Board Agenda Item: Future of DMS Racing Group Project

Motorsports
#1

Problem:
The DMS Racing group project has had a good run. We successfully ran in 5 races and besides transmission internals I don’t think there is a single component in the car that we haven’t completely disassembled and rebuilt, all at DMS. I would like to no longer be the project lead, a decision on the future of the car as a group project at DMS is needed.

Solution 1:
Find a new member to serve as project lead and establish expectations for the group project going forward.

Solution 2:
Sell car, all of the parts on the car belong to DMS (see funding history details below), we have the title but it has never been registered or driven on public roads since we turned it into a track use only Lemons race car. Whatever money made would go into the general fund.

Background:
Occassionally DMS has had sponsored group projects, typically the group enters some competition representing DMS. The idea being getting a group together to do something interesting so that everyone learns and also to advertise the capabilities of DMS. The race car is the longest lived group project in DMS history. Other than competing in that first event no long running expectations were ever clearly established. The trebuchet build is another example of a group project that DMS has sponsored in the past.

In fall 2013 DMS got a non running 1995 240sx to enter it into the Feb 2014 24 hours of lemons race. Over time DMS has probably invested around ~$5,000 into the physical car. $500 for initial cost of the car, few thousand for initial safety build out (cage, seat, harnesses, wheel) and getting it running, occasional storage costs, repairing and improving parts, etc.

The consumables and event entrance fees have always been completely paid for by the drivers entering an event. Combined the drivers spend around $3,000 - $4,000 per event weekend to go racing. $1,400 entrance fee, gas for race car, transportation + lodging, safety equipment, $500+ for consumables like tires, brakes, oil, etc.

At the beginning of 2016 I decided to no longer put DMS money into the physical car because despite my efforts to invite and schedule classes around the car to get more members involved it turned into the same core team members who stuck with the project and put in a lot of time to get the car ready for each event. So things like improved suspension, recent complete engine rebuild, were all paid for by the drivers alone and all improvements to car components were donations since it’s DMS’ car.

Overall the project has been a great success and showcase of what DMS can do, however I don’t think hosting a long running race team is a good fit for DMS. It is too different from anything else DMS does and becomes hard to justify as a tool or way to teach if only a few members benefit from it on a regular basis. Does it make sense that it could continue as a sponsored group project if DMS isn’t putting money into the car but only providing a place to work on it?

5 Likes
#2

Description of car:

  • 1995 240sx base (not the se model so it has 4x114.3 wheels)
  • Prepped for 24 hours of lemons safety requirements
  • Stripped interior with professionally installed rollcage, aluminum racing seat (ultra shield rally sport seat, 17" wide 20 degree back) and 5 point harness
  • 2 race weekends on rebuilt ka24de engine (cylinder bored 20 thousandths, new pistons, new bearings, new timing chain, new valves, etc)
  • Short throw shifter
  • Digital tach/shift light, digital water temp gauge
  • No name ebay lowering springs
  • KYB AGX single adjustable shocks
  • Suspension Techniques Front and Rear Sway Bar, (29mm front 21mm rear)
  • Energy suspension polyurethane bushings (subframe and all suspension links)

Current known issues:

  • Rear diff (r200 open diff) needs to rebuilt / replaced, it was roasted due to an exhaust leak near it leading to boiling gear oil and melting the poly bushings that were on it
  • Gas gauge doesn’t work (likely sender is bad)
  • Speedometer doesn’t work (likely issue in cluster as it works intermittently above 70mph)
  • Intermittent no start, start button causes solenoid to click but starter doesn’t turn, tapping on start button a few times will get it to start. Next diagnostics steps would be jumper straight from battery to starter solenoid bypassing start button to see if its a wiring issue in that half of the car. If that doesn’t show anything then inspecting the cables going to battery cutoff for shorts would be good.

Past build logs:

December 2014 - DMS Racing Lemons Build
August 2015 - DMS Racing: Lemons MSR Houston 2015
Feb 2016 - DMS Racing: Lemons ECR 2016
May 2016 - 240sx Build Nights, Thursdays 7:30pm
November 2016 - 24 Hours of LeMons - MSR Houston 2016
March 2017 - DMS Racing: Lemons MSR Houston May 2017

5 Likes
#3

You say we have ‘title’ but has it been transfered to DMS within the 20-45 days of purchase as the law requires? If not then DMS is perhaps on the hook for fines…

June 2017 - October 2013 = 45 months
fine = 45 * $25 = $1125

I sincerely hope the proper paperwork was performed and that DMS doesn’t owe over a thousand dollars in fines…

In any case, any funds from the disposal of this car properly belong to the automotive committee, not the general fund, since it was the automotive committee budget through which all DMS funding was paid.

1 Like
#4

I wasn’t involved in the acquisition of the car so I don’t know the state of any paperwork. Looks like this is what should have been filled, but I’m going to guess not since the original license plates are in a box in the car. It appears that as of 2013 the delinquent transfer penalty has a cap of $250

#5

Who was?
1234567890789

1 Like
#6

Allen was closest to the transaction I believe.

#7

Texas’s present registration regime where vehicles must be inspected - and pass inspection - will make it challenging-at-best to register a racecar that’s no longer street legal.

#8

The title is pointless for a race car. It’s only prudent for street legal cars. At this point it’s just a hunk of metal with a value attached to it like a lawn mower or any other non-registered hunk of metal.

#9

The title is legally required regardless if the vehicle is used on the road. The registration is only required to use the vehicle on the road.

1 Like
#10

It’s not entirely clear-cut based on some searching I’ve done.

The Texas Motor Vehicle Title Manual makes some points:

2.5 Assembled Vehicles Not Eligible for Title Missing Basic Component Parts or Federally Required Safety Components The following are not eligible for Texas title regardless of the vehicle’s previous title and/or registration in this or any other jurisdiction:
  • vehicles that are missing or are stripped of their motor, frame, or body, to the extent that it materially alters the manufacturer’s original design or makes the vehicle unsafe for on-road operation as determined by the department;
  • vehicles designed or determined by the department to be a dune buggy;
  • vehicles designed or determined by the department to be for off-road use only, unless specifically defined as a “motor vehicle” in Transportation Code, Chapter 501; or
  • vehicles assembled, built, constructed, rebuilt, or reconstructed in any manner with:
  • a body or frame from a vehicle which is a “nonrepairable motor vehicle” as that term is defined in Transportation Code, §501.091(9); or
  • a motor or engine from a vehicle which is flood damaged, water damaged, or any other term which may reasonably establish the vehicle from which the motor or engine was obtained is a loss due to a water related event.
Emphasis added. Referenced [Transportation Code Chapter 501](http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/TN/htm/TN.501.htm) is markedly less succinct than the Title Manual.

The state is primarily interested in tracking taxable property; their principal leverage is access to public roads. But the case is far less clear-cut for a vehicle that’s never on the roads and is indeed no longer street-legal. Perhaps it needs to be titled, perhaps it doesn’t. There’s little money in it for the state either way so I suspect their motivation to track it down is minimal.

I’d suggest that we ask the people responsible for the original transaction - and presumably in possession of the documents - what they’ve done on the matter.

#11

Yes, that is what I was doing. Though if it was Allen, we are less likely to get any response.

Also, in addition to taxation, one of the reasons that the state requires a title transfer within 20 days is to allow the buyer to know whether they purchased stolen or otherwise not eligible for sale property.

Again, though this is properly the responsibility of the Automotive committee and @TLAR not the board since the car in question is the property of the Automotive Committee.

#12

I would be willing to take over as the lead on this project. Future goals would be to repair/upgrade the car and enter a upcoming Chumpcar race or something similar.

2 Likes
#13

Rbox80 - we may be able to work out something on the race car.

4 Likes
#14

FYI - a fire suppression system would have to be added to race the car in Chump

#15

That would fall under the upgrade category, I am familiar with the Chumpcar rules. Thanks for the input

#16

Ok, just making sure that was known. I hope you’re successful shoring up support and clear expectations from the board. I’ve always enjoyed watching the members involved in the project work and troubleshoot problems together. Definitely inspires ingenuity in others!

1 Like
#17

That is something the board will have to clarify with the agenda item. It was a group project, where due to accounting some funding may or may not have gone through the automotive committee, but does that mean it belongs to the committee and the members participating in the group project are irrelevant? How to handle such scenarios has never been established since group projects have been rare. Similarly, does the trebuchet belong to the pr committee because accounting purposes passed the money through that committee fund?

The agenda item asserts that group projects should have a specific member who is the group project leader, but otherwise should not be restricted to falling inside existing committee boundaries. The board can pass whatever approach or language they want.

I don’t think it makes sense to spend committee money (either monthly allocation intended for consumables and keeping area functional or saved up funds for tools) on a group project that by definition only benefits those members working on the group project. Which is why I think a clearer distinction would be beneficial.

1 Like
#18

I’ve been a member of the race team since 2014. Like the rest of the team I’ve put in hundreds of hours and plenty of money to get the car to its current condition. I have a vested interest in the future of the program and the car. Unfortunately, due to time and logistics, I would be unable to lead the project at DMS.

If the Board/Automotive Committee decides to disposition the car I would like first right of refusal to purchase the car.

2 Likes
#19

Looks like the car will be gone in 90 days unless someone figures out how to get the title transfered to the organization. This is what is in the meeting minutes:

Move to establish Chuck Graff to lead the team in
an educational inclusive way with the condition that the title be correct within 90
days: Alex Second: Kris For: 5 votes

#20

Can we even get rid of it without the title?

I saw the debrief/data review meeting for Tuesday. What kind of data do we have?