It is nice when you have to go somewhere to drive the "special car"..... but I am usuually too busy to even do that
The couple of times I have taken the car out is has been very special and memorable though
OK, so here’s the thing… My car has done the grand total of about 200 miles since being SVA’d and registered in April/May last year.
Despite the unusually pleasant weather we’ve had recently, the car has only been out of the garage once.
I really enjoyed the build but the fact is I generally can’t be *rsed getting the car out to drive round in a big circle just for the fun of it. Is
there something wrong with me?
I know that there are some serial builders on here and some that just wanted to buy a car and get out and drive it. I don’t want to rush into another
“project” as I think that it would just end up going the same way.
I think one of the underlying problems is that I have spent a lot of my time previously involved in or around motorsport of one type or another and,
despite driving high annual mileages with work, I used to really look forward to racing at the weekend. The idea of the kit was that it would get me
away from this and allow me to go out when and where I wanted on a pretty fixed budget but it hasn’t worked. Going back into racing isn’t really an
option at the moment as I don’t have sufficient disposable income and attempting it on a budget generally doesn’t work too well.
So, over to you lot. I know that you are all impartial and completely unbiased amateur psychologists so what should I do?
I always feel I get more from building various projects than actually using the end result...
It is nice when you have to go somewhere to drive the "special car"..... but I am usuually too busy to even do that
The couple of times I have taken the car out is has been very special and memorable though
Are there any local meets from here, Pistonheads etc that you could go to, makes it a bit more of an event then.
This started to happen to me.
The best thing is to try to put together a bunch of mates - (doesn't really matter what cars as long as they can punt them along) and plan some
trips along the best roads you can find. Plan a lunch stop etc etc.
During the summer I used to drive the car over to a "Saturday Workshop" at a pals where we would work on cars that anyone had brought
along.
JC
you need to get out more
driving on your own is rather dull what ever your driving get out with some fellow locosters and rack some miles up 10 of
us went out last monday and did 125+ miles around cambs/beds and had a great time
join a club who organise driving events. South Brum Locosters used to have a monthly drive during the summer months, with a chat in the pub
afterwards. We also organise a day trip about once a year too.
Go on a track day. £100 - £200 per go might be a lot, plus petrol and tyres, but it is cheaper than racing.
Go to work in it once in a while. I finish early on a Friday so can take the scenic route home.
I managed a boggling 900ish miles in my Striker over 10 years. I really enjoyed changing the engine every 5 minutes more than driving it, even though
it was hoot.
With Bumper I talked myself into getting out more and so far have racked up about 4500 miles in the couple years he's been on the road.
To satisfy my building addiction I'm now embarking on a 4x4 thing that I can do the building with and still have Bumper when I fancy a drive.
And, there's always the repairs when I do what he's named after
So, every time I get the urge to take Bumper to bits I go find a new project, got a few on the go atm but I never get the urge to finish one before I
start a new one..
Log burner and garage extension are next, just trying to resist the urge and finish one of the other scrap heap challenges first
LG,
Steve
Have to say ime suffering from the same condition! Ime begining to realise that i enjoy the build more than driving the feckin thing! I am considering selling my 7 just through lack of use. Maybe we should organise more road trips?
(a) Yes there is something serious wrong with you.
(b) Get out and have a blast at some track days.
I'm the same with the Jag, bought it ready to use but couldn't resist loads of little jobs over the winter, have done 250 miles so far this
year, and making a list of what to do over the winter, new back wings and boot floor are top of the list. Megasquirt for the ignition will probably be
a running conversion.
Steve hurry up with that log burner, I want to copy the design before SWMBO gives the bottle to the tatters.
quote:
Originally posted by SeaBass
This started to happen to me.
The best thing is to try to put together a bunch of mates - (doesn't really matter what cars as long as they can punt them along) and plan some trips along the best roads you can find. Plan a lunch stop etc etc.
Richard
I'm in a similar situation and only down the road from you. My main problem is getting into a rut of driving the same routes over and over and
going out without other drivers gets tedious after a while.
I'm sure there are other owners in our area. Maybe we can arrange a meet at a decent pub with a beer garden and go out for a blat. I'd
appreciate other peoples input on decent driving routes in our area.
Nigel
Not all motorsport is expensive..
Autosolo's are a tiny tiny fraction of what it costs to go circuit racing. They're £20 ish to enter, the cars Have to be driven there and
there's basically no running costs.
Even hillclimbs and sprints are cheap compared to circuit racing at around 1/3 to 1/2 the entry fee's but virtually no running costs.
My suggestion would be to join your local motor club too - see what clubsport there is going on locally and join in - you've got the right car to
start with
EDIT
Just noticed where you are - you ARE a member of the Liverpool motor club arn't you?
If not you certainly should be!
[Edited on 3/6/10 by JimSpencer]
quote:
Originally posted by r1_pete
Steve hurry up with that log burner, I want to copy the design before SWMBO gives the bottle to the tatters.
What you need to do Rich is convert your car to race spec, which you are bound to enjoy, and then let me borrow it until mine is ready.
On a vaguely more serious note, have you done any track work in it?
Alternatively, sell-up and see if you and Jamie can make one of those Class 8 things work on a track. 
I've done 7,500 miles in the Indy now (SVA'd in 2007). 95% of those miles have been done with the NE7ER's.
Meeting up with other cars and going for a blat is what it is all about in my eyes. Having said that, I'm acutely aware that I am blessed to
have such a fantastic set of mates and roads local to me.
However, I'm hugely disappointed that because the guy who built my car was a complete arse and mechanical numpty (me) it's so bloody
un-reliable. This means I take it out far less than I should and spend far more time than I should underneath the bloody thing......
I'm 50/50 at the moment between bringing my winter re-build forward by 4 months, just to try to get a more usable / reliable car.
Mike
thats strange. My car has been on the road less than a week and I have clocked up over 100mls. Ok, some of those miles the brakes have locked up and it overheated once, but isnt that the fun of it
quote:
Originally posted by TimC
What you need to do Rich is convert your car to race spec, which you are bound to enjoy, and then let me borrow it until mine is ready.
On a vaguely more serious note, have you done any track work in it?
Alternatively, sell-up and see if you and Jamie can make one of those Class 8 things work on a track.
Jim ^^ is right. Providing you don't want to be the next Button/Hamilton/whatever a local club that organises Autosolos etc. has got to be worth
a crack.
Track days are OK but rel. costly and lack the competitive edge of knowing what your times are.
Son & I are doing our first Autosolo at Abingdon on 12th so watch this space.
HTH.
Cheers, Pewe 
Why not use it for the 40 mile commute when the weather is as it is today? Might reignite the enthusiasm and get you cruising just for the sake of cruising.
i am toying with idea of trip to continent next year long road trip something like that might do the trick have done 7 thousand miles in 2 years also hill climbs sprints track days etc going to get shopping now in it
quote:
Originally posted by jabbahutt
Richard
I'm in a similar situation and only down the road from you. My main problem is getting into a rut of driving the same routes over and over and going out without other drivers gets tedious after a while.
I'm sure there are other owners in our area. Maybe we can arrange a meet at a decent pub with a beer garden and go out for a blat. I'd appreciate other peoples input on decent driving routes in our area.
Nigel
quote:
Originally posted by speedyxjs
Why not use it for the 40 mile commute when the weather is as it is today? Might reignite the enthusiasm and get you cruising just for the sake of cruising.
Yep I am the same. ive loved (and hated ) building mine.
Once ive had a drive that will be it. I do it with every thing. Strip, rebuild then sell at a loss. the locost ive scratch built so its taken much
longer but the out come will be the same.
200 miles a year! That's going it a bit by my standards!
I'm nearer the 150 mile mark.
quote:
Originally posted by afj
you need to get out more
problem you may have is lack of routes......
Living up here in scotsland we have loads of special roads.....
Damdy cash and i did applecross glen coe and the 85 in one day 500 miles.
You cant get me out of mine when its legal. Search mangogrooveworkshop on youtube to see some of our road trips.
We are away to the alps in a month or so.....
Want to take the bec to rominia!
Yes trasfagarsian pass.
So aim for a weekends camping ect
Great fun
Give us a shout or look out for my posts, im always out in mine mate, we, TommyP, FFTS were out last night, dropped in on the robin hood lot last
night for a pint, then did a few more miles, clocked up about 90+ miles i would say.
Joe
quote:
Originally posted by welderman
Give us a shout or look out for my posts, im always out in mine mate, we, TommyP, FFTS were out last night, dropped in on the robin hood lot last night for a pint, then did a few more miles, clocked up about 90+ miles i would say.
Joe
im on it now mate
never been to Formby point or Formby to think of it, its about 40 m ile on the A roads from here, not sure on your post code but from memory its
probably about the same if you stick to the A roads, but obviously having to go through the tunnel.
Joe
I am very much the same, I was racing in club championships before I started my build – the only reason I stopped racing was due to lack of funds.
Following the completion of my build I was exactly the same, I didn’t see the point in just jumping in the car and going for a drive. But, recently
that has all changed as I have got involved with a group of other drivers with various other cars including Ferrari’s / Porsche’s / TVR’s etc and now
head off in the very early hours of Sunday mornings for a reasonably paced drive on empty roads.
The drives tend to be approx 100 miles and we usually finish at a nice location for breakfast, this is what I built my car for driving it properly
with like-minded drivers. It may be worth having a look round your local area and see if anything like this goes on. Since I got involved with the
first one, I have now had invites to other runs, which are not in the public domain (to help keep unwanted attention away )
quote:
Originally posted by welderman
never been to Formby point or Formby to think of it, its about 40 m ile on the A roads from here, not sure on your post code but from memory its probably about the same if you stick to the A roads, but obviously having to go through the tunnel.
Joe
Here's one from the left field and it may sound sacrilegious but have you thought about/tried riding a m/cycle?
There are a fair few on here (self incl.) who both drive and ride.
I reckon it's all about the buzz and frankly the buzz comes a lot easier/quicker on a bike than in a car.
Also bikes are a lot easier to own - smaller, cheaper to run'ish and a lot less hassle to just jump on and take off on it.
Just my two pennies worth.
Cheers, Pewe
Yes that option had crossed my my mind but, not having had a bike for a very long time, I felt that it would be too much of an acknowledgement that
this really is a mid-life crisis