Hybrid Z Car Sponsorship?

[Twoeightnine]

It has been suggested by the administrators that a thread be started to guage the interest in a, (in part), forum sponsored, highly monitored Z car build for the purpose of promoting the Z car experience and the Hybrid Z philosophy to the public via racing events.

There has been much discussion of the type of events as well as the type of car build. That is the topic of a separate thread.

What is asked here is...how many of you are willing to be a part of a maintained, shown, raced Hybrid Z? Small or large...lets hear it.

[Mr.INSANE]

Definetly up for this is it going to be a basic AutoX car and is there going to just be one person watching it

[RB26powered74zcar]

I do ....

[Bartman]

I guess I’ll be the guy with the dissenting opinion.

 

I don’t think that HybridZ should sponsor a car. I’m all for having a car or cars ‘promoting the Z car experience and the HybridZ philosophy to the public via racing events’, buy I don’t think that means that HybridZ needs to sponsor the car.

 

Here are some reasons for not sponsoring a car:

• There are several Z cars out there that I think are already performing this function, and additional cars that are currently in progress may serve this purpose as well.
  
• It’s better to have a single owner (or maybe a couple of people) make the decisions about what engine, what upgrades, when and where to drive it, etc.
  
• You can never make everyone happy. Some will be upset about the engine choice, others about who is driving it, others about where it will be stored, and the list goes on.
  
• When decisions need to get made about the car, you create divisiveness. This site needs to remain neutral and support all types of Hybrid Z cars.
  
• What happens when someone breaks something or wrecks the car?
  
• Who’s going to pay for the insurance, registration, etc.
  
• Look at the Pinks threads…

IIRC Dan didn’t want to have any sponsors advertise on HybridZ. I would imagine that some of the same reasons for not having HybridZ sponsors would also apply to being a sponsor.

 

I’m all for a cool twin turbo big block, SBC, RB26, or whatever with the HybridZ logo on it; but let our members continue to build these cars on their own with out having to deal with HybridZ members dictating what they can and cannot do. My car may not be the greatest, but I have my HybridZ logo displayed with pride.

 

Just my 2 cents, and let the flaming begin.

[spdkilz02]

did u get that logo by donating to the site, i would love to have a couple...if i need to make a donation i surely will...

[pete280z]

I can't see something like this ending well.

 

IMO, we can individually do the most good for HybridZ'ness by building our cars and having fun. In the process, display a HybridZ sticker/t-shirt/hat/whatever and be cool.

 

I guess if friendly rivalries prompted races or contests of some sort that's a different animal. Give one member's privately financed car the nod as the representative in that contest and have fun. Members could lend a hand or expertise along the way.

 

I don't have a huge post count, but I've been hanging around for a very long time. IMO, this is one of the most respected enthusiast sites on the web due to the attitudes of the moderators and members in general. Let's not screw up a good thing with another fiasco.

[Jackhammer]

I really think the idea has a great deal of merit. It does have however the risks Bartman has listed.

 

If this thread garners support for the endeavor...then perhaps a logical next step would be to look at forming a committee of sorts to address and deal with the issues involved in getting the project underway.

 

That's my 2 cents.

[Michael]

In my view there is much to be said for the achievement value and camaraderie of working together on a group HybridZ car. The more experienced folks would help the younger ones. The theoreticians and the practitioners would find some happy medium. The road racers would dip into drag racing, and vice versa. But what is the justification for “promoting the Z car experience”? What do we gain from popularizing Z-cars, Hybrid or otherwise? Do we need expanded endorsement and attention to feel better about our cars? Would we like to get more “respect” at car shows and race tracks? Do we wish to reverse the condescending treatment in Hot Rod Magazine? Would we hope to get discounts on parts, or more model-specific aftermarket support?

 

I’m very interested in participating in a group build, but the objective is to meet more fellow enthusiasts in person and to learn from their experience - and maybe to share a bit of my own “experience” - and NOT to somehow increase visibility or engage in an advertising campaign.

 

This is why it makes sense to have several HybridZ cars under construction concurrently, in different parts of the country; one in NorCal, one in SoCal, one in Texas, one in Florida, one in the Mid-Atlantic region, one in the Midwest, and so forth. I would like to be with a few hours’ drive of the build site; and in fact, the build site could rotate amongst several different garages.

 

Such cars would NOT be built over a few months, then raced and retired. They would evolve over many years, chronicling lessons-learned and building a real-life FAQ list.

[jl87ma]

Michael i couldnt have said it better. Thats the type of menatlity people should have. We dont need to prove anything to anyone.

[Twoeightnine]

Good stuff guys.

I noticed that well over 100 people have viewed the thread and only 8 with the sack to toss out their opinion!

Good, bad or indifferent. Lets hear it!

 

Everyone has put in some great thoughts. Keep em comming!

[John Scott]

Well stated, Bartman! My (old) HybridZ decal is also proudly displayed on the rear window. Too many opinions to do a single HybridZ sponsored car. autoX, drag, road? 8 seconds at a time or all day endurance? Personally, I would find little satisfaction in just hearing about the car in Florida or California and never laying a wrench to it or getting behind the wheel. This shouldn't stop a group of you from doing your own "team" car.

[dr_hunt]

I don't see your point about who's driving it and arguments over buld and such. What makes one hybridz with x powerplant, x trans, x rear end better than the next? When I went to SEZ, I could have spent days looking at all the cars. What makes it great isn't the powerplants, the drive train, etc. it's the workmanship and how it all works together.

 

Anybody who has ever driven a 9 second car or faster knows it's a handfull, just ask jap tin (sbc), JNJ (blown sbc, stock r200), z gad (2jz street car), scottie (GN engine), or hanns (turbo sbc). And they have different combinations! Or even stony when he gets his going. I've taken friends riding in the z at the track down the return road warming up the car or on the street in front of my house, and got on it using the t-brake. Everyone that's ever ridden in it got out and wanted no more! I took a little kid for a ride in Alb and he pissed his pants. It's really that scary when you can't see the road cause the front wheels are 1 foot off the ground! It's not for the faint of heart and only qualified individuals would even have the opportunity to have seat time. The people that are driving these cars didn't just jump in a 8 or 9 second ride and say yeehaw! Besides this wouldn't be a car that you dog whip the crap out of!

 

It's a car, it's replaceable, it's not "your baby" like your z or whatever you have, you don't love it, it's made to run, to drive and to look at. The quality of workmanship I've seen on this forum is amazing. I"ve built circle track cars from the frame up, and anybody that I've ever been around was just happy to have had a hand in whatever. I think the same thing is evident in the pinks build, as there were alot of great pieces that made up that puzzle, just morons doing the build in a self centered way, so your right about looking at the pinks threads, it shows, but that's not everyone on this forum either. The intent for a house car is for hybridz to have a car not individuals of the build team, which is what pinks was. The question is whether hybridz.org wants to back, have members build, and control a car. It may or may not happen, but if it were it would be under the direct supervision and control by admins, and a technical comittee of admin and well respected members.

 

Alot of circle track chassis companies have "house cars". They invite qualified drivers to drive their cars in big races to showcase thier car which is the best of the best they have to offer. Drivers are often carefull with the car and well qualified to boot. In Manzanita I saw and met Kenny Wallace driving an IMCA modified house car for dirtworks, it happens all the time all over the country, on dirt, asphalt and drag strips. Alot of the people that drive big time cars are just that drivers, so this isn't a new concept.

[A. G. Olphart]

...how many of you are willing to be a part of a maintained, shown, raced Hybrid Z?

 

There is a big difference between willing, and able.

 

We have a large group of very knowledgeable people on HybridZ, but we are spread all across the world... difficult to hold a wrench long distance.

 

In all likelihood the work and ongoing support would fall on the shoulders of a few dedicated individuals; no matter how talented and dedicated, doing everything for a supposed group effort will gall in time.

 

When one considers the expense involved in campaigning a car, can we as a group maintain that kind of cash flow? I doubt it. And I'd really hate to see the same dedicated people trying to keep it rolling out of their own pockets.

 

We don't have a corporate advertising budget.

 

 

.

[Twoeightnine]

I can't see something like this ending well.

 

IMO' date=' we can individually do the most good for HybridZ'ness by building our cars and having fun. In the process, display a HybridZ sticker/t-shirt/hat/whatever and be cool.

 

I guess if friendly rivalries prompted races or contests of some sort that's a different animal. Give one member's [b']privately financed[/b] car the nod as the representative in that contest and have fun. Members could lend a hand or expertise along the way.

 

I don't have a huge post count, but I've been hanging around for a very long time. IMO, this is one of the most respected enthusiast sites on the web due to the attitudes of the moderators and members in general. Let's not screw up a good thing with another fiasco.

 

I will try to stay pretty neutral on the subject as I would like to see all opinions. But I feel that the subject has been brought up and discussed due to the way a former "Hybrid Z" build was conducted. It can be done better. I think that is the point.

All good opinions guys. Keep em comming!!

[johnc]

Betamotorsports, LLC as a sponsor of Jeremy and Mike's effort, ponied up the money and parts for one basic reason: Advertising. For about $750 Betamotorsports' stickers got in front of a national television audience. Granted, you really couldn't see them very well, but it was a start.

 

Given that, what are the benefits to a sponsor of the HybridZ car?

[spdkilz02]

Betamotorsports' date=' LLC as a sponsor of Jeremy and Mike's effort, ponied up the money and parts for one basic reason: Advertising. For about $750 Betamotorsports' stickers got in front of a national television audience. Granted, you really couldn't see them very well, but it was a start.

 

Given that, what are the benefits to a sponsor of the HybridZ car?[/quote']

 

i know im really new on this site, but i totally agree with what u said. really the only thing that would happen to HybridZ if they sponsor is maybe get more people to the site. basically it would be a way to extend the community to alot more people, and maybe get more people interested in the Z. you need a business for a sponsor, bc they are really the only ones who would benefit from anything.

 

but i totally agree that building a car would be awesome and fun for everyone involved. but no matter what, there will always be conflict in everything.

[Tim240z]

It would be kinda fun to have a car that was built to the hilt with the collective knowledge and experience and monetary might of this site. Logistics would be challenging for sure, but in essense it is a great idea.

 

 

On a side note. After doing some clean up and organizing yesterday, I found a few of the HybridZ decals that were left over from the T-shirt, cap and decal effort from last year. I have 7 of them. They were stored in a FedEx envelope and are in brand new condition. If anyone that missed out last year wants one, let me know via PM. They originally sold for $20 shipped.

 

Tim

[JMortensen]

If we were bringing people to the site to sell them something then that would be a reason to do this. As it is, if people want to get together and build a car for Pinks then great, but I don't think it should be owned by HybridZ or any of that. I'm probably in the minority on this one, but there are too many different builds, too many different types of racing, too many different priorities for the people who build the cars, etc.

 

Put another way, I wouldn't even have a communally owned race car with the friends that I race with, and I've been friends with some of these guys for 15 years. I have and will continue to let them drive my car and to drive theirs on occasion, but the idea of group ownership brings with it too many hassles, too many disagreements, too many opportunities for people to screw up IMO.

 

The idea of the first Pinks car left me yawning. I never got into the Pinks forums. I did watch the show and I was pretty disappointed. I knew I hated the show, but I was surprised at how slow "our" car looked. So it was doubly bad for me to watch. Then there was all the BS after the show. I still don't know what went on, only that it was bad, and there was lots of it.

 

Likewise, if we built an autoxer that probably wouldn't make Hans or Dr Hunt or Scottie terribly happy either. And if we did and took it to nationals and it royally sucked, doubly so. There isn't a really good class for a hybrid road racer, unless someone is doing the OTC type challenge like John Coffey was doing, but again, how much exposure is that going to get, and is it worth building?

 

About the only thing that I can see is doing one of the Power Tours cars (would they even allow a Z?), which would give some good exposure, but even then, who would build it, who owns it, who drives it, and bottom line WHY ARE WE DOING IT? If there isn't a strong reason, I'll be in my garage rubbing my pennies together wishing I could afford nickels and working on my autox car that you guys will probably only ever know by the pictures/videos I post here.

[dr_hunt]

Your wrong there, roundy round is where I started, drag was cheaper, otherwise there is an asphalt road course and oval track in Alb. as well, and I'd be doing that instead. Function of time and money. Time I don't have and money, well, easy come, easy go.

 

Drag lasts 10 seconds or less, circle track or road lasts alot longer. It is harder on engines, parts, tires and costs more to maintain than what I do IMO.

[veritech-z]

My feelings on this go something along these lines: If there were some type of competition between the online forums, or some kind of open event, it would be really great to come together to represent the z community with the full resources of the site. I would rather see individual members step up to represent hybridz in their own way than to try and maintain a family car. I think that the way we are now, a loose confederation of talented and knowledgeable boys and girls that come together when we need or want to (but never really HAVE to) makes it a great community to be a part of. If we were to start funding a racing team, this would go from a community to a fraternity-meaning that we would turn this into a .com paysite instead of a .org and use the proceeds to operate this vehicle. I feel like we are at the same kind of turning point the colonies were in when they first banded together as a country: Strong central government with limited autonomy, or just enough government to protect us and let us make our own choices on how we get the day to day accomplished. Personally, I like to be able to pop in and check up on other z people and their projects, but don't like the idea of having to commit to an endeavor that I would have minimal say or input on from my corner of the internet. But I would like to get behind an effort to show our dominance over www.zcar.com (If anybody is going to issue that challenge formally, and would like an awe inspiring rattle can paint job, come on down to tampa and we'll git r dun...)