Andrewck

I'm looking to put together a team and car to race in next year's 24 Hours of Lemons race here in Denver. Has anybody run the event in the past? Tips on best car to pickup? I'd love to enter a P-car, but not sure likelihood of that happening.

For those of you not familiar with the race, you're allowed to spend $500 on the car and parts (excluding safety gear, tires and brakes). Then endurance race it vs. the other beaters.

https://24hoursoflemons.com/

Nickshu

Not a veteran but we just bought a car to build for the HPR event. Ours is a 2004 Nissan Maxima. This is gonna be fun!

Andrewck

Can I ask where you found a Maxima for under $500?

hacker-pschorr

https://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/p...411894668.html

turbogrill

I have done 1 Lemons and maybe 5 chumpcar. I like chump more.

Lemons have a lot of (slow) cars in their races. If you are new to wheel to wheel racing and want to have fun then it's perfect.

That $500 is not really true, ours cost maybe $10k minus $6000 for safety. But I guess in theory you could build it for $500....
Buy something that the local autoparts store has parts in stock.
Miatas are everywhere and everyone hates them. Something like a Japanease boring car?

Plenty of good stuff where you live
https://denver.craigslist.org/pts/d/...393710042.html - I think it says v6
https://denver.craigslist.org/cto/d/...405537113.html
https://denver.craigslist.org/cto/d/...392324926.html
https://denver.craigslist.org/cto/d/...371659825.html
https://denver.craigslist.org/cto/d/...385966315.html
https://denver.craigslist.org/cto/d/...402963707.html

....and so on...

Good luck!

also join the lemons forum.

Nickshu

Found it locally. It's a high mileage POS. I have not done this before either but as said above and from what I have read yes your total cost in after safety prep, equipment, tires, supplies, etc is going to be $3K minimum and more realistically $6K or more. The $500 is only for the car itself.

dgmark

I have run probably 18 lemons races with our 944. In your first race you will not win anything so don't worry about speed just make it as reliable as you can to get track time. Pick a car that you know how to work on and is easy to get parts for. Don't get to caught up in the $500.00 number it is a guide. There are no specific cars that are front runners its the preparation that makes the difference. It took a few races to get the 944 sorted as a front runner and winner. As we are down on power to some of the other cars our advantage is fuel consumption , we run 2.5 to 3hr stints and consumables.
Go to the lemons bulletin board, its a good place for information

turbogrill

3hours! How big is that tank???

dgmark

Stock tank with a 2 Liter surge tank, In the one full 24 hour race we ran we had 4 less fuel stops than the other top 5 cars. We stayed in first place for the last 6 hours of the race till the clutch took us out with 1 hour to go.

F1CrazyDriver

Person pending however, if you're excellent w/ awareness at 9/10s speed, you will be fine.
My advise, as this is your first time, don't do the early stints when everyone is bunched up. If someone is faster then you(due to different class or group), let them by, don't trash the car and for me personally w/ our fuel cell we can go ~ 2 hour stints so i get bored after 45 minutes, my advise get a radio to talk to the pit lane. Also for them to keep you updated.