I guess I have a little different perspective on this than most people. In today's world most things made aren't made with great quality, so our mindset when it breaks is to throw it away and buy new. To me, my race car isn't just a tool. Sure it IS a tool, and I try to make it a good working one at that. But that's not all it is to me. It's many years spent with my dad and closest friends making it what it is today. And to me, it's irreplaceable. I don't think there is anything wrong with salvaging that car. In fact, I respect that. That's what our sport was built on. Building and fixing our own stuff. If you love that car, and it can be fixed. Then fix it! Make it better than it ever was. Just think how much pride you will have in it once its back on the race track again.
Mike Boehner
Posts: 93 | Location: Lake Havasu City, AZ | Registered: January 19, 2011
$11,000 invested in repairing the car, two years of work, the same engine but the transmission re-done by Jim Galante at Race Trans the entire suspension replaced, it got faster and easier to drive.
Bob
Posts: 3215 | Location: Lakeside, Ca | Registered: February 15, 2003
Thanks for all the replies. First thing, I will need to figure out what happened so it does not happen again. Thats a given. I have been looking and have looked at a lot, but have not found anything decent for sale. For some reason, lots of 6.0 cert novas out there, but don't really need that as a 7.50 or 8.50 would be fine. Don't need a promod nova either. I will be running 9.50 to 9.60 C Gas. Since I have not been able to find anything decent, I am thinking about fixing the car. Make it better than it was, and nicer. It probably won't be cheap.And maybe its not the smart thing to do, but if I can't find a replacement I guess thats all I can do.This message has been edited. Last edited by: Lucky Scott Hudson,
If you can do all the work yourself, fix it. If you gotta pay someone else to do even just the paint and body you'll need to start thinking about buying a roller.
Take the opportunity to build it back better/faster and eliminate all the issues you have found over the years. Make it what you want not what you have. You wouldn't regret rebuilding it i don't believe if you do all the work yourself. If you start paying people to do any of the work, you'll quickly figure out it wasn't worth it financially.
Cutting two quarters and a rear body panel off that car and replacing with new could be done in a weekend if you know what you are doing, then its paint and chassis repair and or replacement.
I wrecked one back in 2006 (rolled it), full chassis mild steel, 74 gremlin with a 565, ran 8.30's, took me 2 years to build. Won more races in that car than i can count. I lost interest, bought a dragster, and gave the gremlin to my buddy. He rebuilt it (replaced a few bars in the drivers compartment and completely replaced the body). Got it back running for 1/3 the cost of what it cost me cause he did all the work himself. Plus lots of stuff was still good struts, 4 link, shocks, brakes, radiator, etc... Its still one of the coolest cars i've ever owned and raced, still love seeing it cruising around the pits.
Posts: 431 | Location: Pride, La | Registered: April 18, 2006
You've got to know you limits in, abilities, time, and $$.
Due to the incompetence of a newbie, I folded up the best car I ever had. It didn't look like much, but it knew how to turn on win lights. After it almost fell off the side of the trailer while trying to unload it, I pushed it (on dollies) into a back corner of my shop and put a cover over it. It took me 6 months to pull the cover off it, there was absolutely no fixing it. A year after the crash, I finally found another one I was happy with, it was even painted the same color as the wreck. A lot of people thought I fixed the old one. It was a very good car, even better than the old one. You've got to decide what's best for you. Might wanna make a list, pro's vs con's. After awhile that second list gets long enough the choice becomes easier.
Foot brake racers think "outside the box"
Posts: 1742 | Location: Pompano Beach, FL | Registered: June 08, 2001