Moving on.....

So today marked a significant day for my wife and I- we sold a car that was part of a dream.  A dream of vintage racing, including going to the Carrara Paramaracana.  Back when we were doing the GRM Challenge (last run for us in 2004), we had some very strong ideas to increase our autocrossing and tracking to go real racing and run the Carrara- at that time, we had a '60 Sprint that was sort of being prepared to run in Mexico.

Post 2004's Challenge, we were given a '67 GT Jr that I was going to build into a new Challenge car, as well as a race car.  Having so many multiple project cars really stalled that, and when we found a '74 GTV ITB car, we jumped on that to go racing.  That car wasn't perfect, so instead of reducing our project car count to 2, it kept it at 3.

Various reasons kept us from really focusing on any project car- and in the 2012 range, we sold the '59 Giuletta Spider and '60 Giulietta Sprint to someone who would really finish them.

I managed to almost finish the '74 GTV in 2012- enough that I could take it out to an autocross to debug it.  While it ran well, and had a lot of potential in it (based on how it felt), it ended up not being close enough that I jumped on working on it immediately to get it running that year for the 2013 season.  So the car sat.

And I came to the realization that we had to move on.  I tried to sell the car in '13-14- and then sat on it thinking of what to do to make it more appealing.

Turns out that it just took time.  This year, I finally looked at the alfabb again, and replied to a post for someone looking for a race car.  That one post resulted in two people offering to buy the car.

And today, that car left my house, and the dream has closed out.

That may seem really sad, and it is.  But it's also a good thing.  First and foremost- the car is going racing again!!  If any of you are planning in going to Pittsburg in September, Bob tells me that he plans on taking it there.  Second, I really have come to grips to the idea that I'm not a race car driver.  While I may have some decent skill in autocrossing, over the years, I've found that there are many aspects of track racing that made me really uncomfortable.  So even if I went racing, I may not have been as good as I hoped, and it may not have been as fun as I wanted it to be.  And third, the Carrara has changed enough that both full blow race cars as well as street cars run.  So IF we wanted to do that epic drive across Mexico, we still can with the '73 GTV that we will never part with.

In the end, we still have two cars that both of us have some serious attraction with- the '73 GTV we bought shortly after getting married- which has done many, many, many events with us, and a '99 Miata that is still the only car I personally purchased brand new (I don't count lease cars).  Both cars run, and both cars face some pretty easy restoration jobs if we choose to.  Having space in the garage means a LOT for both cars.

So we all win in the equation.  

Glad you find a good owner for the car!

Btw, its CarrEra ;)

In reply to Slippery :

Lol, a sure looks bad now that I read it. Oops 

In reply to alfadriver :

I applaud reasoning like that. 

(I’ve been through a similar process)

I want to be just like you, Down to two.

I don't see it so much as a reduction of car count, but more of a match between what we can and want to do.

Oh yes, I have some Glorious builds ahead. I've Dragged a Fiero into the middle of my vette project slowing it by at least a year, My Wife said I would likely not finish that one because of the Tape Measure Rule.  THANKS.

If you Extend a tape measure out 76 inches / Avg.life span of a man / and stand on the number that is your Age. the remainder is what we have left.   Debatable but eye opening,  by that count I have 9 + left  I hope to add a few plus's.

So true, pick one or two. 

Racing is a strange thing. I’m with you.

I’ve been dreaming about it since I was a little kid (in my 40s now). I’ve always loved the Group A touring car era of the ‘80s to early ‘90s. Built a 190E 2.3-16 into a DTM replica over many years. Now that it’s finally finished and fully sorted, I’ve been racing it over the last 2 seasons. 

It’s been a positive experience overall. But, honestly, I don’t think it’s been as much fun as I was expecting. I still haven’t figured out what I’m going to do in the future.

LanEvo said:

Racing is a strange thing. I’m with you.

I’ve been dreaming about it since I was a little kid (in my 40s now). I’ve always loved the Group A touring car era of the ‘80s to early ‘90s. Built a 190E 2.3-16 into a DTM replica over many years. Now that it’s finally finished and fully sorted, I’ve been racing it over the last 2 seasons. 

It’s been a positive experience overall. But, honestly, I don’t think it’s been as much fun as I was expecting. I still haven’t figured out what I’m going to do in the future.

Here's another twist to this realization- the idea of retiring on a sailboat and wandering around the world is gone, too.  Not for the same reasons at all, but because I realize that there's no chance that I will not suffer a LOT while we get our real sea legs.  

So what's really happening- my mid-life crisis is just reminding me of what my realistic limitations are vs what I enjoy doing.  So this is allowing me to focus more on stuff I know I like, while reducing the worrying about what I "dream" of doing.

(on a side note, I think I have also figured out the source of the "mid-life crisis", but that's not for this board)

I was "lucky" enough to get wheel-to-wheel racing out of my system when I was in my late 20s. By which I mean, I wasn't ready, I rushed into it, I lost a bunch of money, and had a nasty accident that was inches away from giving me a serious spine injury or killing me. The day that happened, I told my wife and mom that I was done, and I've stayed true to that. For a few years afterward, I had occasional pangs of regret and feelings of unfinished business, but those have passed.

Racing W2W is a big commitment, not only financially, but time-wise, as well. I have too many other things going on in my life to make that commitment again. I'm happy to run the occasional autocross and track day, and lately there haven't been many of those, either.

In reply to Tom_Spangler :

What's kind of funny- other than not being comfortable going through high speed corners, the whole safety thing didn't cross my mind until you mentioned it.  In spite if the fact that a fellow Alfa enthusiast lost his life vintage racing a Can Am car probably 10 years ago.

But given my theory of the Mid Life Crisis, it does play a factor for many.

Alfadriver I've got total respect for what you're doing.

While I've been road racing for 30 years now (bikes at first) I have total respect for people who say they are not comfortable with the higher speeds. Many years ago one of our local autocrossers, who is a phenomenal driver managed to do several laps on an empty road course and afterwards said he wasn't comfortable with the risk. 

I've seen so many people over the years bogged down with project cars who know there not going finish a car but can't bring themselves to sell it off. It's not an easy thing to do.

4 years ago, thanks to a drive in a friends F500, I rediscovered autocross. While the fact the F500 is a pretty fast autocross car has a lot to do with it, I'm also enjoying my friends / competitors inspiring me to dig deeper at every event. For sure autocross is much less commitment...........I never ever thought I'd own a strictly autocross car so I can relate to your being content to autocross the GTV can't go wrong there. 

Road Racing doesn't have to involve a lot of commitment or dollars if you're not trying to run a front of the pack car. Most years I do nothing more than oil changes and other routine maintenance. It was when I started trying to get further up the field than top 5 that the number of hours working on the car went up and the dollars spent on the car went up. I've since notched it back, dicing for 5th - 10th overall is every bit as fun as didn't for first (ignore what that pesky ego tells you).

This is a great thread and a good example for fellow car nuts.

In reply to Tom1200 :

I autocross for many years- starting in 1993, when I joined the local AROC club, and ended in 2012- after going back once post a year off due to skin cancer.  I didn't have as much fun as I did way before, so I just walked away.  For the last few years of autocrossing, the burden just got to be too much- as I was our club's racing chair, finding lots and running events.  And in 2007 I was the chair of the national convention that we hosted in Detroit.  Basically, fun became work, and I learned that via the time off.

I may go back- the GTV is well suited for that- as it has been for many years.  But I don't see that happening.

alfadriver said:

Here's another twist to this realization- the idea of retiring on a sailboat and wandering around the world is gone, too.  Not for the same reasons at all, but because I realize that there's no chance that I will not suffer a LOT while we get our real sea legs.  

So what's really happening- my mid-life crisis is just reminding me of what my realistic limitations are vs what I enjoy doing.  So this is allowing me to focus more on stuff I know I like, while reducing the worrying about what I "dream" of doing.

(on a side note, I think I have also figured out the source of the "mid-life crisis", but that's not for this board)

Given some of the discussions we've had over the years, is there really anything "not for this board"?  

But I hear you.  Right now, I'm struggling to find a balance between all of my hobbies: guitar playing, cars and bicycles.  For the past few months, the bikes have been winning and the other two collect dust. 

Ian F said:

alfadriver said:

Here's another twist to this realization- the idea of retiring on a sailboat and wandering around the world is gone, too.  Not for the same reasons at all, but because I realize that there's no chance that I will not suffer a LOT while we get our real sea legs.  

So what's really happening- my mid-life crisis is just reminding me of what my realistic limitations are vs what I enjoy doing.  So this is allowing me to focus more on stuff I know I like, while reducing the worrying about what I "dream" of doing.

(on a side note, I think I have also figured out the source of the "mid-life crisis", but that's not for this board)

Given some of the discussions we've had over the years, is there really anything "not for this board"?  

But I hear you.  Right now, I'm struggling to find a balance between all of my hobbies: guitar playing, cars and bicycles.  For the past few months, the bikes have been winning and the other two collect dust. 

There’s definitely days I wish I only had one true hobby/passion. There’s just never enough time or money for them all!

In reply to Ian F :

My "Mid-Life Crisis" theory should be on the Off Topic board, that's all.  It's not about cars, it's more about mortality.

In reply to alfadriver :

since you don't have kids, would you consider leaving the GTV to me?  

I fully understand Alfa.  While not exactly the same, I've through something similar with a 240Z a few years ago.  I also stopped running autocrosses and track events about 10 years ago, but never intended not to go back.  I had sold my ITA car it was never replaced.  Funny, but running at speed on track never bothered me very much, I was pretty comfortable, but I did run a hill climb and that was somewhat scary.  I still hold the track record in class there, but to be fair, SSC never had a big turnout either.  But for some reason, unlike when I was younger, I don't find myself doing what is needed to go back.  There's always something else I find I like to do.  One day I know i will go back to running a few autocrosses a year, but this time only in a street car and probably no track events.

AngryCorvair said:

In reply to alfadriver :

since you don't have kids, would you consider leaving the GTV to me?  

We plan on out living you!  

I've kind of been there and back again; I've been autocross co-chair, assistant RE, board member for my local SCCA region as well as co-organizing rallycross and a stage rally for about 10 years. My son then around 8 wondered why I spent so much time on this, that's when I dialed it back and we got him a kart to autocross.

Now days I just show up and drive at autocross, it's much nicer to not have to worry about all the details. I still instruct at track days, I'm at the track anyway and would just be sitting around. I think I'd be bored if I just drove. 

This hobby can be akin to eating a porterhouse, ribeye and filet migon all in what sitting. Sure there all good but it's better to just pick one and enjoy it.

I always make this joke of "Hi my name is Tom and I've been multiple project car free for 12 years" 

i really do like this thread.

There is so much to be said about running driving ready to go vehicles and purchasing them that way to begin with.  I have an insane $2019 project planned, and basically am ditching it to buy someone else’s done but no time for racing car instead.  When i was 25 i had all the time in the world to spin wrenches and stack up projects, and now i’m at the point where putting a premium on seat time and family time outweigh the big project lust.  

If you do it right there is no midlife crisis, only a midlife transition.

It sounds like you're doing it right.

Thread resurrection- got an email from the new owner, who has finally got the car on the track!  Not 100% perfect, but certainly a good start, especially for an owner who has experience with racing Alfas.