Re: H Stock Jetta III autoX mods

[Iain Mannix <mannix@privateI.com>]

>Hi everyone
>
>I have a friend who is planning to attack the autocross circuit next
>summer with his 94 Jetta.  Right now it is completely stock.  He is
>planning to spend about $1000 on it (but I'm sure that will grow a bit
>-- but not too much)
>
>What should we do and in what order to make the car as competitive as
>possible (remaining in H Stock is a requirement)
>
>Thanks, Damien

The standard VW Stock class setup is simple - you cannot change much, so it
is really pretty cheap.  In my personal order of importance -

As much seat time as you can get.  No matter how many goodies are on the
car, seat time is the key - we all have to learn how to use the added
grip/power - without seat time, he won't be competitive.  This, of course,
is an ongoing modification - you never stop learning, so tell him to start
now, and keep at it!  Pretty fun learning, as far as learning goes:).

Shocks - Koni adjustables are what I'd use, some would use Bilstein, some
would use Tokico, GAB, others.  I'd get Koni adjustables.

Alignment - as much negative camber as possible + a little toe out - up to
1/4".

The biggest front swaybar you can find.  More is definetly better in the
front of a stock VW - they roll so much that even though a front swaybar is
a bit counterintuitive, it actually helps by keeping the car flatter,
keeping the tires flat on the pavement.

If his car was available with a rear swaybar, put one on - this means that
the car could have been ordered in 94 with _all_ the options he has _and_
the swaybar - the car, to be legal in Stock, it must be(with the exception
of allowed modifications) as it could have come from the factory.  If the
swaybar was an option when he bought the car(but chose against it), he can
put one on.  If it was not an option on his car unless he got a different
trim package, he cannot -  for instance, the Rabbit GTI came with swaybars,
but the LS did not in 84(maybe the LS did, I don't know, for discussion's
sake, as people seem to get this one confused a lot), he cannot put the GTI
swaybar on his LS.  Well, ok, technically he _could_ if he took _all_ of
the things which make the GTI a GTI and put them on his LS(provided the LS
is not a 4 door, as the 4 door GTI was never available in the States).
That brings up another point - when updating/backdating(far freer in SP) is
applied, it does not include the European models, only models available in
the States - IE, no Euro bumpers, no G grind cams, etc.  The car must be as
it could have left the showroom floor in the States.

One place where this gets a bit frustrating is if, say, for 95, the car
came with a swaybar - that's the _only_ difference.  Had he bought a 95, he
would have had the same car plus a swaybar.  Can't change it.  Locally, no
one would care, I am sure, but illegal nonetheless.

Tires next.  Put the biggest (IMHO) BFG R1 on the wheels that will fit -
the Jetta has 14" wheels, right?  Probably a 205/55-14 or 225/50-14, don't
know which would be better, the added width/grip or slightly lower gear.
I'd probably buy 205s to start, then scrounge a set of 225s to try.  Neon
people like to put 225s on the front of their cars, but they have a bit
more power to work with(150hp for the twincams, 132 for the singles).

Then exhaust, catback is legal, 2-2.25" pipe, cat must remain, as free
flowing as possible.  The added 5-8hp is _nowhere_ near as important as the
handling.

Then K&N, good plugs, wires, and I believe coils are legal.  I'd have to
check the coil - I think it is, though.

Some sort of shoulder harness - a harness or Turner Belt(a strap which
attaches you to the seat) will actually help you go faster.  Not sure
exactly why, I guess it makes you feel like you are not going as fast as
you really are.  Harnesses are good, but way down the list.

Tires and shocks are the biggest expense, at about $500 each.  Both are
important, and IMHO, shocks should come first, as well as the swaybar.
Putting sticky tires on a tall, softly sprung car is a potential rollover
candidate - it is infrequent, but can happen, and the general consensus is
that a good set of shocks is going to lessen that chance.

Tell him not to waste time and money buying "high performance" street tires
in a hope to save money.  Unless there's a street tire class(assuming he'd
be interested - IMHO, yuk), race tires are cheaper in the long run.  Race
tires in a 205/55-14 are about $120 each, and a set, rotated often, will
outlast a set of street tires - street tires tend to chunk the outside
edges badly when autocrossed frequently.  Getting a set of R tires is
actually cheaper - tell him to put them on stock sized steel wheels if cost
is a concern.

If he is only going to try an event here or there, he can use his street
tires without worrying that they're going to cord - they'll handle a few
events without showing excessive wear.  Also, if he is using the 205, it is
a _very_ popular tire, and it is often pretty easy to find used sets to get
started.  I scrounged used tires for a full season - it is possible, often
free(aside from mounting), and gives you an idea of how the car will work
on real tires.  The cars tend to handle a LOT differently on R tires than
street tires, no matter what the tire - SP8000, AVSi, whatever - no
comparison.  None.  I've seen a few people get pretty bummed after they
bought some high performance tire thinking that they'd all of a sudden be
competitive - they go faster, but not competitive fast.  That's not to say
that an R tire will guarantee superfast times, but it'll be a LOT closer on
an R tire than ANY street tire.

And of course, seat time, driver's schools, read, learn, think about it,
walk the courses with "fast" people.  It really can help - ask Shawn - he
took off 2+ seconds at the last event when a Nationally competitive driver
went for a ride with him and showed him some mistakes. Really subtle things
make a BIG difference on autocross courses.

For about $1300, the car will be competitive - $500 in shocks(could
probably do better than that), $500 in tires, $150 for a swaybar, and some
entry fees - the car would be pretty close to as good as it'll get!  What
more could you do?  Revalve shocks(some big gains to be had here, IMHO),
making sure the engine is _perfect_, lighter (stock sized) wheels, as
little or as much gas as you need(sometimes, more is better), synthetic
fluids, better brake pads, draining windshield washer fluid, etc.  Little
stuff.  The stock people do not have much to work with, but they maximize
everything possible, and at the top of the heap, it adds up - remember,
events are won by hundredths of seconds, sometimes thousandths.....best of
luck!


I.Mannix


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