A bit of ranting with a question, ..for the Koni/coilover guys. Options

[BMXerror]

I'll start with the question since most of you probably don't want to hear me complain. I bought a coilover kit from Paragon...
http://www.paragon-products.com/product_p/914_arhk.htm
... Thinking it can be used with the shocks that I've got on there now(KYBs that were on there when I got the car). Well, the KYBs, it turns out, have an integrated spring perch, and I guess the stock ones didn't, which I didn't know. I wanted to get Koni yellows eventually anyways, so I guess the time is now. Two questions, actually. Are the Konis at all different than stock struts externally(bodies and mounting hardware)? And since I don't have the stock strut/spring setup, if I buy the Koni yellows is there any other hardware or gadgets that I'll need to make it work with the coilover kit that I have? I don't really have time to find out the hard way as I'm supposed to be racing in six days. Thanks for any help!

Moving on to the complaint department: I think that racing is going to be one of the most difficult things that I've ever attempted. One of my goals this year was to make at least two autocross events, and I especially wanted to make the 914 Shootout when I found out about that. Two autocross'. Not a very lofty goal, right? WRONG! I needed a new engine, so I did a cheap rebuild of the 1.7 Did some head work, lightened the flywheel, put a little more cam in it, but pretty much a stock rebuild.... Once I added the oil cooler and the AFR gauge, it came to 1900 bucks with me doing 95% of the work myself as I can't afford to pay anyone else to do it for me. That's a lot of money for a guy making 11 dollars an hour. I was WAY over budget, and it took WAY longer than I expected. You all know how it is, I'm sure. Every little thing that could hold me up, did. It seemed like nothing would go smoothly. However, it's in, broken in, and I like it. It's my first engine build and it runs strong now. Good stuff.
"Now," I thought, "I can focus on getting the sway bar done." The only other event that I competed in was the RR night AX in San Bernardino last year. The biggest thing that I took away from that as far as car prep was that I NEEDED swaybars. So I decided to fabricate a front with components from HRP World and put a coilover kit in with stiff springs in the back to balance it out. Before I could ever get to that, though, I blew a battery and broke a trailing arm all in one night. That wound up costing me an extra 250 dollars and like three weeks. More importantly it cost me the opportunity to hit the Shootout. It also backed up the budget to where I ended up breaking my own spending rule and putting the coilover kit on credit. Now I find out that won't work unless I put another $350 on credit for struts.
The swaybar is back ordered and MAY be here this week. They have to cut and respline a longer one because they don't have a 36 incher in stock. That's also on credit. I was resigned to the fact that I'll just run without sways again this weekend(it's still a hella fun car) until my brother piped up and said, "I'll buy the shocks for ya." (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) He's an awesome guy like that, but I'm rather uncomfortable with that, so he's gonna front me the money, and I'll pay him back after I'm finished paying everybody else back. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif) He's also running next weekend, and I think he wants the thing faster than it is. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) But now that leaves me in the final two minutes with (I just figured it out) about 11 hours worth of work to do AFTER I get all the pieces. Plus I've got a full time job and school starting up again next week... which I haven't even signed up for. All for an f-in autocross.
It's just amazing to me how much work this all is. Stressful too. Next weekend, I'm sure I'll feel it was all worth it, but DAMN. Right now, the blackened right eye and the chemical burn on my right shoulder are small reminders of what I have been up to ALL YEAR long. At this point, looking back is just a blur of problem after problem to overcome. My eventual goal is to run wheel to wheel road racing. I'm already putting at least 20 hours into the car every weekend for one AX. I can't imagine what it takes to go road racing.... I think I'm just worn out. I think I need to stop and rest after next weekend... not just my wallet, but my mind. I'm pretty fried. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)
I do have to say, though, without my bro I'd be screwed. I mean, I put in 95% of the work on this thing... as I should. It's my car. But when I'm stuck, he's always got the last little answer that makes all that hard work come together. Letting him drive my car, I feel, isn't enough to repay him for all he's made possible with this project.
Anyways. I'll shut up now. I'm sure you're all bored. I just needed to vent, whether anyone is actually gonna read it or not. I'm actually kinda hoping nobody waists their time with this. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) I'm done.
Mark D.