Budget Drag Racing!

Over a few crownies me and a mate were talking about racing in general and how expensive it is. Both of us remembering the early days when would thrash 13/ 1600's down the strip and what fun it was. Then the idea was born.

I was offered the perfect car , a 67 bug with a 12v 1600 in it , out of rego but stops , steers runs really well. Guards are battered , interior trashed but solid as.

Idea would be to strip it out totally , lose as much weight as possible , glass guards etc but STOCK running gear, all stock bar the exhaust. Get it sitting right , sus sorted for the 1/4 and thats about it!

There are heaps of cheap stock motors and boxes , axles etc lying around so you could give it death each time and be able to afford a van full of stock spares. Also a great way of learning more about mechanical side of things.

Reckon it would be a good laugh , cheap to do and with some good advise it would be very easy to put together a car like this. Reckon i could easily get some sponsors aswell !

My work van has a towbar so all i'd need is a trailer. Don't know how much they are ?????

Question is what class could i run in , would i be able to do the run what you brung events (test and tune) and also vw events?

Also what else would i have to do to be able to run the car , what regulations apply etc. Don't know what time's it would do but it won't be neck breaking so i don't need a cage i think.

I'm really interested in this form of budget drag racing and if it's easy enough to achieve i'm seriously going to have a go.

Any advise gladly recieved

Cheers Dan😉

[Edited on 4-1-2005 by dannyboy67]

Sounds like fun to me - and you could also start to build your own motors (ie do your own head porting etc) if you got bored. Limit it to stock parts, so if it goes pop you arent out of pocket in a big way.

Sorry, no help with the drag racing rules though !

check out the sport compact brackets
there's sport rwd
ozmod
all motor
also you should be able to run in super street and super sedan as well
try building up a nice 1776 or 1915 with a t3 off an rx7 ($200) or a to4 turbo
penboss's bugger runs 10's and its only a 1915 with to4
ultimate budget racer
check out www.vwdragracing.com.au

cheers
sean

[Edited on 4-1-2005 by sean68]

I really want to keep it using as many stock parts as possible. That way it's simple and keeps the competion against similar engined cars pretty close and fair. Also interested to see how well a stock bug could be thrashed.
I'd look at only mods being to stock carb and exhaust system. Box swaps okay as is uprated clutch.

All very cheap and cheerful and will be on a strict budget.

Car would NOT be road registerd so this limits me i think????

I'll never have a full on fast road car so see this a good way to race a vw and have some fun.

I will start looking but as mentioned ANY advise or comments are welcome.

Ta Dan

[Edited on 4-1-2005 by dannyboy67]

Go to the cams website... http://www.cams.com.au/

You may need a cage if it's not registered etc... I've got no idea but it should be there if anywhere.. Go Danny go.:thumb

Youll never run quick enough to run even super street without the turbo, keep it registered and you can street meets.

Have a look at the ANDRA website for drag racing info:thumb

http://www.andra.com.au/

well I'll be doing that because its all I can afford.
Yes you can still have loads of fun.
I'll be leaving un fregistered and getting
Andra license.
The safety requirements arent all that expensive
since my car wont run under 12 sec.
But I will be putting blower on it -
some things are just meant to be.

this is cut and pasted straight off the ANDRA website





ALL MOTOR – DYO - CLASS REGULATIONS


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Class Designations: AM preceded by car number.



The All Motor category is designed for full-bodied cars using original floor-pan and no power adders.



Minimum Weights:



FWD 4-cylinder: 1,650 pounds; RWD, VW air-cooled, stock “Type I” case only: 1,750 pounds; RWD or 4WD 4-cylinder/2-rotor: 1,950 pounds. Full tube chassis or back half with non-OEM strut mounts/strut tower permitted in FWD only - add 75 pounds; sequential, clutch-less, V-gate or non-OEM aftermarket transmissions, add 200 pounds. All weights include driver, verified after the run.



CLASS REQUIREMENTS



1. Engine



1.1 Engine: 4 cylinder or 2 rotor engine only; all others prohibited. Power adders prohibited. Stepped-deck block maximum 3/4-inch (19mm) permitted. Billet blocks prohibited. Use of vacuum pump for evacuation of crankcase pressure permitted. Dry-sump permitted. All engine block and cylinder head castings must be, or have been, available in a production car or truck from a recognised OEM assembly line with a minimum production run of 5000 units, unless otherwise approved by ANDRA.

1.2 Exhaust: Open exhaust permitted, except where prohibited by track rules.

1.3 Fuel: Restricted to alcohol or petrol only. Refer ANDRA General Regulations 1.6 and 1.7.

1.4 Fuel System: See General Regulations 1.8.

1.5 Liquid Overflow: See General Regulations 1.9.

1.6 Nitrous Oxide: Prohibited.

1.7 Supercharger, Turbocharger: Prohibited.



2. Driveline



2.1 Driveline: Aftermarket or non-OEM transmissions permitted; see weight breaks. Automated, timer-type, pneumatic, electric, electronic, hydraulic, etc. shifting mechanism prohibited; each individual shift must be a function of the driver and controlled manually. (Driver must pull the lever.) Rear-end swap permitted, but must use original mounting points and suspension. Vehicles running 10.99 or quicker with independent rear suspension using upper and lower (both) control arms may retain swing-axle assembly regardless of weight or ET. Must have 360-degree, minimum 1-inch (25mm) wide by 1/4 inch (6mm) thick axle-retention loop on each axle.

2.2.1 Flywheel Shield: All manual-transmission-equipped RWD cars running 10.99 or quicker must have a flywheel shield labeled as meeting minimum SFI Spec 6.1 or 9.1 or a fabricated shield made of 1/4-inch (6mm) thick steel, surrounding the bell housing 360 degrees, extending 1 inch (25mm) forward and 1 inch (25mm) rearward of the rotating clutch assembly. Shield must be securely attached to frame or frame structure, may be multi-piece. All FWD or transverse-mounted applications using a clutch and running quicker than 10.99 must be equipped with a flywheel shield made of 1/4-inch (6mm) minimum-thickness steel plate. In lieu of steel plate, an SFI Spec 4.1 will be accepted if blanket adequately covers bell housing. Shield must surround the bell housing completely except for area of flywheel shield adjacent to differential and axle shaft. Shield may be multi-piece, with pieces bolted together using minimum 3/8-inch (10mm)-diameter Grade 5 or M10 class 8.8 bolts; may be attached to engine and/or bell housing. See General Regulations 2.6.

2.2.2 Automatic Transmission: See General Regulations 2.2.

2.3 Rear End: Rear-end swap permitted, but must use original mounting points and suspension. See General Regulations 2.7.



3. Brakes & Suspension



3.1 Brakes: Four-wheel hydraulic brakes mandatory. See General Regulations 3.1.

3.2 Steering: See General Regulations 3.3.

3.3 Suspension: OEM suspension mounting points mandatory. Traction devices permitted provided stock mounting points are retained. One working shock absorber per wheel mandatory. See General Regulations 3.4.

3.4 Suspension, Front: Aftermarket or fabricated lower control arms permitted, but must use original mounting points.

3.5 Suspension, Rear: FWD with factory independent rear suspension may replace with straight axle suspension, but must retain original mounting points. Strut must mount to original upper mounting point. RWD vehicles must use original mounting points and suspension. Rear-end swaps permitted, but must use OEM mounting points.

3.6 Wheelie Bars: Permitted. Maximum length 65 inches (1650mm) from rear bumper. May be adjustable, but must be fixed during run. Any movement or adjustment during run prohibited. Pneumatics, hydraulics, electronics, etc. prohibited. Wheelie-bar wheels must spin free at the starting line. Any preload prohibited.



4. Frame



4.1 Ballast: Permitted. See General Regulations 4.2.

4.2 Chassis, All cars: FWD must retain FWD configuration; rear-drive conversions prohibited. Bracing of front suspension towers to roll cage permitted. Otherwise no bracing may be added forward of firewall. Excessive lightening of uni-body structure (i.e., drilling of holes, etc.) prohibited. See General Regulations 4.3, 4.7.

4.2.1 Chassis, FWD: Engine must be located in original location and configuration for body used. Conversion from transverse to longitudinal engine orientation prohibited. If engine is relocated weight penalty for full tube chassis is assigned. Wheel tubs, back halfs, tube chassis etc. permitted; however, full-tube chassis or back half with non-OEM strut mounts/strut tower assemblies incurs weight penalty. (See minimum weights at beginning of section, and also Floor, FWD under Body). Back half is considered from B-pillar or main roll-cage hoop, whichever is further rearward. Refer Section 7.3.1.

4.2.2 Chassis, RWD or 4WD: Engine relocation prohibited. OEM chassis, with complete OEM floor-pan and firewall minus 6 square feet for transmission removal, mandatory. Back half is considered from B-pillar or main roll cage hoop, whichever is further rearward. Back half and/ or non-OEM suspension mounting points prohibited.

4.3 Ground Clearance: Minimum 3 inches (75mm) from front of car to 12 inches (305mm) behind centerline of front axle, 2 inches (50mm) for remainder of car (except for exhaust more than 12 inches (305mm) behind centerline of front axle).

4.4 Parachute: See General Regulations 4.6.

4.5 Roll Cage: Permitted. See General Regulations 4.7.

4.6 Wheelbase: Must retain original wheelbase for body used, plus or minus 1 inch (25mm). Maximum wheelbase variation from left to right is 1 inch (25mm).



5. Tyres & Wheels



5.1 Tyres: Must be DOT or racing slicks with a maximum width of 10.5 inches (268mm) and maximum height of 28 inches (710mm). Cars quicker than 12.50 (1/4 mile) using independent front suspension and cross ply rear tyres are not permitted to use radial from tyres.

5.2 Wheels: Must be automotive-type wheels suitable for street or racing use. Minimum wheel size 13 inches (330mm) unless originally equipped with smaller wheels and vehicle is equipped with original engine. Wheel studs must be threaded into hex portion of lug nut a distance at least equal to the diameter of the stud. See General Regulations 5.3.



6. Interior



6.1 Interior: Upholstery, headliners, carpets, dashboard, etc. optional. Must be equipped with one seat minimum for driver, properly installed. Holes, slots, or other openings in floor and/or firewall prohibited. See General Regulations 6.1.



7. Body



7.1 Body: Any 4 cylinder or rotary automobile, light truck or 4WD permitted. Mild Customizing permitted, but must retain full-bodied appearance and silhouette, with minimum 2 functional doors. Convertible permitted, but must run with top up. Doors must open and close from inside and outside. Glass may be replaced with Lexan or other shatterproof material, minimum thickness 1/8-inch (3mm). Side windows need not be operative, but must be in fully closed position for run. Lightweight body panels permitted. Body must retain a finished appearance, with full bonnet, guards and boot (or fascia kits), and paint. Air intake tube may not be routed outside of body, hood scoop permitted. Otherwise, only factory air-inlet openings permitted.

7.2 Firewall: OEM firewall mandatory on RWD and 4WD. Replacement steel firewall permitted on FWD, but incurs full tube chassis weight penalty. See General Regulations 7.4.

7.3.1 Floor, FWD: Horizontal portion(s) of floor-pan may be removed from behind B-pillar or roll-cage main hoop attachment points (whichever is farther rearward) to rear of car. Entire shock/strut tower structure must be retained. Portion of floor removed must be replaced with aluminum or steel, completely sealed. Complete, unaltered, OEM floor-pan from B-pillar or roll-cage main hoop attachment points (whichever is farther rearward) to front of car mandatory. Excessive lightening of uni-body structure, i.e. drilling of holes, etc., prohibited.

7.3.2 Floor, RWD: OEM floor-pan, front to rear, minus 6 square feet for transmission removal, mandatory.

7.4 Street Equipment: Two headlights and taillights must be present or painted on; need not be operational except for one working taillight.



8. Electrical



8.1 Batteries: Batteries must be securely mounted; may not be located in driver compartment unless sealed off per General Regulations. See General Regulations 8.1.

8.2 Ignition: Two steps, rev limiters, etc. permitted. See General Regulations 8.2, 8.3.



9. Support Group



9.1 Computer: Vehicle Management System’s prohibited. Electronic fuel Injection permitted. Refer General Regulations9.2.

9.2 Data Recorder: Permitted. Wheel-speed sensors of any type on any wheel, including wheelie-bar wheel(s), prohibited. See General Regulations 9.3.

9.3 Fire Extinguisher System: Permitted; must be securely mounted. See General Regulations 9.4.

9.4 Tow Vehicles: Only permitted where use of a parachute is required, however, ANDRA may, at random intervals, require race vehicle to return to scales under its own power. See General Regulations 9.9.

9.5 Warm-Ups: See General Regulations 9.10.



10. Driver



10.1 Credentials: All drivers must have an ANDRA competition Licence. ANDRA Unlimited Licence mandatory for driver of any car running 10.99 or quicker. See Section 1 - Credentials.

10.2 Driver Restraint System: See General Regulations 10.11.

10.3 Helmet: See General Regulations 10.8.

10.4 Neck Collar: See General Regulations 10.10.

10.5 Protective Clothing: See General Regulations 10.10.

[Edited on 5-1-2005 by wacked1]

WOW!!!!!!

Thanks for all that, just had a flick through but looks easy enough to sort.

Not that much to do and suits the car i'm thinking about.

Stripped out , lightened , glass guards , lexan windows , single seat , no tinware, etc etc. In other words your average competition car. Reloacting battery etc etc , all easy enough i reckon.

Alot to read up on etc but the actual cost of doing this is quite minimal. By the time you've sold all the bits you take off you'd have mostly what you need to get it strip ready.

Turn up with a couple of spare motors and boxes and go racing . If it breaks , rip it out , don't worry about it and throw a spare 13/16 TP it and get back out!!

Apart from the normal rust areas and maybe a cage being made up building the car would be piss easy which means others could have a crack at this and also the low bugdet , all stock rules would make it easy for all.

Looks like i've got alot of reading up to do but i think i will be making a call to my mate and seeing if the car still around. If not i'll be on the hunt!

Cheers for the help , keep it coming!

Dan😉

I have seen a stock 1600 single port with a draw through turbo and single SU set up run low 12s in a midengine trike.

The heads were just cleaned up, stock everything else.

all motor at the moment is DYO but I wouldnt consider AM to be a budget class. It was meant to be heads up and when competition hots up i think it will go back that way. Its basically a redundant class unless its heads up.
If you were to run AM in the states dont even try unless your making around 300hp+ out of a NA vw with a standard style case etc.
that said i dont know what other SC class a vw is really suited to and even 1750 is on the heavy side.
Sorry to be negative.:cry

Ah... Super Street, I think I'd better read the class rules
again.

Car has been sold , damn it! I'll look out for something similar in a month or 2 and read up , get more advise etc.

Definatly doing it , going to be abit of a laugh i reckon.

dan😉