Who said old Beetles can't handle?

[HRSR]

Racing my 1965 Beetle in HSCC Historic Touring Car Racing...Engine at the back, swing axles, Dunlop historic crossply tyres and it's a hoot...Being a racer though, another 10 horsepower would't hurt!

Silverstone
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xo5sWE5Rs0Y&fea...

Silverstone
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhBbnozXYRM&fea...

Snetterton
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-k-nCrVxSLQ&fea...

Snetterton
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQhkpTIQ30Y&fea...

[S0 What]

Sweet
that's my eve sorted ta

[graemel]

Excellent stuff. The last time I drove a car down the Hanger Straight I was pulling the plus side of 170. In a car with a very similar layout to your Beetle
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3943298.htm
The spin coming out of Stowe. Almost looked like you got tagged but I'm guessing the back end just let go ?. Not much warning

Edited by graemel on Tuesday 19th June 22:37

[HRSR]

Yum!

I managed 107mph (Which is all the cars geared for) down the hanger straight by sticking my nose up the butt of a Alfa!

[SammyW]

I had a '72 1302S as my first car, and that looks terrifyingly fast in comparison! Looks great fun!

[HRSR]

Never thought i'd be cornering a swing axle Beetle at 70-90mph and enjoying it!

[Riley Blue]

I've seen them handle pretty well in circuit racing, autocrossing, rallying and on the road. Where'd you get this idea they can't handle?

[Lost soul]

HRSR said:

Racing my 1965 Beetle in HSCC Historic Touring Car Racing...Engine at the back, swing axles, Dunlop historic crossply tyres and it's a hoot...Being a racer though, another 10 horsepower would't hurt!

thats sweet , so how many does it have and is that a flat 4 original engine ?

[HRSR]

Riley Blue said:

I've seen them handle pretty well in circuit racing, autocrossing, rallying and on the road. Where'd you get this idea they can't handle?

When I started the project every person I spoke to (including VW experts and die hard VW fans) said "don't do it, you'll make a fool of yourself..you'll never get a Beetle to handle as well as a Mini and you'll just come last")

I've owned them for 25 years and even I'll admit a standard Beetle does handle poorly but with a few tweeks from a company who know's what they are doing mine now corners every bit as well as the Imps, Anglias and Minis that I'm up against and with a bit more cash spent on the flat 4 motor I'll be just as quick on the straights too....watch this space.

[Riley Blue]

Glad you didn't listen to the 'experts'!

[vdubbin]

A track (as opposed to a drag) Beetle has been on my mind for ages, those videos should give plenty of food of rthought!

[Fast Bug]

My 2276 ida'd motor would be good fun in the back of your car

[Riley Blue]

In the up to 1300cc class?

[stuarte]

Were beetles common in touring car (was it called saloon car racing then?) racing in period or are you a trail blazer in this respect? Good work sir!

[FWDRacer]

HRSR said:

When I started the project every person I spoke to (including VW experts and die hard VW fans) said "don't do it, you'll make a fool of yourself..you'll never get a Beetle to handle as well as a Mini and you'll just come last")

You should have listened to'em

HRSR said:

I've owned them for 25 years and even I'll admit a standard Beetle does handle poorly but with a few tweeks from a company who know's what they are doing mine now corners every bit as well as the Imps, Anglias and Minis that I'm up against....

Dream on Cookie

[guru_1071]

FWDRacer said:

Dream on Cookie

if i had that much steering wheel input on my mini it would turn right round on the corners!


its great to see something left field racing, but no way does this handle as well as a mini!!

[HRSR]

guru_1071 said:

if i had that much steering wheel input on my mini it would turn right round on the corners!


its great to see something left field racing, but no way does this handle as well as a mini!!

Tell that to all the Mini's that were behind me!

[johnfm]

Have you got any pics of the car?

What is the spec?

How many minis etc did you finish ahead of? I saw you overtake one or two on the first video.

[HRSR]

stuarte said:

Were beetles common in touring car (was it called saloon car racing then?) racing in period or are you a trail blazer in this respect? Good work sir!

In the UK Beetles only raced at club events 'in period' in the 60's, not on a national level, but they were raced in the very early days of the European Touring Car Championship and Beetles beat the Minis in their class 2 years straight in Australia in the Armstrong 500, 1962 at Phillip Island and 1963 at the very first Bathurst 500...The Minis were faster down the conrod straight but the Beetles were quicker through the twisty mountain section.

[HRSR]

johnfm said:

Have you got any pics of the car?

What is the spec?

How many minis etc did you finish ahead of? I saw you overtake one or two on the first video.

The full spec is under each movie and I'm just looking at the results from Silverstone and Snetterton to work out where I was in relation to the Mini's.

Silverstone (in qualifying there were 4 mini's ahead of me and 3 behind) but in the race, if I hadn't have gone off on the oil it would be fair to say that at the finish there would have been 1 mini ahead and 3 behind as I was closing in on the 2 mini's ahead (plus a Mustang and 7 litre Galaxie!!) and lapping quicker than all of them. (3 mini's didn't start)

Snetterton (in qualifying there were 2 minis ahead of me and 2 behind) Race 1 finished with 2 minis ahead and 2 behind and in race 2 (where i could push harder having learned the circuit) there was 1 mini ahead and 3 behind

...I guess that makes me mister average then!