Cyclone says they need to cover the cost of safety gear and running the car. Let's take them at their word.
Cyclone has stated that they have the car, they have shown it at different venues. More over, they have said for nearly three years that it is ready to set the record once they procure the money to buy safety equipment. Cost to build car --- $ 0.00
Harry has stated that the engine was "a beast" running on the dyno and put out 105 HP, more than enough to set the record. Cost to build engine -- $ 0.00
The Cyclone driver, Nelson Hoyos, is a professional driver operating a drag racing school. Certainly he has his own flame retardant suit, helmet, gloves, footwear and so on. Cost of personal protective equipment (PPE) -- $ 0.00
Parachutes come in a range of prices depending on size and use. Bonneville is a long track and the car is very small and light; a small chute is all that is needed. Googling new parachutes shows a range of prices from about $400 to $1,100. Assuming they don't need the most expensive chute (if I were going to use other peoples money, I sure wouldn't be throwing cash around like a drunken sailor) we can figure the cost isn't too prohibitive. Of course, you need to add in some hardware along with the chute. Call the cost --- $ 800.00
Installed fire suppression systems run between $250 and $750. This car is not running 500 miles and need not carry large quantities of fuel, the most costly system is not needed. But, let's assume some extra money is needed for fittings, screws and so on. Cost, less than --- $800
Entry fee at Bonneville, after all, you can't run for free.
Cost --- $375.00
It is a bit under 2,700 miles from Pompano Beach to Wendover, NV; about a 5,400 mile round trip. Cyclone owns a fancy trailer to haul the car. A pickup truck using 12 mpg towing the car to and fro will expend about 450 gallons of fuel. (Personally, I think I am being generous here and the mileage should be better if you hold the speed down). At $3.00 a gallon: Cost --- $1500
Accomodations. They are asking other people for money, thus they should be frugal and sleep at Motel 6 rather than the Hilton chain ... likewise eat at McDonalds rather than at French restaurants. Call it three carloads of people to do the job, all sharing rooms. Call it ten days round trip. That's 30 sets of accomodations. Assume $100 per day. Travel cost --- $3,000. I would certainly come out cheaper than that by camping out on the desert like almost everyone else.
So far we are up to about $6,500. Let's add a really generous 50% for contingencies and toss in a bit more for tips ... that comes out to about $10,000. Like I said, this is hardly roughing it or going deprived.
YET CYCLONE WANTS $125,000 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THAT'S AN INSANE AMOUNT OF MONEY - ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE ASKING OTHER PEOPLE TO PAY THE TAB !!!!!!!!
Bonneville is NOT an exotic, rich man's event. Guys from all over bring in hot rods, motor cycles and they even have a VW Beetle class. It's a cinch that folks running 36 HP VWs aren't spending much more than beer money to get there and run.
So, what isn't Cyclone telling us? They have said, repeatedly, that the car and engine are ready to go. They have said they need safety gear, which is almost cheap compared to what they already have laid out --- the safety gear is mass produced rather than hand made like the car and engine. This is the USA, everyone drives around on vacation, it isn't a costly process to travel from Florida to Utah and back.
Something isn't right about all this. For that kind of money they should be able to build yet another new car and engine, run at Bonneville and still have enough left over to put a decent down payment on a nice home in the suburbs.
