Just want to ramble......

[03LightningRocks]

I am usually hesitant to post my personal bullsh!t on here, but I am going to do it this time.

In 2002 I aquire my 2003 Lightning. I am feeling like a kid with the new GI Joe sporting the kung foo grip. I set up a date to go down Florida way for some fancy bolt ons and custom research tuning at Super Chips. My truck becomes a 12.7x "rocket" and life is good. We spend the next several months driving to Ennis on Friday nights and racing for fun. Imagine that...racing for fricking fun. Pretty wild concept, isn't it? Small gains of a tenth here and there would send us hopping around with high fives. In the summer of 2003 we get the great idea to go with the Talon guys to FFW Houston. We break into the 12.3x's for the first time and get put out in the first round of TT. It was still fun....hell of alot of fun. One issue comes up. I tend to hate loosing and I got this bug in my head about getting punked out in the first round. A few months later we hit FFW Ennis. Damned if I didn't get punked in the first round again. So Howard and I set at the end of the track the rest of that day and talked about how we should be able to figure this crap out. Hell...it ain't like it's rocket science. About a month later we hit the TMMC what ever and run with Ken and Brent. Darned if we didn't set another new best and actually get to the third round. I am officially hooked. The next year or so is a blur of races, meeting new people, seeing new places I have never seen before and the quest for the 10's. Hell I even managed to win a FFW event and get runner up in two or three events. This year I unexpectedly blow a 10,000 dollar motor and end up spending 13 grand putting a newer more powerful motor in. I order up a totally enclosed trailer with all the bells and whistles. Life should be good...right?? You tell me. My truck needs a gawd damned transmition. I managed to mangle the monster box after about 500 passes...of which most where above the 500 HP mark. It sits in that fancy new trailer at the storage lot. Worse part of it is...I don't even give a sh!t about getting out and racing. I have so much going on with my business, I don't really have time to care much about racing....especially now that I turned it into work.

Why post all this crap? hell...I don't know. Maybe I am thinking I can retrieve my excitement for racing by posting my very own :ron: . Maybe I wanted to warn some of you guys about crossing that fine line between fun and work. Sometimes I sure wish for the good old days of just driving to the track...mounting up the slicks...and making a few passes in between visiting with friends.


Rocks:beer:

[L8 APEX]

I hear ya, a few of use have been in similar predicaments. After my JDM engine crapped in three months that was the begining of the end for me. Contributing factors were literally tunring it into work and getting laid off my old reliable day job. I decided to part out and sell my truck. It just wasn't feasable to go forward and we all know you can't go back. I tried the gen1 thing, didn't cut it for me. My decision was part principle and part economics. I didn't like the Jim took 8 months to fix my engine and then held it for a cash ransom in Houston. You are in the top 3% of Top Truck racers, there is a HIGH casualty rate at that level of performance as parts are concerned. You are probably the same mind set as me so slowing down isn't an option. I thought about a semi-stock lightning again. But it just wouldn't be the same knowing how great it once was. Running a business keeps your plate full this time of year. With all the hot days before summer your money should be replentishing itself from the off season spending. The support equipment like tools, trailer etc can be used for other hobbies or series of racing. Life is too short to do something you don't enjoy or have to do on your personal time. I am willing to help you however I can:tu: .

[QDRHRSE]

Ron,

I used to be obsessive about going fast too. I experienced the same thing. Once you reach a certain point it's no fun anymore and every nickel you spend is a nickel too much. Take a break. I learned that it was more fun to have a 12 second car that you can both drive all the time and beat on, then a 10 second race car. That's why I never put my old Mustang on slicks or on a trailer. As long as it never hooked- nothing broke. I didn't have to work on it much and it didn't cost much to own. Try to remember why you bought the L in the first place. Surely you didn't buy it to put it in a trailer and only drive it on the track. In fact, I bet you bought it because it was a pickup that hauled ass. Don't you think it's a little funny that you tow a pickup truck in an enclosed trailer? Maybe you should consider making it a fast street truck again. I guarantee less heartache and more fun.

[True Blue Aggie]

Rocks,

I know of a transmission with 9,000 miles on it located in Texas. Seller is a friend who pulled it out of a wrecked Lightning and is trying to get it sold. I could put you in touch???? Maybe have Terry work his magic on it? Or are you going to rebuild the Monster Box?

[Tex Arcana]

I know that feeling, man--I'm feeling it now, with this little home project going on. I'm almost having to force myself to go racing this weekend--and I'm not NEARLY doing what you're doing.

If you want a change of focus, try autocrossing. LOTS of attention, lots of people asking for rides, and lots of suprised looks when you actually do well. Not only that, it's low impact; and if you decide to move to another vehicle, shifter karts are cheap and fit in the back of the L. :tu:

[Mark #2]

I have been on the verge for a very long time and drive my truck everyday that it doesn't rain, which is a lot lately with all the fender well posts.
I have been very fortunate that the stock block is still in it after 6 years.
Or maybe the anal issue works?

I think that a street driven 11s truck is as far we should push these trucks for fun after that it becomes work.

Went through the same thing with the 911 pushed it too far to win races and now it sits for years. I would really like to drive it again but it is too much work and $$$. I should have stopped at some point and driven it these past years.

I am very proud of myself for leaving the K5 relatively stock, that is why I am still able to drive it 18 years later and I still like to drive it too.

Bottom line, if you want to drive it and have fun don't mod it too much. IMHO

[dboat]

Rocks,
Its about time and money, just read what you wrote. You enjoy racing it, but its those two factors. That is why so many come and go in racing, but the ones that stay, are those that find a way to get sponsorships and make the time to do it. You are devoted to your business. Believe me, I understand, as I have devoted myself to my career for over 20 years. But for you to find this fun again, you need to find someone that can manage your business and find sponsors to help pay for the truck. This is all easier said than done, but that is what it is, IMHO.
Otherwise, you can do what some of us do. Make it a reliable as stock truck and settle for that level of performance. That is what I have done. I prob could do a few more things, but I want to drive my truck every day that I can, and I realize that to do that means it wont do 10's or even 11's. I am going to be a 12-13's kind of guy. I do enjoy doing things to my truck so that it has some bling and some neat features that most other trucks dont have. There arent that many cars out there that can outdo my truck at any stoplight. I do plan on doing some 1/4 mile passes this year. But I will be set up to do and be able to drive it home. I wont push it beyond the breaking point, and thats ok.
I know you will do the right thing for you because you're a smart guy..
Well, now you have my opinion, whether you wanted it or not.
Dana

[StormShadow]

Care to reveal the question behind the Poll the other day?

[Tex Arcana]

Rocks,
Its about time and money, just read what you wrote. You enjoy racing it, but its those two factors. That is why so many come and go in racing, but the ones that stay, are those that find a way to get sponsorships and make the time to do it.

Those that stay for the long haul, usually have made racing into a business, whatever the success they eventually have with it.

[03LightningRocks]

Care to reveal the question behind the Poll the other day?

LOL.....no connection to this at all. That was really just as simple as it seemed. I was just curious which guys tend to say yes...and which guys tend to say no.


Back on this topic for a moment....the money part is really not my biggest issue. I tend not to spend more than I can afford. It is more of an issue concerning the PIA factor. The more involved I get with the whole racing deal...the more hassle I seem to encounter. I may just be suffering some burn out in general. I am having to focus on the business more to make it grow. I slacked off for a year or so and was not happy with our growth rate. Now I am making moves to get us to a 20-30 percent growth rate and it isn't easy.

Thanks for all the words of wisdom everyone. All very valid comments...IMHO.

My son has come in town for Fathers day weekend. That will help bring me out of my funk. We are pretty close and enjoy spending time together.:D

Rocks:beer:

[True Blue Aggie]

maybe this man needs a visit to a establishment with questionable moral values????? :evil

[Sixpipes]

Well, I remember when you first got your truck. Look back at some of your old posts and try to remember the enthusiasm you had when everything was new.

Bracket racing has a way of becoming self-defeating because the fastest guy (read here the guy that spent the most $$$ and has put the most work into his ride) does not always win. Looks to me like the guys that continue to have fun with the sport are the heads-up guys (mostly Gen I guys, but a few Gen II folks). There really is no/risk reward with bracket racing (read FFW). I have new found enthusiasm with my Gen II because of the Kenne Belle conversion and am really looking forward to getting it to the track. I think Mark is right, an 11-second daily driver is fairly rare and much more than that will get you into big $$$ and less reliability. With a few minor additions, I am through with the performance part of my Gen II.

I restored some of my lost enthusiasm for Lightnings when I bought my Gen I. Very weird, but I have not made a single mod to it since I bought it over a year ago and still love to drive the truck around town. I do have some plans for it over the winter, but bone stock the truck is a consistant bracket truck and still can leave a new Dodge hemi or Nissan from a light. Haven't run a Chevy SS, but it wouldn't surprise me if I could beat one of those from a light either. Major old school hotrod factor with a Gen I and I bought the thing for $6,500 and haven't spent a dime on it. Like Mark's K5, no money spent keeps expectations pretty low.

Now the big reason you're feeling it is FFW. What a beating that series has become. No big reward now that they have taken the truck off the board and the series is about Mustangs and has always has been. The truck class has been the red-headed step child of the weekend since day one, like it or not. So you're probably feeling unappreciated by FFW for all the effort you've given in the last couple of years and the bottom line is you're right.

I think if we start back up with the club thing locally, we will regain appreciation for what a good club we have and enjoy the fellowship at the local level a heck of alot more than traveling all over the country for nothing (in the end). One of the reasons folks enjoy LightningFest every year in my opinion.

So, I hear ya, but there is a solution. Forget about recouping your investment in both time and money and just enjoy what you have when you can. In the end, that's all you can do. :cool:

[dboat]

Dennis,
one of the most thoughtful posts I have read in a while..

Thanks
Dana

See ya at LFest:tu:

[wesman]

Rocks,

I'm not where you're at but I know the way you're feeling. I've had that same feeling in several of my rides. It gets to the point where you don't enjoy it anymore due to the issues that arise, just make it seem that it isn't worth it.

I've moved on from those vehicles into other ventures. I've spent a lot of money on my truck, but one of the lines I don't want to cross is not taking it out and having fun with it because of the fear of breaking something. Once it gets like that, I'm not having fun with it anymore. That's where I was with the 300TT's and the 350Z.

The truck is still a lot of fun for me and I want to keep it that way. This is one of the reasons that I have resisted going all out like you have with the cage etc. I'm happy with an 11 second truck, maybe I'll make a run at a big event and try to hit a high 10, who knows.

I'd like to see some more local racing events/gatherings with the club. I think that stepping away from all the traveling and expenditures ( I understand it's not about the money overall, it's still a frustraing part of it because of effort/time/money invested and such little reward).

I can't recall the last time I've seen your truck except at the shop. Maybe dialing it down a bit and taking it out and having fun will bring the love back for it. Looking forward to seeing you out :beer:

[Beaudee]

Sounds like you need to get Laid!!!:d :tu:

[99WhiteBeast]

I Haven't run a Chevy SS, but it wouldn't surprise me if I could beat one of those from a light either.


It will- I sure miss the G1 for all the reasons you stated.