Obsessive hobbies....

[RCHeliGuy]

Project Cars 2 works pretty well in VR, much better than ACC.
However iRacing does work very well with VR.

That said, your new system should have ZERO problems in Project Cars 2 and PC2 looks very nice in VR so maybe you should give it a go.

 

[RCHeliGuy]

With regard to the G-Belt I managed to get my 5th belt situated and it was worth it.
The G-Belt sensations are much more detailed when it has a solid anchor point.

I'm loving this thing and it integrates so well with the tactile and motion. My sense of immersion has never been this good. I may live in my rig for a little while

 

[spkrdctr]

At first I was amazed at the cost of this whole setup, but when I think about it, it is a lot cheaper than having a real car with constant repairs from racing. This gives you a peek into racing without the crazy high costs. Someone should make an entire turn key system like this that can be easily purchased and set up. Key word is easy. I don't know what an all in cost with profit would be. Is that as it sits about $4000? if you didn't do all the work yourself? That would then have to retail for about $8000. So much cheaper than the real thing. Plus you can't get hurt unless you drink and drive and fall out of the seat!

 

[Robert D]

With regard to the G-Belt I managed to get my 5th belt situated and it was worth it.
The G-Belt sensations are much more detailed when it has a solid anchor point.

I'm loving this thing and it integrates so well with the tactile and motion. My sense of immersion has never been this good. I may live in my rig for a little while

View attachment 21689

I see a fan at the front of the set up. Does that increase speed as your car does? You sure have a lot of cool gadgets there to increase immersion.

 

[Robert D]

At first I was amazed at the cost of this whole setup, but when I think about it, it is a lot cheaper than having a real car with constant repairs from racing. This gives you a peek into racing without the crazy high costs. Someone should make an entire turn key system like this that can be easily purchased and set up. Key word is easy. I don't know what an all in cost with profit would be. Is that as it sits about $4000? if you didn't do all the work yourself? That would then have to retail for about $8000. So much cheaper than the real thing. Plus you can't get hurt unless you drink and drive and fall out of the seat!

Yeah. With my Porsche I end up spending about $500 or more on just one weekend at the track and that's a non competitive environment.

I'm not real serious either. Some of the guys go through 1 set of tires and brake pads over that same weekend. That's not cheap.

Real racing expense is insane. One of the shops I use for my car upgrades has their own Porsche racing team. They had 2 cars wreck at VIR in a big race. Each car sustained about $150,000 in damage. It was a pile up I think.

 

[RCHeliGuy]

LOL! Got to love it! This is still MUCH cheaper than actually racing, but most people are a bit surprised at how much some of these toys cost.

These are the things I don't mention to people who come over to visit and try my rig out, but just to give you an idea.

Assuming the massive amount of time I put into this is free and we are just talking parts, I'd say we are at about $20,000 so far. That doesn't include all the special tools, blades, my 3D printer and implements of destruction I've purchased to use with this.

BTW that also does NOT include my initial Fanatec controls and initial Thrustmaster flight controls, wrecked car seat, wood and Pro Stand that I gave to my son.

4K - Computer and VR system

• Powerful Gaming Computer $3,000
• Valve Index VR headset, base stations and controllers $1,000
• USB Hubs, cables

4K - Motion and G-Forces

• Next Level Racing seat motion system $3,000
• SimXperience G-Belt $1,000

1K - Tactile System

• Behringer NX4-6000 high powered amp $500
• Noctua fans to upgrade amp to be quieter
• 3 x Aura Pros $150
• 1 Buttkicker Concert $300
• Neutrik 8 pole connectors, 2 pole connectors, 4 pole connectors
• Speaker wire

~ 6K -Racing Controls

• Pro Sim H pattern shift $1600
• SimuCube Direct Drive wheel base $1500
• Precision Engineering GT3 Wheel $1300
• HE Sprint pedal set $ 682
• HE sequential shift $200
• HE Hand brake $230
• HRS upgraded pedal covers $160
• Momo 330mm Rally wheel $240

1.5K - Flight Controls
Virpil VPC-Constellation flight grip $222
Virpil VPC MongoosT-50CM2 Base $340
MFG Crosswind flight pedals $376
Helicopter Collective Stick $622

1.5K - Frame

• Sim Lab P1 profile frame + extra profile $1000
• Aluminum angle, plate, tubing ~ $300
• Custom parts
• Heavy Duty casters
• Jeep grab handles

$650 - Seating

• NRG Prisma $400
• Sabelt "look" seat belt + S&H = $101
• Sparco aluminum seat bracket $150

$450 - 3D printed Button box

• About $400 in switches, button board, rotaries, lit buttons
• Filament $50
• Days of labor

Misc crap
Electrical, cables, sleeving, HD outlet,
Towing straps,

$1K - Software so far
iRacing maybe $500 so far for the cars and tracks I've purchased and the yearly subscription, I'm not sure.
Dirt Rally 1.0, Dirt Rally 2.0, PC2, AC, ACC, KartKraft

DCS - Maybe $300-400 for various aircraft

 

[RCHeliGuy]

If I billed the time I spent just designing and building this rig at my hourly rate, I'd have AT LEAST twice the total parts cost in this just in labor.

The bottom line is that this is entirely a personal passion project.

I've learned repeatedly that I have NO BUSINESS being in manufacturing.

 

[spkrdctr]

Your talking $40,000. I have to say that is interesting. Much higher than I thought. Well, at least it is cheaper than flying/racing.

 

[RCHeliGuy]

Your talking $40,000. I have to say that is interesting. Much higher than I thought. Well, at least it is cheaper than flying/racing.

The nice turnkey systems can be very expensive.

Vesaro has been at it a while.

Home Formula rigs starting at $45,000

https://www.vesaro.com/store/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=143
Flight rig for 54,000 GBP or $74,000

https://www.vesaro.com/store/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=160
The sad thing is that these are what I would call OK systems, but I could very easily spec out something much more elaborate for less money.

This is a very nice 6 DOF motion system, but this is only what you put under your rig to move it.
http://www.pt-actuator.com/products/p4/218.html

 

[RCHeliGuy]

I won't derail this thread with any more money issues, and I definitely shouldn't make assumptions that just because there are a number of people here with fairly expensive sound systems that people here can't be offended or put off by expensive toys. I like to show off my rig and I'm proud of the things I've designed and built, but I think I crossed a line.

My apologies!

 

[Robert D]

I think it's awesome that you were able to build so much on your own and save $$ that way. Some guys build their own speakers, not really any different.

 

[RCHeliGuy]

I don't think I had much of a choice. I couldn't buy what I wanted. Most nice rigs are bulky and are not made to be rolled around a room. My rig had to be reasonably small and mobile so I could roll it out of the center of my media room when I'm not using it.

Also I've been building it for over 2.5 years now and my "common sense" threshold for what I'm willing to put into it has been spiraling up over that period of time.

 

[Robert D]

I don't think I had much of a choice. I couldn't buy what I wanted. Most nice rigs are bulky and are not made to be rolled around a room. My rig had to be reasonably small and mobile so I could roll it out of the center of my media room when I'm not using it.

Also I've been building it for over 2.5 years now and my "common sense" threshold for what I'm willing to put into it has been spiraling up over that period of time.

Yeah, it's easy to invest a lot of time and money over time. I put quite a bit into my Porsche 911 over the years I've owned it. Doing a little bit each year. It creeps up on you.

 

[RCHeliGuy]

My wife has told me our next home needs to have a large dedicated shop space for me, a dedicated space for my rig and we were thinking another garage stall.

However the only reason I don't have an industrial lathe, mill and CNC equipment is lack of space. Give me an extra garage stall and I know something like a project car would fill that spot.

Having lots of room in a home an be dangerous at least to your wallet!

BTW I've always had a sweet spot for the 928, preferably a Black 1989 928GT4 with a stick, but I've been more and more drawn to the nicer Ford GT40 MkII kits, and the Lister kit for the Lancia Stratos most recently. So something would definitely be in that spot

 

[Robert D]

My wife has told me our next home needs to have a large dedicated shop space for me, a dedicated space for my rig and we were thinking another garage stall.

However the only reason I don't have an industrial lathe, mill and CNC equipment is lack of space. Give me an extra garage stall and I know something like a project car would fill that spot.

Having lots of room in a home an be dangerous at least to your wallet!

BTW I've always had a sweet spot for the 928, preferably a Black 1989 928GT4 with a stick, but I've been more and more drawn to the nicer Ford GT40 MkII kits, and the Lister kit for the Lancia Stratos most recently. So something would definitely be in that spot

The old Ford Cobra roadster kits are awesome too. I've seen a few running at the track I use. Mid Ohio.

 

[Robert D]

Something like this.
https://www.shellvalley.com/index.c...t_id=414/category_id=152/mode=prod/prd414.htm

 

[RCHeliGuy]

Everyone has their favorite that they latch onto. I remember when Risky Business came out and Tom Cruise took his Dad's 928 out for a drive. That hit me at the right time in my life.

I've driven 911's Turbo and not, 944 Turbo's, 928's, 928S's and 928S4's I actually located a Black 928S4 with stick and only 25K miles on it for a reasonable sum at the time. I didn't have a place to store it I had no business looking until I had thought everything through. It broke my heart at the time.

I have a fairly nicely detailed diecast GT40 mkII from my birth year sitting on my shelf. That car always resonated with me. I had two ski boats with 351's in them. The last had GT40 heads and put out some serious torque.

 

[spkrdctr]

I won't derail this thread with any more money issues, and I definitely shouldn't make assumptions that just because there are a number of people here with fairly expensive sound systems that people here can't be offended or put off by expensive toys. I like to show off my rig and I'm proud of the things I've designed and built, but I think I crossed a line.

My apologies!

I would not apologize. This forum is a high buck forum. People will easily drop $25 to $35K in a two channel system. I like seeing what they did and how it came out. I will never own one but I can appreciate a nice system. If is like watching Formulas One and walking around the pits/garages. I will never own one but it is awesome seeing what they are doing. Anyone can appreciate that.

 

[RCHeliGuy]

In case you want to see the G-Belt in motion, you can skip the first 5 minutes of me talking about it and see close ups of the G-Belt in action from the side and then directly overhead.

 

[RCHeliGuy]

Very minor thing, but my Accumotion controller box was hanging from just the top two holes and that was a temporary thing, so I finally printed some mounts to firmly bolt the box to the back of my rig.

Below you can see the soldering iron with metal insert attachment. I have tips from 3mm up to 6mm. This is 4mm for heating up and pressing the brass threaded inserts into the 3D printed part.