SS1875

iTrader: (34)

I voted home built even though mine is a combination of both.

OctaneZ28

iTrader: (6)

I can see both sides of the coin here.

Some people like to build their own cars, some people just like to race them when they're finished.

I voted home built.
I have a good level of satisfaction from building my car myself. It didn't start out that way though, but the more I got into doing things myself, the more I liked the challenge and learning experience.
Sure, it's not really that fast, but for a car I drive every day, it's good enough for me. It's intent is to be a fast street car, not a race car.

That said, are the shop cars impressive? Damn right they are.
Who doesn't like to see a car go 8s?

Pro Stock John

iTrader: (34)

Read my post #24, and your post #26. I stated my opinion, and you started to debate or argue your point with me. I'm still happier to have gone 9.40 with a shop build combo than 10.1 home built. I'm glad for anyone who has gone 10.1 it's quite the accomplishment but 9.40 was a ******* rush. I'm sure 8.xx will be too.

DERTY

Comparing a 10 second home built car to a 8 second shop built car is hardly a fair comparison. It's more appropriate to compare similar cars built with different means. We built Harlan's car in a 1/2 stall garage. We couldn't even get the doors opened when it was in the garage. If you wanted to get from the front of the car to the back you would have to go through the apartment and in the garage door. He built his motor on the kitchen table and plugged the welder into the electrical outlet his dryer was hooked up to. It was a helluva lot of hard work and agony that built the cars that we've put out. That type of work definitely makes the end result that much more respectable. We definitely recognize the hardwork that others put into their rides too.

We started buying tools for Harlan and I to put our cars together. Suddenly we had a shop that had two mills, a lathe, shear, bandsaws, sanders, welders and all sorts of stuff. In total we had to acquire so much tooling to be able to produce everything that our cars were going to need. Realistically, not every person is going to even remotely consider investing a significant amount of money in tooling to build the faster cars.

Our passion for cars ultimately turned into a business for Stenod out of the simple fact that not everyone has the means to build a car at the level that a shop like ours can. The logistics involved in getting your own 25.5 cage put together now makes it very difficult for a garage built car to come together at the same level. For others they may not trust their abilities to build a safe and reliable car or may not have the time to be able to even do the work required to build a fast car.

So yes, it is very respectable for a home built car to run at the same level. But I don't think I'd venture to even attempt to compare my car which was home built to Tom's car that Stenod just finished. They're not even in the same league despite the fact that mine was respectable at the time, it's nowhere close to what can be built today.

SilverGhost

iTrader: (53)

John 400 peeps were saying the same to you, and several in this thread who've known you just as long as myself are flat out saying you have no clue, NOTHING like what I said because that's not what i'm saying to you, whatever got your panties all in a bunch at me is lame.

I just gave you props on some things but am trying to get you to understand where I'm coming from, apparently it isn't working.

Therefore, **** it, not worth my time.

Derty, that **** is crazy lol. I thought I had limited resources, I don't usually have to go beyond the garage though with my parts lol

nebraskaTA

I voted 8 sec shop built car.

When it comes to the car itself someone had to build it wether or not it was the owner or a shop.

Now which owner do i have more respect for? The guy who built his 10 sec car. The owner of the shop built car is just a walking wallet.

Pro Stock John

iTrader: (34)

I don't keep track of who works on who's car... I just look at the cars and if they go fast I go "wowwwwww." And to the topic of the thread, anyone who has ever seen 8 second LS1/LT1 cars is always blown away by them. After spending the weekend at Milan, I yet again blown away seeing Dave Underwood's car, Mike Brown's car, and Tom Kempf's car all running 8's.

FANTAZ28

iTrader: (2)

what i think is impressive is not even listed... i think a certin et for combo. i dont care who built it! i dont enjoy working on cars, but i love racing them and driving them. so to me its more about hwo fast you can go with what combo and how much money you spent on it.

The combo in my car now cost me next to nothing, and i think it goes pretty good for what it is. and its not just because someone built me a badd *** motor or speed did an amazing job on the tune! to me its everything combined and the most important part is running the car down the track over and over and over again to see what i can do to get it faster with OUT spending little or any money. when we got my ls1 combo done the car went 11.27 first time out, with old tires, ls1 intake 3.73. gear and broken converter.
since the car has gone alot faster... and i think me ******* with it week after week had alot to do with it. dont get me wrong, i gotta give credit where its due and the shops i deal with are amazing.

but when my buddy's compare my car to theirs and my car is faster than alot of there big cube or lighter cars or cars that have 3 tiems the money, that to me is impressive!

if you can go 10's with under 3k in the motor , including short, heads , cam and anything else bolted to it..NOW THATS IMPRESSIVE.

Pro Stock John

iTrader: (34)

Fact of the matter is, there are like less than 50 8 second LSx cars out there... So most users have never seen in person an LSx car bustin' an 8 second pass. I think more folks who have voted that way if they had been to some of the events.

Come out to 9.23 RSD and there should be some fast cars there.

I think we got carried away in this thread, because some of the posts seemed a little to intense for folks who have supposedly been longtime friends. So I"m done with this thread.... Get'r done!

maddboost

iTrader: (11)

Personally I am more impressed with a 8 second car built by a shop. Having been around so many 10-11 second cars shop built or home built they just arent that impressive to me.

Now in defense of John I completely understand not always wanting to wrench on your own car. I have paid people to do my entire car and I have done a lot myself, pulling the trans, rear end, gas tank, swapping manifolds, and doing headers. But I understand that I myself have limitations which what I can do and what I have the tools to do. Plus when ever I do **** it always takes me like 3 or 4 times as long as others. I cant always invest that time because I have 50 hours a week of work plus I am a full time student. Sometimes I just want to go out and drive and not be wrenching on the car but I do still enjoy wrenching on my own cars.

John wasnt attacking any of you guys for doing your own work at first so why attack him just because he prefers to drive his cars rather than work on them.

How many of you built your own houses? Probably none of you but does that take anything away from you since you bought it? No because you still worked for the money that bought that house.

There are different ways to enjoy this hobby just because its not your way doesnt mean its the wrong way.

BigD

iTrader: (31)

What does building your own house have to do with building your own cars? I don't grow my own vegetables or hunt for my food. This is a car site not Bob Vila's Home Again forum.

Pro Stock John

iTrader: (34)

Amen.

maddboost

iTrader: (11)

Lots of people have the money to build houses but not the skill doesnt mean they are lesser of a person than the carpenter that built your house. Its just a example I was trying to use.

You guys seem to be attacking John because he has the money for a fast car but maybe not the skill to build one. There is nothing wrong with that. I think there is a bit of jealously from some others because John can afford to have a fast car built for him and you guys have to build your own. But again there is nothing wrong with paying someone to build your car or doing it on your own.

John isnt taking anything away from you guys so why are you trying to take something away from him?

P.S. Personally I love busting Johns ***** about a lot of stuff but I think you guys are just wrong on this one.

TS6

iTrader: (41)

Yet there are thousands of guys out there who would call you a ***** because you don't hunt.

Ever eat at a restaurant? How come? Can't you cook? Do you own a stove?

I know how to do mechanical work on houses, so I do my own. If you think you're saving money doing all your own work on your car you should see what building your own house would save you. You could buy an extra car or two. But I don't think other homeowners are less intelligent because they can't fix their own ****, they can probably do something I can't do.

Maddboost was making a comparison, and a completely logical one at that. There have been comments made towards members with shop built cars that could be taken in a derogatory manner. Suggesting they aren't as intelligent or capable as those who built their own cars. IMO, very few members here "built" their own cars. 90% of the **** we buy is made for our cars. Spinning wrenches isn't rocket science, and reading instructions isn't either. Some cars have required very little fabrication, while others (particularly the FI ones) require alot of fabrication. To me, when you "build" something you put parts together that didn't fit and you made them fit. Like the guys who build hybrid swaps, like an LS1 in an older car. Installing a pair of heads made for your motor isn't hard, it isn't like they won't fit. Putting a motor in a car that never had it will require some measuring, thinking, and experimentation. When you ordered your catback exhaust, you didn't wonder if it would fit, you knew it would fit (usually lol). Holes line up, Pipes are pre-bent. Not hard, I did it at 16 with a cheap *** socket set.

Pro Stock John

iTrader: (34)

I just think some guys are getting carried away with the thread, myself included. I still don't care who does what, I just like seeing fast cars.

maddboost

iTrader: (11)

I like fast cars too.

BigD

iTrader: (31)

TS6 some on a hunting site might call me a *****, some on a animal rights activist site might call me a great guy, but once again this is a car site. Why you getting so worked up? You made a decision to have a shop build your car, good for you, it is your choice. Not everyone has to agree with it.

SilverGhost

iTrader: (53)

whatever john i still hate you

Pro Stock John

iTrader: (34)

Sean are you a theta ki?

maddboost

iTrader: (11)

Exactly but the whole reason this debate started was because certain people were harping on John for having his car built.

I think we have two different topics going on here.

I completely agree with Derty that comparing a 8 second car to any 10 or 11 second car is two completely different things.