Hobbies that fit with cars?

Experimental Aircraft. Damn the speed limits.

If you've never been into motorcycles, it's a great hobby. Fairly cheap compared to cars, and a heck of a lot of fun.

I also like the build-your-own airplane idea. Check out these links: http://www.cozyaircraft.com/ http://www.sonexaircraft.com/ You can build one of these for probably about 35k start to finish.

I am new around here, but I can see we have a lot in common, cars.

My hobby is a 1965 Shelby Cobra replica that I drive from April through September in the Metro Vancouver area in BC Canada. She keeps me nicely entertained.

I have always loved the Cobra and have wanted my own ever since I first spotted one back in the summer of 79'. It only took me 25 years to finally get one in the garage.

In five years I have put over 12,000 miles on the car. She drives great, it blazing fast and is 10 times more fun that I have ever dreamed of.

I am also a big fan of kit cars and replicas in general. If you would like to take a quick look at my little baby, I have included a link to YouTube below.

James

netshop01 wrote: I am new around here, but I can see we have a lot in common, cars. My hobby is a 1965 Shelby Cobra replica that I drive from April through September in the Metro Vancouver area in BC Canada. She keeps me nicely entertained.

1 Shell Valley, 1 FFR, and ~8 or so other kit cars so far. Done a good number of them, I always loved it. Biggest thing is California is not exactly kit friendly anymore.

Forget all that macho sh*t and lkearn how to play guitar

I am not sure if watching the Barrett-Jackson auction on Speed TV fits within the "hobbies that fit with cars" topic, but when the coverage kicks off on January 18th I'll be plastered in front of my television.

I'll be sitting there in a big comfortable chair with my laptop taking in all the action. It's a lot of fun and something I look forward to every year. It'll be interesting this year to see if the overall prices have dropped and if so by how much.

I do also like to visit Las Vegas at least once or twice a year. I do like to drop by the Shelby American factory which is located about 20 minutes out of town. The last time I was there they were about to start renovating the Shelby Museum. I am heading their again in January and plan to stop by to see it completed.

wearymicrobe said: 1 Shell Valley, 1 FFR, and ~8 or so other kit cars so far. Done a good number of them, I always loved it. Biggest thing is California is not exactly kit friendly anymore.

It's too bad to hear about California not being "kit friendly". I am surprised to hear that. I thought California was a front runner in this area.

James

netshop01 wrote: It's too bad to hear about California not being "kit friendly". I am surprised to hear that. I thought California was a front runner in this area. James

500 Cars a year get clearance, I have tried for two years now to get one without success. Biggest thing is you need a MSO to apply, so spend a ton on money on a kit and then hope you get tags.

I had the specialty construction title pulled on my 917 Laser and vowed never to build one again.

wearymicrobe wrote:

netshop01 wrote: It's too bad to hear about California not being "kit friendly". I am surprised to hear that. I thought California was a front runner in this area. James

500 Cars a year get clearance, I have tried for two years now to get one without success. Biggest thing is you need a MSO to apply, so spend a ton on money on a kit and then hope you get tags. I had the specialty construction title pulled on my 917 Laser and vowed never to build one again.

So if you got a mailox in arizona and then registered it there? Im sure you already thought about that though and there must be some roadblock to that.

You could learn to shape and glass new surf boards or restore vintage ones. You could then take those surf boards and go surfing. You are in san diego after all.

GlennS wrote: So if you got a mailox in arizona and then registered it there? Im sure you already thought about that though and there must be some roadblock to that.

I have looked at every single avenue to getting around it legally and its just not possible. The fines that they are imposing are huge, and they are finding and exporting incorrect cars. Heck even the hot rod guys have had there 32 ford titles pulled recently.

Now building on VW frames is doable but not nearly as much fun.

On that note I have been looking at Model A's to do some sort of modern build. Say BMW I6 powered with independent rear end but cannnot find a decent set of steel with title in a reasonable price.

Just another reason to get the hell outa californistan

Biggest thing is you need a MSO to apply

Yeah, tracking down a Mexican Spotted Owl has gotta be tough.... or were you refering to a mixed signal oscilloscope?

4eyes wrote: Just another reason to get the hell outa californistan

Don;t start. The wife has been lobbying to move to Indiana, she has a job lined up and I can work for the corp. mothership.

I could buy a house there in cash, buy a 2nd viper, fill my 401K for years and retire in my 40's.

wearymicrobe wrote:

4eyes wrote: Just another reason to get the hell outa californistan

Don;t start. The wife has been lobbying to move to Indiana, she has a job lined up and I can work for the corp. mothership. I could buy a house there in cash, buy a 2nd viper, fill my 401K for years and retire in my 40's.

As an ex-pat Hoosier I'll only say that one should seriously consider the choice. Indiana is flat (for the most part), hot in the summer and very cold in the winter. It is not a hot-bed for cutting-edge cultural phenomena.

But as you already know, the financial benefits are pretty obvious. Dependent on location, one is also likely to be close to Putnam Park, Mid-Ohio, BlackHawk Farms, Waterford Hills, IMS, IRP and a plethora of oval short-tracks.

It kinda depends on what you know about Cali vs what you think you know about middle-America - and whether or not you can accept/embrace the differences.

+1 for old tractors or pulling tractors. I know pulling lawn tractors are a really fun and creative. where I am from the lawn tractors are limited to 2300cc w/ boost or (I think) 3500cc w/o. the top three in my area were powered by 3 rotax snowmobile motors, a taurus sho motor, and a turbo coupe. so a lot of variety.

oldsaw wrote: As an ex-pat Hoosier I'll only say that one should seriously consider the choice. Indiana is flat (for the most part), hot in the summer and very cold in the winter. It is not a hot-bed for cutting-edge cultural phenomena. But as you already know, the financial benefits are pretty obvious. Dependent on location, one is also likely to be close to Putnam Park, Mid-Ohio, BlackHawk Farms, Waterford Hills, IMS, IRP and a plethora of oval short-tracks. It kinda depends on what you know about Cali vs what you think you know about middle-America - and whether or not you can accept/embrace the differences.

Its a pretty good guess who I would work for given my screen name. I have visted the campus a few times and walked around downtown a few times. People are just nice, and not fake California nice which is really strange to me. Most of my extended family is out in the midwest. Politically I align more with the midwest then California. Nothing says that I have to stay there after I retire. Adoption is much easier there then here which is a big thing for the wife and I.

The one area that we really like when we drove though was Carmel, which apparently I mispronounced the whole time I was there. (Its like the candy, not Car -Mel like out here). People were nice, the school district was good. Lots of parks, some land for everybody. I have a huge lot for California near the water ~10K sqf but nothing like out there.

The income would not change, maybe go up a little bit but apparently its 44% cheaper there then hear with everything factored in. Even if I carried my mortgage the same out there I would have another 50K easy a year in disposable income. No mortgage add another 40ish to that.

Lots to think about, I would miss swimming in the ocean and having summer year round but something enticing about space/money/people who are more like minded.

I haven't gone through the whole thread but I can sort of relate. It's not that I'm tired of cars it's the type of cars I've outgrown.

It started with loving and wanting exotic cars way before I could legally drive. Then it was wanting to go fast so I did a ton of HPDEs and even did instructor duty a time or two. Then I had my kid and the $ committment didn't make sense so I gave up racing. The withdrawls bit me a few times and I ended up with a half done Honda Challenge race car (still in the garage looking for a buyer).

Then came the MSF course, license and a 1982 Honda NightHawk 450cc, all this happened within a few weeks. Rode for a while and decided it was too easy to get hit by some idiot on the road and with a bike you usually don't get second chances. So that's sitting in the garage waiting for a buyer (secretly I don't want to sell it).

Then came a travel trailer to go outdoors with the family - I still love doing this.

The tow vehicle is a 4WD so somewhere along the road I took yet another detour and started enjoying offroading.

As for the tools, over the last 10 years I've amassed tools and stuff that will make most mechanics proud including air tools, car lift, small lathe etc etc.

It's a disease...even when you think you're over it it'll morph into another form and reappear. You can't escape it.