Re: Scirocco running 12-13 sec 1/4 mile

[Brett Van Sprewenburg <brett@netacc.net>]

>I have a 1987 VW Scirocco 8V  I'm trying to run a high 12 or medium 
>13 second quartermile time.  I am on a 5,000 parts budget. If u know 
>what I need to do it or have any suggestions  please e-mail me 
><mailto:tyrone27@netzero.net>tyrone27@netzero.net

This may seem extreme in some places, and I'm sure someone will be say
something like "I'm turning 13.9's with a full interior" or something
like that...sure, I know anything is possible and nothing is absolute.
Take any and all advice with a grain of salt, decide for yourself.
This is a blueprint for speed, pick and choose as your see fit, onward...

Strip the interior of the car down to nothing, add a lightweight racing
seat.  Remove all other 'unnecessary' components such as A/C, lighting,
wiring no longer needed (I'm aiming for the 12's, ok? ;-) )  Remove
as much glass as you can, it's rather heavy (replace w/lexan?).
As close to 2000lbs as you can get is what you're aiming for.  Turbo is
probably easier, but it's probably still possible with a n/a motor and
a 75 shot of NOS.  Which is your pleasure?  Check out 8vturbo.com for
turbo info, you'll need a mild cam (N or G grind), maybe some head work,
and a good 2.25 exhaust to go with it also.  You _might_ squeek by
at around 5,000...but you should really invest in a good engine management
system.  Motronic at the least so you can get someone elses software
that takes a turbo 8v into account, or a programmable system...there are
links on scirocco.org to point you at several of those. CIS / CIS-E will
work alright, but be suboptimal IMO.  A good turbo can get you in the
200+hp range pretty easily...reliability is in how it's 'tuned' and that's
where engine management comes in. Ask several list people about turbo
issues and badly tuned engine management...

For the n/a motor, strip it down and rebuilt it with a mild overbore and
replace the JH pistons with HT type pistons (starting at 10:1) and complete
balancing.  Deck the head to minimum and then .030-.040 more to get you
about 11:1.  You'll need a knock sensing ignition due to the high compression.
Some port work is necessary on the head, you'll probably want to add larger
valves and a ported manifold with an Audi 5k or big A2 tbody.   Add a cam,
268ish should do it.  Put on an exhaust header followed by a 2.25 exhaust.
Wire and plumb the Blue Bottle with a 50-75 NOS shot, this will get in the
190-200ish hp range.  Port NOS injection is better, but tbody / intake
systems work 'ok', but suffer from poorer NOS / Fuel distribution...don't
forget the extra fuel that MUST go with high power NOS injection.

Weld the rear suspension solid to help hook up and 60' times (front wheel
drive cars do massive weight transfer _off_ the drive wheels at launch,
you want to try and minimize this, really really stiff rear springs will
probably work almost as well...500+lb/in).  Get a front spoiler from ABD
to help with airflow.  Add drag slicks to lightweight (Welds?) 13x7ish
front rims, get a set of 13x5.5's for the rear and get some tires that
are small round and black...maybe even mini spares.

In either case, get or make up, a transmission with a minimum of a 3.94:1
ring and pinion, 3.67's are not for racing.  You might want to experiment
with a 4.25 R&P...but they're harder to find.  Check the gearing chart
on scirocco.org.  Don't forget a HD clutch, racing type puck clutches
are great for drag racing, but suck like mad on the street. (say that
10 times fast).

Spend time at this if you're serious.  Figure out what improves your
times and what doesn't.  One area that can use the most improvement in
motorsport is probably between your ears, although in drag racing it
would seem to be limited to cutting a good light, and shifting at
the right times consistently...still not easy to do right every time.

I think by doing most of these things you'd have a very solid 13sec
car, and when driven well, a good 12 sec car, and with a right tail
wind, a low 12 sec car. :)

I've probably forgotten a thing or three, but someone else will
helpfully point it out, eh?

Have fun. :)


==Brett

 \/  '84 Scirocco (ITB racer 2B) | "Hot VW's, take two home. They're small"
\/\/ '88 Scirocco 16v (Show), '92 Passat 16v (Winter+) | - brett@netacc.net

--
Email LIST problems to: scirocco-l-probs@scirocco.org. To unsubscibe send
"unsubscribe scirocco-l" in the message to majordomo@scirocco.org