Well it's about to start again. Vic. Hillclimb Championship - series. Only 6 rounds but all at different tracks. I'll put up the dates & locations soon (they are on http://www.hilclimbracing.com ), but this sunday its Round 1 at Rob Roy, near Christmas Hills. Last year was $10/car to specatate unfortunately but that's the only bad point. Great track: fast, & good spectating, & well-catered. Out to beat last year's 27.95 s (after finally finding cause of mis-firing). Hope it's dry/warm. Car not ready yet, running outa time as usual. WombatOne will be there. If anyone comes, pls look for us & say Hello. Easy to find, should be near the grey Bug, no. 40.

Best of Luck.................go kick some ass

Well.... the results were good - and bad! (but not very bad). Brutus went faster - but so did everyone else in the class! Cut 1.01sec off last year's best with 26.94sec. Every run was faster than last year's best, and EVERY run, of all 3 visits to date, has been quicker than the last. Came 67th out of 106 entries. RboRoy is a "power" track, ie. you need power first, and brakes not at all (except at the finish line). The corners are not a worry at all, in dry/warm conditions anyway. Quite a few seem to run wide or even right off the track going up the hill, we stayed firmly attached to the tarmac.

The class record is 23.94 (STOP PRESS: the Nissan EXA got new class record on day: 23.08s) and I just cannot see how we could gain another 3+ secs. Brutus was beaten in class by the EXA, RS 2000 Escort (25.19s), Hot Pink Gemini (26.03s), & the dreaded Anglia (26.13s). OK The Anglia & the Gemini are within reach at less than a second faster, but the prospects of picking up more tahn a second seem daunting.

Brutus felt almost "frightenly fast" this time, much more "quick"at every point, and I couldn't quite see why. The track is fairly tight, but 1 sec faster doesn't sound much. The AVERAGE speeds work out to (if track is 695m long) 89.5k/h last year and 92.9k/h this time. Doesn't sound that much more, but the speed at the finish line must be getting up! Brutus is almost running out of revs in (close ratio) 3rd. Nothing has changed other than a little more lightening by removing minor items, and changing from ACE 30 to a new QPL performance oil: "SYN- X 10", a 10W-40. This was following discussions with the experst (Neil & co.) at QPL, & was more due to concerns about too-high oil pressure at the low-to-moderate temperatures run in events. (The engine has been impossible to warm up before runs, at the track.) Hard to believe that a seemingly minor change in viscosity could make the engine come alive like that.

Some other intersting cars/times on day were:
Gould: 17.99s (new track record, this works out to an AVERAGE speed of 140kph!). F/Vee: 27.0s. 2 Porsche 911's: 24.0 & 30.2. The Golf: 27.96s Torana A9X: 25.0s. Ford Capri GT: 27.7s. M3R BMW: 26.7s. Honda S600: 27.0s Audi Quattro 23.9s. Sub WRX: 24.3s.

Someone called S. Thomson was runnign in a 1800 Golf (27.96s), unfortunatley didn't get to meet him, sorry Mr. T. Met wombat1 finally, Michael (& Bill) from Echuca who have the 1956 'Bristile' rally beetle which was featured in VWMA issue #11. wombat1 is going to run this beetle in future Vic. hillclimbs. This oval attracted a lot of attenion & it will be good to finally have two bugs running at these rounds. Very interesting also to talk to another competitor "Ian Speight" who used to run a mid-engined (holden, later BMW) Beetle that he said held many Vic. track records in the 60's. I think I may have seen his name years ago on Track record boards at the LCCA... This was actually a 2-day event (one day is enough for me these days), & two cars crashed on the saturday, but no serious offs today; just some tree-lovers taking a detour now and then towards the trees towards the finishing line for a closer look.

Next event is at Gippsland Park, Latrobe Rd., Morwell on Sun. 25/3/07, about 2hrs from Melb., no fee to spectate. Brutus ran straight of the bottom corner last time... This should be the last year this track exists... See you there!

[ Edited on 1-3-2007 by BRUTUS ]

[ Edited on 8-3-2007 by BRUTUS ]

Roy Roy is always a good event, even if it did get sun burnt. It was great to see Brutus lower his best time and I can’t wait to be out there myself.

Round 2 next Sunday at Morwell. This should be the last Vic. State Hillclimb at this track EVER as track is meant to close later this year. Planning to stay on the track this time, sounds dull but get better times!
Rest of the dates are (from http://www.hillclimbracing.com  ):
Round 1: Rob Roy February 24/25th
Round 2: Gippsland Park March 25th
Round 3: Phillip Island April 29th
Round 4: Mt Leura May 20th
Round 5: Shepparton (DECA) July 7/8th
Round 6: Broadford August 18/19th
You can now enter these events without a logbook, for those that want to give it a go (but log-booked cars get priority). How many beetles will be there on Sunday? We were up to 2 beetles, 1 golf & 2 Vees at Rob Roy, so things are looking up! Will talk to the Golf man if he's there, promise.

Wish I could have made it down to that one. I have spent many happy weekends at Gippsland Park over the years. Good luck with keeping on the black stuff.

Thanks W-1, just trying to decide if it will be wet/cold or dry/warm tomorrow. Toss a coin?
I've been informed that this will be the last event EVER at this track*, so for those that have not been to Morwell Hillclimb, it could be your very last chance to ever see it in operation! You go into Morwell (1st exit) & turn L into Latrobe Rd. just after a small KFC (now closed) on corner, head N for I think about 10km, & it's on the left: "Gippsland Park". I had my first run there in around 1982 with VW Club of Vic. when it ran track events.

Times last year were: 41.91 (club event; engine's first comp.), and 40.81 (driver sick), so haven't had a 'good' day yet.
If you come please make yourself known (Brutus = car no. 40). Not aware of any other VW's running but you never know! Brutus may be the last beetle to ever run there...

* I can't quite believe this (there are more listed club events in Gippsland CC calendar), but was assured by someone... will find out for sure tomorrow. In any case it WILL be the last Vic. Champ. event there.

[ Edited on 24-3-2007 by BRUTUS ]

[ Edited on 24-3-2007 by BRUTUS ]

[ Edited on 1-4-2007 by BRUTUS ]

I will have to have a look at what times I did there...............sad to see the track go

36.03sec...............that was back in 1999 for the Australian titles.

how did you go?

Hi Craig, sorry for delay replying (& was concerned to hear about your 'nudge' at Bathurst but glad you're OK. Given the speed you were doing I guess you're happy it was just a nudge!),

Last Sunday was not our finest hour, so have been mulling it over before putting finger to keyboard. Then again, we got there, ran, & got back.
Got there to discover broken alternator strap, with presumably cracked alternnator stand (oil is seeping out b/w alt. & stand), and vacuum leak (couldn't find/tighten). A few other concerns, & engine not running very 'happily' either (maybe gave its best at RobRoy) so with all these little worries was tempted do pull out - have a 2 hour drive to get home! Anyway we got the strap patched back together enough to hold down the alternator & gave it a bash. Not brilliant results for B., got 42.8 (careful - track cold - traction probs for all), 42.6 (trying to be smooth - back feels loose, front good), 41.5 (bugger this 'smooth' idea - plant the boot - back hanging out!), then 40.81 (plant boot again - droppped rear tyre pressures 4psi - now good grip). Gave the last run a miss at this point as car now running so rough I didn't expect to get home. Back to the doctors in next week or so for a major check-up! I had to give up any hope of beating last years best, or getting under 40s. Interesting that best time of 40.81 was EXACTLY the same as last run there!!! And that time the driver was crook...

Had a good talk to Mr. S. Thomson (1800 Golf) who got 40.21. He aims to keep running in these events. Was in Melb. VW club but not now. Is in "Production Car Racing Assoc." I think - have never heard of this. The Golf is running in Improved prodcution but is fully stripped out (unlike Brutus) and he is thinking of moving into Sports Sedans. No other Golfs or Bugs to report on, so...
Some interesting/unusual cars/times were: F/Vee: 43.94, A. Howell in Gould: 30.43, Honda S600 (not original engine?) 43.11, 911 Carrera: 35.92, Hillman Hunter: 40.87, BMW M3R: 36.19, Capri V6 GT: 40.80, Falcon XW GT ph.2: 42.62 (not sure if replica or real, but he wasn't out to wreck it!), Monaro: 39.06, Sub WRX: 38.33, Lancer EVO IX: 34.16.

Forgot to ask exact date track is closing, but there will still be club events there. Next Vic State Champ is at Phillip Is. on April 29 - first H'climb ever to be held there! (I wonder if we'll get there?)

Round 4 of Vic H/climb champs next Sun (20th May) at Mt. Leura, in Camperdown, about 1 1/2 hour through Geelong.
Cause of poor/erratic running was finally found: a cracked inlet manifold (I couldn't see or feel it), this was very slowly making car run worse & worse (had suspected it was internal carb, or valve gear problems). All fixed now (I think-hope) - anyway its running smoothly so all looks get for next Sunday...

Are you coming/running, Wombat-1???

[ Edited on 16-5-2007 by BRUTUS ]

No! works keeping me out of the shed. I had to get the formula ford ready for historic winton this weekend. I should be at DECA if I pull my finger out. How did you go? How wet did it end up down there. My uncle was running a Vee not sure how he ran either.

Couldn't get there due to driver-breakdown! Had some sort of serious malady ending up with hospital & pneumonia. Could not drive -- Still recovering. Good news is car hasn't poked its nose out so IT should be fighting fit for next event. Thinking of trying to get to VWCV Drag Day on Sat 9/6, and should be at Shepparton/DECA on 7 & 8/7 (have'nt seen supp regs for that yet).

Well, got to the Heathcote Drags on Sat. 9/6/07. What a great day! (bar one very unfortunately broken bug called "Cranky", driver apparently undamaged). Said I'd get Brutus to ONE drag, meaning that'd be IT, but I think we might go again! I'm essentially a Drag Race virgin, having only been twice before in early '80s. Great fun, & different to Speed Events. There was a puddle of water at the start which had me a bit puzzled but it's meant to be there! The lights come down too fast, when you're used to starting when you're ready. Traction was LOW compared to Hillclimb starts (with dry track). We were getting plenty of controllable wheelspin right through 1st. A little axle hop trouble, not as bad as at hillclimbs. But I expected the traction at the start to be higher than at track events... On two runs got wheelspin through much of 2nd gear also! I think I'd need some practice/pointers on starting technique, as no doubt all this is loosing time. Also does anyone know if the time starts when the light turns Green, or when the front wheel brakes the 3rd beam...? No-one seemed to know...

Ran the larger diam. street tyres (609mm diam.) even though expert advice (Dave B.) said to use the 590mm diam. race tyres. This was as it looked like it could rain, and I didn't want to crawl slowly along on the three hour trip (the small tyres aren't so good on the road). Weather as ~15C with mod. breeze (10-18 kph), and Sunny almost all the time.

Best time was 15.528 s & speed of 83.35mph. A bit disappointing, was hoping for 15 s or better. Standard top gear obviously not good for drags - car felt as if it was slowing down when went into top! Might try the smaller tires next time.

Wombat1 was there too, & we both expect to run at Round 5 of Vic H'climb champs at Shepparton/DECA on July 7/8th.
I think a few VW people may also be running at Rob Roy's "Club Challenge" NEXT WEEKEND on Sun. 17th June, be there, it's a great day!

John, the timer starts when you break the beam, so that is the time that it ran.
Yes lots of wheel spin really kills the elapsed time.
But just a little is good sometimes to keep the engine up in the power.
The 60' time is where you can see this.
Just for comparison to your 60 foot times,
Col's 1584cc screamer had around a 2.0 sec 60' time to get into the high 14s,
but he had a bit more MPH at the end(87 to 89mph I think).
I think that with the right track conditions you should be able to get down to this sixty foot time on street radials.

Thanks Dave, so one can relax in a sense when starting (I got a few red lights!) -- as far as accuracy of ET's goes.

I had thought that all the black sticky stuff (rubber + some compound they seemed to spray on it) around the start & for some distance up the track would give more "stiction", but it seemed the opposite! That may have cost some time due to a heavy foot.

I was using near new road tires with almost full tread. I could use the smaller diam. softer-compound track tires next time, just didn't feel up to changing them that day.

The quicker 60' times were:
2.151 s for 15.5283 ET @ 83.35 mph.
2.157 s (for aborted run due to flipped fan belt).
2.172 s for 15.6534 ET @ 83.32 mph.
2.228 s for 15.6954 ET @ 82.36 mph
2.250 s for 15.9216 ET @ 80.21 mph

I don't see what/how you can tell anything from this, but if you can advise anything further re technique/potential, thanks very much!

[ Edited on 14-6-2007 by BRUTUS ]

If you can gain 0.15 off your 60 foot time you will improve by AT LEAST that amount over all.

Look at the first and last runs in your list.
That last one is a whole tenth slower to the sixty foot timer, yet 4 tenths slower overall,
and over 3 mph different.
This is not to say that you have another 4 tenths and 3mph to gain just by running a 2.0 "short time",
but there will be much to gain.
In the second half of the track, a lower 4th gear ratio WILL produce better accelleration and thus faster ET and MPH at the end.
If you know your ratios now, I can suggest a better 4th,
and may even have some second hand ones cheap.