I really admire people like these two - true motorsport guys. From Harley to Datsun, none of that "only ___" type of 'car guy.' Appreciate motorsport engineering from all aspect is what it's all about.
I loved this car, good intro to the video. Watching these videos and seeing people build car's out of there garages makes me want to do the same. Thank you
Especially when you have to do a 3-point turn! I've got a Fiero without power steering and it's a huge pain backing into spaces at car shows, or really just any time I'm in a parking lot and people are waiting for me to get out of the way.
Totally right about being prepared to leave you car smashed at the track. I did a trackday in my Corrado a few years ago and there's nothing worse than losing it on a corner and sliding towards metal barriers with no control, hoping you stop before you hit. I got lucky when I spun off, my friend did not.
Love everything about this car--and it's true, the cars that are the most fun are the ones you aren't afraid of beating up--especially on track. Some cool 'work with what ya got' engineering here
I was worried that, when I first saw this in previews, the words "Small Block Chevy" were going to show up. Imagine my relief when I heard "Five Liter Mustang." Good on ya for using something other than an SBC on a build that's really something else.
I enjoy your show - however, you have to work on your audio equipment. Audio quality is as important as - if not more important than - video. And in this video it is noise only. I now, I get flagged for this post, but I think I'm able to make this criticism in a constructive way... :)
I noticed they use headsets on Top Gear when they are in a really, really loud car. Something like a helicopter headset would work well if you're driving a 2000lbs chainsaw.
Get better speakers. The only noise I noticed was his voice distorting while driving. The car itself sounded phenomenal. Audio is as important as video, I agree, but reproducing the audio accurately is more important when you are critiquing it.
Christopher Pofahl I don't think that's the problem at all. I've got decent speakers but all of the in-car segments are just the vocals fighting with the droning bass of the engine.
This car is just so awesome. I hate that it gets the amount of hate that is does from its competition. I raced LeMons a few times against it and it spanked us. But the fact that they have the skill to put this kind of car together for the budget that they are allowed is astounding and that should be recognized. Budget for cars is $500 Idk who is hating on this car but they don't win every race, yesterday a $500 Porsche beat this team by a few laps. Its possible, but you just have to have commitment.
You honestly believe their are $500 porches out there??? Lmao. Maybe a shell for a 914 or a rusted and clapped out 924 with no drivetrain would run you that. Come on who are you really kidding here.
I'm not kidding anyone. I know the budget is more a suggestion to most teams. But because of the budget, most teams have similar amounts of money to work with before you start getting penalized. I've been racing and spectators LeMons events for just over two seasons now and know the model T team as well as a lot of the top teams. Also some of the less competitive teams. The playing field is pretty even in terms of funding. All that matters is how competitive you choose to be, having a friend who can weld, and a good bit of luck.
I like it. Most people want fit and finish looking cars. On the outside, it looks as though some one just threw parts at a chassis and the stuck. But a lot of drivers don't know how to get the most out of a car without destructive driving technics. When you learn that-you won't break parts or crash.
i saw that car in person. i was leaving from the hospital for my 1 day home release, and saw this car in traffic on hwy24 cali next to me for about 5 miles. in the tunnel its badass
That's really legal to drive on public roads?? Here in Switzerland even "sports" air filters or blacked out taillights are illegal, god forbid if you want to do an engine swap or turbo upgrade, that's never gonna be able to be registered... :(
Hey Mike, After traveling across this country checking out guys amazingly cool rides one after another, why not show us the viewers any cars from your collection? Huge fan and cannot wait for the next episode!
Guys, a suggestion on a car to do a show about, the Faster Farms Belvedere. It races in LeMons, and at last weekend's Sacramento International Auto Show it was a crowd favorite.
For those who are questioning the $500 budget in LeMons, and how this car could be built in budget: Please, read the rulebook. It's short, it's simple, it's straight forward. $500 is the budget allowed for the drivetrain, chassis, and suspension, essentially. As Dennis suggests, this car is a collection of castoff parts. The frame can be gotten for free if you know where to look, nobody keeps A frames. The body is a beat T. Nobody keeps beaten T bodies. The drivetrain is a mid 80s mustang. You can find wrecked mustangs on Craigslist for a few hundred bucks. Strip the drive train, sell a few interior bits and glass, scrap the rest at $200 a ton, and you can get the invested price of the drivetrain down to a couple hundred bucks, if not free and clear. The same goes for the pinto front suspension. If you really work the budget, you can create nearly free parts. If you have the time and ability, you can build parts instead of buying them. A coat of paint makes everything look like its worth twice as much. I have no doubt that, with patience and a keen eye on Craigslist and a good ear to your local hot rod scene, you could collect most of these parts...just like these guys did. There are hundreds of LeMons cars across the country, and the overwhelming majority of them are in-budget, as defined by the rulebook.
I think this car would be an absolute blast to drive. At the same time, I believe it is completely contrary to the spirit of LeMons. LeMons is about getting a group of buddies together and keeping a cheap econobox never intended for a radetrack, driving for 2 days. This is an endurance racer built from the ground up to use every loophole available.
i like anything that is fun to drive and you can make anything fun to drive lol my 1996 ranger was horrible when i got it but i took a tone of weight off it ran it striagh of the manifold and modified the stock intake now its fun as hell i mean its not fast but its fun and its my work that made it that way thats what really makes it fun its almost like you have bonded your self with the car when you do stuff like that
Oh my god that car it so!! Sick I would love one of these cars, the guys who built it A+ I would drive the living crap out of that car everyday if I had the chance
About these lemons races. I've never quite understood what the $500 is exactly. It's the original purchase price of the car? What can you do with it and what can't you? Also what stops you from having friend build a monster of a car and selling it to you for $500? Here in Sweden we have something called folkrace (lit. people's race) where the rules are that if you enter the race anyone can place a fixed price bid (~1000 USD) on the car and the buyer is chosen randomly from bidders. Refuse to sell and you may lose your competition license.
I had a feeling that LeMons is the closest thing we have to Folkrace. However, LeMons races aren't quite so serious, and while the $500 limit is what is stated, that does not count cost of safety equipment and all other expenses. before every race weekend is a tech inspection whereupon the judges use an arbitrary metric to decide whether or not your car is really worth $500 (if you brought piles upon piles of sales receipts, it helps, but you are allowed to bribe them with junk food and booze, haha). Insofar as I am aware, you don't need a competition license for LeMons.
Skidracer21 Yeah folkrace is about serious fair racing but making it cheap and available for the everyman. I guess lemons is a little more goofing around and the rules are less defined and more seat of the pants judgement calls? Most important rule is "being in the spirit of what lemons is about"? Folkrace cars are however apparently often way more expensive than the fixed price and they just have lots of friends bidding for them on their own cars so the odds are low that someone else actually gets to buy the car.
Anders Öhlund Yeah, that's a good way to put it. The judges wear fake beards and stuff and the penalties involve welding metal farm animals onto your roof and writing all over your car with a marker. The $500 is the cost of the car, but you can pay more and sell parts (like the seats) to offset the cost. Safety equipment like roll cages, brakes, and tires don't count into the $500 so in reality the cars can cost $2000+
Really great video. I was seeing the '67 Toronado at the begining. Seriously, try to find someone who would let you drive one for one of your videos, I beg you!
Doesn't The 24hrs of LeMons rules have a stipulation that if another racer wants to purchase the car after the race for $500 you have to sell it? Or am I completely mistaken?
Event organisers can buy the car for $500 at the end of each race. "1.4: Claiming Race: At the end of the competition, the Organizers--and nobody else, you lazy, better-car-wantin' bastids--may elect to purchase any vehicle from its owner(s) for $500. In 80 races and counting, we've claimed cars precisely twice. Don't piss us off so much that we raise that to three."
Sam Douglas Ok, thanks, that makes sense. It would keep the cheating down but not allow racers to bully cars away from each other. Gotta love their sense of humor with the rules. :)
I can understand why the other racers get annoyed; in a lot of ways, these feels like the antithesis of what LeMons is supposed to be about. But then, it's such an impressive car, which has pace and reliability in spades, that it just ends up being awesome.
Josh LaDue....yes it does, I know cuz when I was 18yrs old, I dumped a 2liter of Pepsi that was half soda and half processed white sugar, into the gas tank of a 1989 chevy camaro IROC Z/28....that asshole owed me money.....
Thats what ive been in arguments with Lemons racers before about on other sites. They say there are various loop holes and that discrepancy is not strictly enforced. Whatever. Ive seen $500 cars, especially on craigslist and they dont look like this or perform like this no matter what. Sorry its bull crap.
***** The engine alone would be well more than 500 from a junkyard where I live.Hell it's hard to find any car running with less than a quarter million miles on it for 500. Plus every person who holds onto old cars like Model A bodies wants a small fortune no matter the condition. I can't conceive any possible way this could have been done for any less than a few grand.
obviously crazylalalala! Theres no way in frozen hell would you pick up this kind of performance for just $500. So if thats the case then why have the rule in the first place??
***** it doesnt. while i dont fallow the sport. it seems like its a major selling point to it, without it its just junk cars (in comparison to other forms of race cars, that car is awesome). So its a bit deceiving kinda like steroids in pro sports. Im sure Ferrari can make a beast car with the stuff they have laying around in their garages and later say that it only cost them 500 bucks.
i screamed CATERHAM when i saw the thumbnail. then i read the description. watched the video and what an awesome accomplishment
I really admire people like these two - true motorsport guys.
From Harley to Datsun, none of that "only ___" type of 'car guy.'
Appreciate motorsport engineering from all aspect is what it's all about.
Well said. Ford guys or Chevy guys....two cheeks of the same arse.
I've been on the same track as this car during a 24-hour endurance race. It is ridiculously fast.
To whoever shot the opening scene with the lemons; beautiful job, beautiful indeed
I loved this car, good intro to the video. Watching these videos and seeing people build car's out of there garages makes me want to do the same. Thank you
Home made Caterham! Wicked!
Best series on the web ever. Ready for prime time.
I love the feel without power steering, it communicates so much better that way. It's not quite as enjoyable while parking, though xD.
Especially when you have to do a 3-point turn! I've got a Fiero without power steering and it's a huge pain backing into spaces at car shows, or really just any time I'm in a parking lot and people are waiting for me to get out of the way.
Nicktrance1 what if there was a electronic power steering cut off
chase vollbrecht In all EPAS cars I've driven it's still connected, no harder than turning with a hydraulic power steering in the same situation.
Totally right about being prepared to leave you car smashed at the track. I did a trackday in my Corrado a few years ago and there's nothing worse than losing it on a corner and sliding towards metal barriers with no control, hoping you stop before you hit. I got lucky when I spun off, my friend did not.
Love everything about this car--and it's true, the cars that are the most fun are the ones you aren't afraid of beating up--especially on track. Some cool 'work with what ya got' engineering here
this has to be one of the coolest lemon racers I've ever seen.
THAT IS A SWEET PIECE OF LEMON RACER resembling the legendary Caterham 7!
Musto, you always crack me up. Great vid, as usual.
I was worried that, when I first saw this in previews, the words "Small Block Chevy" were going to show up. Imagine my relief when I heard "Five Liter Mustang."
Good on ya for using something other than an SBC on a build that's really something else.
Wow. Best T rod ever. I could drive it every day.
It's a very cool racecar, no doubt, but it looks like a guy from Caterham tried to describe one of their cars to an american trough the cellphone.
still came out great
Best intro to a clip, CLASSIC! what an awesome car! Love it!
Highlight of my day. I love this show, thank you /Drive!
Lemon actually tastes freaking amazing by itself.
Haha Poor man's Caterham ala American style :p
Nice job on the carb hack. Love it!
If Dennis or Dave wish to use our music in any videos royalty free, go for it! Love the car! Great job! We like smart creative folks.
This is like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang's angry cousin. It's such a cool build.
Its banned, really banned... awsome intro, epic video
This car is beautiful, the exhaust is my favorite part.
THIS IS WHAT CARS ARE ABOUT!
My second favorite episode of Big Muscle.
I enjoy your show - however, you have to work on your audio equipment. Audio quality is as important as - if not more important than - video. And in this video it is noise only. I now, I get flagged for this post, but I think I'm able to make this criticism in a constructive way... :)
I noticed they use headsets on Top Gear when they are in a really, really loud car. Something like a helicopter headset would work well if you're driving a 2000lbs chainsaw.
Get better speakers. The only noise I noticed was his voice distorting while driving. The car itself sounded phenomenal. Audio is as important as video, I agree, but reproducing the audio accurately is more important when you are critiquing it.
Sounded ok to me, might be your speakers
Christopher Pofahl I don't think that's the problem at all. I've got decent speakers but all of the in-car segments are just the vocals fighting with the droning bass of the engine.
StalePhish I fully agree. My speakers are decent, too - I was talking about the in car segments, also.
This car is just so awesome. I hate that it gets the amount of hate that is does from its competition. I raced LeMons a few times against it and it spanked us. But the fact that they have the skill to put this kind of car together for the budget that they are allowed is astounding and that should be recognized. Budget for cars is $500
Idk who is hating on this car but they don't win every race, yesterday a $500 Porsche beat this team by a few laps. Its possible, but you just have to have commitment.
You honestly believe their are $500 porches out there??? Lmao. Maybe a shell for a 914 or a rusted and clapped out 924 with no drivetrain would run you that. Come on who are you really kidding here.
I'm not kidding anyone. I know the budget is more a suggestion to most teams. But because of the budget, most teams have similar amounts of money to work with before you start getting penalized. I've been racing and spectators LeMons events for just over two seasons now and know the model T team as well as a lot of the top teams. Also some of the less competitive teams. The playing field is pretty even in terms of funding. All that matters is how competitive you choose to be, having a friend who can weld, and a good bit of luck.
seriously, if I came in 2nd behind that machine...
we would be going for beers happy campers.
Probably rattles like mad at speed.
I don't like muscle cars but this puts a smile on my face :)
Amazing as usual. Loved that introduction!
I like it. Most people want fit and finish looking cars. On the outside, it looks as though some one just threw parts at a chassis and the stuck. But a lot of drivers don't know how to get the most out of a car without destructive driving technics. When you learn that-you won't break parts or crash.
The intro, pure genius!
Looks like Beat up Lotus Seven
The complaints we heard at the end of the vid were reminiscent of the complaints about the original Seven when it came on the scene.
its a lotus seven with lightness subtracted
I agree but when I found out what it actually is, I love it and I hadn't heard of 24 Hours of Lemons, Awesome!
My favorite show so far!
3:52 "And the light's green ... yeah son hahahahahhaaa" That laugh wasn't just unscripted -- it sounded involuntary! Awesome ride!
This show has the best intro. Bar none.
i like the clapping in the song
i saw that car in person. i was leaving from the hospital for my 1 day home release, and saw this car in traffic on hwy24 cali next to me for about 5 miles. in the tunnel its badass
That's like a Lotus 7/Caterham from hell!, absolutely fantastic!!
Great episode! Would love too see more footage of that car in a not regular BIG MUSCLE episode.
what a sound - astounding !!!
loved this episode! Keep it up Mike!
It's a mustang go cart/T-bucket... hell yeah.
I wonder if Mike ever feels silly talking to someone who isn't there.
Most of the time someone sits next to him though
That's really legal to drive on public roads??
Here in Switzerland even "sports" air filters or blacked out taillights are illegal, god forbid if you want to do an engine swap or turbo upgrade, that's never gonna be able to be registered... :(
US is somewhat easy going...as long as you got certain things on your car or if it's past certain age, you're good to go.
Canada, Australia, NZ, have that frontier spirit too. Different flavour.
"How many pizzas can you eat, Mike?"
hahahaha
isnt a 500cfm 2 barrel smaller then a 500cfm 4 barrel. dont they use a difrent ratio to get 2 barrel flow rate?
Am I the only one who might mistake this for an American Lotus Super Seven?
I need to make that car.
I love Big Muscle, but this was my favorite of all time...not even sure why. I will go and think about it
This is like the rat racer of my dreams. Not overdone, just well conceived.
Hey Mike, After traveling across this country checking out guys amazingly cool rides one after another, why not show us the viewers any cars from your collection? Huge fan and cannot wait for the next episode!
Guys, a suggestion on a car to do a show about, the Faster Farms Belvedere. It races in LeMons, and at last weekend's Sacramento International Auto Show it was a crowd favorite.
Hilarious, great show.
Mike Musto's name should be Mike "The Pizza Processor" Musto.
LOL what's the point of that DynaMat Headliner!
Jacob Lee . On a hot day I bet your scone would be sizzling without it. Lol
For those who are questioning the $500 budget in LeMons, and how this car could be built in budget:
Please, read the rulebook. It's short, it's simple, it's straight forward.
$500 is the budget allowed for the drivetrain, chassis, and suspension, essentially.
As Dennis suggests, this car is a collection of castoff parts. The frame can be gotten for free if you know where to look, nobody keeps A frames. The body is a beat T. Nobody keeps beaten T bodies. The drivetrain is a mid 80s mustang. You can find wrecked mustangs on Craigslist for a few hundred bucks. Strip the drive train, sell a few interior bits and glass, scrap the rest at $200 a ton, and you can get the invested price of the drivetrain down to a couple hundred bucks, if not free and clear.
The same goes for the pinto front suspension.
If you really work the budget, you can create nearly free parts. If you have the time and ability, you can build parts instead of buying them. A coat of paint makes everything look like its worth twice as much.
I have no doubt that, with patience and a keen eye on Craigslist and a good ear to your local hot rod scene, you could collect most of these parts...just like these guys did. There are hundreds of LeMons cars across the country, and the overwhelming majority of them are in-budget, as defined by the rulebook.
I think this car would be an absolute blast to drive. At the same time, I believe it is completely contrary to the spirit of LeMons. LeMons is about getting a group of buddies together and keeping a cheap econobox never intended for a radetrack, driving for 2 days. This is an endurance racer built from the ground up to use every loophole available.
Samba is an excellent driving shoe, I wear the same :)
I love this car.
That car kind of looks like a Caterham Superlight, except ten times more awesome.
I've seen and heard this car in person race at Sonoma's Lemons race. You could hear it over all the other cars.
i like anything that is fun to drive and you can make anything fun to drive lol my 1996 ranger was horrible when i got it but i took a tone of weight off it ran it striagh of the manifold and modified the stock intake now its fun as hell i mean its not fast but its fun and its my work that made it that way thats what really makes it fun its almost like you have bonded your self with the car when you do stuff like that
I like the look of this thing
Oh my god that car it so!! Sick I would love one of these cars, the guys who built it A+ I would drive the living crap out of that car everyday if I had the chance
About these lemons races. I've never quite understood what the $500 is exactly. It's the original purchase price of the car? What can you do with it and what can't you? Also what stops you from having friend build a monster of a car and selling it to you for $500?
Here in Sweden we have something called folkrace (lit. people's race) where the rules are that if you enter the race anyone can place a fixed price bid (~1000 USD) on the car and the buyer is chosen randomly from bidders. Refuse to sell and you may lose your competition license.
I had a feeling that LeMons is the closest thing we have to Folkrace. However, LeMons races aren't quite so serious, and while the $500 limit is what is stated, that does not count cost of safety equipment and all other expenses. before every race weekend is a tech inspection whereupon the judges use an arbitrary metric to decide whether or not your car is really worth $500 (if you brought piles upon piles of sales receipts, it helps, but you are allowed to bribe them with junk food and booze, haha). Insofar as I am aware, you don't need a competition license for LeMons.
Skidracer21 Yeah folkrace is about serious fair racing but making it cheap and available for the everyman. I guess lemons is a little more goofing around and the rules are less defined and more seat of the pants judgement calls? Most important rule is "being in the spirit of what lemons is about"?
Folkrace cars are however apparently often way more expensive than the fixed price and they just have lots of friends bidding for them on their own cars so the odds are low that someone else actually gets to buy the car.
Anders Öhlund Yeah, that's a good way to put it. The judges wear fake beards and stuff and the penalties involve welding metal farm animals onto your roof and writing all over your car with a marker. The $500 is the cost of the car, but you can pay more and sell parts (like the seats) to offset the cost. Safety equipment like roll cages, brakes, and tires don't count into the $500 so in reality the cars can cost $2000+
"About these lemons races. I've never quite understood..."
umm, read the rules maybe?
***** So could a teammate sell me his GT3 for $500? :)
Please, what is the name of that first opening song? It's gorgeous!
is the beginning a certain song? i love the tune. very comforting. anyone know?
God i love this show :) !
Love all the Dynamat. If it wasn't lined everywhere, it might be a noisy ride.
Really great video. I was seeing the '67 Toronado at the begining. Seriously, try to find someone who would let you drive one for one of your videos, I beg you!
when is next tuned coming
btw great episode
a 500$ car has more power than a $1 million car because with the $1 million car is babied more than the 500$ car.
Equal parts brilliant and bizarre.
Intro was Hilarious!
that intro is sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet
Awesome!
that car is dope.
Doesn't The 24hrs of LeMons rules have a stipulation that if another racer wants to purchase the car after the race for $500 you have to sell it? Or am I completely mistaken?
Event organisers can buy the car for $500 at the end of each race.
"1.4: Claiming Race: At the end of the competition, the Organizers--and nobody else, you lazy, better-car-wantin' bastids--may elect to purchase any vehicle from its owner(s) for $500. In 80 races and counting, we've claimed cars precisely twice. Don't piss us off so much that we raise that to three."
Sam Douglas
Ok, thanks, that makes sense. It would keep the cheating down but not allow racers to bully cars away from each other.
Gotta love their sense of humor with the rules. :)
run what ya brung. i think this car pretty much proves that point.
"How many pizzas can you eat Mike?" lol!
Is Caswell pissed or happy that you broke one of his glass?
I can understand why the other racers get annoyed; in a lot of ways, these feels like the antithesis of what LeMons is supposed to be about. But then, it's such an impressive car, which has pace and reliability in spades, that it just ends up being awesome.
if you give a car sugar, the engine siezes
Josh LaDue not really. mythbusters tried that. even with more sugar than gasoline their 70s Cadillac ran fine
Tell that to my aunt you needed her vans engine rebuilt cuz some kids put sugar in her gas tank
Your aunts van should've had the fuel filter cleaned out every once in a while so that it can do it's job.
Josh LaDue....yes it does, I know cuz when I was 18yrs old, I dumped a 2liter of Pepsi that was half soda and half processed white sugar, into the gas tank of a 1989 chevy camaro IROC Z/28....that asshole owed me money.....
Clicky Clicky, Bang Bang
This is like a Caterham designed by Coors beer.
Still don't understand how they did this for 500 bucks originally.
Thats what ive been in arguments with Lemons racers before about on other sites. They say there are various loop holes and that discrepancy is not strictly enforced. Whatever. Ive seen $500 cars, especially on craigslist and they dont look like this or perform like this no matter what. Sorry its bull crap.
*****
The engine alone would be well more than 500 from a junkyard where I live.Hell it's hard to find any car running with less than a quarter million miles on it for 500. Plus every person who holds onto old cars like Model A bodies wants a small fortune no matter the condition. I can't conceive any possible way this could have been done for any less than a few grand.
they had all the parts before they started counting.
obviously crazylalalala! Theres no way in frozen hell would you pick up this kind of performance for just $500. So if thats the case then why have the rule in the first place??
*****
it doesnt.
while i dont fallow the sport. it seems like its a major selling point to it, without it its just junk cars (in comparison to other forms of race cars, that car is awesome). So its a bit deceiving kinda like steroids in pro sports.
Im sure Ferrari can make a beast car with the stuff they have laying around in their garages and later say that it only cost them 500 bucks.
Love the show though.
This is an amazing example of old fashioned ingenuity that takes years to acquire. A pile of junk + brains and experience = budget racer.
It does look like the big brother of a Lotus 7. I like it.
can some one tell me what tires are the ones on the cars i keep seen them and i would like to buy sum for my datsun
Dynamat for a headliner... hah! bet it reduces some noise in THAT :P
For the people who are confused, Its a car they bought for 500$ and built up with more $
So you gave up on tuned then?
No the season is done for the time being. Check out the Smoking Tire if you want more Matt Farah stuff
They switch every season.
Thanks guys
That car is Fucking Bad Ass. It's the definition.
that exhaust noise makes any argument invalid.Addictive in the extreme!
the beginning of his tune sounds a little like MJ's they don't care about us haha!
Name of the intro melody??
Looks like a cross between a Lotus 7 and a T-bucket.
8 kinds of awesome
He threw it on the ground! Reminds me of a super seven
I would park that in the CEO parking spot any day