Well after following this forum for over 5 years I finally broke down and picked up a new Nissan GTR. I just couldn't justify spending so much time building the SLC due to work and family demands. I hope to still see some of you at the track even though you'll most likely pass me by. I have already ordered roughly 750hp worth of parts just to make it harder for you guys haha. Maybe when things settle down for me in the future I can dream about getting into the RCR family with some kind of build. Best of luck to everyone in the forum and thanks for the many years of answering my dumb questions.
Finally broke down and got something else.
- Thread starter Turbohips
- Start date
marc
Lifetime Supporter
You didn't build model cars when you where young did you?
No satisfaction in creating?
Oh well, too bad...for you. Because the GTR is going to be ancient history in just a few years and you will not have the satisfaction of owning a real legend that stands out everywhere.
Side by side people will look at the SLC and think wow, and look at the GTR and think "just another Datsun"
Sometimes you got to be the black sheep.
No satisfaction in creating?
Oh well, too bad...for you. Because the GTR is going to be ancient history in just a few years and you will not have the satisfaction of owning a real legend that stands out everywhere.
Side by side people will look at the SLC and think wow, and look at the GTR and think "just another Datsun"
Sometimes you got to be the black sheep.
"Different strokes", Marc. There's nothing at all wrong with his decision. (Personally, I'd have gone a different route...but, that's me.) Whatever floats one's own boat...:2thumbsup:
Enjoy your new ride, Bruce! :thumbsup:
GTR is a great car!
Congrat's and enjoy it.
Ignore the trolls.
To the troll:
Dear Mr Da Vinci,
Putting together a jigsaw designed and made by a creative person doesn't make you creative. It certainly doesn't qualify you to look down on someone with different priorities - work and family - maybe Bruce is the smarter one here...
Your post makes you look like a... well this isn't the paddock so I'll leave it there.
To a lot of us, spending time with family is a necessity whereas time spent building a car is a luxury.
Believe it or not many people seriously couldn't give a toss what others think of their vehicle choices. Many people build/buy cars for their own personal needs and/or enjoyment, not so they can get their ego stroked by strangers in some parking lot. In fact you may be surprised to learn that people who put family first don't often find themselves needing stroking by strangers in parking lots at all...
Once again Bruce, congrats on buying a great car!
Tim.
Congrat's and enjoy it.
Ignore the trolls.
To the troll:
Dear Mr Da Vinci,
Putting together a jigsaw designed and made by a creative person doesn't make you creative. It certainly doesn't qualify you to look down on someone with different priorities - work and family - maybe Bruce is the smarter one here...
Your post makes you look like a... well this isn't the paddock so I'll leave it there.
To a lot of us, spending time with family is a necessity whereas time spent building a car is a luxury.
Believe it or not many people seriously couldn't give a toss what others think of their vehicle choices. Many people build/buy cars for their own personal needs and/or enjoyment, not so they can get their ego stroked by strangers in some parking lot. In fact you may be surprised to learn that people who put family first don't often find themselves needing stroking by strangers in parking lots at all...
Once again Bruce, congrats on buying a great car!
Tim.
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I find this dialogue very similar to the model airplane hobby. Pre ~90s, to fly model airplanes you pretty much had to learn to build and set them up and probably crash a few times in the learning process. ...Sure there were ARFs back then too, but the were 'spensive and not that great (IMHO). Nowadays, kit builders are a rarity. Pre-built planes, foamies and modern electonics have tured the hobby upside down. I have seen many planes end up in the trash bin after a minor crash because the owner did not posess the skill / knowledge to fix it.
....something has been lost in the transition.
5 yrs ago. I tought my son to build up a pure kit. a 70's era dynaflight butterfly. Our first time at the local field, My kid was the center of attention, with new and old flyers alike asking him about the plane and the build. We covered it with translucent mono-kote, so the build up wood construction would be obvious to everyone. My kid got a huge boost in pride having folks pay respect to the build process.
Nothing wrong with pre-builts, or buying a modern sports car. Its just a different experience when you build something yourself.
and: There is a huge difference between a $100 / 3 month airplane build and a +$90,000 / >1yr car build. ;-)
....something has been lost in the transition.
5 yrs ago. I tought my son to build up a pure kit. a 70's era dynaflight butterfly. Our first time at the local field, My kid was the center of attention, with new and old flyers alike asking him about the plane and the build. We covered it with translucent mono-kote, so the build up wood construction would be obvious to everyone. My kid got a huge boost in pride having folks pay respect to the build process.
Nothing wrong with pre-builts, or buying a modern sports car. Its just a different experience when you build something yourself.
and: There is a huge difference between a $100 / 3 month airplane build and a +$90,000 / >1yr car build. ;-)
Why? :squint:
Anybody can own a new 'Vette...or a new GTR for that matter! lol!
Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, "greener grass" only looks that way. 'Just sayin'...
This seems like a false choice to me- there are plenty of good builders who can build an SLC that can be customized to your specific requirements. So you could have an SLC with essentially no time away from work and family.
And the finished cost of a pretty fast SLC is much less than a new GTR.
Having a nice, new production car isn't a bad thing, and I expect you will enjoy the GTR. But it's a funny car to choose as opposed to an SLC, as they are polar opposites in so many ways, starting with weight- you are giving up more literally than a ton of weight with the Nissan, compared to the SLC. No amount of technology in the Nissan can make up for that much of a difference in weight, when you actually want to extract the most from either car.
Not quite a ton but close :laugh: Not knocking but are you all familiar with the GTR's capabilities? A base GTR does 0-60 in under 3 seconds and is quicker than a 458, 430 scud, lp560, [insert "supercar" here] around the ring. The nismo is just behind the 918, [insert "hypercar" here] around the ring (which is just behind the radical sr8). The GTR may weigh 3800 lbs but it sure doesn't seem like it with the times it posts and the hp it has. It may not be the most exotic and it won't be as quick around the track as an SLC, but it is undoubtedly the best bang for your buck for production cars, doesn't behave like a 2 ton 4 seater, and imo does surprisingly well against a race car like the SLC.
FYI, I write this as someone who isn't personally a huge fan of the GTR but respects the hell out of it.
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I respect the numbers the GTR puts down. But good god, she's fugly! An ACR Viper is faster than the GTR in nearly every way, IF driven properly. Anybody can drive a Playsta- er, GTR, but not everyone can drive pure driving machines like the ACR, SLC, GT40, even a Miata, etc.
Have fun with your Playstation GTR.
Have fun with your Playstation GTR.
To all the supporters, I thank you kindly. For the others, oh well guess we weren't meant to be friends and that doesn't bother me one bit. The main reason why I had so much interest in the SLC was due to the joy/pains of building a car from the ground up. I do wish to someday do so. I never cared about how others view my car from parking lots or gas stations. I can afford to buy other exotics for that if I was interested in that type of thing. Unfortunately, I can't afford the time to build a car. Now with regards to my other cars that I've modified I was able to accomplish most mods within a couple of days progressively and that was tremendously fun just like I'm currently doing with my new car. Perhaps I might be able to try out an easier build car that won't take as much time. I'll contact Fran, like I have over the years, and speak with him about that. I'm not trolling and only wanted to thank everyone over the years. For the haters, I thank you still for whatever contributions you've made to the community and hope to change your mind about me and my decisions somehow in the near future. Best wishes for all. I'll still lurk on here to perhaps spark the motivation for me to do a build one day. Take care and best of luck to everyone.
Congrats on the GTR.
I've been waiting for the GTA / Apex to come out and looking for others that fit my wants and needs for over 2-1/2 years. Heath problems also made it a better decision to wait before starting a build too. During that time I bought a BMW Z4 roadster and really enjoyed it and sure do miss it. I sold it a few months ago and started my business back up and now this Apex has just been made available to buy.epper:
The time is right for me to build now, you'll know when the time to build is right for you.
:chug:
I've been waiting for the GTA / Apex to come out and looking for others that fit my wants and needs for over 2-1/2 years. Heath problems also made it a better decision to wait before starting a build too. During that time I bought a BMW Z4 roadster and really enjoyed it and sure do miss it. I sold it a few months ago and started my business back up and now this Apex has just been made available to buy.
epper:The time is right for me to build now, you'll know when the time to build is right for you.
:chug:
Congrats on the car.
They are really nice cars, but man I wouldn't want to work on one... they look like a nightmare.
It was on my list of cars to choose from before I picked the SLC so I know that internal struggle.
Best part about the car hobby... You can buy/sell any time and always have more than one!
~Eric
They are really nice cars, but man I wouldn't want to work on one... they look like a nightmare.
It was on my list of cars to choose from before I picked the SLC so I know that internal struggle.
Best part about the car hobby... You can buy/sell any time and always have more than one!
~Eric
A GTR is over 4000 lbs with a driver and fuel. While most SLCs are over 2000 lbs, a really light one could be at that weight with some effort, though I'm sure very few are. So I guess the GTR really isn't typically a whole ton heavier than the SLC.
The factory 01 car has come up against several GTRs at the track over the years. At Autobahn, it was about 20 seconds a lap faster on the long course, IIRC. At Summit, we saw one or two running about 10 or so seconds slower than us on a track with about a 76 second lap time for the 01. So, based on the experience with the 01 car, the GTR really isn't close at all.
Either the GTR has an inflated reputation for speed, or most people don't know just how fast the SLC really is.
And, to the OP's point, you can still get a finished SLC, built by a pro builder, for less than a new GTR, so the argument about time spent away from work and family seems weak.
It's OK to want a Nissan, and I hope the OP is happy with the decision. I know it's possible to have a heavy car that is still lots of fun. I just don't understand the logic behind the decision, at least as described in the original post.
marc
Lifetime Supporter
Yes, I guess I am a "hater". But not, I do understand your position. I am working on my projects as a escape from work, for I find solace and peace getting my hands dirty and enjoy every moment I get to work on my projects. I just know that I have great satisfaction and sense of accomplishment that transcends just getting in a car and turning the key. And of course there times you would not want to put an SLC or in my case the P4 on the road in the wet or be forced to have a only one car running. I was down to that issue when my F250 blew the EGR and head gaskets. Now that has been a project. I have bruises and scratches and diesel crud that takes alot of time to remove. Not to mention the questions of why an exec has such rough hands. Nevertheless, yes, it is my opinion and enjoy the GTR for now. For those that are like me, "You'll be back, they always come back."
I like to be different, and whether someone else likes or dislikes my choice, is their decision. Personally, I am not one to be cool or liked by what I drive. And with the P4 it is the antithesis of a kit. Not liked for building a F car that is not a true Fer... and well I don't like the GT 40, and when I started, the SLC was not my first choice. To each their own.
You know, next time you could commission Fran to build the car for you and be turn key.
The GTR is a really nice super car with all its capabilities, I just stated my opinion. And the last I checked we are still allowed to do that.
Just for yall to see my kit as it was rolled in my house. Way forward in build but I don't get a lot of time to play with it.
Enjoy the ride!
I like to be different, and whether someone else likes or dislikes my choice, is their decision. Personally, I am not one to be cool or liked by what I drive. And with the P4 it is the antithesis of a kit. Not liked for building a F car that is not a true Fer... and well I don't like the GT 40, and when I started, the SLC was not my first choice. To each their own.
You know, next time you could commission Fran to build the car for you and be turn key.
The GTR is a really nice super car with all its capabilities, I just stated my opinion. And the last I checked we are still allowed to do that.
Just for yall to see my kit as it was rolled in my house. Way forward in build but I don't get a lot of time to play with it.
Enjoy the ride!
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marc
Lifetime Supporter
My wife and I are quite happy that the kids are "long gone" doing what they want. I have to admit, I did not consider family issues or the money side of others. For many these cars are unobtainable dreams. I waited 35 years to get the opportunity.
Fran builds a great beginning platform, unless he builds the whole car for you, you don't know. What he provides in a safe and smart initial platform to make the rest of the choices in building a kit, maybe creative if you say. I disagree with you. But thanks for calling me DaVinci instead of troll.
As for ego, hah, if you knew me that is far down on my list. I just love to build things to go fast and have fun. If someone else sees it and likes good for them, I build to my tastes. I hope you will learn that. I have. Besides, you can't tell a tease when you read it?
Marc re' teasing: I guess I can't. To me it just looked like someone raining on someone else's parade with no reason except to be a killjoy.
It seemed to me to be very defensive, as though you felt attacked by the OP's choice. Made me wonder if you were really happy that you had made whatever choice you had.
TBH, on rereading it still doesn't look like teasing but I'll take your word for it.
Good luck to all of you with your choices. We can't all be the same and we can't always understand another persons situation.
Putting family before building a car does not deserve derision.
GTR is a bloody great car, for the unblinkered anyway. OP may be interested in more than just fastest at some track.
I love my 69 Mustang and it's one of the slowest cars I own, around a track anyway. I think the only car I have that would be slower is a Suzuki Sierra farm car.
Seems as though the OP is intending to keep his building an SLC dream alive anyway. I hope he gets to have both.
Tim.
It seemed to me to be very defensive, as though you felt attacked by the OP's choice. Made me wonder if you were really happy that you had made whatever choice you had.
TBH, on rereading it still doesn't look like teasing but I'll take your word for it.
Good luck to all of you with your choices. We can't all be the same and we can't always understand another persons situation.
Putting family before building a car does not deserve derision.
GTR is a bloody great car, for the unblinkered anyway. OP may be interested in more than just fastest at some track.
I love my 69 Mustang and it's one of the slowest cars I own, around a track anyway. I think the only car I have that would be slower is a Suzuki Sierra farm car.
Seems as though the OP is intending to keep his building an SLC dream alive anyway. I hope he gets to have both.
Tim.
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20 seconds faster,, that is quick, but is it a fair comparison? There are too many variables to really generalize that it's that much faster. The 01 car is a full up race car, with lots of down force, and sticky racing slicks. What did the GTR have? Was it essentially a street car doing a track day, or was it a race prepped car with full roll cage, racing tires, ect? Was this an actual race, or just on a track day? Just going from street tires to slicks could account for 5-10 seconds. Also, isn't the 01 driven by a professional race car driver. What kind of driver was in the GTR? If it was a track day, it's a good possibility it was just some guy that wanted to get his foot on the peddle with his car, and like a lot of guys that take their daily out for a track day, they are certainly not going to push every second.
There is a youtube somewhere of a Ron Simons taking an Ultima GTR 720, I believe around the ring (This was an actual test driver, the show/clip also starred Sabine Schmitz), I would think that these cars are very comparable in terms of performance to the SLC, there was light traffic, and he was still only able to get about 7:28 (IIRC) which is still blazingly fast, and yes the car was on street tires. So when the Nissan GTR Nismo does a 7:08, that says a lot for what technology can do.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAuKkzhybF0
Trust me, I want the SLC to be the fastest thing around. Why, because I am in the middle of building one. I don't want to be envious of the guys that test drive exotic top end supercars, because I'll have one with the same capability in my garage.
I did too at first, esp the first time I saw the C7 (definitely the wow factor), and looked at how much you get for about the same price as a budget conscious SLC (I'm looking at being just a tad over $60k), and thought instead of still building it (about 3 months into it), I could be driving, comes with a warranty, and makes for a nice daily driver (esp if you want to use a factory type steering wheel making ingress and egress a little tricky.)
However, there are a few things that take me back to why I went this route.
1) It's always been a dream to build a car -ever since I was about 10
2) The car really sticks out, if you want a conversation piece, you got one. Right now as just a rolling chassis, I towed the car on a trailor to the workshop, and you would not believe how many times the car was photographed. And that was a roller without even the body prepped (no holes cut out for anything). As for the C7, it looks great, but I see at least 3 to 4 of them a day, which does make it less special. Because we have to be honest about this one, one of the reasons we drive a car like this isn't just because it is fast and handles great. If handling and speed were the only factors, you could take a Miata, swap in a V8 (it's been done multiple times), throw in some suspension mods, and you would have one killer track car for a whole heck of a lot less, but it should would not have the "WOW" factor the SLC has.
3) The car is incredibly light. Even if you put all the bells and whistles into it,, it's still going to come out about 600lbs or more lighter than the Vette. I've always wanted something that will scare the heck out of me and would continuously test my ability to push the car to it's limits. I think the SLC qualifies.
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