24 Hrs of LeMons at CMP - We're In!!!!

TomFreeman · **Posted:** Thu Jul 31, 2008 9:29 am

Ditto to what Vincent said. The emphasis of the more recent events was NOT to be a demo derby. It was clearly stated in the drivers meeting, and there were penalties a plenty handed out for contact. The SN95 Mustang that punted me was pulled off the track for 2+ hours as he had been in contact before earlier in the day. I got penalized for being the recipient of the contact...but only a few minutes.

Not to mention, most of these cars were living a pretty rough life before they were picked up for LeMons cars. It's not like that 280ZX was some pristine example of the breed. It was a rusty, poorly cared for hulk. The RX-7 that won the event looked to be a very nice car from a distance, as did the E21 320i before it smacked the armco near the end...but I never looked at either car up close.

I guess I just look at it differently...these cars were rescued from rusting into obscurity and given an opportunity to run for the glory of it. I know nobody cares about my junkpile E30 in this crowd, but I did receive some of the same "your destroying such a nice car" on an e30 board I had subscribed to. Believe me, it wasn't a nice car. It was reasonably mechanically sound, but it had been hit pretty hard and had several body panels replaced, little dents and dings galore, the interior was a ratty nightmare, the sunroof was caulked shut, and every idiot light on the dashboard was shining brightly. I would venture a guess that most of the cars involved were in a similar state before their LeMons prep.

BretLuter · **Posted:** Thu Jul 31, 2008 10:15 am

TomFreeman wrote:

and every idiot light on the dashboard was shining brightly.

calling to their brothers in the driver's seat.................

:shock:

I know what you're saying here Tom. I didn't see any car out there that really made me think it was being used for the wrong purpose. I was a bit surprised when I first saw the BMW 635 in the paddock, but one look at it up close told me they were not in danger of destroying anything that was worth saving- that car was rough.

We're not talking extremely rare cars here either- and the fact is that the examples chosen for the race were basically major beaters and/or potential parts cars anyway- so driving them in LeMons lets them go out in a blaze of their former glory.

Oh, and 280zx's are all pieces of crap anyway, I would not hesitate to turn the nicest one in existence into a LeMons car, then drive like a complete A-Hole just so I could see it getting crushed!!!

:wink:

Ryan Holton · **Posted:** Thu Jul 31, 2008 10:20 am

TomFreeman wrote:

Believe me, it wasn't a nice car. It was reasonably mechanically sound, but it had been hit pretty hard and had several body panels replaced, little dents and dings galore, the interior was a ratty nightmare, the sunroof was caulked shut, and every idiot light on the dashboard was shining brightly. I would venture a guess that most of the cars involved were in a similar state before their LeMons prep.

I remember seeing Deiter being unloaded at my house for the first time. He was a real looker from about 50', the more I looked and the more Tom talked about the car, the more I questioned his sanity. In the end, I guess Tom picked a good one but certainly could have easily been crushed and forgot about.

Marty Howard · **Posted:** Thu Jul 31, 2008 10:24 am

BretLuter wrote:

Oh, and 280zx's are all pieces of crap anyway, I would not hesitate to turn the nicest one in existence into a LeMons car, then drive like a complete A-Hole just so I could see it getting crushed!!!

:wink:

ummm, wha?

Stacy King · **Posted:** Thu Jul 31, 2008 10:32 am

BretLuter wrote:

Oh, and 280zx's are all pieces of crap anyway, I would not hesitate to turn the nicest one in existence into a LeMons car, then drive like a complete A-Hole just so I could see it getting crushed!!!

:wink:

You musta been a Celica guy in a former life

Gwen Habenicht · **Posted:** Thu Jul 31, 2008 10:48 am

TomFreeman wrote:

Believe me, it wasn't a nice car. It was reasonably mechanically sound, but it had been hit pretty hard and had several body panels replaced, little dents and dings galore, the interior was a ratty nightmare, the sunroof was caulked shut, and every idiot light on the dashboard was shining brightly. I would venture a guess that most of the cars involved were in a similar state before their LeMons prep.

Tom, you forgot to mention all the gunshot wounds! :shock:

TomFreeman · **Posted:** Thu Jul 31, 2008 10:52 am

Gwen Baake wrote:

TomFreeman wrote:

Believe me, it wasn't a nice car. It was reasonably mechanically sound, but it had been hit pretty hard and had several body panels replaced, little dents and dings galore, the interior was a ratty nightmare, the sunroof was caulked shut, and every idiot light on the dashboard was shining brightly. I would venture a guess that most of the cars involved were in a similar state before their LeMons prep.

Tom, you forgot to mention all the gunshot wounds! :shock:

I totally forgot about that part...Bernie showed us a few spots on the car that looked for all the world like the car had been shot with a shotgun. The neighborhood I bought it from (Oxon Hill, MD) wasn't exactly featured in Better Homes and Gardens, so I'm not surprised.

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Thu Jul 31, 2008 12:44 pm

Here's a video from the Quattro Libre team (they were the ones featured along with us in the N&O article). Definitely and odd angle for a video though.

As it turns out it worked out good for us though. Take note around the 2:50 mark. You hear a mean sound then see Dieter come into view as I pass him going into T14.

You'll also see the legs spinning on Walter's roof dog as a I pull away.

KendtEklund · **Joined:** Tue Mar 27, 2007 7:29 pm **Posts:** 1204

That's the 'we know we're gonna get passed cam' :wink:

Arthur McDonald · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 1:54 am **Posts:** 2052

Vincent Keene wrote:

Here's a video from the Quattro Libre team (they were the ones featured along with us in the N&O article). Definitely and odd angle for a video though.

As it turns out it worked out good for us though. Take note around the 2:50 mark. You hear a mean sound then see Dieter come into view as I pass him going into T14.

You'll also see the legs spinning on Walter's roof dog as a I pull away.

The spinning hind leg is ...well.. it just is. Bravo!

Nice catch, sort of, at the 9:15 mark.

Still going to have nightmares about butchered 25 year old Aerobirds..

WalterHouston · **Posted:** Fri Aug 01, 2008 10:20 am

Can you believe we did not win the "People's Choice" award? I think we had be best theme car. A cadillac with almost no theme won!

BretLuter · **Posted:** Wed Aug 06, 2008 1:06 pm

The LeMons folks just put up their Uber Gallery of pics from the race.

I havent' had a chance to look at all of it, but there's ALOT of stuff to see and read....

http://jalopnik.com/399755/the-24-hours ... er-gallery

WalterHouston · **Posted:** Wed Aug 06, 2008 2:13 pm

That's pretty cool! And they used my video. I know I could have passed more cars, but we were told to take it easy or we would be sent home.
I can't wait to do this again.

Gwen Habenicht · **Posted:** Thu Aug 07, 2008 6:19 pm

Here's a waaaaay too long video of our weekend at CMP. You can fast forward to the parts of interest. I kept the parade of cars for those interested in what others brought. Can't believe Dieter didn't get the people's choice. :cry:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 4692246940

Ash Nelson · **Posted:** Thu Aug 07, 2008 8:04 pm

Gwennie that was awesome!!! Great job!

I can't wait 'til next year, I want to be a part of it!

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24 Hrs of LeMons at CMP - We're In!!!!

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