Author Topic: The Great Beater Challenge 2023 (Read 1655 times)

ianmcc · « **on:** April 22, 2023, 11:43:23 am »

Here we go again!
“Ode to a Paint Tray Hood Scoop”
August 26-27, 2023
Details below.
https://greatbeaterchallenge.com/details/

Myself and at least one member here are registered for this years lunacy.
And we will share some common ground once I get my car home (picked out already).

Arthur Dent · « **Reply #1 on:** April 22, 2023, 12:09:01 pm »

I am in too. This is mostly the original, year one. Route. Its named after our first car and the (failed) overheating fix.

revalations · « **Reply #2 on:** April 22, 2023, 12:12:03 pm »

Sounds like it'll be a blast! Hopefully, everyone can find $700 vehicles in this crazy used market lol.

Arthur Dent · « **Reply #3 on:** August 28, 2023, 11:25:35 am »

Our Elantra became budget legal after someone hit it and wrinkled the front fender. I mostly banged it out and they gave us $500.

Since our Elantra is silver I figured it would make an excellent platform for a Back to the Future DeLorean replica. I mean they are practically identical.

Some dumpster wood, Cadillac hub cap, cone, Ethernet cable, engine bit of a edge trimmer and some trailer hitch wiring later we had a totally faithful replica of the movie car at the rear.

As a bonus we re-used some screws from previous car builds.

A bike rake and ratchet straps were the preferred mounting system.

This is what makes simulated time travel possible — the flux crapisitor.

Times circuits - set for the start of 2023 GBC and first GBC.

Paint tray hood scoop as per the theme this year.

Headlights and tail lights brought into DeLorean specification. As a bonus they could help solve many electrical problems on route.

HMC instead of DMC

We made it the 50 or so kms to the starting line intact. A good start.

Due to issues with the timeline we had two Marty McFlys as well as Doc Brown and Einstein the dog.

ktm525 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 28, 2023, 11:41:05 am »

you ruined a serviceable paint tray. Could have magic markered the hole opening.

Looks like fun.

Fobroader · « **Reply #5 on:** August 28, 2023, 11:43:33 am »

That looks like a great time

Arthur Dent · « **Reply #6 on:** August 28, 2023, 11:44:06 am »

The paint tray was already ruined. It came off the Civic from a few years ago.

PJungnitsch · « **Reply #7 on:** August 28, 2023, 11:49:11 am »

Wiring looks better than the Triumph's we've seen around here lately, so there's that!

Hannibalsmith · « **Reply #8 on:** August 28, 2023, 11:52:40 am »

That's awesome! Glad you install all the right gauges, that's critical.

ianmcc · « **Reply #9 on:** August 29, 2023, 06:35:15 am »

We went with the Florida retirees and Del Boca Vista theme (think Seinfeld) in a $500 1995 Deville.
Here we are dolling the car up with pool noodle parking aids and the paint tray hood scoop.
Yes I screwed up the windshield banner!

My failed attempt to fill a pool floatie with expanding foam.

Riding the ferry at 6:30am.

I have a ton more pics but as far as the trip is concerned it was a hot one for sure (the A/C quit on the drive to Ft. Macleod) and the Caddy was a champ.
Only used a bit of oil and averaged 11.2 L/100km. And this year the Cadillacs (three) outnumbered the motorhomes (two).

Great_Big_Abyss · « **Reply #10 on:** August 29, 2023, 08:19:02 am »

Quote from: PJungnitsch on August 28, 2023, 11:49:11 am

Wiring looks better than the Triumph's we've seen around here lately, so there's that!

oooh, burn, lol.

BWII · « **Reply #11 on:** August 29, 2023, 10:58:00 am »

Quote from: ianmcc on August 29, 2023, 06:35:15 am

We went with the Florida retirees and Del Boca Vista theme (think Seinfeld) in a $500 1995 Deville.
Here we are dolling the car up with pool noodle parking aids and the paint tray hood scoop.
Yes I screwed up the windshield banner!

My failed attempt to fill a pool floatie with expanding foam.

Riding the ferry at 6:30am.

I have a ton more pics but as far as the trip is concerned it was a hot one for sure (the A/C quit on the drive to Ft. Macleod) and the Caddy was a champ.
Only used a bit of oil and averaged 11.2 L/100km. And this year the Cadillacs (three) outnumbered the motorhomes (two).

Bummer your pics aren't working - at least not for me.

Arthur Dent · « **Reply #12 on:** August 29, 2023, 11:53:59 am »

Pictures are not showing for me either.

I am slowing uploading some of ours here - https://www.flickr.com/photos/daveseven/albums/72177720310793638

A few of the other competitors

A very modest 125cc bike that made it all the way.

1977 Mercedes Benz 300D
Team name: Worst Taxi Ever

This one had a giant hole in the roof.

Team name: Not a lot goin' on

1994 Ford Aspire used in the Corner Gas tv show. Wanda's car.

Someone's Cadillac.

Bel Air

Team name: Cannonball Rum

Another time machine!

PJungnitsch · « **Reply #13 on:** August 29, 2023, 12:06:13 pm »

Make of Vehicle:

See you all actually went through the mountains, brave people!

+-0 for Japanese, American, German

+50 for Korean, Swedish

+200 for Italian

+225 for English

+250 for French, or Chinese

Arthur Dent · « **Reply #14 on:** August 30, 2023, 12:26:38 pm »

I can't believe I got points for a Korean car.

1976 Cadillac Eldorado

The bikers gets all the ladies attention

Supra

Team name: Barbie's Winter Beater

1976 Chevrolet Malibu
Team name: Low expectations

Chevrolet Citation

1955 Oldsmobile 88
I talked to the owner of this one at the 2021 challenge. As I recall he bought it back in the early 80s for below $700.

Suzuki LJ pickup truck

1957 Monarch Richelieu
The owner of this one had bought it an auction as he father had owned a very similar car. He kept it secret while fixing it up and was able to have his father drive it before he passed.

Canadian only variant.

ianmcc · « **Reply #15 on:** September 01, 2023, 06:39:41 am »

So the guy in the bike (2008 Honda CBR125R) had us carry some bags for him because
a-he was overloaded and
b-he selected us as a car most likely to survive the whole trip
so he gave me a homemade bar of soap (not Fight Club kinda soap at least!) and a heads up that our front tire was dicked.

ktm525 · « **Reply #16 on:** September 04, 2023, 06:21:46 pm »

How does this work? The rules say $700 max to buy car. Many of those cars are far north of $700. The Land Rover? Add two zeros?

Ahh I see, they just deduct points. Takes away from the "beater" part of the event. Yours was a beater lol. Was it less than $700?

Arthur Dent · « **Reply #17 on:** September 04, 2023, 06:57:28 pm »

Mine was exactly $700. I bought it for $1200. Had to put struts on the rear (safety item so exempt). Someone hit it a couple months ago and gave us $500 bringing it into budget good status. The Land Rover is miles off budget status along with a good number of others. The guy with the 50s Oldsmobile bought it in the 80s for $700.

ianmcc · « **Reply #18 on:** September 04, 2023, 07:40:26 pm »

I paid $500 for the Deville thus saving it from the crusher (where it was headed).
The guys with the MG paid around $2500 (I think-maybe more) but it came with tons of spares that they sold off to offset the price.
Not really the intent as you are allowed to sell parts OFF of your car up to a maximum 50% (so max is $350).
There has been grumbling about both the availability of $700 beaters (some want to increase the budget to $1000) and participants "cheating" their values.
Some just run for the fun-last year a team ran a full race 1970 Nova and finished with more than negative 27,000 points.

Arthur Dent · « **Reply #19 on:** September 04, 2023, 08:47:34 pm »

Totally legit special edition for bonus points.

Two time machines in front of the double decker outhouse.

We hit 88 km/h!

Not a contestant but could have been.

This place always seems to have a few classic cars parked out front. At least every time I drive by.

Last chance for cheaper gas in Alberta

Crows nest mountain

The Suzuki LJ was slow but steady. It took off the hood to air cooling.