gut the interior and get started on the roll cage. JK welders sponsored our car and built our cage and welded in our Race seat. Great Guys and they did a hell of a good job!

So after a engine tune and new brakes installed we were ready for race day. Karon made a deal with the Discount Tires guy and we sported 4 new tires, white wall out of course!


ATK Volunteered to paint our car and we chose Flat Black. Later we were told our paint job might take us over the $500 limit but we managed to get around the judges!

We loaded up our car and headed to the track.


We get our car through tech without to much trouble. The judges all agreed there was no way we spent over $500 as evidenced by our suspension work, or lack of it, that they were sure we would end up in the wall.

Race day we enter the track along with 76 other beaters. Some of these guys we know spent over $500 as shown by the penalty laps assigned and the "Bribed the Judges" stenciled on the side of their car. No matter we Race on! Our first laps are under yellow as they check transponders. We watch for the green flag to drop as there is no staging just a line of cars waiting to drop the pedal. Sadly three cars lose their engines and are out while waiting for the green flag. Bummer to wait so long for the race just to be out before ever actually racing. All of a sudden the world gets loud as the race begins. The 24 hours of Lemons Texas begins.

Now in the 24 hours of Lemons there are several penalties ranging from time outs to metal shavings down the engine. How about Tofu smeared on you and your car? A sign welded to your ride stating "Drives like an Ass"? Their imagination was clever. Fortunately all we did the whole race was get past a car on a yellow. Here our driver gets the "lecture".

We finish day one in 34th place. Not too bad after figuring out our rolling black brick is hard to get thru the corners. That night we hear others working on their cars. Changing gears and brakes and looking for those other problems that might take them out of the race. We pulled the cork on the Rum and fired up the grill.

Next day we check the motor. Yep it was still there.



We noticed on day two our car was actually faster. The reason was the hole we blew out of the muffler. I begin to think we should have probably removed that and the converter before the race. We have no mechanical problems the whole race. We only stop for gas and driver changes.





We escape penalties but worry about the "Peoples Curse" award. Its handed out by a vote of all the drivers to the car most deserving to be taken out of the race. The rumor was in the pits that the Cow Miata had a spec motor. He was fast but I never saw him spin anybody out or really act aggressive. But the vote was cast and the Cow Miata met the crusher.



However with just 10 minutes left in the race I notice the car does not want to steer right. I knew I was getting a flat. I bring the car into the pit and Karon confirmed yep its flat. We quickly run and fill the tire but there is a hole in the sidewall from rolling over the tire. (maybe we should have rotated the tires instead of pouring another round last night....lol). I bring the car back to the entrance of the track but the official stops me informing me of my low tire. "I just want to finish the race so please let me on" I asked....with a kick of the tire he tells me to GO! I bring the car back up to speed with the front tire begging for me to stop by squealing. Then I luck out and the track goes under a yellow. I finish under the checker flag with a flat front tire. We finished in 24th place. Not bad for a noob group of racers with what later will be called a "Rolling Black Chicane"





We received very little damage but our front end bushings were totally gone as well as our front brake pads!





Later we are told that there will be two races in Texas next year. We are bring back the "Rolling Black Chicane" for race one.......who knows about race two.

Stay Tuned!

"Help me Baby Jesus, Help me Tom Cruise"