Growing Old and Weary - My Future With Cars

[Vettezuki]

I love my old swapped C3. It's a hoot and unique. Literally I'm not sure there's another one in CA and only a few in the world that I know of. But it took a fuckload of work and to keep running well (like a new car) needs fairly regular attention. If the market took a bounce and I could get a decent price for it (doubtful for a while at least), I'd be awfully tempted to sell it and come back to a personal fun car when I had the proper resources. Honestly a GT-R would be relatively high on my list. It's just going to work in any condition and if I wanted there would be high end off the shelf options for making it gnarlier. Or maybe just hire one of you guys to build up a GTM from FFR from all new parts. The Vette runs *fine* as long as its dry, and is fun for sure, but there's a lot of little things to run down to make it just right and some of them could be rabbit holes. Anyway, just thinking out loud.

[94cobra69ss396]

Keep it and start fixing those little things, it will just make it even better. It's unique and besides being cool it's all legal!

[Shaolin Crane]

How much would you pay me to build you a GTM ;)

[Ryridesmotox]

GT-R is a beast. But it's not like the C3 or even brand new american v8s. It doesn't take kindly to tinkering with this or that. And every part is EXPENSIVE. The optional 'tool kit' from Nissan is more expensive than tires on normal cars. Keep the C3, for nostalgia's sake, and for the sake of being the proud owner of a 1 of a kind car, not the proud owner of a cookie cutter...

Now if you went to the Factory Five GTM, which is what I am thinking you are talking about... I can get behind that lol.

[Vettezuki]

I got it! I'll keep the C3 and add a GTM at some point. . .

Guy, my opening offer would be some belly button lint, but I figure $3,000 - $5,000 cash/gold/unmarked Swiss Francs would be fair for competent assembly from from pallets of parts. Of course it would go out for paint and body. Probably give Ron first dibs cuz he's OG, or maybe a couple fellers could do it if they wanted to work together.

Anyway, that's probably a five year window anyway. But business is getting better and I'm knocking out debts pretty fast. Once I shore up a thick foundation, I'll be back to playing around a little. In the meantime, it'll be Lemon level. Speaking of which, I'm assuming your Pal got the dough for the bell housing?

[Shaolin Crane]

Yeah, there was a miscommunication about the bell, he thought I was going down to pick it up, which aint happening.

[Vettezuki]

Yeah, there was a miscommunication about the bell, he thought I was going down to pick it up, which aint happening.

Well, I wish I would have known as I was down there Saturday but that's rare. Now what? Does he have any cause for coming up anytime soon?

[Ryridesmotox]

Where does it need to get transported to/from... I visit north San Diego county fairly regularly. I might be able to help you out.

[Shaolin Crane]

Well, I wish I would have known as I was down there Saturday but that's rare. Now what? Does he have any cause for coming up anytime soon?

No, he never comes up here. I guess it's time to ship unless we have someone down there, isnt Carlos close?

[Vettezuki]

No, he never comes up here. I guess it's time to ship unless we have someone down there, isnt Carlos close?

Carlos is in SD (when he comes back) but doesn't come up anywhere near the OC that often. Ryridesmotox is down there. See previous post. Maybe I could half way, or maybe I can turn it into an excuse to check out property (a hobby).

[Shaolin Crane]

Where does it need to get transported to/from... I visit north San Diego county fairly regularly. I might be able to help you out.

He's about 15 minutes from downtown.

[Shaolin Crane]

Probably give Ron first dibs cuz he's OG...

Wait a minute, i'm not OG status? The fact that i'm not banned yet pretty much proves the opposite :smack:

[mdpalmer]

How old is "old" my friend. I have to admit I've gotten grumpier and way less patient in the last couple years and I'm going to be 34 pretty soon. A turn key car does sound nice, doesn't it? Only thing is... you're just like everyone else, which is fine. As long as you enjoy driving the car that's all that matters.

EDIT: one thing I have to say... one of my buddies has a zr1 vette and we went to lunch a while back and on the way back, a gorgeous yellow c6 z06 rolls up right next to us, on the pass side. so I rolled down the window and gestured to the guy waving, thumbs up, etc. and he didn't even bother to look over.... wtf. I mean... if you were in your c3 and another one rolled up next to you, wouldn't you be excited? I know when I see other guys with rx7s around I'm totally stoked, always make it a point to wave or whatever...

But wow, a GTR has got to be quite expensive to acquire. And god forbid if anything breaks. What is the deal with the launch control/transmission crap I heard so much about a while back?

I think C3s are sweet, personally :)

[94cobra69ss396]

You're only as old as you think you are. I'm 41 and have no problem working on a car all weekend while my kids play outside. I pulled two engines this weekend.

[Vettezuki]

Guy, You're second wave OG. :smack:

mdpalmer, some newer Vette guys don't know the culture. I'd say I get around maybe 50/50 on "the wave." The trans problem with the GT-R was jsut the first year, but yes cost of ownership would be relatively high, but not as high as say a Turbo Porsche.

Ron, it's really more about available resources, namely time, and all other goals and priorities than anything. I'd love tinker and finesses the Vette regularly, but that's just not in the cards, and so it's annoying when I have complex problems that there's really no one to go to. "The turn key" car does solve that aspect.

But anyway, the money future (out a few years) is looking fairly decent barring fiscal meltdown, then I'll at least have money in the play money bucket which I haven't had in years. At that time I can consider whether i want to continue with the next "big" steps with the C3 or not. One thing I might do sooner than later is add the Guldstrand 5-link at Dick's shop. It would make it even more unique (like probably the only one in the world literally) and to have it done at Dick's place adds a little more "uniqueness." But even just that is pushing $4g now. These are all sunk costs, at least in this economic environment.

[Shaolin Crane]

.
That's it, i'm talking a wiz on the vette at mullholland

Anyways, the night before the dyno for the blue car where everything took a shit I about snapped. Had flash sights in my mind of selling everything. Then there are the days with the cobra. Everything is fixed, it's fired up and you go for that first burnout. Then all the past turbulence of the build fades away.

[Damian]

Anyways, the night before the dyno for the blue car where everything took a shit I about snapped. Had flash sights in my mind of selling everything. Then there are the days with the cobra. Everything is fixed, it's fired up and you go for that first burnout. Then all the past turbulence of the build fades away.

That's how it works for me. I finished the truck and got the exhaust done and then drove it home. I went from "I'm not driving this pos" to "I'm gonna drive the fuck out of it!". 18psi does that to you I guess.