NSW Hill climb championship - start your engines!

It's on again: First round of the NSW hillclimbs is this Saturday/Sunday March 17/18 at Mount Panorama, Bathurst. Come and see some VW power waste the Geminis, Escorts and Datto 1600s!

Two strong VW contenders this year - as in previous years - are Nathan (bat69) and Craig Torrens in Beetles. Both cars are similar: Ball-joint/IRS beetles with Craig's being a '76 and Nathan's a '68 semi-auto that Craig helped build/specify in the hands of its previous owner, Tony D. Both cars run Stan Pobjoy-built 1916cc engines with - now - very similar levels of tune.

Craig is champing at the bit to have another crack at the title and re-set some of his own under 2-litre class records that he's set over the last decade of racing. Nathan is familiar with grunt (his last comp car was a turbocharged Subaru rally car) yet rates his new naturally-aspirated engine as 'scary!'. It's a Stan Pobjoy 'super-steroids' type-1 based 1916cc engine that was fitted on the weekend at Stan's workshop in Coffs Harbour. After fitting, Nathan run-in the new donk by driving the car 400km home to Newcastle using a borrowed standard ratio gearbox (his race box has altered ratios and standard wheels).

He's out today (Monday) doing another few hours' driving before he'll re-install the race cogbox, dump the oil, check the tappets and GIVE IT HELL! Craig's also fully prepping his '69' race car after the Summer break - he reckons he's gunna the check the oil level and tyre pressures! But only if he thinks it needs it... 😉

Ben Durie will also be flying the VW flag with his red/white BJ/IRS Beetle - also with improvements for 2007 - as will the double-entered pair of Heath and Christine Campbell in their beautifully-presented orange rocket.

So if you're anywhere near Bathurst, come and see the VWs kick some arse! :vader

[ Edited on 12-3-2007 by VWCOOL ]

For those of us unable to make it due to work, is there ANY possibility of someone taking footage? Either still or digital as I can't wait till VWMA comes out...too long to wait, (sorry Craig, you know how it is 🙂 ) that would be sweeeet!

Well, Just completed over 500 odd mls running in the new engine. Did over 300 Mls driving down the paciific hwy on Sunday and just completed over 200mls today driving around Sydney, from the city to Richmond to Wisemans and back.

I cant get over how at home the new engine is driving through traffic in the city to cruising at 110klms on the freeway.

I have learnt a very important lesson..... Never drive a race car with race seats 1000klms. It dam hurts the backside...

Ill up date with some photos I took along the way during the trip when I get my camera memory card working.

Man Im looking forward to competing at Bathurst. It should be very close competition. Thats if I can get the beetle all back to gether before Sat morning.

[ Edited on 12/3/2007 by bat69 ]

i went out a few years ago and throughly recomend it if you can get there... great.

just take a hat and sunscreen.