This is a fantastic idea!!!

The crowd. The spectacle. The pall of blue smoke and roasted clutch discs. In all motorsport, no event captures the universal human need to whale on old crapcans and hoover down greasy barbecue like the 24 Hours of LeMons.

Each LeMons race is for cars purchased, fixed up, and track-prepped for a total of 500 dollars or less. But before reaching the grid, you'll have to survive trials like the Personal-Injury-Lawyer Anti-Slalom, the Marxist-Valet Parking Challenge, and the Wide Open Throttle Rodthrowapalooza. Twelve hours into the race, the car voted People’s Choice is called in and awarded a cash prize; simultaneously, the car voted People’s Curse is called in and summarily destroyed. At the end of 24 hours, a gala awards ceremony plies the survivors with trophies, plaques, and four-figure purses in canvas bags full of nickels. What's not to like?

http://www.24hoursoflemons.com/

And with team names such as "Totally Unstoppable Pirate Ninjas With Lasers", what could possibly go wrong?

We did something similar few yrs back but car had to be max of $100, and we raced them round the Kapiti autocross track, which was in terrible condition at the time (next to the Tip so convenient for car disposal).
My free Fiat Uno would bottom the front suspension horrendously on one corner, eventually the battery mounts let go from the pounding and jettisoned the battery into the long grass, surprisingly that didn't stop the car going and I didn't notice till I turned it off then tried to start it again. Eventually the front suspension tie rods pulled out of the chassis so it went to the tip.

Had a go in a Triumph 2500, it had some poke and could really soak up the pot holes and rocks (until we rolled it).
The Mk3 Cortina someone brought sucked, the entire front suspension assembly came free after not long.
Best car for longevity was a mid 80's Mitsi Mirage, seemingly indestructable. It got parked behind some trees and used again later.
If the world ever goes Mad Max on us, it's one of them you want.

Nah you might as well have a 2stoke motorbike over a mitsi, it would use less gas and oil plus have more poke.

Datsane wrote:Nah you might as well have a 2stoke motorbike over a mitsi, it would use less gas and oil plus have more poke.

Where would you mount the spear gun?

E Dogg Capizzle wrote:

Datsane wrote:Nah you might as well have a 2stoke motorbike over a mitsi, it would use less gas and oil plus have more poke.

Where would you mount the spear gun?

Right beside the 600 litre, bomb-protected, fuel tank. I presume

Datsane wrote:Nah you might as well have a 2stoke motorbike over a mitsi, it would use less gas and oil plus have more poke.

Yeah thats always been my impression, but besides all its other obvious Mitsubishi related flaws and general heinousness we could not destroy the thing and we tried. Lots of boing and travel in the suspension, good for places like Afghanistan I'm sure.

Datsane wrote:Nah you might as well have a 2stoke motorbike over a mitsi, it would use less gas and oil plus have more poke.

Idiot, it's much harder to mount heavy machine guns and ramming spikes to a motorbike

SlackBoy wrote:

Datsane wrote:Nah you might as well have a 2stoke motorbike over a mitsi, it would use less gas and oil plus have more poke.

Idiot, it's much harder to mount heavy machine guns and ramming spikes to a motorbike

Much like you when you're that small you aren't going to be doing any ramming

Its all about the speed

My sister's got an old 87 Camry Wagon that I reckon would be mint for a race like that. It's only done 376000kms! Goes like a dream and is quite solid. She's been trying to sell it for a while now, and I've managed to get her to agree that if she hasn't sold it in another month, I'll buy it for 2 hundy and demo derby it.

A friend of mine bought a 99 Supra JZ last night (non turbo, automatic) It's his dream car - but I give him 6 months

MattV wrote: (non turbo, automatic)

Theres your problem.

fully, stoopid heavy car

thats a pretty sad dream imo

I know - did my best to talk him out of it.... but oh well.


its actually in good nick having done 51,000, "paid" $14000, and now the bank owns his soul for the next 5 years

is he already talking about converting it to a turbo and manuel?