TheSamba.com :: View topic

Thu Nov 20, 2008 10:41 pm

Hey guys, I was wondering what the Fastest a Stock 1600cc bug engine can go? I heard some where that someone got it to go 124 in his 1974 beetle, but lost the article, and my brother (owning a 1st Gen Mazda RX-7) doubts that a stock 1600cc could ever go that fast in the 70's

Thu Nov 20, 2008 10:44 pm

It depends on how steep the hill is you are going down.

Listen to your brother.

Thu Nov 20, 2008 10:54 pm

Yeah... :? But he flipped out when I told him I had heard that a stock '74 had hit 124, he went ahead and criticized me and my bug and went on to marvel over his RX-7, which is a nice car, but if I had the opportunity to prove him that indeed a stock 1600 could go that fast, then he couldn't further ridicule my bug..

Thu Nov 20, 2008 11:02 pm

I know I got mine to hit 95 once on a flat stretch( maybe mild downhill) with no cross or head wind running down the 405 with my foot not quite to the floor but I backed off when I noticed how fast I was going( had just broken up with some chick I had been dating and was kinda pissed off).

I have a stock 73 1600 dual port with nothing special in it. I think 124 might be pushing it a tad but I have never tried to go balls out either so....? Maybe with a nice downhill and a stiff tailwind it could be possible....

Thu Nov 20, 2008 11:06 pm

Hmm, we hit 105 in his RX-7 on a 1 mile stretch of back road here with a downhill start. I haven't gotten the chance to drive my bug yet, and its a '73 standard with a dual port 1600, and it would make my year if i could ever beat him ina drag race, but from the sounds of this, i its slim to none?

Thu Nov 20, 2008 11:13 pm

Well lets see... I bug 1600dp makes around 48 hp.... a mazda RX-7 rotary engine makes around 120-150 hp.... You 2 might get to the same speed but he will be being carried off by the bikini girls at the finish line long before you get there.

Thu Nov 20, 2008 11:20 pm

'73 the bug upgraded to 60HP, claims the "BEETLE: The Little Giant" As for the Mazda's I havent a clue

Thu Nov 20, 2008 11:48 pm

You are going to grenade the engine if you go much over 90 MPH...stock transmission will have the motor at the redline somewhere around there.

Thu Nov 20, 2008 11:52 pm

So 90 about being the max before you start hurting your engine, or where it maxes out at?

Fri Nov 21, 2008 12:24 am

The safe redline for a stock engine is 4500. You'll have to check what the gearing ratio is for your '73 transmission, and the size of your tires, to figure out what speed you will hit the redline at. I know on my '71 Ghia it is somewhere in the vicinity of 87-90 MPH, but I have a tach installed to keep an eye on it.

You have to be somewhat crazy to drive a Bug that fast in a stock configuration. Be careful, and make sure you have good brakes.

Fri Nov 21, 2008 12:47 am

theadmiral1000 wrote: Be careful, and make sure you have good brakes.

No sense in going fast if you can't stop.

Fri Nov 21, 2008 7:18 am

beyond HP numbers, the VW beetle, although beautiful, is not very aerodynamic. The RX7 would win even if it had the same motor in both vehicles on a top speed race.

Fri Nov 21, 2008 3:52 pm

You won't be able to beat him with a stock engine, but add some more HP with an engine set up to handle more rpm, put a spoiler on the front so you don't fly away and some front disc brakes to slow you back down and you can beat his RX7. It all depends upon how much you are willing to spend to get there. Mine used to max out about 90mph when it was stock, but now it can easily get to 120 mph, and even faster if I push the pedal all the way to the floor.

Fri Nov 21, 2008 3:56 pm

Are you sure a 1600 bug doesn't go 124kph, instead of 124mph ;)

No way a stock 1600 can beat an RX7 longer than the 5 first meters...

Fri Nov 21, 2008 4:10 pm

OK you can build a 1600cc to beat an RX-7. Ported & polished heads, dual 44 webers, an Engle 130 should do it, & a lightened flywheel. Bump the compression to about 10:1 & go have fun. Here is a pic of BigBadBen's 1776cc which is not that far off a 1600cc. If you can't figure it out I'll build it & ship it to ya !!

here's a video http://s263.photobucket.com/albums/ii131/manxracer1/?action=view&current=PICT2258.flv

Fri Nov 21, 2008 4:40 pm

Hah, awesome foto, I never got my tires off the ground. I had a '69 bug took a zip gun to it and got rid of all the steel I could (the cars body would twist off the line). 1600, heads flycut to remove 1 cooling fin,lightend flywheel,cwcrank,130 cam,Dual 34ICTs. 99 mph, low 14's. really pissed off the stock bigblock V-8s. That was a fun little deathtrap.

Fri Nov 21, 2008 6:00 pm

i had a hoped up 1600 in a stock 60 bug with a freeway flier trans. bus 3rd and 4th and a 3.88 and it would do over 100 easily with stock tires. i would imagine that 120mph would be possible with some chassis set up and correct gearing.

Fri Nov 21, 2008 6:26 pm

get your car some 165/45/15 front tires and take him for a ride down a big hill.... you will peg the speedometer, but don't think you'll actually be going too fast... :wink:

Fri Nov 21, 2008 9:21 pm

atvaz333 wrote: theadmiral1000 wrote: Be careful, and make sure you have good brakes.

No sense in going fast if you can't stop.

X2

Fri Nov 21, 2008 9:25 pm

I got pulled for 98 in a 74 super with a stock 1600dp. even had the stock aircleaner and all the lines to the charcoal canister.