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Wed Mar 15, 2006 2:02 pm

Does anybody here have there bug set up for autocross or road racing?
Or am I the only one that doesnt have a narrowed front beam. Ever since I wanted a bug I wanted to make handle like a maniac! not really make it a 1/4 mile looker. Last week at the autocross I beat every subaru STI's time and even an evo and an m3 on G-FORCE sports! and a 1914cc. I just wish more people bought a bug for this reason. People just cant believe when they see this thing changing directions like a fly and doing some nice little drifts aroung the tight ones. I own an STi also and my bug is definetly more fun on an autocross course.

Just curious to see if there is anybody like me out there.

Wed Mar 15, 2006 2:19 pm

sounds awesome! love to see some pics!

Wed Mar 15, 2006 3:13 pm

how bout some video?

Wed Mar 15, 2006 3:59 pm

Cool. I didnt know what kind of feedback i was gunna get. I just bought a interior camera mount and a canon zr80 , however i wont be able to use it until may 15. but let me go get some pics. Thanks

Wed Mar 15, 2006 6:23 pm

Love to hear how you have it set up. Front sway bar and size. rear.....shocks.......brakes......lowered?
Share please!

Wed Mar 15, 2006 7:59 pm

I autocrossed my '68 about 12 years ago. I even got in the top ten overall once. The most fun was when the local SCCA had a race with the Porche Club. The 914 guys were fast, but all the 911 guys couldn't drive for SH*T and were more concerned with what type of wax to use on their paint. I loved showing these guys up in my $1500 primered bug.

I felt like I reached the limit of what could be done to get a swing-axle to corner and bought a Miata. Here's a previous post of how I had my car set-up.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1179806&highlight=#1179806

Thu Mar 16, 2006 8:23 am

There are 2 or 3 others on here besides you and me that Autocross our aircools . TROY

Tue Apr 25, 2006 9:08 am

Yup.

Tue Apr 25, 2006 10:24 am

flatthump wrote: Does anybody here have there bug set up for autocross or road racing?
Or am I the only one that doesnt have a narrowed front beam. Ever since I wanted a bug I wanted to make handle like a maniac! not really make it a 1/4 mile looker. Last week at the autocross I beat every subaru STI's time and even an evo and an m3 on G-FORCE sports! and a 1914cc. I just wish more people bought a bug for this reason. People just cant believe when they see this thing changing directions like a fly and doing some nice little drifts aroung the tight ones. I own an STi also and my bug is definetly more fun on an autocross course.

Just curious to see if there is anybody like me out there.

Thats what I'm shootin for. WIDE tires on all 4. Discs all around. Camber comp. rear with traction bar and 3/4 sway in front.

Wed Apr 26, 2006 7:42 am

The last time i did SCCA solo racing. The local chapter ran the different stock classes all togather weather you had dot slicks or street tires. Easiest way to crush in H stock was to have slicks when the rest of the field had street tires. hehe

Wed Apr 26, 2006 7:59 am

Our first event of the season is this Sunday (30th) , wish I had a few more miles on the stroker (78x92) , oh well break it in like your gonna drive it , right ? TROY

Wed Apr 26, 2006 8:07 am

Teeroy wrote: Our first event of the season is this Sunday (30th) , wish I had a few more miles on the stroker (78x92) , oh well break it in like your gonna drive it , right ? TROY

T Man, is your engine built for autocross or street?

Wed Apr 26, 2006 5:53 pm

Street mostly , I got it with a buggy I bought a month or two back . Should work pretty good for autocross though , mild cam (110) stock size valves , complete 1.5 exhaust , lightened flywheel and the 40IDF's of my old engine . I just broke it in Sunday , pulls hard down low . I need to transfer my bolt together rocker shafts and heavy duty single springs still , so I don't break any thing . Change the oil and filter again , and put on the race tires , and I should be good to go . I will be bumping to E prepared this year with the engine size increase , that and my rear disc's aren't legal in FSP anyway . TROY

Wed Apr 26, 2006 7:04 pm

i autocross a 62 rag. Its all in adjusting suspension. you need at least a 195 tire all around. engine power dosent really matter. bugs can get to 35 40 so fast anyway that even a 2332 in an autocross wont make that much of a difference. (im not saying it wont make a difference, but its not phenomenal) narrowed front beams in the front will kill you. a narrowed rear track and a widened front track, with a 3/4 sway bar, 195/205, drop spindles, -2 degree camber in the front and rear, 4 degree caster in the front, 5mm toe out, 2MM toe in/in the back,

just whats worked for me...i do it with a 1200 and cant see i kill sti's but i come close to keeping up with them. Im not pushing it that hard either since its one of my dailys, Im still in the works of a REASONABLE type4 meaning 120-135 horsepower.

lemme know if your from the bay area, we should meet up sometime.

Wed Apr 26, 2006 7:07 pm

Ozzie wrote: Yup.

i see you gained 4 seconds in that run? :lol:

Wed Apr 26, 2006 7:25 pm

check this guy out
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5042727123178269136&q=vw+bug&pl=true

Thu Apr 27, 2006 6:17 am

the 1971 westfalia wrote: i see you gained 4 seconds in that run? :lol:

First ever event. Very inconsistent times, except they mostly went in the right direction. Here are the results in the class I ran. THE WRONG CLASS.

Class: STREET MODIFIED ---------------------------------------------------------
1. 19/SM MARK BRENCHLEY 99 DODG NEON R/T > 48.794 <
TIMES: 1) 52.587 2) 49.919 + 2 3) 49.490 4) 48.794 5) 48.030 + 1 6)53.430

2. 79/SM BEN GEIDEL 02 SUBA WRX > 51.284 <
TIMES: 1) DNF 2) 55.188 + 1 3) 53.487 4) 52.869 + 1
5) 52.284 6) 51.284

3. 94/SM JAMES MORRIS 94 HOND CIVIC > 55.489 <
TIMES: 1) 57.480 2) 54.916 + 1 3) 55.323 + 1 4) DNF
5) 55.489 6) 53.819 + 1

4. 53/SM OZZIE, NOV 71 VOLK KARMANN GH > 55.975 <
TIMES: 1) 67.846 2) DNF 3) 59.221 4) 56.736
5) 57.462 6) 55.975

I brought home "The Newbie With The Highest Air Pressure" Award.
Tip of the day...Just because the fastest car with 8" wide racing slicks is running 40 psi, dosen't mean you should.
I quickly changed to FSP class, where I have a fighting chance. That Neon is balled out, full cage, dual turbo, racing slicks, ect...I've done some mods & made tuning changes also. Each time, I learn somthing. Imagine that. The "NOV" is for Novice, IOW "fool with a car"

Mon May 01, 2006 8:36 pm

Well Sunday I ended up 3rd out of the 7 cars in EP . I need to relearn how to drive the car with the bigger engine , actually need to use the brakes now ! Quite happy with the way it pulls after a gate or corner. TROY

Tue May 02, 2006 9:00 am

The last and only time I tried autocross was in the fall of 1970 at Bolling AFB in Wash D.C. on an old flight line that was converted with cones to an autocross event that some base club was doing. I cant remember why I did this..It may have been a challenge after I bragged a bit about how a Beetle handles.

Took my brand new 1970 yellow type 1 (paid under 2K for it) down there one Saturday afternoon..popped the hubcaps and off I went. I placed 3rd for the day in my class and beat my Captain..who had a new Datsun 240C. He was not amused that I beat him. Being a lowly Airman 1st class did not help matters.

As far as I can recall the car handled quite well and you just had to be good at timing your brakes and clutch heading into the turns.

Tue May 02, 2006 9:16 am

Sounds like you're a natural. I guess the thread title caught your eye? I don't know what a 240 C is, but I've got a 35yo Ghia that can shame a Sub-ah-rhoo WRX in them little cones (it took a little work). Fried rice. No boil. No water. :lol:
My 3rd Event...
26. 53/FSP OZZIE 71 VW KG (0.814) 35.542
38. 79/SM BEN GEIDEL 02 SUBA WRX (0.845) 36.810 Same guy that ripped me 1st Event.

T-Man! Did it get away from you?
I can't wait for 5/21 & trying out the new light flywheel. :twisted: