Tuesday, December 23, 2008

We're confirmed for the repeat

The email has arrived:LeMons Gator-O-Rama: YOU'RE IN!

The organizers set the residual "value" of Lockjaw at $290 after the October race. About $25 of the $210 we can spend on repairs will be used for replacing the alternator belt and grease to repack every CV joint. I suppose we may also attempt to fix the speedometer (maybe). I really want to find an anti-roll bar for the car, but sourcing one cheaply enough hasn't panned out yet. Junkyard prowling may fill an afternoon soon -- aftermarket sway bars are well out of our budget. If you know of a dirt-cheap source for a '95 neon sport sway bar, please leave a comment.

Even if I was inclined to bend the rules and get spendy on a sway bar for Lockjaw, I won't. Funds are needed more for the second car preparation. Although Junior hasn't confirmed it with me, I see the team name for the second car in the entry list so I believe that we're now officially a two-car operation! That car still needs a roll cage and other safety equipment installed so things will get interesting again quickly.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

It's like a virus

Today I discovered that LeMons, like the common cold, is viral. Just like a virus, the urge to compete in LeMons is contageous. A colleague's husband is racing a Firebird (with a Camero front end, natch) this February. !!! I thought I was the only crazy doctor in Houston, but apparently I'm wrong. Okay, okay. Technically, the doctor isn't the one racing, it's the husband, but still. She is letting this heap of crapitude sit in her driveway without complaint.

And you should see this beast of a lemon. The fender is held on by rivets. The orginal wheels were HUGE in the back and tiny in the front. It lacks a hood. The body has at least three different paint colors visible, and I think I spotted some Bondo. It cost $450. They claim that they've sold $300 in parts. It'll be good.

(Side note - they hadn't realized that a hood is somewhat optional. They still don't really believe that they don't need one. Maybe they'll believe once I show pictoral proof? And they didn't believe that cheating is rampant, either. Such cute little LeMons virgins!)

I shouldn't make too much fun, though. The team has serious race experience in the Porsche Club of America. The team leader actually ran the recent PCA autocross skills class. Yikes!

I heart new friends.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Look Ma, I'm driving now!

I'm Doctawife - Chris' less savory half. And yes, I'm really a doctor. Due to the Test of Massive Proportion - henceforth known as the TOMP - I couldn't drive in the last race. I was around for almost all of the ill-conceived machinations... but I didn't get to take part in of any of the fun.

This year will be different.

I'm driving, bitches, so get out of my way!

My super-sexy way, I might add. I just bought a stylin' race suit from Wesco Performance. And I do mean stylin' - black and pink with European epaulets. Aww yeah.

In order to preserve legitimacy in the face of my overwhelming PINKNESS I have actually gotten dirty on the new car. The new ride isn't for us - Chris and I are still faithful to the Tetanus. We've acquired so many new drivers that we need two cars. The second car has no name as of yet, but we've already inflicted some serious damage. More damage in three weeks than we did in three months on Tetanus, as a matter of fact. I personally take most of the credit for removing the radiator, the power steering reservoir/pump and the AC compressor. Some of those parts might actually be intact enough for resale! Our buddies Duy and Chuck removed the windows and power window motors, while Juan and Ramon Jr decimated the interior.

I must admit, however, that while I was productive, I was also a leeeeetle clutzy. I managed to strategically drop a socket into the power steering fluid reservoir from the windshield. Luckily, the oil filler wasn't open... it is perilously close to the fluid reservoir and would have been MUCH worse. And then I got to smash the reservoir to get the socket out. Big fun. ;)