Hi my name is Rod Penrose and this is my first time posting on the forum, please be patient as i am still learning how to use the computer! I thought id post a few pictures and some info to dispell some of the rumours flying around about the new car!
The new car will based on a new beetle body style that was designed and tested in the VW windtunnel in Wolfsburg Gemany. I purchased the molds for this body earler in the year. It will be a full cabon fibre one peice body which will be mounted over a full chromoly tube chassis.
The Engine will be my current 2810cc autocraft engine, which will be upgraded with twin turbos and full electronic engine management and mounted up front.
The driveline will consist of a Crower Clutch housed in a titanium bellhousing, with an airshifted 3 speed lenco behind it. The rear end is a Strange full aluminium 9 inch deal with a four link setup. Hoping for 7.7 @ 180mph which might make it the fastest VW in australia!
I hope to update this every week with new pictures and info. Hope you enjoy seeing how a race car is built from ground up.

This is the body. This is only a fibreglass mock up untill chassis is finished.

Chassis under construction , ROD.

Looks like the Audi TT roof line

strange aluminium rear end( sorry pic too big, will try post soon) Yes the roof line is copied from an Audi TT , ROD.

Welcome Rodney

you have U2U

Old Hutcho

ahh mr penrose. have heard much about your cars..and was dissapointed when i ehard you werent coming to perth with your old beetle drag car.

Anthony

Fark Anthony, come on have a bit of respect for the pre-eminent VW drag racer in Australia right now..... it cant be cheap to bring a race car over from the east.

I have to ask Rod, why did you ditch the old beetle so quickly ? you cant have run it for much more than a year or so.....

All respect to you - it was an absolute monster, this new one looks the goods too so will be great to have a real serious air cooled Vw drag car doing the rounds - the gear you mentioned certainly sounds like it has the goods for 7's.... I thought you were already Oz's fasted VW with 8.96 ???

Is this the same body shell as the one in the states ? I think its silver..... and has a monster motor in it too..... just look similar is all.

Welcome to the forum and I hope you enjoy your time here.

Won't it be great to see Rod stick it to the Ricers!

Might be just the sort of thing to convert more folks into Volksies!

Good looking car.
What is the size tubing that you use for the chassis and what guage?
I am also thinking about building my own chassis, not nearly as hi-tec as yours.
Thank you
Hermann

haha doug...i wasnt having a shot at him because he didnt bring it over...just meant it as in...i was excited when i heard it was coming and that he has my full support..also a hint that i would like to see it go one day..but thats beside the point...im not too much of a "BLOODY FARKIN POOFTA"

alright..


Anthony

Hey rod

How come you have decided to run the motor up front? Body looks sweet!

alex holzl

welcome to the AVD and nice lookin project..
look forward to more pics as you go..
cheers paul

Yeh i see your point.

Rod, did you munch many gears with the old car?

Thanks for bringing the pics and updates to us all Rod - I look forward to seeing more details!

Hi Rod

Welcome aboard, this car will be awsome.

Steve

who called you a poofta ?

Its a shame he didnt bring it over, I'm sure it would have had heaps of support over here... I also would have loved to see it run. Now I will just have to wait for his new machine.....

Engine up front also means he can run a proper drag Auto box... which will help. The old car was a manual wasnt it ?

Hi Rod,:thumbL:bounce:bounceking good mate!JVLRacing

Looks like it will be awesome! :thumb

I loved your old car and am sure this will be twice what the old one was.

Did you end up selling the old drag car?

hi rod, looks like youre going to have quiet a weapon of a car there :thumb shall be a great sight to see flying down the strip

good to see another properly built car about to hit the tracks!

hey rod who is building the chassis it looks awsome.
alex i never did one gear box in the bus actually the old 2Lt is going in another V8 bus not mine and you know where the 915 box went.
cheers
wacked1

welcome on board Rod and can't wait to see more pics

The chassis is now complete and fully welded ,The tube used consists of 1 5/8 x .083 cro-moly for the main hoop , door bars , top windshield bar and rear diff bars .All of the rest of the bars are 1 1/2 x .065 cro-moly with all small cross bracing being 1 1/4 x .058 cro-moly.The chassis is being built by me at home and complies with SFI 25.4 international specs just incase one day I get to race in the US.The entire chassis weighs 95 kg and that is 12.5 kg lighter than the last car . I'm trying to post pic's but are too big , can any one help me in reducing them. ROD.

Hi

I reduce photos with this free software. http://www.axiomx.com/picsizer.htm

Steve

Any idea what division you'll be able to race in yet Rod?

Matt

Well done rod...Sure is looking prettydarn good...Can't wait to see it running...

If you don't end up getting that software Steve recommended...I can help u out.

If you can send the images to me, I can resize them for you.... I have ADSl here so send'em down... As long as you send one image at a time and the file size is no bigger than 2 or 3meg then we can sort'em out...

Keep it up Rod...We still want to see you in Perth!!!

Welcome to the forum Rod
Will be awesome to see this car being built and raced...
You think it will do wheelstands like the last one? :thumb.....probarbly not as it's front engine now
There's something about the profile.... Rod Penrose learner dubber that doesn't quite fit together
Maybe we can ask the admins to give Rod an exemption

cheers
sean

I finally found a program that I can use so I will have regular up dated pics' so this is the Strange engineering aluminium rear end that was built in the US to my spec's, ROD.