Hi guys,

Like alot of people on here, i was bitten by the VW drag racing bug at my first warwick! I raced my blue baja for 2 years and then decided i was gonna build something especially for drag racing. My only problem is cash.... So instead of writing it off as something i will never do, i did it anyway.... Only i am doing it "low budget". I'll put some pics up and explain where it started and where it is now at. Here Goes.....

Basically i bought a 1970 beetle complete for 180 bucks! got it running,checked the gearbox worked and then it sat at Dave richardsons house for i guess around 6 months until i made some space and bought it home, stripped it, sold the engine and interior. It seemed almost rust free until i started poking it with a screw driver! after a few rust repairs this is it.

First thing i did was strip all the running gear,suspension interior, brakes, windows,doors... everything.

I sold the Baja to fund engine and gearbox as i knew that would be the most expensive part!

The gearbox was sent off to Dave Butler for a super diff and heavyduty sideplate, he also put some longer studs in for an intermediate mount.

Next, i stripped the front beam and took it to Drag-tec customs to get the adjusters fitted. He is a young fella running his own custom shop out of his parents shed! He is really good at what he does.... He has put a few dubs on airbags including his own and he mainly builds competition 4X4's, the kind that climb up almost vertical hills. He is very good on price too!

I then sort of ran out of time for a few months to actually work on the car, but this didn't mean i couldn't gather parts! I managed to pick up a fixed back racing bucket from the valla swap meet already on the runners i need and off set to one side, so i'm sitting directly in front of the pedals, I got a scat drag fast shifter, and a few other things. I then met Sides.... He informed me he had some engine parts and an interior in a ghia that need doing and a deal was struck! (i'm an upholsterer/motor trimmer by trade) CB 044 heads,44idf webbers, conrods,lifters,cam,rockers, heaps of goodies!

I then found Vee dub parts unlimited..... Look out bank account! I pretty much bought everthing else required to complete the build from them, Postage was 5 days from the states! Here is rough specs on the engine we are bulding, Dave Richardson (Davobuggy1641) is responsible for this part! With the parts i aquired we could build a good 1916,

really good brazilian as41 case tapped for fullflow
CB 8 dowell C/W forged crank
CB lightweight flywheel
148a tighe regrind cam
CB 044 heads 40x35 (DB is currently doing some combustion chamber work and flycutting for 10:1 compression)
Malhe 94mm P&B's
Stock rods (shot peened and balanced)
CB cromo pushrods
CB cromo headstuds
Stock rockers set up by stan pobjoy
44idf webbers
Pertronix billet dizzy with ignitor2 system
Pertronix digital rev limiter
CB thin line sump
kennedy stage1 pressure plate with daikin disc.
Exhaust is a 1 5/8 SS merged header by westy.

The engine is getting fully balanced at crankshaft engineering.

While this is obviously not a serious drag motor it should do the trick and keep me entertained for quite a while. Will be looking into the possibility of doing a draw through turbo set up in the future.

Ignition! and i managed to find all the gauges i need in Autometer for a bargain!

And this is where i'm at now! Making a roll cage and tieing it into the frame horns to try to stop wheel hop.... I got the main hoop from Dave Richardson out of the buggy i sold him, wich is now his drag buggy... Extended it at the bottom and constructed some box sections where it attaches to the pan and body, i also made the bars that go to the rear luggage area where plates are bolted through to the frame horn braces (yet to be made). I am only tacking the cage together, i'll be employing the help of someone with more welding experience to weld it all up! I'll keep this updated from now on, If anyone one is interested.....
Mick.

Holy crap man, the drag bug has bit hard, selling the Baja?!?!?! You got it bad.......

When you get around to draw-through, or sorry , IF (yeah, right!), consider using something easy to tune first up on low boost, that you can get cheap at the wreckers.
Just as an aside, draw-through drag-bikes are running easy 250-300rwhp using 40-45mm single bike carbs, like the Keihin FCR or Mikuni TM models. Just remember to keep your fuel pressure a bit low, like 3psi. Cheap as chips if you wait, and HP is HP, the carb doesn't care.

Have fun man!

The baja had to go anyway, I have a baby on the way and needed to get a grown ups car! the turbo set up won't happen for quite some time.

bout time you started this thread!!

bout time you went to work slacker!

Great work man, like to see the progress and gets us back in ine to do ours too.
Cheers

Mick , i understand you have a budget , but please , if your gunna do a roll bar lets not be putting joints in the main hoop .
The time it would take to weld out those joints , you could have a proper 1 PIECE hoop which is so much safer , and i'll even weld it all out for you as my bus is getting closer and will need an interior soon .

Andrew

Shit mate I agree with Oz Towdster I would be doing the main hoop again. If something ever happened you only have one life. You can't scrimp on safety.
Regards.

joins and welding to the chrome...

Mate, everything else looks great but are you using that roll bar or is that just a mock up to get a good one made later?

Not welding to the chrome, Its just a mock up at this stage... mainly so i can work out where and how i'm going to brace the gearbox, After thinking it through over the last few days yeah, I will just be using that hoop as a template, i didn't like the idea of the join either. As you can see its just tacked together. Hey Andrew thanks for the offer, I'll let you know if i need your help welding it up. I have someone organised but if it falls through i'll give you a buzz. I'm still waiting to get into your bus though! How far off now??

Look what arrived in the mail today! It's the last of the deliveries i'm waiting on at the moment. I'm kinda bummed out now.

DRD Street Turbo Engine, 255hp@8lbs Price: $8999.00

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=762810 

255hp on pump fuel and 8psi, with no interccoler?
With those manifolds?
I would have to see that to believe it.
Perhaps with 14-15psi.

I dunno Dave, the engine is finley tunned so it might be true.....

I have a little to update, I am expecting another shipment from veedub parts unlimited soon including CB cromoly head studs, CB straight cuts, engine bearings, pertronix digital rev limiter and a bunch of other stuff!

Meanwhile i have dropped the roll cage i mocked up into dragtec customs to get a hoop bent up and the other parts cut, basically i will get it back as a weld in kit...

I also picked up my heads and case from Dave butler today, He has done a fantastic job as with everything else he does! You always know your parts are in good hands when they are with him! He has de-shrouded the combustion chambers, re-seated the valves, replaced valve springs, and fly cut for 10:1 compression, They look great! I'm expecting atleast 2000-3000hp
He also tapped the case for full flow, He already opened it for 94's before i got it.

I also managed to stumble across some slicks! I was not going to get slicks just yet but the price was right and they are practically new! 1 pass and stored properly. hoosier 26x8, you can also see the formula vee tyres i'm using on the front up in the corner of the pic. I also managed to find some 15x8 4 stud steel rims in my brothers shed of all places! they had been there for years without him even knowing they were veedub rims! I will be using short axles on the rear in place of the original long ones and i'm using 2" wider fibreglass guards in hope of getting these wheels under the guards!

I'm hoping to get the rollcage back by next weekend then i will be able to really get into it. The parts are pretty much all there it just needs putting together!

Until next time,
Mick.

If it was my motor, I'd be using a different cam. The 148a cam you're intending to use is designed for a street motor using stock vw heads and Kadrons (Peak power at 5500rpm)...............do yourself a favour and use a more "drag" orientated cam or at least a more agressive cam.

so I guess your hoping to get between a 14 and 16 sec 1/4 mile car.

Quote:

Originally posted by ian.mezz so I guess your hoping to get between a 14 and 16 sec 1/4 mile car.

Being that you have a stock wide ratio gear box,
you will NOT want the FK87.(which should use ratio rockers to be beneficial).

It may make a higher number on the dyno, but will be slower at the track with your combination,
because it will fall off the power on the gear change.

Unshrouding of the chambers has increased the low-lift-flow that your heads were lacking before,
and this tends to extend the rev range anyway.

For your low buget racing, if you want to change the cam, aim for something between and engle 120 or 130,(or equivalent in your favourite brand)
using stock rockers that you have.

The cam you have is a 'regrind' 148A Tighe grind which has 253 degrees at .050" lift.
It has .400" lift at the valve with stock rockers.
Use this information for comparison when selecting your next cam.

Thats good info Dave, I don't plan on changing cam, Just looking at comparison for an idea of what a cam change can do.... I am happy with my decision to keep that cam for future purposes, although it's probably not an ideal cam for a turbo application either, its probably better than a FK87 right? Thanks for the info on the cam, I was thinking i'd like to know more about it last night.

I got the last shipment from the states today! finally!
CB cromoly headstuds, CB straight cuts, CB glandnut, Bugpack breather kit, gaskets, seals, bearings and a pertronix digital rev limiter ( no over-reving for me). I'll be sandblasting my wheels,brakes,axletubes and tinware tomorrow, then i can re-assemble the rear end of the car. the rollcage will be back mid next week.

I've been reading up on the forums and they say that if you running slicks that you should have a wedge mate crank.?
Dont ask me why

Db knows my combo and he hasn't mentioned anything? I'd imagine if I was expecting heaps of power that might be the case...