2018 24 Hours Of Lemons New Zealand - Team Hooncorp's Shot At History!!

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Nismonath5

Nismonath5

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Nismonath5
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Welcome GTP members, Hooncorp followers and motorsport fans alike! :gtpflag:


This thread is going to cover Hooncorp's attempt at the 2018 NZ 24 Hours Of Lemons, on the 12-13th May. Here I will be posting live updates on the team's progress over the race weekend. I'll keep it as "to-the-minute" as I can, and I'll do my best to both provide pics and clips too, and also respond to any messages put on this thread.

The basic premise of this event is simple.
It's the first ever full 24hr endurance race in New Zealand. This is actually 24hr Lemons' third year in New Zealand, and Hooncorp's second Lemons, but previous events have been split into two "dawn till dusk" races over the course of a weekend. This will be the first true, honest to God, non-stop 24 hour motor race in the country. Through night and day. The action's going down at Hampton Down's motorsport park, which is a well known circuit by most Lemons veterans, but still treacherous nonetheless.

download (1).jpeg


Cars must have been acquired for $999NZD or less. Spent $1000 buying your car? That's a penalty!!! Teams may buy cars cheaper and spend leftover money on upgrades (eg. buy a car for $300 and spend $699 on suspension, brakes, etc..) However, safety equipment costs do not come into the equation. Want to drop $4k on a rollcage? You're more than welcome! Want to spend that same $4k on twin turbos, nitrous oxide and semislick racing tyres instead? PENALITES!!!!!!! Cars MUST HAVE a one piece non-reclining seat, rollcage, harness, fire extinguisher and kill switch. That makes them safe, as safe as any other car out there racing today. Will it make them last the distance? We shall see.

So, as I said before here you'll find the live updates on the race when it happens in a few weeks time. Until then though, this OP is up here as a bit of a placeholder, so I can share the link to a few places and direct people here so they know to bookmark this link to keep up to tabs! (Jordan approved) Watch this space! I'll put up some pics and clips of the preparations leading up to the event, but come May 12-13, things get real!!!
 
Updates on the two cars' prep (Sorry, no pics this time. Next time for sure!)

The Commodore's off at Davie's Holden Dealer getting the full birthday treatment. Word has it the staff have taken quite a liking to it, despite it's roughness and poor condition compared to a regular VN, it has charm, and they are giving it far more than we asked them. New shocks, brakes, wheels, diff, rings, bearings, the whole lot... In fact I had to rough up a brand new shiny strut brace with sandpaper and give it a purposely-terrible paintjob just in case the judges decided to penalise us for having a "too new" strut brace in the car!

The Pulsar is set to get everything this weekend. Kill switch, fire extinguisher, one-piece seat, as well as work on the engine, transmission, suspension, anything and everything! It's all going down this weekend!

I've also tee'd up a date with the signwriter to get a livery for each car so if you have any ideas, be sure to let me know!
FYI The Commodore's theme is "Mother Russia", and the Pulsar's theme is "PULSE-AR" (As in pulse, heartbeat, ect. Geddit?)
 
Best of luck, hope all goes well.
If family commitments allow I'll try and pop down to watch some.
Are they running the original circuit or the new full version ? Would've thought if there are lots of entries the new layout would be best suited ?
 
noshog
Best of luck, hope all goes well.
If family commitments allow I'll try and pop down to watch some.
Are they running the original circuit or the new full version ? Would've thought if there are lots of entries the new layout would be best suited ?
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For this one we are using the original National circuit, and yes it will be rather full. There are well over 50 teams entered at this point with more registering every day!!! :eek:
 
The original circuit is going to pretty full alright. I guess the chance of a 'clean air' lap are going to be pretty slim :)
 
Long nights ahead getting the Commodore and Pulsar ready! Still looking for some sealed drums of 98 gas so if anyone in NZ can help with that, please get in touch!

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In the meantime, the Commodore's getting struts, transmission and diff refreshening, motor overhaul, and fuel cell installed, while the Pulsar's getting it's seat, kill switch, fire extinguisher, general going-over, and livery! Sleep's overrated anyway. :lol:
 
Hey @Nismonath5 , can I be a little nosy and ask why you have chosen a Holden for this event ?
Seems like a bit of a big and heavy car for a 24hr race, especially around a track like Hampton with a packed grid.
Did you already have this car 'locked in' or is it just the Aussie/Kiwi thing of racing a Holden :)
 
noshog
Hey @Nismonath5 , can I be a little nosy and ask why you have chosen a Holden for this event ?
Seems like a bit of a big and heavy car for a 24hr race, especially around a track like Hampton with a packed grid.
Did you already have this car 'locked in' or is it just the Aussie/Kiwi thing of racing a Holden :)
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Ah, what a question. Well, you see, it wasn't really our choice, but it sort of was.

Confused?

As you may have read in my thread about our shot at Lemons last year (here), we had several plans for what we were gonna race. A Ford Falcon V8 race ute or a Nissan N15 Pulsar Autech seemed like the best ideas, though they needed a lot of work. The Falcon needed a motor and gearbox, among other things and the Pulsar was just a stock road car. It would need the full racecar prep treatment.

When most of our prep team screwed around and left us with only 5 weeks till race day, we re-discovered the old VN Commodore sitting in the back of the shed. Given the time frame, it was a much better choice. It already had the cage, the kill switch, harnesses, and extinguisher. It just needed a one piece seat, some road tyres, larger fuel cell and a basic going over before it was track worthy!

Of course, on the track it was less than ideal. You're right, it must be somewhere in the 1300kg's and had huge body roll and could hardly hold speed through corners. But that's why this year, we built the Autech to compete as well, so hopefully that'll up our odds at doing well at this one. Lighter, more agile, hopefully friendlier in the wet. Of course, we've given the Commodore some upgrades for this year too and it'll do damn well but of the two, my money's on the Pulsar. :sly:

So, anyway to summarise. It was more of a "beggars cant be choosers" situation than anything else.
 
Nismonath5
Ah, what a question. Well, you see, it wasn't really our choice, but it sort of was.

Confused?

As you may have read in my thread about our shot at Lemons last year (here), we had several plans for what we were gonna race. A Ford Falcon V8 race ute or a Nissan N15 Pulsar Autech seemed like the best ideas, though they needed a lot of work. The Falcon needed a motor and gearbox, among other things and the Pulsar was just a stock road car. It would need the full racecar prep treatment.

When most of our prep team screwed around and left us with only 5 weeks till race day, we re-discovered the old VN Commodore sitting in the back of the shed. Given the time frame, it was a much better choice. It already had the cage, the kill switch, harnesses, and extinguisher. It just needed a one piece seat, some road tyres, larger fuel cell and a basic going over before it was track worthy!

Of course, on the track it was less than ideal. You're right, it must be somewhere in the 1300kg's and had huge body roll and could hardly hold speed through corners. But that's why this year, we built the Autech to compete as well, so hopefully that'll up our odds at doing well at this one. Lighter, more agile, hopefully friendlier in the wet. Of course, we've given the Commodore some upgrades for this year too and it'll do damn well but of the two, my money's on the Pulsar. :sly:

So, anyway to summarise. It was more of a "beggars cant be choosers" situation than anything else.
Click to expand...
If anyone can find a VN Commodore under 1400kg, it's been to Jenny Craig :lol:
 
Pete05
If anyone can find a VN Commodore under 1400kg, it's been to Jenny Craig :lol:
Click to expand...
Well, we stripped all we could out of it... but now that you mention it, you've seen how meaty that cage is, and all that steel probably cancels out our weight savings :lol::(
 
Nismonath5
Well, we stripped all we could out of it... but now that you mention it, you've seen how meaty that cage is, and all that steel probably cancels out our weight savings :lol::(
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From memory, a poverty pack Executive sedan was 1415kg off the showroom floor.
 
Pete05
From memory, a poverty pack Executive sedan was 1415kg off the showroom floor.
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A quick Google search tells me the VN range was anything from 1311kg to 1492kg. Not sure where the GTS would be in that spectrum.
 
Nismonath5
A quick Google search tells me the VN range was anything from 1311kg to 1492kg. Not sure where the GTS would be in that spectrum.
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Oh ok. Lighter than I thought then.

My guess would be the HSV GTS is the heavyweight at 1492kg.
The V8, all the luxury & the bodykit, big wheels & brakes would add up.

I'm guessing your's would be between 1300 - 1350 depending on just how much of a diet you put it on when doing the strip.
 
With 5 days to go, I'm not sure if I should be stocking up on sleep or getting used to being tired. What's the right answer here??? :lol:
 
How coincidental that the two GTP members racing in the 24h of LeMons both led the GT6 Beater or Sleeper thread for a considerable amount of time. :lol:

So fellas, are the Pulsar and Commodore beaters or sleepers? :cheers:

(In all seriousness, best of luck to you lot! We'll be rooting for you!)
 
Obelisk
How coincidental that the two GTP members racing in the 24h of LeMons both led the GT6 Beater or Sleeper thread for a considerable amount of time. :lol:

So fellas, are the Pulsar and Commodore beaters or sleepers? :cheers:

(In all seriousness, best of luck to you lot! We'll be rooting for you!)
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Great idea!!!@McClarenDesign, after the race we oughta do a "B or S" style review for our respective cars :lol:
Also thanks for the support Obelisk!
 
Hey great to see that Lemons NZ is running a full scale 24 event :-)!

Good luck and with Speedycop there there is bound to be a good story of domination by his team. Last year at NJMP they ran a 'Hot Dog' stand on track. It was a riot watching it up close on track.

Funny, we are both running a Lemons event the same weekend. We will be at NJMP hoping not to blow up. Anyways, Good luck and here is a little gift I received from NZ...

1525669887105545777413.jpg
 
miata13B
Hey great to see that Lemons NZ is running a full scale 24 event :-)!

Good luck and with Speedycop there there is bound to be a good story of domination by his team. Last year at NJMP they ran a 'Hot Dog' stand on track. It was a riot watching it up close on track.

Funny, we are both running a Lemons event the same weekend. We will be at NJMP hoping not to blow up. Anyways, Good luck and here is a little gift I received from NZ...

View attachment 734544
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Ah, so you know Jacob too? :)

Rest assured, there are plenty of those stickers already on the Commy, and the Pulsar will get it's fair share too :D

Good luck for your race! Maybe we'll swap stories afterwards with the rest of the GTP community! :cheers:
 
Spacegoat
You really do learn something new everyday. I had no idea that HSV did a run of 6 cylinder GTS's (assuming that's what yours is?) for the NZ market only. Very cool.

All the best with the Lemons event. 👍
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Yessir, a VN GTS with the 3.8 Buick V6. Only 500 or so were made for the NZ market, in either white or imperial blue (mine was blue). She's served us well so far, so hopefully she'll the the end of 24 hours!
 
Nismonath5
Ah, so you know Jacob too? :)

Rest assured, there are plenty of those stickers already on the Commy, and the Pulsar will get it's fair share too :D

Good luck for your race! Maybe we'll swap stories afterwards with the rest of the GTP community! :cheers:
Click to expand...
We'll have video from the RUSEFI Miata to show, hoping you guys will be running some video recording in the car to watch over here :-) :cheers:.
 
Nismonath5
Yessir, a VN GTS with the 3.8 Buick V6. Only 500 or so were made for the NZ market, in either white or imperial blue (mine was blue).
Click to expand...

Yeah, was not aware that such a thing existed. Certainly a hell of a lot cooler than your normal run of the mill VN.
Nismonath5
She's served us well so far, so hopefully she'll the the end of 24 hours!
Click to expand...

Hopefully. 👍
 

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