Racing a classic VW Beetle

[andy97]

Al Weyman said:

Delroyb said:

Im hoping to take my beetle out in the Cannons Tin Tops this year.As for un tunable, Formula Vee 1300s put out anywhere up to 120bhp. Ians car that he is racing in the Classics is a 1300 builf by Gac with 130 at the flywheel (twin port heads not singles0. The 2054cc enigne I am running made 157 on the rollers.

Here's my blog http://www.racecar-engineering.com/articles/other/...
(Down at the bottom of the page)

Exactly 1300cc 120bhp and costing an arm and a leg 2054cc and 157bhp a good RS2000 will get way more than that and handle and for far less money. Not knocking you or anything go for it but just trying to say beware as it will cost ya large and I did look into racing one years ago.

Edited by Al Weyman on Friday 11th September 19:22

Al, I suppose that the point is that these things already seem to exist in large part from the days of the Big Boys Toys cup & so might be able to be recommissioned relatively cheaply.

I still think that thye would be best of as a stand alone class within an existing classic based series.....but I would say that, wouldn't I!!

[snott]

Nurburgsingh-sorry about the email problem(fixed now so you can email away).
a season cost me about 2k a year.

as for racing in the historical championship your very limited on what technology you can use, like no electronic ignition etc.

[andy97]

[quote=snott
as for racing in the historical championship your very limited on what technology you can use, like no electronic ignition etc.
[/quote]

Not in CSCC series. Have a look at the regs:

http://www.classicsportscarclub.co.uk/Forms/2009%2...

http://www.classicsportscarclub.co.uk/Forms/2009%2...

http://www.classicsportscarclub.co.uk/Forms/2009%2...

Note: the regs are deliberately not complex & are wide in scope to allow the max number of people to enjoy racing. The only real limitations are that there are no turbos (except in FC & even then must be as originally built); no sequential gearboxes; must be the same TYPE of engine (so no Porsche engines in your Beetle but it cab be oversize); must be same TYPE of induction system (If it was built with carbs it must be on carbs) and must have the same size and shape body work (although replacement plastic panels are allowed).

Scroll down below the registration form in each case. A Beetle will be eligible for each of these series, although probably most suitable in the "Swinging Sixties" (all types of Beetle will be eligible for the Swinging Sixties series because the type was produced in the 60s, even if a particular chassis was built in the 70s). If Swinging Sixties gets over subscribed then they sometimes split the grids in to two or overspill entries race in the Future Classics series. Note that the Swinging Sixties series has a class for Lotus cars; if you asked the CSCC they met have a class for Beetle's to your rules.

40 minute races at each round and an annual race at Spa and the Nurburgring if you want!

Any questions, then drop me a PM.

Edited by andy97 on Monday 14th September 18:13

[G40motorsport]

Stu
You & your race car still out in Sweden?

Craig aka oldbeetlecupdriver

[HRSR]

Nurburgsingh said:

Is there a series that they would be eligle for these days?

Hi Nurburgsingh,

Don't mean to complicate things further, but have a look at the 4th topic down!

The HSCC/HRSR ByBox Historic Saloon Car Championship gives you the best of both worlds...Historic racing with rules that allow you to build a competitive Beetle.

My HSCC spec Beetle has a 1285cc engine which puts out 130bhp, I'm in a class which is all Mini Coopers and if my fan hadn't exploded at Brands I would have finished 2nd in the class.

Visit this site and click on the 'HSCC/HRSR ByBox Historic Saloon Car Championship' wording for the regulations.
http://www.hscc.org.uk/championships.html


Sorry everyone else!!

[Nurburgsingh]

Wow, I'm glad I asked the question now, certainly more options availabel than I had previously thought.

I like the sound of all of the series mentioned, but obviously being midlands based some are more accessible than others and the ring invitaional sounds almost too good to pass up.

I think the plan is to pick up a car over the next couple of weeks, hand it over to my guys and see what they can do with it. If it works on a test day then we'll take a look at what we're allowed to enter and take it from there.

But I WILL be racing a bug next year!

...it'll make some of the Goldtrack Trackdays a bit more umm... Diverse next year!

[HRSR]

The great thing about my HSCC car is that it can also be used in all the other Championships mentioned earlier...Just need to change the tyres! I'm planning to have a go in a couple of rounds of the Beetle Challenge as well in 2010.

I'm too scared to race my Beetle at the ring...It's just a crash waiting to happen.

I know a guy that took his Skyline there on a track day and he hit the barrier...He had to pay for a new barrier, pay the track for lost of earnings while the barrier was being repaired then pay for a truck to take his car back to blighty...THEN pay for repairs on his car, I think the whole weekend cost him over £5000

All the Beetle racers above are more than happy to help you out with any questions you have while building your car. My email is [e-mail]

[Nurburgsingh]

Flippin typical... I spent ages earlier thsi year looking for an early small window bug and there were millions of superbugs for sale... now im looking at a superbug.... can i find a decent looking one????

[HRSR]

I'm envious of you. Out of the 10 UK rounds available in the HSCC, half of them are right on your doorstep (Donington x1, Silverstone x3, Mallory x1) I'm in Surrey and I'm not near to anything.

Maybe worth thinking carefully about what Championship you want to enter before snapping up a 1302/03 as it may limit which championships you can enter. Mine is a 1970 made to look like a 1965, by going this route I can enter the BARC, CSCC, CTCC etc.

[snott]

G40motorsport said:

Stu
You & your race car still out in Sweden?

Craig aka oldbeetlecupdriver

hey craig, thought it was you.
yeah im still out in sweden with the bug. would love to come back and race but have no money. have you had your bug out much???

HRSR- whats the spec of your engine?? getting 130bhp out of a 1300 is formula vee territory, also you gotta be joking about the 12000rpm too. i saw your bug at the volksworld show earlier this year and had a good look round, very clean.

ive thought about doing the ring but im not scared of crashing, im scared of detinating my engine on those long straights-sitting there at full revs for acouple of mins haha - i think spa's more suited for a bug.

[HRSR]

snott said:

HRSR- whats the spec of your engine?? getting 130bhp out of a 1300 is formula vee territory, also you gotta be joking about the 12000rpm too.

Hi, The cooling fan itself is doing 12,000rpm, the engine was just over 8000rpm!

The engine is 1285cc, 10:1 compression, twin 44 Webers, FK10 Cam, Carrillo rods, Stock sized 1300 valves with lots of porting and head work, ratio rockers (1:4.1 on the inlet and 1:25.l on the exhaust) Ignition system completley stock (minus points).

GAC are going to Dyno it over the Winter and it should give around 132bhp@8000rpm. If it is still pulling at 8000rpm they will upgrade the valve train so that it can run to around 8400rpm. should get a bit more then.

The great thing with having an 8000rpm motor is that you can have 4 stupidly close gear ratios. Our 4th was too tall this year which meant that the engine kept going off-cam when shifting into top, but next year that'll be fixed.

[G40motorsport]

Stu haven't been out this year properly had a entry earlier this year at Lydden but had a bizarre problem that was hard to find, now have it sorted, that was followed by a personal problem that got in the way of the racing, but all back on track now and entered for the November round at Brands.
Should be interesting we have 5 cars out so far with a possibility of more joining.