Time attack beetle

[Humble]

Here's a few pics from the last event that finally got posted...

[Humble]

Another autox event and finally a first place finish! This is Lucy's first top spot this year and it felt good to know she's finally coming together. What started off as a cold and crazy morning (CHP blocked the highway for nearly an hour trying to round up 3 loose horses) ended up with perfect weather and a great event. I finally had Sean (my co-driver/tire warmer) take the race tires down in his car while I drove the bug. Mind you this is about 130 miles round trip, on the street, and the bug gets lots of attention.

We swapped tires at the event, Sean drove first, then me. I don't know about you guys but I'm conflicted about someone else driving my car. On one hand, I don't want someone else to break something (I want to do it), but on the other hand I love watching and hearing it from the sidelines. Sean scrubbed the old rubber off the tires (7 year old, barely touched, hoosier r3s03) and got them warmed up, and I managed to shave a second a run as the tires gain heat. They are still too cold for autox but 2 seconds faster than the medium-hard yokohama A048s. I had the camera on the fender with the intention of moving it around but didn't get the chance.

Here's the only pic I have so far and the video of the fastest run



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fhHh...6ACsixGLuJisYg

[Wally]

Congrats man! Must be great to gain so much so quickly.
'I love Lucy'!

[ccain529]

Oh wow man... Awesome! Just awesome!

[Jadewombat]

I'm running 205/225 C71s on 16x7 and 16x8s on my '73. My car is a little bit lighter but I have way less power. The tires barely get warm on a cool day spent autocrossing. I should have gone with 15s though to help keep my momentum up.

[Humble]

yeah, I thought I might have the same problem with c71's which is why I'm waiting to buy track tires. If the c71's don't warm up at an autox or with 2 drivers autoxing the same car, they'll be good for the track, and I'll wait for more c91 sizes to come out.

[DORIGTT]

Humble,

Check your private messages.

[Humble]

Last week I met up with DORIGTT when he was in town for work and showed him the local B.L.T.N aircooled meet. Also took him for a ride in the race bug, a short sprint up the road and back, he screamed the whole way... j/k We ended up chatting until way late and I think we were the last ones to leave the meet.

I've been pending more time and money on the race bug lately solving problems that have persisted until now (deferred defects we used to call them). Dropped the bug off at the shop to have a custom turbo header built that would relocate the waste gate to the collector, and route pipes more efficiently. Currently the header puts the waste gate on the #2 primary, which is a terrible location, and it causes extreme boost creep. Initial estimate was $800-1000 which is high but reasonable, but then later updated the quote to $1700 which is borderline retarded. For that much I could buy a welder, all the tubing bends, all the flanges, make the header, and then have it coated. So I nixed the header build and had them give the bug a quick once over. In the check-up they found the compression was very low, 120-60-60-15, like how could it run, low. After a couple tests they found the rockers were a little tight, which means the motor hadn't fully cooled the last time I adjusted them. After a quick valve job compression came back and it's 125-130-125-130 now.

Since I needed a header still I called around and found a built but unused and uncoated header that might work for $400 but it will need some more work. A new waste gate and flanges are on order so when those show up I can mock everything up. Once the header is ready I may get some help at the same time and mock up the intercooler so it goes on with the new header. Once everything is plumbed it goes back to the dyno to shoot for 400hp.

Things on the to do/to get list:
--A new set of track wheels, I just picked up a set of Fikse profil 5 18" wheel centers that need to be built out.
--A tow rig, either a an ex fleet truck or fleet van will do for now
--Finish front aero treatment and side skirts
--Replace driver's side rear trailing arm with updated abs ready unit (passenger side already done)
--get new 935 style, adjustable rear monoball spring plate replacement
--have new rollcage built that fits tight to body
--install stock dash again and modify to fit new cage
--install racetechnology digital dash and data logger
--rewire car for new dash and data acquisition

Here's the new (but abused) wheel centers I picked up, Fikse Profil 5s 18"


You can see they're a little chewed up by a wheel gun but they're straight and crack free


New header, covered in a little surface rust but otherwise good


New stack of race rubber, 245/40 17 and 275/40 17 Hankook z214 c71 Soft tires. If these don't work, Hankook is starting to roll out c91 super softs, and I'll use this set for the track.

[Wally]

Great updates!
Love the Fikse wheel(center)s; good to hear your compression is back there. Big relieve I'am sure. Will help power and low down torque immensely too.

Funny thing that header looks like what I ended up with my 1200 T1

[Wally]

Awesome results and congrats on the best time!
From the outside you hear the tires scream, but not so from the inside I noticed.

[Humble]

Those weren't my tires squealing that's why Actually it's very loud inside the car and you can't hear much over the motor.

[DORIGTT]

Originally Posted by Humble

Those weren't my tires squealing that's why Actually it's very loud inside the car and you can't hear much over the motor.

I can attest to the fact that its almost as quiet as a new Lexus...right up until you start it.

[Humble]

Been a while since the last update. Nothing much really happening with the bug lately. I sorted out a cold start problem that ended up being a bad starter. Weather here had been very rainy, which is good because we needed it badly, but it has prevented me from getting work done on the bug. It also kept me from taking the bug out to the previous event and instead I took my mazdaspeed 3 (my rain car). Long story short, despite my rain dancing, the sun came out, dried the course, and left me in the wrong car. I still managed a very fast time in the MS3 and had I been in DS instead of OSP I would have pax'd in the top 10 so I was still proud of the result.

Here's my latest autox in the bug on 4-15-12. It was a fairly quick course with a slow finish but was very active at the end. I'm still having a couple problems with the bug, boost issues and rear suspension hopping with high grip tires. I managed to pull out a 52.3 and the fastest time in the morning was a 50.1. I finished 2nd in class, but beat my points competitor, though I think I trail for class lead by 8 or 9 points after 5 races.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jjk6SSvzl4

[-Alex-]

Can the pictures of Time Attack Beetle seen somewhere?

Still very much interested..

[CoolT1]

Originally Posted by -Alex-

Can the pictures of Time Attack Beetle seen somewhere?

Still very much interested..

I would send @Humble and email as he is doing other cars now -

DriveDriverDriven@gmail.com