What Im wanting to do is to build a rig and ship it to the US and then fly over there and compete in ProRock finals Sept 25-26 in Southern California, CalRocs Finals Oct 2-3 in Southern California, and then SuperCrawl (hopefully also held early October)

Im thinking of building something similar to my current tube buggy but with D60s, alloys, CTMs and Air Shox. So it will be a 2 seater, front engined non rear steer with an Rover engine/auto/transfer that does give me front wheel digs.

Now I figger that im not going to be a world beater but Im wanting to at least survive, not make an idiot of myself and to have a bit of fun.

I have got an idea of what its going to cost to build the rig and get it to the US but what Im not sure about is how to get me and the rig around to the competitions once we land in the US (im thinking of just hiring something). I guess Im going to be there for 3 weeks or so, so Im going to have to stay someplace also and then go to and from the competitions from there.

So anybody got any ideas on the best way to do this once I land in the US??

Now Im sure that Im going to be able to do this but if anybody has got any ideas on the best way to approach this or can help me make this happen it would be greatly appreciated.

Sam

Im sure we can figure something out for ya... I think it's sweet that you want to do this!

But why not buy a rig here in the US, so you don't have to ship it? Then just sell it when you're done with it, and fly home. Or if you fall in love with it, you could ship it home... Just a thought... Im sure one of the fab shops in here would be able to build you something, and haul it to the events for ya. I know Shaffer definitely would work with you...

It could be cheaper to just have a place like Shaffer's Offroad to build you a rig, or buy a used one here, or rent(?) one.

Didn't the team from Iceland barrow some piece of shit for Supercrawl? You might want something nicer than that. :D

Yea - I thought a bit about getting one built and then just flying in there to compete. With the shop support it would have a lot of benefits and would definately be easier.

The shipping costs to send the rig there and get it home again (basically I have to get it back home so I dont have to pay import tax or duty) will be $7000AUS which would be around $5200US so freight costs wont really save me that much. Although I guess that this price could really only be compared against the labour cost on a new buggy (cause I still have to buy axles/motor/gearbox/transfer/wheels etc whether I build it in Aus or the US). So it probably would be cheaper to build it in the US. Mmmmmmm, might think about it some more although I really do enjoy my building. Dont know if it would be the same driving somebody elses rig and I would definately need a fair bit of seat time before I competed. Even just to try to drive what you guys are doing is going to be a big step up from what we are doing here ATM and to try to do it in a brand new rig might not be the best thing to do. Although there are probably ways around this as well.

Say I was to land everything at Los Angeles, what sort of distances are we talking to get to these competitions??

Sam

I'd say build it here, just come early and get some seat time...you could do it on some of the US trails you see on here all the time. Shaffer is close to the Rubicon and Fordyce......then it's also a sight seeing trip, not just you landing and thrown to the wolves and leave...

Thanks for the plug guys looks like we may be building him a Diablo 1 :evil: It would be cool to see him come over and do good! :D

Thanks for the plug guys looks like we may be building him a Diablo 1 :evil: It would be cool to see him come over and do good! :D


just remember mike... put the steering wheel on the right hand side :flipoff2:

just remember mike... put the steering wheel on the right hand side :flipoff2:

:laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

That's funny shit! :D

Yea - spoke to Mike on the phone and I think I have almost convinced myself that getting him to build the rig will be the best (and possibly the cheapest) way to do this. Looking realistically at how much this is going to cost to do it alone with me building the rig and shipping it, transporting it, fixing it and storing it I can almost get to the sort of number's that Shaffers Offroad is talking about. And with Mike on the job Im sure Ill probably have a lot more fun cause I wont have to worry about a lot of the little things.

The only downside with Mike building the rig is that when its all said and done and I fly home I end up with a rig left in the US. Now I could bring it home but it is probably a bit to flash and expensive to have in Aus so I will probably sell it or if I can afford to I would leave it there for next year. I could probably convince some idiot mates of mine to take a holiday in the US and do a competition or two while they are there and hit them up for some cash so I can get a bit of a return for having the money tied up in a rig sitting in the US. But anyway lots of ways to justify it but looking like a wallet job will be the best way to go.

Mike reckons he can handle the right hand drive situation athough Im not sure if he knows which way the pedals need to go :flipoff2:

Dont know if my wife would be keen to compete. Ive somehow managd to keep her away from my rigs although my spotters partner would probably be keen. They were planning on staying a bit longer than me to have a bit more of a look around so they probably would be able to work something in with the Superlift Women's National Rockcrawling event. Fantastic to see you guys supporting the Breast Cancer Research Foundation as well.

At the end of the day its going to come down to lots of $$$s no mater which way I do it. Might just have to sell some of this shiat that I got lying around but its looking fairly good either way.

Sam

I could probably convince some idiot mates of mine to take a holiday in the US

Sam

Why not say what you realy think of us? :flipoff2: :flipoff2:

Yea - spoke to Mike on the phone and I think I have almost convinced myself that getting him to build the rig will be the best (and possibly the cheapest) way to do this.

I wish I had that problem......yea, a shaffer rig built for me will be the cheapest way to go :flipoff2:

I wish I had that problem......yea, a shaffer rig built for me will be the cheapest way to go :flipoff2:

Yea - it is a bit like that. Dont get me wrong this will be a lot of money to me. But no matter which way I do it is going to cost a packet but Im thinking that if I buy a Diablo 1 do the competitions and then sell it I can offset the loss against what it would cost me to ship my rig to the US and back and also the costs to trailer it to the comps etc. My transport costs to do it with my rig could get to $10000US. And Im sure that if I had to sell the shaffer rig at a 10G loss I shouldnt have too much trouble shifting it. But I would love to keep it to try to do something next year. I think if I can sell either one of my current rigs I should be able to keep it.

Sam

Sam i hear the TRUCKING business in the States is pretty huge, maybe you should move over there!!!

That way i might have a chance to win something here!!!! :D

I think its fantastic the support that Sam has recieved from you guys, i only hope that maybe one day we can return the favour!

Miss Hiedi,

I will be spotting for Sam, and my partner will be coming over with us. I told her about the womens Comp and i am going to try and get her plenty of seat time in my new buggy. So HOPEFULLY after that she may be willing! Will have to wait and see how she progress's! (if not i do look pretty hot in a dress :shaking: )

Sam you can always leave the rig with me. I'll take real good care of it for you :D

Rich

Sam you can always leave the rig with me. I'll take real good care of it for you :D

Rich



Yea, just ask Jeff Mello how good of care he takes of rental rigs :flipoff2:

Yea, just ask Jeff Mello how good of care he takes of rental rigs :flipoff2:

:flipoff2:

Yes my cherry was broken

But as Jeff knows, whatever is needed, I'll be taking care of :flipoff2:

Rich

I'm just glad it was only your cherry, everything else can be fixed. I think you've got a great idea, work the transportation to events into the deal with Mike and we'll take you wheelin' anytime you and your mates come this way. In the mean time Rich can use it for a (stationary) Cal Rocs promo vehicle.
Dude how do you type with an accent?

Dude how do you type with an accent?

:laughing: :laughing: :laughing: oh jesus jeff... that's funny shit... you weren't around when there was a dozen or so australians on the board, there were a few who did type with an accent, always took 2-3 tries to read it...

Dude how do you type with an accent?

Very fawkin slowely, Im telling you. But Ive probably been around here long enough to have picked up a US accent. Still talk funny though. :flipoff2:

Sam