Ladys & Gentleman....

[Sixty8panther]

Start your engines!

I'd like to introduce the newest member of my Fleet:

1983 Volvo 240 auto with about 240K miles. Purchased last Sat. for $100. Title and all. It's a clean old beast from the last year of Emissions exemption and other than a few minor things it's a great car. You've probably already guessed by now this poor old dog is going to end up at the 2005 Halloween Howler Demolition Derby & Endurance Race.

Boo-Yeah! :metal:










I had taken a look at several cars out of the Want Advertiser. I love that magazine. Awsome classified ads. Kick ass prices. I had like 7 cars lined up and went to take a look at a few. In the end Both Grand Marquis I had lined up (one for $70 the other for $100) did not work out. The 1986 Lincoln Town car I checked out was too much money and I had already got rid of both of the crappy Mazdas I had acquired over the summer. I cold the 626 for $90 with a cracked block and the 323 did not work out either.


I've always wanted an old 240 since they do awsome in the 4-cylinder demolition enduro races. Built like Tanks. If all unibody cars were built like this car I would not complain about the lack of BOF cars.

The only issuses the car has is no radio, no dashboard lights and a transmision that has to be coaxed to upshift when cold. I'd drive the car to California in a pinch, it's an awsome vehicle in great condition. Someone has already even spray painted it blue so all I have to do is get some yellow paint to paint the Sweedish Flag on it. :)

Me and my budy Ross already took it Rally Racing (off roading) in wicked deep mud... It has been raining for like 3.5 days straight here and we got it hopelessly stuck. I ran back to the house and grabbed like 40 feet of chain and we drove back in the Coupe Deville and pulled it out. In hindsight it was wicked funny but I ruined all my clothes in the mud. Check out the car after it had been washed off in heavy rain.

[the_yellow_dart]

Cool. How often do you do demo derbies?

[Sixty8panther]

I usually only do the last one of the season... the Mother of them all called the Halloween Howler. It's a complete free for all. Absolute madness.

Imagine 8 hours of racing on a cool Satrurday night in October. Flagpole races, truck races, all women races & then the finalle: The two races everyone comes for: The first one is called the 4-cylinder Enduro. It consists of a 1/4 mile oval track packed full with about 300-380 four cylinder cars. All trying to survive 100 laps. Insane is about the only way to describe it. There's also a 6/V8 full size race called the "Grand Touring Enduro" That's the last one of the night and includes such vehicles as stretched limousines, 1960s Cadillac Hearses and a ton of Cadillac & Lincolns banging up and smashing up everythign in their sight.

Here's a similar track with like 150 cars... this is a walk in the park compared to the Howler.

[pow]

Nice... we have a 240 auto as our beater too, an '88 GL model. It's so bad dynamically that it's amusing... I floored it going up a hill and went from 45 MPH to 46 MPH. There's at least three inches of deadplay in the steering... I love it!

[NOS2006]

"I wish that I could make her see.. she's just the flavor of the week"

[pow]

About the enduro race, are you allowed to change tires? So no matter how tough your car is, if one of the tires get a flat, you're out?

[NOS2006]

About the enduro race, are you allowed to change tires? So no matter how tough your car is, if one of the tires get a flat, you're out?

[post="27268"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

That's how it is around here. I'm not sure about there. Edited October 11, 2005 by NOS2006

[Sixty8panther]

If you bring a dozen spare tires then you're al set. Unlimited pit stops and you can change ANYTHING. I'm bringing a spare radiator and a few spare tires as well as pleny of extra fluids. I'm going to pour some Lucas oil in the engine and you have to run water in the cooling system so a jug of water will suffice for a coolant leak. Perhaps if the car survives I'll bring it back home, otherwise if you leave it ther they "take care of it". Stripped, crushed and recycled. The 2007 Camaro RS/SS you will buy just might have some metal from my Volvo in it. :P

[balthazar]

...1960s Cadillac Hearses...

Wh....wha....WHAT?? :( :angry: :( :angry: :( :angry: :( :angry:

[Sixty8panther]

I too get mad at seing this.. trust me I'd never do it. Well I might wiht a mid 1990s FWD Deville but nothing older than 1980s. There's one in particular that is back every year... a real tank. I belive it's a 1965/66, hard to tell. I remarked one year to a fellow racer what a shame it is to destroy such a classic vehicle... the conversation went something like this: Me: Why the hell would you smash up a 1960s Cadillac, let alone a hearse? That's just wrong! Him: Kid, how old are you? Me: 24, (or whatever) why? Him: That guy's been racing that old Caddy Hearse longer than you've been alive.... backn then it weren't no classic. Me: Ummm.... okay still a waste of a nice Caddy, why not use a '65 Ford or Plymouth wagon? Him: That there death car will fuck up just about any car on the track and be back next year for more.... that's why he chose it. Me: *needles up and donw my spine* I actually feel bad just destroying a dime a dozen Volvo... if this thing was a manual I'm pretty sure I would not be able to bring myself to kill it like this... as it stands the poor old Sweede has seen 240,000 miles. This will be a good way to send it off to Automotive heaven wiht a BANG!

[Sixty8panther]

For those worried about the Stretched limos being destroyed at the Halloween Howler they're mostly Lincoln Towncars form the late 80s. Still pretty plentiful. I've even seen some 1980s cars there that broke my heart... Early 80s Delta 88 coupes (the big BOF ones), Fleetwood Brougham coupes *eeeek!* and even a first gen. Monte Carlo.

[ocnblu]

Yeah, those Lincolns are no great loss... the crappy OHC V8s prolly burn enough oil to cause a smokescreen. :P

[Sixty8panther]

This is the Mazda powered 1990 Ford Probe that I demolished in 2003. Sometimes getting the car ready is almost as much fun and as stressful as the race itself.

[ocnblu]

God, you're so cruel, Sixty8. You didn't even knock it out before surgery, look, its eyes are still open! :blink:

[Sixty8panther]

Ocnblu:

You never fail to make me laugh. :)

For the 0.03% of you who give a crap here's a photo of the car whe it was completed: I ended up doing it up like the Escort with Shark Teeth & "Slovakian Terror" on the side. Ironicaly enought the car's demise was rear ending a *you guessed it* 1980s Volvo 240 sedan and busting open the trans cooler behind the front bumper. I ran out of Trans fluid after a while and poured in oil, PS fluid, brake fluid... anything that I had in the back of the Blazer that could "work" as trans. fluid. After the trans crapped out completely it light on fire and I ended up being the last red flag of the night... I was only one of like 25 cars left but had only completed like 20 laps.... every few minutes it was back to the pits for more "trans" fluid or substitute.

The engine/trans fire was cool though, the crowd loved it.... and after the race the car started up again. Left it there to be crushed, only problem wiht it was the blown trans. :(

[Teh Ricer Civic!]

WHAT!!!dont demo a 240!!! its RWD and more importantly you can PUT A VETTE ENGINE IN IT. the ultimate sleeper car!

[Teh Ricer Civic!]

Nice... we have a 240 auto as our beater too, an '88 GL model. It's so bad dynamically that it's amusing... I floored it going up a hill and went from 45 MPH to 46 MPH. There's at least three inches of deadplay in the steering... I love it!

[post="27220"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Nah see the trick is to take off OD when your going uphill, otherwise you deaccelerate. :lol:

[Sixty8panther]

Stop bashing 1980s Volvos... they're unibody so they MUST automatically handle like a POrsche 911 remember? :P My 240 is Fuel injected, I had thought that was not yet the case in 83... it goes well enough for a '83 four-banger-something. The race is about surviving 100 laps not speed. Speed is important too but dodging suicidal crazies in '89 Mustangs and '92 Corsicas

[mustang84]

[post="27218"][/post]

Ack! I see a Fox Mustang in there...I hope it's a 4-cylinder.

[Teh Ricer Civic!]

Stop bashing 1980s Volvos... they're unibody so they MUST automatically handle like a POrsche 911 remember? :P

My 240 is Fuel injected, I had thought that was not yet the case in 83... it goes well enough for a '83 four-banger-something. The race is about surviving 100 laps not speed. Speed is important too but dodging suicidal crazies in '89 Mustangs and '92 Corsicas

[post="27527"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Yeah.... 83s had about 89hp. 84 and on had 110hp from a turbo.

but what im saying is your destroying a classic car!!

[pow]

I notice some people installed roll cages. Are there rules re: the condition of the driver as well as the condition of the car? No T-boning, etc?

[Sixty8panther]

Mustang84: Yes, it's a four banger... see how the rest of the shitboxes are Tempos, J-cars, Hondas, K-cars and such. TRC: It is a classic but it's an '83 car wiht electronic fuel injection.... pretty impresive. maybe 89 horsepower is right but it's got bags of torque. Empowah: Lots of t-boning and no rollcage required. Last year a guy in a civic rear ended another car in front of him and plowed under the car wiht his little Honda... the rear right tire of the car on top of him came in and pinned the driver's head (helmet) in the honda... stupid bastard had neglected to close up the hole from the sunroof. No one has gotten killed in amny years but every year there's like a half dozen close calls.

[torobud]

[post="27218"][/post]

I see an Olds Calais in there... I think that would be my weapon of choice if you can find one with the FE3.. I would go for the quick handling to avoid crashes rather than the tank like the Volvo...

Where is this help anyway 68?

[Sixty8panther]

This is off some website... I grabbed it because it looked almost exactly like what the races look like at Star Speedway where I go to race.

This is just like a typical 4-cylinder race. I'm not as muhc about speed as I am about F***ing other cars up. Racing is secondary, I like to get a few good love taps in. My Volvo did not stay drivable long but it's definately repairable. That little white Mazda 323? that I T-boned almost ripped in half though.

As long as I take out a few Japanese cars I'm happy. Esp. little Hondas. they're ususlly fast because their owners put a lot of shit on them and the cars weigh next to nothing but when they hit me or try no nudge me it's like a Mack Truck being rearended by a Taurus.

BTW: here's a few photos of my old Escort Enduro Demilition car.





Snake in the grass... :P