I want to be able to run the car at Buttonwillow, Willow Springs and some other road courses. Along with autocross and an occasional drag strip run. Famous and Buttonwillow are 2hrs away plus or minus, Willow is 3-4. On top of that, I want to have fun pushing[ as in driving] the car on winding roads. Much of what I'm doing most likely is overkill but as I'm working on it, I'm looking at possible upgrades while I'm working on the specific task at hand plus what's coming later as I progress in the work. I'm trying to think ahead about what I'm currently doing, what's coming later and how to best utilize my time, energy and funds. I hate having to redo something because it was not thought through ahead of time. One of the many reasons I'm such an information whore. Articles, tech books, manufacture catalogs, car shows, races, how did someone do whatever etc.
As far as time on my hands, I'm somewhat retired since I had the neurosurgery done. I'm on SS, my wife works part time for a construction company doing office work. 3 days a week I shuttle her to work and then fetch her at the end of her day. Since I'm home the most, I take care of the kids, yard work, vacuuming, dishes, some of the cooking, some of the laundry etc. It's only fair. Once I'm doing doing the chores, then its car time. On her off days if nothing is planned or she needs me for honey do's, it's 65 time. We are down to one vehicle, my dually, for transpo since her Flex needed some expensive work done on it that I did not have the skills or equipment for so it was sold to the local Ford dealer. I'm on the hunt for a wagon as I want to replace my truck with it. Haven't really used the truck as intended so seems kinda dopey, only took 19 years, to have it plus my honey can't drive it. Not enough left leg for the clutch and not used to driving something that big. After the truck is gone, we'll hunt down an older classic of her liking that can be maintained in house. We try to live very frugally so we constantly look for ways to save. Having older rides will cut down on DMV expenses. Next year, I'm going to put my SS on hold and try to work full time again. Can't do it this year as we're already going to get hammered for taxes due to the retirement funds we drained to pay for legal fees on the FFN arbitration hearing. Still not done with that.
Most of what I'm doing on the car currently, I've had the parts/materials for over 6 years, so there's not any outlay there. Just some simple stuff like welding gas, filler wire, pieces of sheetmetal. I try to contain expenses by not outsourcing as much as possible. Like the upper hoop for the t-bar crossmember. Instead of having someone bend up material, I used the rectangle tube I already had. Figured out contours, make many slits in it, form it around till it worked for what I needed, welded it up, ground it down, welded it it. It's not a work of art but it will work great there.
I don't take offense to your observations one bit. There are most likely many others thinking the same thoughts. For some people, when I run down what I've done/have coming for later etc, some get it but many others get a glaze over their eyes. So I generally just do a 20k' view of what's happening.
