jimrankin

Isn't it great what mass production can do for pricing. The "7" may be a lot of car performance wise but sit it next to a new Z06 and it's hard to see where the cars stack up for what you get dollar per dollar wise. I love my 7 but I'd be hard pressed to shovel out $100K+ for one, even one that good. On the other hand, you can get a lot of used "7" for the money if your willing to wait and know what to look for.

New track day at ThunderHill, May 31. Full 5 mile 27 turn layout in the standard counterclockwise direction with the only bypass at turn 5 (crows nest). I prefer no bypasses but that's just me and the full west course is used, not having the very tight segment bypassed like at some other events where its mostly big cubic inch cars who don't like driving at full lock.. Cheap, fun, low key and all the track time you can handle. Blow off that terrible Tuesday at work and reward your car with a chance to blow off the dust LOL.

Perfect weather and except for feeling like I was alone most of the time it was great. We ran clockwise in the AM and counter clockwise in the PM so a bit of a change up. I was in open passing and only about 10-12 cars on track so hard to even find another car out there ;-). I had a friend along and he did most of the sessions with me. Gave him a bit of excitement when I did "Phil Hill" a bit too fast (counter clockwise) and did about a 720 degree spin right after I landed it on the back side. lots of tire smoke as I knew I wasn't saving it and just locked it down. Didn't even stall and just pointed it in the right direction and kept going. It was the end of the day and I just pushed it way too hard. Everything else was great, wish you could have made it.

Hi Shoestring, That's good for a while but hope to see you at TH or Sears Point this summer. Need more 7 types to play with. All those SoCal drivers who are putting work over a great track day :driving:, well, there will always be more work!:smash:

Link at Golden Gate Lotus Club web site. :hurray:

Dirt cheap, perfect weather, sunny and 80 predicted. Down to two run groups so 30 Minutes on and 30 Minutes off track without a crowd in either group. Back when I had a job (retired) I'd find a way to make it to these kinds of events because they just don't happen all that often and work will be there every day. Just do it! And I don't mean go to work LOL.

Sorry we will miss meeting again Mondo. Seems like no one is committed enough to blow off a Monday at work to do the track day as still a really low car count. I'm hoping we get a few more as if not the GGLC will go back to concentrating on just our NorCal tracks. After doing COTA a few weeks ago it reminded me I really like doing tracks I'm not as familiar with, keeps you guessing what's coming around the next turn or hill for a while, a real heart beat raiser! Looks like it's going to be a pretty open track for the few who show up.

WHOOPS!!! I meant to post this about Buttonwillow on April 4th. Still the same message, a great track day cheap and uncrowded at a track that will be way hotter later in the year.

Still no takers on a great day on track?? Blow off a work day (a Monday at that!) and do something for yourself and your car. I know you want to, so get on it ;-)!

Hi all you 7 friends in need of a good speed fix. The Golden Gate Lotus Club is heading south of its usual haunts for a day on the Buttonwillow track. Lots of track time and as usual, since it's a not for profit event, the cost is a dirt cheap $185 if your not a member and for a $25 donation you can become a year long member and it drops to $165. Not bad, joining a really great organization for what amounts to $5. They also run Laguna Seca and ThunderHill along with other events and tech seminars etc. Only three small run groups (this is only a "maybe" but depending on the final car tally they may use their old method of bridging run groups so you can actually be on track for 40 minutes out of the hour instead of 20 or just go "open track" some time in the afternoon. Just based on past experience, I'm not the one making those choices). Friendly people with a lot of good track experience. Bring a friend or two as a lot of us GGLC members are open to taking riders out to get them an idea of just what fun and how safe it is. Hope to see you there and if you cant make it, spread the word around. Info on the GGLC web site. Thanks, Jim R.

Hi All, Just wanted to say that the event put on by MVP at COTA a couple of weeks ago was really well done. I'm sure it took a lot of time to get everything organized and keep everyone happy. lots of smiles all around and a pretty decent amount of time on track. RNR from this site, myself and Caterham 7 owner, Michael M. took the plunge and shipped our cars out on the hauler in the picture. I co-drove it and all I'll say is "I ain't as young as I used to be". 30+ hours straight through each way and three days on track in the middle had me showing my age LOL.

That's some pretty country and it should still be green since we are finally getting some of the rain and snow that El Nino promised us. Well out of our rainy season so also should be sunny without the blazing heat of later in the year. I might be able to pull a few days of the trip if things work out. Will you have a safe area to park trucks/trailers in Sonora?

I have to agree that Thunder Hill West is a glorious track for a 7, in fact, one of the best! I was already committed to being at the NASCAR races in Las Vegas or I wouldn't have missed it. For a two mile track it throws just about everything you can think of at you, and no wasted time on a long straight that just lets the Mustangs and Camaros you were pushing through all those corners get ahead again LOL. Glad to hear you had such a good day at my favorite track.

Don't forget to replace all of the standard bolts with the correct sholder bolts t eliminate the other source of both rattles and loose fit. there are previous post about sholder bolts here on the forum.

I don't think that having a Roush or anyone else's motor will save you from this legislation as long as your putting it in a car body that was originally an emission compliant vehicle. It's really "the car" not the motor in it that puts you into being compliant. Typical government overkill. Racing only vehicles aren't the problem they should be concerned with. I see the logic of y=trying to prevent emission compliant "street or multi use" cars from being modified to a non-compliant state but there are other ways to control that than a 'ban" on modifying a track only car. California doesn't have a regular vehicle inspection of street cars. I wish it did as a lot of the totally unsafe/ uninsured/ and probably smog belching wrecks would be off the road. Regular mandatory vehicle inspection would take most of these cars off the road and probably save more air in a day than we make racing, track day or autocrossing in a year.

Hi Bruce, Sorry I'm so lazy and computer illiterate I didn't get a lot of the mods I've made documented and sent out to you. I'll try to get to it after I get back from Texas and you can use it in whatever update your on by then.

An infamous quote from my friend Dudley D. "The lottery is anunfair tax on the stupid". With that in mind should I admit that I spent $40.00 to win $0 dollars? :nopity:

I presume your selling not asking who has them? Pricing on the S2000 bits as I know someone who may want to go back to stock from an aftermarket ECU

That Torpedo IPA taste great but it's way too heavy for sustained testing purposes. It is tasty enough though to stand up to shots of Jack between sips. Some of my best (and worst) planning and studying srssions have used this method.

Don't even think about open, won't take a 7 in most cases because of the min. 5" ground clearance required. Broker will take you on and then the pick up will be delayed till they find someone cheap. Go with one of the closed carriers noted above but you time frame may already be way too late.

It's been said that religion is the opiate of the masses and it does seem to still be holding true. What we fail to see is that 99% of the trouble in the middle east doesnt have anything to do with "religion". It's all about the same things as everywhere else in the world. Power and money, mostly power. Keeping people stupid makes them easier to radicalize and become mindlessly led cannon fodder for the people who want the power. Dressing the desire for control and power up as "religious" just makes it an eassier sell.

were moving two 7's and an Elise from SF Bay Area to COTA near Austin TX and then right back after three days on track. Since all three cars are short and in total weigh abouy half what my Silverado 2500HD (or a full sized SUV) does. Three small cars at one pick up and drop off point should be a truckers dream but all were getting is about the same as what a single full sized car pick up and transport goes for, Still have some time till February but wish I could get someone I trust and isnt costing $15K to sign us up.

drove up to the Sonoma Racetrack todat to buy a new 2015 helmet on their Black Friday Sale. Roads were empty and everyone driving 70+ except through SF. Got to Wine Country only to find about half the local racers had the same idea. Took mr 2 hours to fight my way into a new Bell to replace my shreading from the inside oldie but the ride back home across the Golden Gate Bridge and 280 was glorious and made it all worth while.

Hi Bill, Since were not a bunch of "RichRickyRacerboys" with unlimited budgets and were not moving the cars for resale cost is a factor and open transport seems like the best option so far. Non of our cars is in the least "Exotic" or probably worth more than $30K so multi million dollar coverage or triple wrapped closed transport isn't a must. I got a quote yesterday from Reliable and even though I spoke directly to the quoting agent about using their open transporters and the need to arrive at the specified date and pick up as close as possible to the return date the quote came in at $15,100 round trip ENCLOSED with up to a two week window at each end. If I had any hair left I'd be pulling it out.

Great to hear your S2K stayed local. Hopefully the new owner will appreciate the track capabilities of the car and we will get to see him on the local tracks. Whoa..that's just one more hot car and driver to make me look bad..what the hell, fun anyway! New owner, your going to have some unbelievable FUN!!