I give up….

I had all good intentions of actually making the 5hr trek to Famoso this weekend for ONE more race before summer set in….but when I saw the forecast for 96-98 degrees I pulled the plug on the deal. It was 2016 the last time we “didn’t care” and raced at quite a few events where the comfort level basically sucked. We don’t have a coach. We don’t get motels as the surrounding areas are full of undesirables and I’ve had two friends in the past year that had “issues” doing that. We sleep in the trailer (or by the trailer) at the track. I’m such a part timer anymore. If I were offered a fair amount for the car I’d probably let it go without a second thought… but yet I just ordered a top shelf build 904 for better reliability over the incredibly stock component 904 that surpassed 103 passes. Basically I’m in this for the people. Whether we make that 1300 mile one way trek to my homeland, or over to Famoso to hang out with my Central Valley brothers. You win great… you go out first round, bbq and hang out. It’s all good. We’ll be back in September

Man that’s tough, but you’ve obviously found your limits for making that decision. The heat and anything that is not comfortable makes it tougher. I walked out to the garage to mess with the car today, opened the doors and the heat blasted me. Closed the doors, turned around and said hell no. 101* today. Nawwww….always another day, but around October LOL!

For us it's go to the track, sometimes cold and rain. That was my story last time out. Sat and Sun both rained out. But I'm a gluten for punishment. Leaving Friday to try again.
Dou

I heard the heat in Arizona was just dry heat.

Actually it’s the ground temp that kills

[i][/i]

Sucks you can’t even stay at a motel and trust safety, guess we are spoiled on that front around here. And people are so friendly at the tracks I go to I think nothing of leaving the track for the night and I have an open trailer, so car sits outside at the track when I go to a hotel.

The older I get, THE HOTTER IT GETS

Yeah, it seems that as I get older the excuses to stay home get easier. I was lucky enough to do lot of racing when I was younger, it's no big deal now.

Yeah, I won’t travel any further than Sacramento, Redding or Sonoma anymore and only when the weather is acceptable.

I've never been in this for points, or money. I just want to go have fun with my buddies. Don't go selling that Nova just yet. Once you get back to the homeland, your outlook might change. Green grass, shade trees, and cooler temps at the tracks will be a blessing.

Not sure of the size of your trailer, and truck, but I purchased a slide-in pop top camper for the truck and 26foot car trailer. 1999 dodge 2500 diesel. loaded the combo weighed 14,000lbs I get 10 to 12 MPG and the camper has A/C and a small bathroom with shower. I tell everybody the camper is my hillbilly motor home.

Plus, I enjoy camping, so the camper gets double duty.

My sympathy for the dilemma.

Not OT, but:
W/r/t "motels as the surrounding areas are full of undesirables"
This is well known to local law enforcement in many places, with minimal interest.
Explain??
The motel manager (super, clerk, cleaning crew, etc.) allows unsavories (persons involved with drugs, prostitution, burglary, stolen property fencing) to use un-rented rooms for cash off the books (cheating the motel chain). We have no idea who those persons are (they never register), but they look at any legit visitors (and their property) as a victims.
When you drive in, watch for loud music, parties with open doors, hoopties, etc. Then go somewhere else.

Am I missing something Jeff isn't that a Duster? Lol

I am also getting sensitive to high temps...I am hoping I can either afford a small toter with good AC or a nice trailer with it some day, or I might end up doing like you are and skipping the real hot days.

Me too.
Spending 12-15 hrs outside at high heat and humidity takes its toll on the old man.
One race last year, I was not disappointed at losing in 2nd round since I could pack up and go home after 7-8 hrs.
After towing an hour with the truck A/C, I felt better. A shower and going out to dinner was a treat.

If it wasn't so humid, I would have stayed and watched the racers I know that were still in it.

Back in the '90s at Sears Point, one of the guys I raced with had a black '57 Chevy sedan, and wore all black, head to toe; his firesuit was fairly thick, being an 8-sec car.
He'd sit in his car in 90-degree heat in the lanes, and run the thing without a worry.
Of course, he was sopping wet, but didn't care.
I don't know how he did it, but he was a tougher guy than I am.

I give Jay grief, Jay gives me grief.

I just sold my coach a few weeks ago. We will look for replacement if and when costs go down. I sold mine because that market is stupid price wise and I got more than I shoudl have for my 15 year old 40' deisel pusher. We do the hotel thing with the Vette and always have. I prefer staying at the track myself. But you know me I enjoyed my coach and liquor cabinet to much.

FWIW I am looking at adding a mini split to my trailer for now. Just to be able to get out of the heat on raceday for a bit if need be. Or around here warm up in the fall.


Wes look into a mini split for the garage. I put one in mine two years ago and I can keep it as cold or as warm as I want all year long.

Al,

Never heard of one. Will check. However, I am having a 30'Wx30'Dx16'H shop built out back finally. It's as big as I can go, and will be plenty w/a 2-post lift also......and will have heat and A/C!!!!

We’re towing with a 17 ram 3500 long bed single wheel. 28’ enclosed with golf cart and race car.

We’ve thrown around a lot of ideas best probably being a gooseneck trailer with a shower package….. but all extra $$ is being saved for building house #2 up north. Wife retires in 16 mos.

Prices are already tumbling, many dealers are still sitting in 2022's at 40% off (2024's are already rolling)

Are you still living and working in the Needles area of SO CA?
If so I remember living in Blythe for 4 + years as a kid in Jr and Senior high school from Sept. of 1957 to Nov. of 1961, hot it is there in the summers 98 degrees F at 2:30 AM in July and August, 117 to 122 F during the days. That was before most houses had Air Conditioning, swamp cooler only
Ae you going back to MN?

I have a roof air conditioner on my trailer and it keeps me cool between rounds. I bought the plastic strips that cover the door opening from Pit Pal and listen to the announcer on my radio and it helps a lot. Of course 100* days are still difficult.

I take summers off from racing like you northern guys do for winter. I got invited to a race on July 8 in North Carolina...not gonna happen. I usually don't race anywhere from June through August. September is iffy.
I go for fun...if it's 100+ degrees with 99% humidity, no shade trees, and no breeze... no thanks.

Yes they are. I bought my last one in 2008 when prices CRASHED. I place to wait it out and see what hapens. Wifes wants a toter/super C(most super C's dont have much for HP) I want another diesel pusher. We are looking at both but still causally but I do look weekly. Notice many have been listed for longer periods. For me I see this as a good thing.

Wes a mini split for your new shop will be the way to go as well. They provide heat and a/c. I have a very large garage on my house and I can keep it at 65 in the summer and 80 in the winter if I want. We have tried twice to build a shop and the cost just is not worth it. The last round of quotes were out there. The LEAST expensive one we just got quotes was $285K. That was a 20x24, smaller than my garage with 14' ceilings for a lift. They were as high as $370K. Ill rent another shop and write it off before I spend that money.

I have a friend with a Super C with 600HP and a 13 speed auto, so they are out there.

The traditional toter style do for sure. There are alot of the "lesser" ones on international chassis that have smaller cube less HP engines for sure. Oh yeah the other requirement is a residential fridge, all newer DP have them and the higher end super C's. The only place I see alot of the old never colds is in the smaller chassied super C's. They also seem to be alot of complaints about cab noise on the lower line ones.

what are the operating costs for a mini-split after the installation ?

[quote=polyspheric]My sympathy for the dilemma.

Not OT, but:
W/r/t "motels as the surrounding areas are full of undesirables"
This is well known to local law enforcement in many places, with minimal interest.
Explain??


Famoso is in the heart of the meth lab capital. Law enforcement? That's funny.

I'll hereby be reviewing the possibility of collecting your mancard.

He drinks good beer. He can keep his Man Card.

I can’t even go 8’s with a W8 small block….. and now Jeff is threatening to go faster than me. I’ll pick a skirt that matches my car

Trailers in the side yard on jackstands. bringing the tires in for the hot months REALLY saves them. They’re 2019 tires and to get more than two seasons out of trailer tires was always a challenge out here. Kind of figured out with the boat that trailer tires like to be inside. Sold the boat for the same reason Al dumped his coach. People were throwing money around for toys last year. We did really good on that deal.

Yes even in Michigan i keep my tires out of the sun but it's good to mention in convo. Also DONT blame you guys one bit for offing some toys amidst the current insanity. I'm waiting for another 'correction' to get something decent but in the meantime my 1500 tows my 24' enclosed (which is empty currently BTW)

I went back and looked for the last three years, one year prior to the install, thankfully all online for us. The usage has really not changed much , looks like an average of maybe 9-11KwH per month for mine. It is a 12000BTU unit and cools andor heats my garage easily. My garage is 28x33 fwiw and has 11' ceilings. Alos keep in mind around here AC's operate 7-8 months a year. I also have a large house and my electric bill is not small for sure. Plus we have had two rate increases since covid and three since install which has been a much larger increase to my bill than the mini split was for sure.

I was having some concrete work done on my house and had to park the coach out behind my house for a month and change. I got numerous offers to buy it. I finally decided to get the wifes opinion and she named a stupid price she would be willing to sell it for. I finally agreed to start telling people yes it was at that price. Well over book value. The FIRST person I said this to bought it for cash on the spot. CLearly didnt ask enough We will now play the waiting game and look for the right one.

They made there first trip to Palm Springs with and the following Monday asked if I was interested in buying it back as it was more than the hubby could handle. I said sorry no we were looking for another one already. They took it to a dealer who raised the price another $10K

Jay, I think between the two of us we need a racecar time share.

I need it from June 1- September 1, you can have it the rest of the year LOL

The are cheap to run. Ac works wonderful and heat is amazing when temps are above 40 but The problem you'll have if you live up north is that once it gets under 30 it costs a lot to heat and even with the best ones once it gets to zero can't heat. Just like heat pumps sub zero units have an electric heater strip to provide heat.

thanks for the replies on the mini-split.
i am only looking at the ac aspect, as heat is not good for me, although i like it.

What is a mini split?

Ductless heat pump basically….. I talked with a HVAC guy. Thought about 5k installed. Single unit that would handle our 54x14 with 14’ height. We’d put in a vinyl curtain over the opening for the adjacent 2 car garage.
….and yes Cab I’m still north of Needles, but we’re intending on moving to South Dakota in a year or so although she now wants to keep our AZ house too.

fujitsu-general.com/us/residential/what-is-a-mini-split

Thanks for the help