Very Seriously Considering doing Lemons

[MattFarah]

We are going to put together a Lemons team to race in next May's 24 hours of Lemons at Reno-Fernley Raceway in Nevada. I saw this track while on the Bullrun reality show, and short of Road America or the Nurburgring, this is the best race track I've ever been to in my life. 4.2 Miles, 24 turns, over 100 feet of elevation changes, amazing. Anyone on the west coast want to be part of the team or have a $500 car they want to sell us?

[Posmo]

[Mr. Nice]

Sounds great! Would love to see this!!!

[Steve Levin]

I think I could be talked into it.

RFR's an interesting track, the upper level is a lot like Streets of Willows -- almost auto-cross'ish.

The original track (the 2.1 mile layout) is used for the SCCA National Races and is wicked fast -- you turn into the esses at about 110mph still flat on the gas.

Steve

[Ferrari_Freak]

Yeah do it! It would be amazing to see. I think it would be really cool if you guys make an extended episode out of it that shows prepping the car, going to the race, practice, actual race at day, race at night, people's curse ceremony, etc.

[MattFarah]

If we do it, we would probably end up making 8-10 total videos about it, from driving the car for the first time to racing the car, the build, scrapping of junk, etc. So I wouldn't worry too much about video coverage. In fact, I should start looking for extra volunteer videographers who could contribute footage during the race.

[brydiem]

cool, I would definitely watch that. Would be cool if the FG team could go up too, little challenge/rivalry between the two teams!!!

(joke, i know that is pretty much so impossible )

[Austere]

I might have a spare W108...

[MattFarah]

I think shipping it to the US would be budget prohibitive, but if it happens to be laying about in the california area already, I'll take it!

[Motorhead007]

this would be great to see u guys do. i wish i lived closer i would love to help.

[Punisher Bass]

Originally Posted by brydiem

cool, I would definitely watch that. Would be cool if the FG team could go up too, little challenge/rivalry between the two teams!!!

(joke, i know that is pretty much so impossible )

Let me tell you a little story...

Way back in May I got in contact with Mr. Farah about Garage 419 possibly coming out to Nelson Ledges to cover the event and maybe even drive with us. Over several weeks we traded PM's on here back and forth trying to work out the details. Things were going well and a meeting between him and the rest of the Final Gear team was going to take place around late june or early july (I don't remember the exact date) on IRC, which Matt no showed. He gave no reason or excuse, he simply stopped responding to my messages all together, the last thing he told me was that the rest of the G419 crew was into the idea and he was talking to their advertisers to see if they could raise the money to make the trip.

After 4 messages that went without a response over the course of July, I figured we were apparently not worth his time or effort. And now he's all fired up and ready to do LeMons on his own. I'd think twice about wanting to lend him a helping hand if I were you.

[MattFarah]

You make an honest evaluation here, mr. bass. I never showed in your chatroom, and once I realized that I wasn't going to do the race, I never messaged you again. There were 3 major breakdowns.

1) Money. When we were discussing doing Lemons together, I didn't have any. I had, literally, zero budget for travel, safety equipment, fuel, tires, nothing. So for me to go all the way to Ohio, at my own expense (and pay for any cameramen to come with me out of pocket), was totally un-feasable. Now, the race I'm looking at is in Nevada (driving distance from me), and I have a sponsor willing to cover all my expenses associated with the trip, excluding the car itself as is forbidden in the rules.

2) IRC. Don't know it, and really not interested in learning it, especially when the odds are silm that I'd make it to the race in the first place. That didn't help my motivation.

3) I don't need volunteers, extra drivers, team members or anything. I can make 5 phone calls in the next 5 minutes and have dozens of people waiting at the track for me with cameras, tools, spare parts, anything I need. So I will leave your dissuading post up in the interest of honesty, and if you have managed to talk someone out of helping me, that's fine. But I figured that since we're gonna run Lemons in 2010 on MY terms, I'd give people the opportunity to come help out if they wanted.

4) Lastly, you hadn't lost anything by me not partaking in your Lemons trip. It's not like you paid for a spot for me on the team and I didn't show up on race day. It's not like I took your car and said I was going to have work done on it, and then split to Mexico or something. We exchanged some emails and it clearly wasn't going to work out at that time. I really don't see what the big deal is.

[Punisher Bass]

Originally Posted by MattFarah

You make an honest evaluation here, mr. bass. I never showed in your chatroom, and once I realized that I wasn't going to do the race, I never messaged you again. There were 3 major breakdowns.

Well at least you admit that much. However a simple message saying "Sorry, it's not going to work out" was too much trouble for you? It was the least you could have done after spending over a month trying to work out a plan.

1) Money. When we were discussing doing Lemons together, I didn't have any. I had, literally, zero budget for travel, safety equipment, fuel, tires, nothing. So for me to go all the way to Ohio, at my own expense (and pay for any cameramen to come with me out of pocket), was totally un-feasable. Now, the race I'm looking at is in Nevada (driving distance from me), and I have a sponsor willing to cover all my expenses associated with the trip, excluding the car itself as is forbidden in the rules.

You never said you'd be paying out of pocket, simply that you were "talking to the advertisers" to raise the money. I later found out from talking to someone close to the situation that you never even brought up the idea of doing LeMons with the rest of the G419/Fast Lane Daily let alone "the advertisers".

Not exactly the story you gave me at the time.

2) IRC. Don't know it, and really not interested in learning it, especially when the odds are silm that I'd make it to the race in the first place. That didn't help my motivation.

Again, you gave no indication that things would not work out, you just no showed. I gave you the benefit of the doubt and tried to continue working things out with you, but again you showed we're not worth your time by simply not responding.

3) I don't need volunteers, extra drivers, team members or anything. I can make 5 phone calls in the next 5 minutes and have dozens of people waiting at the track for me with cameras, tools, spare parts, anything I need. So I will leave your dissuading post up in the interest of honesty, and if you have managed to talk someone out of helping me, that's fine. But I figured that since we're gonna run Lemons in 2010 on MY terms, I'd give people the opportunity to come help out if they wanted.

If you have such resources at your disposal, then why have you asked the Final Gear community for help on several occasions? You've asked them to volunteer their cars for you to drive. When you split from Fast Lane Daily you asked for them to come up with a name for your new show. You asked them to come up with a web designer for you. And now you're asking them for help with LeMons.

It doesn't seem fair to me that you expect us to help you out when you won't give us the time of day.

4) Lastly, you hadn't lost anything by me not partaking in your Lemons trip. It's not like you paid for a spot for me on the team and I didn't show up on race day. It's not like I took your car and said I was going to have work done on it, and then split to Mexico or something. We exchanged some emails and it clearly wasn't going to work out at that time. I really don't see what the big deal is.

Thankfully no. The only thing we were out was the time we wasted trying to work with you. The problem is just that no one is apparently worth your attention unless they're doing something for you.

[Elvis313]

I can't help but think that this is a personal thing between the two of you and I'm not sure this is the right battleground for it.

Obviously, I'm not in the US at that point but if it was an event somwhere close to me I'd be happy to be there and I think there are plenty of US-members in here who are. So I don't see the point in spoiling it for those.

PB, I can understand that you're dissapointed but maybe you should resolve this via PM or E-Mail

[Punisher Bass]

Originally Posted by Elvis313

PB, I can understand that you're dissapointed but maybe you should resolve this via PM or E-Mail

I tried that before, he wouldn't respond. When it's in public view he can't dodge the questions as easily.

[MattFarah]

You are right, this is not a topic that deserves a public forum. Clearly I have offended someone, and that person doesn't want to help me out with Lemons, and that's fine.

However, if anyone else is on the west coast of the US and would like to help out in some respect, you're welcome to be a part of it.

This is an offer to be a part of our show, not asking for help with something we can't do on our own.

[BrettVette]

I personally think this is a great idea, and a great, low-budget way (theoretically) to get material for TST. Might i suggest another Volvo 240-camino? Not sure if the tommy boy door would pass tech inspection...

[MattFarah]

You know, I very nearly kicked myself in the nuts when I thought about that Volvo. I mean, I had more fun destroying that car than I have ever had in my life, but on the other hand, that Volvo's drivetrain was 100 percent perfect. After the crashes, drifts, burnouts, donuts, everything I asked of that car, It's still perfect, and it doesn't have door panels or a roof, and I'm pretty sure that DQ's it from Lemons competition. And that really bums me out, because, and I swear this on all things holy, the actual purchase price of that car was $300. I'm not kidding.

[Posmo]

Originally Posted by MattFarah

You know, I very nearly kicked myself in the nuts when I thought about that Volvo. I mean, I had more fun destroying that car than I have ever had in my life, but on the other hand, that Volvo's drivetrain was 100 percent perfect. After the crashes, drifts, burnouts, donuts, everything I asked of that car, It's still perfect, and it doesn't have door panels or a roof, and I'm pretty sure that DQ's it from Lemons competition. And that really bums me out, because, and I swear this on all things holy, the actual purchase price of that car was $300. I'm not kidding.

Just weld some sheetmetal for panels, and get some doors from a junkyard?

[MattFarah]

It has no front or rear doors, no roof, and no B or C pillar.... I really think it's beyond competition level at this point.