V8 Supercars

[Pete.]

The V8 Supercars come to Queensland Raceway this weekend.

I couldn't find any pictures of the cars, so posted these pics of the girls instead. I hope you don't mind.

[Paul Thompson 'Hooligan']

Fine by me Pete....

Post away....

[Peter D]

Pete, good chassis & bodywork !

But as a capital investment over time, I suspect that the asset value will decline, & the maintenance costs might become astronomical !!

Kind Regards,

Peter D.

[Pete.]

Hehehehehe! You are right Peter, I acquired a similar model 30 years ago. And while at first it was beautiful and turned heads wherever we went. Now although still in good shape for her years, the upholstery is worn and requires re-furbishing. Over the years the maintenance costs have become staggering. She guzzles fuel and insists that it is extracted only from the finest grapes.
Once very easy to handle she is now likely to spin out at the least provocation. Taking her for a joy ride, once a daily occurrence now only happens when Venus is in the cusp of Mars or some such cosmic event occurs.
All in all I would advise forum members not to purchase similar models, but stick to renting them.

[Jac Mac]

HeHeHe, hey Pete, your obviously bought the long distance version, What you wanted was the Street Race Model, where if you have an off course excursion and rough her up a bit you get another one with new chassis & bodywork!!

Jac Mac

[Russ Noble]

Jeez Pete,

If Di sees that I can picture an expensive divorce rapidly looming.......

Remember the edit button is only good for an hour. You better move fast!!!

Cheers

[JimmyMac]

Pete,
I got a similar marque to you twenty seven ago.
The bodywork and upholstery are still in geat shape as it goes for a run every morning. The paintwork needs doing a wee bit more regularly but it still turns heads at every outing.
Mine has also gone green and runs on water, but these days that is just as expensive as the more traditional fuel.

I've been using it without papers for these twenty seven years but I sorted that in May this year and registered it legit with a licence for £44.50.

Chopping those older models in for a new one cost too much now. The start up costs are horrendous. A few of the older guys are buying Asian models by mail order these days but these also cost more for maintenance in the long run.

You might even have to do a re-bore and update the intelligent chip on any new one to make it as good as the old one. After all they were better built then.

If I was you I'd keep that old one stick some gold on it and take it out more often. You might want to keep it out of the sun, however.

[Peter D]

Pete, you are a brave man, given that Di has dropped into the Forum from time to time !

Perhaps some comments about a fine wine being "young & cheeky", then maturing into something priceless like a "Grange Hermitage" might save your bacon !!

BTW : Given a blank sheet of paper (ie, if I was single), I reckon that the optimum approach to the enjoyment of these assets would be by way of the rental model - no depreciation problems with that one !

As a friend of mine once said : "I don't pay them to stay the night, I just pay them to go away in the morning" !!

Kind Regards,

Peter D.

[Bill Bayard]

In reality, none of them are completely green (with envy perhaps).

You are in denial if you won't admit that they only run well on a very

expensive, carbon based fuel. After all, diamonds are a girl's best friend!

Keep them dripping in their favorite fuel, and they'll run forever.

For those high maintenance, rental versions, there's always cubic zirconia!




Bill

[JimmyMac]

Base material can also give you a rash.

[JimmyMac]

Some of the less conventional models run on their own but need special parts

[Trevor Booth]

The only problem with rental models is the road they may have travelled before. !!! Personally I am not into Hertz models, But speaking from experience the alternative is VERY expensive when it decides to turn left for no apparent reason and that HURTZ. If your model has that patina of a long and illustrious career, just keep up the payments and enjoy.

[Pete.]

Upon reflection I am very very happy with the model I have. She is as you say Peter, like a fine Grange Hermitage. (Hope that works)
Although I have been known to look at newer models from time to time and have been tempted to do the odd road test.
But as I am only interested in unique and exotic models the price is way out of my league.
Yep the model I have will do me, she appears to be ageless with bodywork that still excites one, even though it was designed some time ago. A bit like a GT40 or a Lola really.

[Dimi]

The trouble with a Grange Hermitage is that it has cost you a small?? fortune but you never get to drink it.
And sometimes if you do it has probably gone off.

The biggest trouble with the older models is that they get harder and harder to start till you get to the point of wanting to use the choke which can cause the engine to explode in a most violent manner.

At least with the newer models they start easily and when running they purr like kittens.

My last older model began costing money and before it was consigned to the wreckers had racked up a bill of half a million dollars.

Dimi

[Trevor Booth]

Dimi,
half a million !! man you got off lightly. But you are right with the newer models, I wandered into a refuelling place several years ago, my current model at least supports STITS.

[Trevor Booth]

Jimmy Mac,
Are they the self starting models by any chance ??

[JimmyMac]

Trevor,
Usually named Genny and self start when the lights go out.

[Pete.]

Jimmy that would be the models manufactured in Glasgow then?

[Pete.]

Tasman Motorsport’s Jason Richards has swapped machines ahead of this week’s V8 Supercar round at Queensland Raceway and is promising to “tear up the circuit”.

Last week Richards publicly criticised the track, labelling it “mind numbing” and suggesting its designers had done a poor job.

“Driving Queensland Raceway in the past has been as painful as pulling teeth, but now I reckon I could really dig the place,” Richards said.

The 30-year-old today swapped his Tasman Motorsport Holden Commodore V8 Supercar for a Cavallo Earthworks 20-tonne Sumitomo excavator.

“After last week’s controversies we’ve had a really big think about how best to attack the track and with the 20-tonner we’ve now got a machine that we can really tear up the place with!”

Richards said it was possible to make the track more interesting with the excavator than the Commodore.

“I’ve had some serious ups and downs there in the past, but with a machine like this we could put in some hills, a few more curves, give the place some character which it desperately needs