I have tried for years to build a relationship with the GM Performance group without success. I'm not sure if I'll get in trouble for saying this but, to me, being a GM employee and a weekend racer is like a curse to those guys. I think they are so barraged with requests for "free" parts and such that they steer clear from us and don't return our calls. One of the things I love about working for GM is the exchange of information with other racers but it has not been through the GM Performance team. Lastly, if you look on the org chart these guys report up through the Marketing organization, not engineering. I think that is an indication of where their loyalties lie. K
Ok - here's where I'm heading with all this: I agree - tearing something apart and putting it back together again (so that it's IMPROVED, ie cleaner, faster, stronger, prettier, etc) is...fun! And I have worked on some fun stuff at work: I was the Engineering manager on the GMT800 Denali, the GMT800 Escalade, the 2003 Pickups and wrote the original engineering plan for the H2 (when it was the "top secret 'Project Maria'"). I've built display properties for auto shows, given speaches to Marketing groups and driven in TV commercials. I've driven fast on road courses, driven fast on Proving Grounds and driven fast on public highways in Corvettes, Suburbans and competitive vehicles. So how come going to work is still not as much fun as working on my own stuff? Here are some thoughts: a) My car is MINE, meaning it's success, appearance and character are a reflection of my personality and abilities. Even fun stuff at work is a result of "designed by commitee". b) I get to determine when and where I work on it and at what pace. c) I get to determine the priorities of any projects or phases. d) Sometimes it's fun to create something in your own two car garage that outperforms a product created by the largest automobile manufacturer in the world. Help me out here - why is working on your own car more fun than even the "funnest" project at work? K
To answer your question: The reason why you can put more thought and effort into a project at home versus work is because there is no stress or pressure and you are not under any scrutiny. That is,there are no critics around watching every move you make and you aren't under any budget restraints. You can put you heart and soul into a project and the effort really shows. What I mean by all this is this: YOU ARE YOUR OWN BOSS.
Because you drink while working at home!!!!! :laugh: :bglasses: Haha, just kidding - because you can drink at work too, but you have to be more creative about it or just compact 8 hours of drinking into a 30 minute of lunch. :beer Actually, it's more of a personal accomplishment thing. Same thing with my horses. If I am able to train them, fit them, and take them to a show and win - it means more than if I send them out to a trainer, meet the groom at the show and then take the horse out into the ring and win. In either case, it's still my horse, the outward reward is still the same - but it's just 'better' if I did it myself. Like Stewart says "Look what I can do!!" p (MAD Tv reference) Of course, there were WAY more girls there when I was, seems like there was about 1500 total students (per session) and a couple hundred girls. Sure don't remember being incredibly popular, but then, I don't remember a whole lot anyway.... :beer .......I mean..... :beer ........I spent so much time on my studies...... :beer ........that there wasn't time for socializing......... :Smarty: :Smarty:
I often thought when I worked for a dealership, that you should be able to call up the engineer and ask( him or her )to come and tell you how to take off a 3.8 fwd starter without diassblembling the whole car and make the ERT on it. I quess I know now it would havebeen a waste of time. The best engineer I ever met. Was my next door neighbor. He fit the all the engineering requists Flat top ,tall, always wearing a White shirt, and black frame glasses. Fred worked for IBM as an engineer. He helped in the formation of the modern day ink jet, but when the man was at home. He could turn wrenches with the best of them or us. That's an Engineer.
