So here's the plan. Im entered in the Tasmanian Khanacross championship in my baja and needed to ask a few questions...

Its a 61 with the back end raised up a notch. Im running some big wheels on the back. Im unsure if the track will be muddy but im speculating that it will be a bit wet (Its clay/gravel)

What tyre pressure should i run the wheels at? What should i avoid doing when it comes to driving it hard around the corners? These are questions i dont have to worry about when im driving it on the beach!

Here is a link to the original build site:http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=71192

But it doesn't mention any of the new modifications done to it... Like the 1916 engine

Ill post up a heap of photos, but if anyone can contact me about running an early beetle in a rally event that would be of great help!


Cheers Bill

Mate, for your first Khanacross, just have fun and don't destroy the car! Start off driving at a speed which you are comfortable with, don't push too hard. Be sure to memorise the course directions carefully. Driving cautiously and neatly in the right direction consistently will often give you your best results. In the VW Club of SA's khanacross round a couple of years ago, a member called Rajan placed second outright in a stock, automatic 1.6 litre Mk1 Golf. He did this by not incurring any penalties, not hitting cones and driving a nice clean tight line.

I would run whatever tyre pressure you normally run on the street to start with and then if you're not getting enough grip maybe drop them a touch. I can't give much advice on the big-tyre front as my khanacross bug always had street tyres.



If your car is a raised swing axle then be very careful not to roll it over! Getting enthusiastic in tight corners can make it easy to lean a Beetle over even at stock height, let alone raised.



Most of all, have lots of fun! If possible get someone to take photos so you can post them up on here after the event.

Will ,

If your running the coarse out behind The Dragway as said above be carefull with the swinger that you don't tuck a wheel in underneath when cornering hard as you'll be on your lid real quick .
If you have time in the next couple of days i would make some limiting straps for your rear end which just bolt on top and bottom of your rear shockies , mabey even contact Handycam as he or his brother may have some from there racing days .
If you need to make some , you just use old seatbelts and there metal end plates and you would want to make them so the rear end cant get much above being horizontal ie a straight line through the axles just ensure that it aint gunna brake the strap or you could be relying on a false sence of security
For tyre pressures i would start at 25 in the rear and probaley 20 in the front and go down from there but again be carefull how much you drop them as they may roll of the rim at lower pressures and again roll you over .
As you are probaley more than aware of , your car will also need to be scuitineered , so ensure all steering and suspension joints have no play , any casalated nuts have there split pin installed , brakes are adjusted correctly and NO leaks , Seat belts are correctly installed with correct grade bolts and plates , if not a standard seat ( which i wouldn't recomend ) , the seat is installed correctly , again with correct grade bolts amd plates etc , Not sure on this one because your running on dirt but i would install it anyway , a 1 litre oil breather blow of bottle , which can be as simple as coke bottle just as long as it ain't gunna fall off , your battery will also need to be enclosed in a marine type plastic box and strapped down ( Having done this recently in my Rat it is a tight fit under a stock early rear seat but will fit , you just need to put some packing under the front of the box and tilt it back stightly and cut into one of the breather areas on the lid of the box ) , you will also need a blue triangle on the rear drivers side , just behind the door to indicate where your battery is located in the car in the event of a mishap (similar to wavemans first photo ).
Apart from the safety issues just give the car a good check over and have fun , and keep the shiney side up

Andrew

Oz Towdster, I've never heard of a requirement to run a battery box in khanacross. You are supposed to have a fire extinguisher of a minimum 1kg though, which should be well secured with a bracket and within reach of the driver when seat-belted in. I bolted mine to the floor in front of the passenger seat. You will also need mudflaps for the driven wheels, but being a Baja I assume that you will already have this covered.

And remember, a locked wheel won't turn in a corner :P

Full report tommorow night!

Lookin' good Robin Hood!!!!

Well its been an interesting week or so preparing the baja for the Khanacross. Late Friday afternoon Volma1 lent me a rear gearbox/axle brace which was immediately fitted. Saturday came, a trip ot to Powranna and the Baja was unloaded off the trailer. Turns out im entered in Specials Class, including AWD 4WD, buggies and specials, and my main competition was a Mini.

Divided into two teams to tackle both the north and South track, i was competitor number 40 and had to complete three laps of the course. Baja all primed for the takeoff, and with wheels spinning i made it into the first corner to suddenly lose all power. I pulled up, got out and after a quick look a carb linkage had come off. I re secured it and fanged it back around the track. Second lap i powered too hard into a muddy corner and ended up taking out a tire wall, back on the track and after a 5 second penalty for the stack, i managed to get a total time of 2:40, the slowest time of the day on the track.

Next race was the same track in reverse. After checking the linkages, i attempted the course again, keeping up good time. The baja was impossible to keep the power onto the track, it is definatly more than a 1916! Sideways into a corner i mounted the tire wall again with the left front and left back wheel and swung back onto the track. I completed the 3 laps with an elapsed time of 1:45 inc penalty. I had several people come up to me saying the baja was on two wheels! It sure did seem like it!

Moving on to the second track, a figure if 8 track with a horrible hilly hairpin.. ran first two laps well until the third when i struggled home with another linkage coming off, meaning i ran the lap with on carb to record a time of 2:20. Next race was the track in reverse, took another tire wall out but was a very quick lap otherwise. Recorded a 2:20 again.

Its unusal to run a 5th lap, however the first faster course was modified for the last race of the day. I recorded a time of 1:30 which was only beaten by 6 of the 48 competitors.

For the class trophy, on every track and race bar my first one i upstaged the Mini which won by a total of 20seconds, so had it not have been for that first lap that cost me around about a minute of my time, would have gone home with a trophy for first place in my class! And came 11th overall! But thats racing. Now im just uploading pics so here they go:

"There's Magna's racing!"

Very special thanks to Cashy (Volma1) for the use of his trailer, and my old man for helping me get this thing ready in time!

cool stuff m8
looks like a lot of fun
i see you are running a nice gear box mount LOL
so some new linkages are going on soon?
i have had the same thing happen to a stock type 3 dual carbs and i just used a hammer
and tapped the cup to make it a little tighter fit

Looks great Will. Try to catch you next meet. volma1

that looks like fun where do i sign up