The official ARR club stickers are now available! The stickers are $3.00 each and would look great proudly displayed on your vintage VW racer. Drop us an email at aircooledroadracers@yahoo.com if you are interested!
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Official Aircooled Road Racer Club Stickers!!
The official ARR club stickers are now available! The stickers are $3.00 each and would look great proudly displayed on your vintage VW racer. Drop us an email at aircooledroadracers@yahoo.com if you are interested!
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
IT'S OFFICIAL!
Here's the Confirmation letter from Carrera Panamerica board.
The ARR has a car in the Carrara!
You can see a larger version of the letter by clicking on it.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
AAR South of the Border
Grab your goggles & your sombreros; We're going for margaritas!
The RetroRacing Team has partnered up with USA Team Iguana and Justin Braughton to enter the 2007 Carrera Panamericana. It's over 6 days of rough roads in Mexico and has an incredible tradition. The race is in Oct-Nov 2007. You can get the lowdown here...
www.panamrace.com
We all wish Frank & Barret, along with Team Iguana the best of luck.
Oz
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
RetroRacing’s Autocrossing the VW Bug and Karmann Ghia
Getting You Ready To Go Fast
It's no wonder people drive VW's hard. Racing is in the VW's DNA. The VW Type 1 Bug and Ghia front and rear suspension began life as a 1930's era Gran Prix race car, the Auto Union P-wagen. The "P" is for Dr. Ferdinand Porsche, who designed the car. VW owners felt (if just subconsciously) the built-in racing geometry and engineering, and added to that was the sportiness of the engine itself, an oversquare, short-stroke configuration required of all sports-racing powerplants.
But before we get into four wheel drifts and hand brake turns, we begin with the basics of seating, steering, and pedals.
SEATING: If you have to brace your leg against the door as you corner, if your torso muscles are flexing and straining to keep you upright as you zigzag through a slalom, you are losing time. The driver has to be seated firmly and comfortably. The seat belts must hold you in and down. The stock seats in your VW are too high and too soft, and your stock seat belts too narrow to help much in wild high-G gyrations. If they're all you have, live with them until you can get better. Your seating posture also matters. An actual set of racing harnesses will pin your shoulders to the seatback, so start getting used to driving with your back fully against the seat. Your arms should extend to the steering wheel with a comfortable bend at the elbows. Your feet should touch the pedals with a comfortable bend at the knees. Do not hunch forward and sit too close to the steering wheel, do not sit so far away so that you cannot comfortably push every pedal all the way down. And you should be able to reach down, and shift into 3rd without stretching.
STEERING: Driving gloves exist for a reason. Smooth plastic or even polished wood steering wheels get slippery if your palms sweat. Lace-on steering wheel covers help, but I've seen them loosen in hand-over-hand slapping as a driver frantically forces the wheel from one side to the other. Thick-rim steering wheels are as much for padding as grip, and you'll be surprised how much of a beating your hands will take from a steering wheel in a race. Driving gloves help. Steering wheel covers help if they're laced on tight. A nice padded wheel, in a small, but not too small a diameter for your leverage and comfort, and good gloves, is just right.
PEDALS: Notice that the VW pedal cluster is closely spaced. The bad news first. The brake and accelerator pedals are so close together that lots of people have to wear narrow shoes so as to not catch the edge of the right shoe on either pedal. The good news is the very closeness of the brake and accelerator make "heel and toe" maneuvers possible. That's when you control the gas with your (right foot) heel and the brake with your (right foot) toes … at the same time. But, we're getting ahead of ourselves. For now, just make sure the pedals have good rubber pads or bolt-on aluminum pads. It is actually possible to have your left foot slip off the clutch as your depress (read: stomp) it, and the clutch pedal spring back up and catch your ankle between the clutch and brake. Awkward. You don't need a pair of Piloti driving shoes yet, but do get a good pair of narrow sneakers with grippy rubber soles and a rounded heel.
RetroRacing’s Autocross Adjustment Prep
Lesson 4: Getting Adjusted
Remember, quick cars (as opposed to fast cars) have the advantage in autocrossing. That's because top speed and high-speed stability and braking don't matter. A hot autocross car is prepped to act and react suddenly. You want sudden acceleration, gear change, braking and steering.
Presuming you have an absolutely stock VW Ghia or Bug, and you recall our tips on tire pressures from last time, there are several key adjustments to be made.
Adjust your clutch so that you have a half-inch of pedal freeplay. You don't want too "loose" (the common street condition) a clutch, meaning too much pedal freeplay. You want the clutch to respond instantly, like a hair trigger on a pistol. Check your clutch pedal arm to see if its cracked (they do crack) or bent, and if the clutch pedal stop is working. Under stress, a cracked arm will cause enough play to keep your clutch from disengaging, especially when you are stomping it like you will be.
Adjust your accelerator cable clamping at the carburetor so that when your gas pedal is on the floor, you really have 100% throttle. Look at the throttle plate and make sure when you are depressing for full throttle, it is open, straight up and down, and not off to either side. When you check the cable connection, make sure the gas pedal hinge itself isn't bent so the pedal leans to one side, and the gas pedal roller lever under it isn't bent. VW accelerator pedal assemblies are infamous for bending over time.
Adjust your carburetor accelerator pump to give the best acceleration. The stock VW single Solex carbs have adjustable pump strokes. Generally speaking, slightly increasing your pump stroke will give you a bit more gas on takeoff, and that should mean better acceleration. Too much or too little stroke, and you'll create hesitation. It's a cut and try operation, but it's easy. You can help out the acceleration with a little timing advance over stock, too. But just a little, usually no more than 10° BTDC. And after the race, reset back to stock. Dual carb setups and different types of distributors can all benefit from this same advice, but you'll have to find your own sweet spot.
Adjust your brakes. For autocross, you want firm brakes, and instant response. Adjust the drums just so one or two more clicks tighter would cause scraping as you rotate the wheel. Since we don't adjust discs, on Ghia's the rear drum adjustment is how you set brake pedal feel. Note: For road racing, you back off the drum brake adjustment more than you would for autocross, to prevent brake lockup once the fluid is hot and some expansion has occurred. Luckily, autocross doesn't overheat your brakes.
Adjust your steering play. By the book, you're supposed to have about one inch of freeplay at the steering wheel with the tires in the straight-ahead position. Jack up the front of the car so both front tires are off the ground, and turn the steering wheel all the way to either side. Tighten the adjusting screw on the steering box only a fraction of a turn at a time, between freeplay checks. To check, spin the steering wheel back to straight ahead. Gently rock the steering wheel back and forth as you watch the wheels. If you have one inch of freeplay and no wheel movement, you should be okay. Test drive the car, turn a sharp corner and briefly let go of the steering wheel. It should swing back to straight ahead, or almost straight ahead. If it doesn't, you have it too tight.
Next time: Driving It
Remember, quick cars (as opposed to fast cars) have the advantage in autocrossing. That's because top speed and high-speed stability and braking don't matter. A hot autocross car is prepped to act and react suddenly. You want sudden acceleration, gear change, braking and steering.
Presuming you have an absolutely stock VW Ghia or Bug, and you recall our tips on tire pressures from last time, there are several key adjustments to be made.
Adjust your clutch so that you have a half-inch of pedal freeplay. You don't want too "loose" (the common street condition) a clutch, meaning too much pedal freeplay. You want the clutch to respond instantly, like a hair trigger on a pistol. Check your clutch pedal arm to see if its cracked (they do crack) or bent, and if the clutch pedal stop is working. Under stress, a cracked arm will cause enough play to keep your clutch from disengaging, especially when you are stomping it like you will be.
Adjust your accelerator cable clamping at the carburetor so that when your gas pedal is on the floor, you really have 100% throttle. Look at the throttle plate and make sure when you are depressing for full throttle, it is open, straight up and down, and not off to either side. When you check the cable connection, make sure the gas pedal hinge itself isn't bent so the pedal leans to one side, and the gas pedal roller lever under it isn't bent. VW accelerator pedal assemblies are infamous for bending over time.
Adjust your carburetor accelerator pump to give the best acceleration. The stock VW single Solex carbs have adjustable pump strokes. Generally speaking, slightly increasing your pump stroke will give you a bit more gas on takeoff, and that should mean better acceleration. Too much or too little stroke, and you'll create hesitation. It's a cut and try operation, but it's easy. You can help out the acceleration with a little timing advance over stock, too. But just a little, usually no more than 10° BTDC. And after the race, reset back to stock. Dual carb setups and different types of distributors can all benefit from this same advice, but you'll have to find your own sweet spot.
Adjust your brakes. For autocross, you want firm brakes, and instant response. Adjust the drums just so one or two more clicks tighter would cause scraping as you rotate the wheel. Since we don't adjust discs, on Ghia's the rear drum adjustment is how you set brake pedal feel. Note: For road racing, you back off the drum brake adjustment more than you would for autocross, to prevent brake lockup once the fluid is hot and some expansion has occurred. Luckily, autocross doesn't overheat your brakes.
Adjust your steering play. By the book, you're supposed to have about one inch of freeplay at the steering wheel with the tires in the straight-ahead position. Jack up the front of the car so both front tires are off the ground, and turn the steering wheel all the way to either side. Tighten the adjusting screw on the steering box only a fraction of a turn at a time, between freeplay checks. To check, spin the steering wheel back to straight ahead. Gently rock the steering wheel back and forth as you watch the wheels. If you have one inch of freeplay and no wheel movement, you should be okay. Test drive the car, turn a sharp corner and briefly let go of the steering wheel. It should swing back to straight ahead, or almost straight ahead. If it doesn't, you have it too tight.
Next time: Driving It
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Retro Racing's Frank Camper Shares His Secrets
Autocrossing the Karmann Ghia: Going Racing on the Cheap for the Beginner
Lesson One: The Lighter the Better
Lesson Two: Street Tire Pressures Do Not Work
Lesson Three: Learn to Drive Before You Modify the Car
Air-cooled VW's run in all kinds of motorsports, drag racing, offroad racing, circle track, even road racing Formula Vee. All of these classes costs money, but there is one motorsport you can enter even with a stock car -- the autocross. It is safe, fun, and as competitive as any racing in the world.
Typically, a course is laid out marked with pylons, and cars are released one at a time to run the course as fast as possible, without hitting any cones. Speed is relative. Autocross speeds are never very high, 75mph would be fast, and 40mph is more common. But it's like doing 40mph through the rooms of your house.
Autocross events are sponsored by the Sports Car Club of America and other local car clubs in almost every major city in the U.S. about once a month. Entry fees are low, usually $25 or so, and for that, you get a day on the track, making three to five timed runs, flinging your car around the course in the type of driving you only see in movie car chases through city streets.
An absolutely stock car is eligible. You don't even need special tires. Safety rules do require drivers wear helmets. Most clubs have loaner helmets if you don't have your own. At the track, make sure and take everything loose out of the car, including the spare tire and jack. It's obvious you don't want anything flying around in the trunk, but the big advantage is you're making the car lighter. Lesson One is The Lighter the Better.
Actually, starting out driving your car the same way it is set up for the street is very educational. You learn what it will really do when pushed to, and over, the limit. The first speed trick a stocker should use is just higher tire pressures. Lesson Two is Street Tire Pressures Do Not Work for a car pushed even moderately. The tires will almost roll right off the rims. Good Ghia TP's (to start) are 20 to 24psi front and 26 to 28psi rear.
The Karmann Ghia is a great autocross car. "Quick cars" tend to win autocrosses over "fast cars." The Ghia is light, low, and responsive. The advantages of the Ghia over the Bug will not be apparent until your skills are greater, and you begin to modify your car. But if you're a beginner, forget about speed parts. Lesson Three is Learn to Drive before you modify the car.
Part of learning to drive is to secure yourself in your seat. You can't control the car if you have to brace and fight to keep your body in the seat. The sharp turns and hard braking in an autocross are continuous, and only a good tight lap and shoulder belt will keep you in place.
You may have had the chance to walk the course before the event, and that helps, but walking it is not like driving it. The thing to keep in mind on your first run of your first event is "take it easy, learn the course, precision first, speed later."
Most new drivers sit on the starting line and suddenly the track looks like a sea of cones, the path through lost. When the starter signals go, you race into the sea of cones, dodging left and right, tires screaming, and 40mph seems like 100.
At the end of the run, you may have missed some turns altogether and killed cones like a bowling ball crashing through the ten pins, but your adrenaline will have your hands shaking and your breath will be short. You'll drive right back to the grid and take your place in line, more prepared, making plans on what to do different, what to do better.
Next Time: Driving tips, tire pressure tuning, and special clutch, steering, and brake adjustments.
About RetroRacing: Driven by Barret Camper, the team's race-prepped 1970 Karmann Ghia took SCCA Region 1 "solo" autocross championships back to back in 2005-2005, in DM and EM classes, against stiff competition from Dodge Vipers, Lotus 7 type chassis with Wankel and V6 engines, and many assorted slammed, tuned, and tricked-out ricegrinders.
Monday, October 30, 2006
2006 Grassroots Motorsports Challenge
Well the 2006 GRM Challenge is in the books! We had a couple minor events during the tow to Florida, but nothing serious. We are all now well over any fears we had about flat towing long distance.
We arrived on Thursday for the kick off party. It was much fun. Its a great event with even cooler people. We were one of only 2 air cooled cars there. (first 2 in event history) the other one was a '69 beetle. It was a very pretty race car.
There was no actual party this year on Thursday night which was at first disappointing, but it gave us all time to walk around the parking lot and meet people and see what they brought. It turned out to be way cooler than a party would have been.
Friday was the Autocross/Show portion of the event:
We Concoursed in the AM and Autocrossed in the afternoon. We hit the concourse tent early to try to get to the judges before they burned out. They were all very receptive of the car. It went much better than we thought it would with our lack of prep.
In the afternoon we autocrossed. It was my first event on r's and only my second in the Ghia. Each team got 5 runs. There are also pro drivers available at the event if you wish to use them, but there runs in your car count toward your 5.
FTD was a 43.925, times ranged from 43.925 sec to 57.313 sec. We ran our 4 runs with a best of 50.993 slow but not last place. After our 4th run we were told we would get a rerun due to a timing problem. I ran the next run hard and picked up time until I hit 2 cones. After returning to grid we decided since we were given a rerun and I seemed to be stuck around a 51 that we would use a pro driver. Alan McCrispin jumped at the chance to drive the ghia for us. He loves to drive the odd cars we were told. He got in the car and ran a 49.5 first time out, but coned giving us a 51.5 making my 50.9 our best. The beetle ran a 53.294, so we beat that. Twisted Evil
Saturday was the drag portion of the event:
So we were dreading the drags. Our goal was not to finish last over all or in any event. If we were going to fall short this would be the event.
We arrived early and did the only thing we could think of to better our chances. We removed everything we could from the car to get it as light as we could. We figured the bug again would be the only car on our level. We are not sure what the weight of the Beetle was, but his was stripped, gutted, and cut up pretty good.
For our first pass of the day (my first drag race ever) we ran the kick off pass of the event against my good friend Andy Nelson (builder of the last 2 events winning drag cars. This year’s car was a missile. It set a new Challenge record of 10.57. We ran a 18.551 to his 10.64.
Our next pass was heads up against the Beetle. We slowed up a bit, , but beat him.
Our next run was again with the Beetle. I cut a .051 R/T, then blew the 1-2 shift, and watched him step 3 car lengths on me, but we ran him down and beat him again.
We ran a couple more passes for fun, but never improved on our 18.551.
By then the CV joints were getting noisy, so we pulled the axles and loaded the car up for the 900 mile pull back home.
The best part of the weekend was the Awards Dinner Saturday night. Each year they give out a Challengers Choice trophy. This is awarded by popular vote of all the entered teams. We were just floored as we listened to the MC talk about this intriguing and inspiring car only to hear our team name read. Placing well in the event would have been cool, but earning the respect of our competitors was just priceless!
In the end, we did not finish last in any event. We placed 63 out of 67, in an un prepaired mostly stock Ghia with r tires. We are sure we can do much better after a year of development. So now we have a base line to start from.
I will post pics and maybe a vid when we get settled in!
Thanks for all the kind words, support, and encouragement you’ve all given us. We look forward to running the event again next year, and being competitive!
Sean
We arrived on Thursday for the kick off party. It was much fun. Its a great event with even cooler people. We were one of only 2 air cooled cars there. (first 2 in event history) the other one was a '69 beetle. It was a very pretty race car.
There was no actual party this year on Thursday night which was at first disappointing, but it gave us all time to walk around the parking lot and meet people and see what they brought. It turned out to be way cooler than a party would have been.
Friday was the Autocross/Show portion of the event:
We Concoursed in the AM and Autocrossed in the afternoon. We hit the concourse tent early to try to get to the judges before they burned out. They were all very receptive of the car. It went much better than we thought it would with our lack of prep.
In the afternoon we autocrossed. It was my first event on r's and only my second in the Ghia. Each team got 5 runs. There are also pro drivers available at the event if you wish to use them, but there runs in your car count toward your 5.
FTD was a 43.925, times ranged from 43.925 sec to 57.313 sec. We ran our 4 runs with a best of 50.993 slow but not last place. After our 4th run we were told we would get a rerun due to a timing problem. I ran the next run hard and picked up time until I hit 2 cones. After returning to grid we decided since we were given a rerun and I seemed to be stuck around a 51 that we would use a pro driver. Alan McCrispin jumped at the chance to drive the ghia for us. He loves to drive the odd cars we were told. He got in the car and ran a 49.5 first time out, but coned giving us a 51.5 making my 50.9 our best. The beetle ran a 53.294, so we beat that. Twisted Evil
Saturday was the drag portion of the event:
So we were dreading the drags. Our goal was not to finish last over all or in any event. If we were going to fall short this would be the event.
We arrived early and did the only thing we could think of to better our chances. We removed everything we could from the car to get it as light as we could. We figured the bug again would be the only car on our level. We are not sure what the weight of the Beetle was, but his was stripped, gutted, and cut up pretty good.
For our first pass of the day (my first drag race ever) we ran the kick off pass of the event against my good friend Andy Nelson (builder of the last 2 events winning drag cars. This year’s car was a missile. It set a new Challenge record of 10.57. We ran a 18.551 to his 10.64.
Our next pass was heads up against the Beetle. We slowed up a bit, , but beat him.
Our next run was again with the Beetle. I cut a .051 R/T, then blew the 1-2 shift, and watched him step 3 car lengths on me, but we ran him down and beat him again.
We ran a couple more passes for fun, but never improved on our 18.551.
By then the CV joints were getting noisy, so we pulled the axles and loaded the car up for the 900 mile pull back home.
The best part of the weekend was the Awards Dinner Saturday night. Each year they give out a Challengers Choice trophy. This is awarded by popular vote of all the entered teams. We were just floored as we listened to the MC talk about this intriguing and inspiring car only to hear our team name read. Placing well in the event would have been cool, but earning the respect of our competitors was just priceless!
In the end, we did not finish last in any event. We placed 63 out of 67, in an un prepaired mostly stock Ghia with r tires. We are sure we can do much better after a year of development. So now we have a base line to start from.
I will post pics and maybe a vid when we get settled in!
Thanks for all the kind words, support, and encouragement you’ve all given us. We look forward to running the event again next year, and being competitive!
Sean
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