Yeah, as Panel mentioned, I'm obviously crazy, so don't listen to me.

I don't mean to sound critical, not at all my intent. I've just been where you are right now, and I had NO IDEA how much it would cost or how long it would take. If you think you can stick it out mentally and financially until it's done WHATEVER the cost, your on the right track. Just don't get in over your head, or you may regret it for relationship and financial reasons. It's going to have the baddest brakes around, let's just make sure that it can drive too! :laugh:

Ask 55superbeetle, airwerksvw, Zen, Yetibone, Vujade, and Plasticfantastic about how much time and money they've spent on their projects so far, they probably are a good reference.

Just keep us posted on your build. Could you start a thread just about your build so people can follow along for the whole thing instead of jumping from the different topics? Of course post separately as well, but it would be nice for future readers to be able to follow the build from the start. Lots of pics!

Jason

+1

I've been on the "fast build" several times before. My 12 sec Turbo Auto-X Civic was built in under a month....you wanna talk about dropping a ton of cash in no time? I was sponsored, so it was a quite a bit cheaper too.... So I know where you're coming from.

http://pic9.picturetrail.com/VOL297/.../104686401.jpg
http://pic9.picturetrail.com/VOL297/.../104686395.jpg

Doesn't look like much, but it's decieving....those wheels are 15", and weigh only 8.6lbs...Spoon SW388...yeah, anything with "Spoon" on it, for a Honda is going to set you back. Also, the suspension was all Tien...and the motor...well....

http://pic9.picturetrail.com/VOL297/.../104686380.jpg

It's ALMOST the equivalent of what you're gonna be running...eitherway, it's a turbo motor that pushed me into the 12's....and 12 inch Integra Brakes...which is how I was talking from experiance on 12" brakes on a HEAVIER car is MORE than enough. It's about the Civic equivalent to what you're building....

http://pic9.picturetrail.com/VOL297/...1/77707918.jpg

My Cavalier...yes, Cavalier SEDAN ran 12's with a soft launch and had a GM PROTOTYPE MOTOR....I look back and think to myself...all that money just to be 1st...bragging rights are $$$...By the time I was done, that was probably a $40K Cavalier....yeah, what a douche, lol.

If you can support it financially, by all means go for it, it'll be the ride of your dreams. But if you're blowing out everything just so you can be 1st or be done fast....trust me....It's not worth it, is all I'm saying.

But if you can support it....go full speed ahead and never look back....

It means a lot to finally get some positive comments on the setup (thanks a lot panel and sandeep and every one else for the encouragement). Especially when spending so much money on them. In pictures is one thing, in real life, they are rediculous. I know that the unspung weight may be a slight problem with the suspension "quickness" and accuracy, I just can't help but to think that i won't even notice. My friend and i built up a 90' C2 and going from 298mm rotors with big blacks to 6 piston brembo's with 355mm rotors, I have nothing but positive things to say about the setup. Identical suspension, and the car handles just as well. According to bilstein, the only time you'll notice a differance is when you are hard core cup racing. Not only on the weekends, i'm talkin' suspension dyno's, exact spring rates and custom valve jobs for the specific weight with the driver and amount of fuel.

I just can't wait to see these brakes behind my open 10 spoke wheels.

Wish me luck guys, this is the 1st step in a long, long road. I've got a bet going with some friends and family going that i can't finish the car by June 15th of 2006. Of coarse the bug will never be done, but at least for the 1st time around. ;)

Hey thanks for the advice, I'm not trying to be first because that'll open another can of worms, but i'm trying to build my dream car. And like you say go full speed ahead and never look back, I looked back and after $5,000, all I see is the baddest brakes put on ANY car, some suspension parts and a clean detailed pan. If I wouldn't have gone so crazy with the brakes, it would've already been on the ground with wheels and a full cage by now. I also want to be on some magazine covers, and to do that you have to have some pretty crazy stuff now adays. (it's still gonna be a daily driver)

I love the idea of the pink cavalier. Like you said, wow and you just lost to my PINK cavalier.
Who do you suggest for the motor tuning on the ecotec. I've heard it's got a bullet proof bottom end. I'm planning on the stock crank (balanced), block, head (ported/polished),and water pump. With JE Pistons, Carillo rods, titanium valves, titanium retainers, dual springs, total seal rings, T3/T4 turbo, Turbosmart BOV, tial wastegate, and other goodies.

I'm looking for a motor that'll make 500 hp on pump gas. No V12's, sorry, I don't want to wheelie in 4th gear due to weight. Rotary's i think are out, SR20DET is a huge possiblity along with the turbo ecotec, and my first original choice was subaru, but they need $15000 along with race gas to get in the 500 hp range.

Ok red brakes are cool, uh stay in school. Just as long as we're on the subject.

Those wheels are freaking insane. What are they? Totally awesome. :eek: \\

Jason

Verry verry nice wheels!!!!

Keep us posted

Cool wheels ... size ? offset ?

Sandeep

18X8.5 fronts and 18X10 rears. I'm gonna get the rears widened 2'' so I can use 315's out back.

Offset is 53mm up front and 62 mm on the rears.

As soon as i saw these, I decided i had to have them.

$425 per rim.

Man this is getting expensive quick.

You are putting a 315 tire on a 10" wide rim?
I have the exact same rim size for my bug and am getting either 265 or 285 tires for the rear.

NIIIICE rims...

As for the engine....talk to these people:
http://www.mantapart.com

You'll need to talk to Tim. He's the owner. Tell him an OLD FRIEND sent you, named Nate. Tell him I was the guy with the proto motor in "the Grapefruit"...he should remember, even if it was around 3-5 years ago...

He started working on Ecotecs now(when they first came out, he scoughed and hated them)...and is probably your most reliable source in that respect. He's not exactly the free-est in terms of how fast he gets things done, cause he has so much work behind the scenes that most people don't know about. Work from GM, projects for his own business, keeping the racing team, and a personal life...so he's super busy. But with him, money talks..... He's not, but kinda is, a GM engineer. He does all thier Sema/prototype cars, MAINLY thier suspension, but occasionaly a motor of his will pop-up in one, or has a TON of input from him on design/parts. He does alot of grassroots racing though...

LOL, I take it you saw that website I made about my car....yeah I was like 18 and an idiot writing all that crap...I lost the password to edit/delete it...so i guess it's gonna stay like that forever :laugh:

As for the brakes..again...nice choice. It's nice to see you picked a rim that shows off the brakes, something not alot of people do.... I'm anxious to see how things work out...

Might i suggest instead of using prob valves go with a dual MC set up with a balance bar...much more tunable and predictable.

I'm getting the rear rims widened by 2". I haven't found any 12'' wide rims that i'm absolutely in love with, so why not widen the ones I love?

Holy Crap!!! I replaced the Brakes on a Touareg last week and all i got to say is OMG!!! Those brakes will NEVER make operating temp on a bug!!! Also the amount of weight being moved is insane...for a SUV no problem but for our cars its just too much!!

F'n sweet! Even my wife liked it :) ... She did ask in disbelief "Is that going on a Beetle?!"

Heck I would worry more about hydroplaning with large tires than slippery braking in odd conditions. Even in my old 911 it got funny in the wet when braking hard. Essentially the front end is a little light for the stopping power, even with 2 pots. You just needed to learn what to expect.

For my '66 Westi the 944 N/A brakes work pretty well (front and rear). Granted have not practiced at all panic/fast stopping, which is lazy on my part.

good luck with the project and keep us posted.

I will be racing the car on a competitive level since a track is being made 30 mins from my house. It'll be done this spring.

The car will be a little heavier than the typical beetle thanks to the 6 speed G-50, suby motor, large intercooler, PWR's aluminum Viper Radiator, Cro-moly cage, and these brakes.

On the contrary, I'm lightening everything I can. No interior besides the Carbon fiber Sparco Pro 2000 seats. Carbon fenders, hood, and decklid. Lexan windows. Also I will be taking a hole saw to all double paneled interior metal.

All together I'm expecting a 2000 lbs. car with me in it (160 lbs.).

My neighbor worked for NASA for 25 years and I spoke to him about aerodynamics of the car and we're gonna try a couple hood designs (Look at the Ultima), and If they don't work, i'll get another hood.

So in conclusion I'm hoping for a 160 mph track car with the 6 speed and 540 hp. Getting it to that speed won't be a problem, just keeping it on the ground with some stability is my worry.

As soon as Porsche makes the PCCB's (ceramic rotors) for the cayenne, They'll be on my car. $800 per rotor is a little steep for me though.