Tom's UVA fugitive, Tom runs a 14s quarter mile :)

[rainking]

Welcome to the VWDRC

As Neil said, historically, there were a couple of Fugitives that ran in the club, but the rule changes on tube diameter and chassis construction put paid to them.

Not sure how much Paul gets involved in building cages these days, but there are a few guys in the club who are quite handy with a tube bender..... although in reality you'd want to be very committed to keeping the Fugitive as I'm sure it'd be pricey!

You could enter in VWDRC Heads Up provided you had the safety gear... as it's run under RWYB Regs, the MSUK cage regs don't apply, but there is an 11.99 qualification bump... you'd not qualify for eliminations if you didn't run the ET in quali.

To start racing, in addition to an MSUK race license, Tom would need all the safety gear up to spec, and an MSUK competition eligible car... for VW Sportsman, that could be pretty much any VW group vehicle running 13.00 or slower (there are slightly different rules for rear engined cars or cars with heavily modified front ends).

and Sportsman ET removes the 'VW Group' restriction, so could run pretty much anything.... assuming it's roadworthy of course! 

....and like Neil mentioned...rolling shells do appear for sale too from time to time... and often quite reasonably priced for what you get

[johnthesparky]

RWYB will be fine....... and would have done drag days had I been in the club, known about it, not been off on holiday etc

Chatting to Steve whilst he was up there, and this photo were contributory to joining



But on the subject of safety gear, I’ve got hold of some secondhand gear. Mostly because after chatting it was offered to me and it’s an open climbing frame with engine and fuel tank just behind me. And £150 seemed reasonable for some sort of protection (and if we don’t pursue drag racing in the future hopefully will sell on for not much less, as it’s only been worn a few times I was told.

So now have an OMP suit which many many nomexes had to be slaughtered to make
Some gloves and boots (Sparco?) boots are spot on, gloves are a bit tight to get on... but fine when on
We have helmets (mine is an Arai quantum F. Pretty old (2002?))
Have a set of arm restraints.

So think I have most of the safety gear (?)

[rainking]

We've raced in the VWDRC since 2005... with many different and varied race cars... currently run in VW Pro with our daily driver Golf R however the old bus will make the odd cameo appearance (usually at Bug Jam)

Abi (my OH) joined the Committee in 2006 I think (maybe 2007) and is now treasurer and secretary...

Shame you missed Drag Days this year, was superb to have the track to ourselves.... I'm sure it won't be the last time the club organise something like that... and now you're a member you'll get the early info!

This is the list of spec for safety gear from the club website for Heads Up, although they are lifted straight from the MSUK rule book...

Specifications:

Helmets
FIA 8860-2010
FIA 8859-2015
SNELL SA2010 (Not valid after 31.12.2023)
SNELL SA2015 (Not valid after 31.12.2023)
SNELL SAH2010 (Not valid after 31.12.2023)

Race suit
FIA 1986 standard
SFI 3.2/1 For 10 seconds and slower
SFI3.2A/5 for 9.99 seconds and quicker
FIA 8856-2000

Gloves should meet SFI 3.3/5
Footwear should meet SFI 3.3/5
Neck brace should meet SFI 3.3/5

[johnthesparky]

Sept 24, 2020 12:31:57 GMT rainking said:

We've raced in the VWDRC since 2005... with many different and varied race cars... currently run in VW Pro with our daily driver Golf R however the old bus will make the odd cameo appearance (usually at Bug Jam)

Abi (my OH) joined the Committee in 2006 I think (maybe 2007) and is now treasurer and secretary...

Shame you missed Drag Days this year, was superb to have the track to ourselves.... I'm sure it won't be the last time the club organise something like that... and now you're a member you'll get the early info!

Yeah, saw photos and it looked awesome...... the weather was cracking too Next year!!

This is the list of spec for safety gear from the club website for Heads Up, although they are lifted straight from the MSUK rule book...

Specifications:

Helmets
FIA 8860-2010
FIA 8859-2015
SNELL SA2010 (Not valid after 31.12.2023)
SNELL SA2015 (Not valid after 31.12.2023)
SNELL SAH2010 (Not valid after 31.12.2023)

I’ve got a Arai helmet, I bought it new, and it’s not been worn much... so I’m happy to use it in the Fug (Tom also has an Arai, similarly out of date) to my mind it’s mainly to make travelling comfortable and means we can communicate with each other, Tom listens to music etc.... it’s not in date but I can’t see that being much of an issue it’s not a motorsport environment, and I’m not relying on it like I would be on a motorbike (we’ve got a space frame to protect us first)
Guess I need a newer one to compete (but not sure for RWYB?)

Race suit
FIA 1986 standard
SFI 3.2/1 For 10 seconds and slower
SFI3.2A/5 for 9.99 seconds and quicker
FIA 8856-2000

Been used a couple of times only, he said he’d bought it last year to sit in with a mate, mate has stopped racing, so he was going to sell.... but couldn’t face internet auction sites.





Says it’s FIA 8856-2018, so assume that’s just the newer version of the 2000 standard.
TBH I would have been happy with an out of date one for RWYB, just thought it was worth having a bit more protection... seemed wrong to look a gift horse in the mouth though. And though I’m shorter, fits really well

Gloves should meet SFI 3.3/5

Not sure, these say FIA 8856-2000, so will again be fine for what I need, though maybe not for competition ?

Footwear should meet SFI 3.3/5

Yep (They also have the FIA 8856 standard on them.... so probably means gloves are right too)

Neck brace should meet SFI 3.3/5

Haven’t got a neck brace..... probably be bad enough to turn up with all the gear and no idea anyway so I’ll wait and see how it goes, unless someone else has one and offers it to me in the course of conversation Though looks like I can get one for about £25 if needed.

[neilsdavies]

I raced with the VWDRC from 1999 to 2005, my final season was on the committee too. Then something happened that's now ancient history, and I wasn't any more.

The one bit of safety gear that we've not discussed are arm restraints. Well worth it even for a run to the shops. Check out Richie Webb's in car footage of his tube framed cabrio on YouTube and you'll see them.

[rainking]

Sept 25, 2020 5:48:12 GMT neilsdavies said:

I raced with the VWDRC from 1999 to 2005, my final season was on the committee too. Then something happened that's now ancient history, and I wasn't any more.

The one bit of safety gear that we've not discussed are arm restraints. Well worth it even for a run to the shops. Check out Richie Webb's in car footage of his tube framed cabrio on YouTube and you'll see them.

That AGM was our first one.... I remember it (and the aftermath) well... like you say though, ancient history now...

I'm sure John said he had arm restraints further up the thread... they're mandatory I think for buggies even in RWYB....

[johnthesparky]

Yeah, got arm restraints ages ago... they are under the seat in the Fug

[johnthesparky]

Was hoping to have a decent update here, but have failed, sorry

Like others including Hardcore and Dez, we’ve been having a purge,
I haven’t got many cars, there are 4 but they all seem to have a role. Therefore our clear out isn’t interesting like those mentioned above.... so instead of an interesting thread or two, the only reason to mention it is to justify our inactivity.

Anyway, we’ve lived here for just over 25 years so have accumulated plenty of other junk.
Got a container a few months back, and have been tidying out sheds and taking down rotten ones, organising work junk (used to employ some people and when they left I got kit and bits back, that half filled a shed, a van change or two and some clearing off of sites filled the rest). Though it’s profit, it doesn’t generate any hard cash without effort so with enough work it makes more sense to crack on with that instead...
Come the lockdown that all changed !

We did some work at home, changed some flooring, decorated a couple of rooms, Tom and Ella swapped bedrooms (as Ella is in Wales now anyway) and a fairly brutal declutter

A skip was filled which presented some parking issues for a week or so.



Still have the front shed to sort but nearly there now, anyway enough excuses

We’ve done a few little bits to the Fug, but were holding off doing anything much until it had been to Martin at Marlin Motors to be put on the dyno.

On the Sunday before we dropped it off we swapped the HT leads to some Pertronix yellow ones, gave it a once over to make sure it would start etc.
Then on the Monday I towed it over to Bletchley.

First thing, because I’d taken it over on the a-frame I didn’t think about fuel, was asked how much fuel we had, and there was about half a tank.... so rather than being that guy that runs out of fuel on the dyno. I collected a Jerry can and filled it around some running around and other jobs and dropped it off a couple of hours later.

By then, Martin had the Fug inside and was starting to set it up.

He wasn’t happy with the spire nuts that hold the top of the air filters on. They were what was installed, I hadn’t given them any thought (but when pointed out, not a great idea to have a lump of metal that could fall into the inlet!) but an easy fix to install rivnuts instead. And then if a screw comes out the nut is still captive.

Secondly, he said the throttles weren’t opening fully! He thought they were only opening about 60% as if the rods were 10mm too short.
This was a bit puzzling, we’d fitted a lovely CSP linkage and didn’t seem right that the rods were too short.... but after wandering off, it dawned on me that because it’s stroked from 69 to 78mm the heads are 9mm further away than normal, so it wouldn’t be opening fully DOH!!

He agreed to lengthen the rods too, as I couldn’t order a longer set easily/straight away.

Spoke to him the following week and there was a small list of issues he’d sorted.

It needed bigger idle jets
He thinks it needs smaller chokes, but needs to get it back on the dyno first.
The pushrods, we’d been advised to set them up as loose enough to spin but no movement because they are chromoly. But when warmed up they were too tight... the backfires when on the dyno knocked some lights down! Gaps are now set to 6 thou
He had some issues with the fuel regulator

We had a chat, he was going to get it on the dyno again, I said it wasn’t urgent and to fit it in when he could...

Then we got locked down again So it’s still at Marlin, it isn’t urgent, I’d probably struggle to justify going to pick it up (I guess if it’s in his way then it would become an essential journey) but it’s not exactly the choice transportation in the cold and wet. So it’s not really an issue that it’s away...... except it’d be an awesome update to show a dyno chart showing either a) a thousand horsepower or b) 40


In the meantime we have a huge pile of scrap to sort for weighing in





It’s so big, it won’t even fit on one photo anymore we’ve not sorted it since before the first lockdown, which is good as we’ll need some cash for the remedial works and dyno time

Also have time to sort and tidy the front shed, did get a air fed mask though to use when tig welding at the bench



Hopefully next update will be something awesome and not excuses, and fingers crossed for this year too!

[stormbird262]

Bravo took a couple of weeks to read the whole thread what a marvellous result from all your efforts 

Couple of welding tips / observations ?

Keep the tungsten clean [ as mentioned previously ] make sure your post flow is set to long enough to stop it tarnishing while it cools

Get a torch end meter and check your flow rate , the gauges at the bottle are not very accurate ! [ about 8 or 9 is fine ]

  about £4 from Ebay


for a welding table I made a flat plate [ old work surface ] make it stick over the work surface front by about 9" to 12" so you can get your legs under easily 
 faced with steel 1.5mm and with 2 bars underneath to fit inside the jaws of a workmate.

whole lot folds up flat you can earth the plate so easily weld small items instead of trying to grip them in the clamp ? 

don't be afraid to get the tungsten out , up to 1/2" if necessary , as long as it is in the gas flow it will be ok

a lot of the videos seem to try and get you up to aero space standards , not really needed for what we do ?

of course there are other things you can build when you can weld ?

Atomic Zombie bike & trike plans

well though out and cheap .....

I went my own way ,inspired by Atomic Zombie and built this :-



Python trikes Mk 1 to Mk 2 build thread

Good luck to you both regards Paul

[johnthesparky]

It’s back!!!!!!!!!eleven!!!!!

Got a call about lunchtime to say he’d done it, so swerved off a bit early and collected it



Using A-frame seemed sensible option since the MOT ran out in December
Got it home and manoeuvred it onto the drive, so not really driven enough to get a feel for it.
But it started easier and idled lovely


And the important bit!..... we are calling that 100hp



Think we were hoping for a little bit more, but on reflection we didn’t build the engine only reassembled it, so the fact it runs and didn’t stick a leg out of bed on the dyno is a testament to our skills, the power was defined by the guy who did all the hard work years ago (and we ruined by fitting a road cam )

Anyway, it’s a nice straight line and power and torque are pretty equal, so should be nice on the road.

First thing to do is make a throttle stop, as he said if you stomp the throttle it pulls the cable through and next time doesn’t work.

Second thing is get it MOTed and get out for a drive (to collect some milk or something )

[zeberdee]

Nice curves !! 😂

[johnthesparky]

We haz MOT!!!



Minor panic as the battery was flat and it wouldn’t start... and all the jump leads are elsewhere. But some 25mm tails, cable ties and the spare battery sorted that (in a dodgy way) and then I borrowed a jump pack to come home

Couple of little issues, the o/s/r indicator wasn’t playing, I split the connector and reconnected and it was fine. So we’ll go through all the connectors when we are playing.

Also n/s/f brake flexi was close to the track rod end, when he lifted the front. He let me adjust it and he was happy, but we’ll have a better look at that too



And it started to rain about half way through the test
So I got wet on the 1/2 mile trip home

But it’s so much nicer to drive, no surging, idles nicely, will pull away in the first 3 gears and pretty sure it would wheelie if I’d have given it more beans!

Think he put one of the trip mileages in for mileage
But don’t think it’s done a lot more than 200 miles since the last MOT



We did also make a throttle stop at the weekend too, needs a bit of fettling and finessing, but it’s got two slotted holes so is adjustable up/down to adjust the throttle position

[jamesd1972]

Nice to see it up and running! How much do you think it weighs ? That BHP and torque in a beetle would be brisk but you must be at least 40% lighter. Even with a pie eating driver 😆got to have some serious smiles per mile now.
James

[mk2cossie]

What is the cable on the brake pedal for?

Good news on the MOT test tho

[johnthesparky]

Mar 3, 2021 19:05:07 GMT jamesd1972 said:

Nice to see it up and running! How much do you think it weighs ? That BHP and torque in a beetle would be brisk but you must be at least 40% lighter. Even with a pie eating driver 😆got to have some serious smiles per mile now.
James

Even with the pie eating driver I think it’s lighter than a beetle

I reckon 500kg, I work for a weighbridge company on occasion so need to work out how to get them to weigh it without driving miles and miles (plan b is to run it over the bridge at farm that father in law lives on, but the bridge there is run by a private company)

[johnthesparky]

Mar 3, 2021 19:18:16 GMT mk2cossie said:

What is the cable on the brake pedal for?

Good news on the MOT test tho

It’s a link to the a-frame, so when the nose of the frame moves the brakes come on.

Think it only weighs about 500kg, so doesn’t need brakes to be a trailer, except the rules are if it has brakes they need to work or something.
So it’s 100% within the rules if we get stopped with it


Thanks. Yeah, there isn’t much to go wrong, but having not driven it, it’s still a bit scary

[johnthesparky]

Had to drop some provisions to Lucy’s folks today (well I didn’t HAVE to, but chose to) took Tom along and he got to drive through the farm

Think we are struggling with a bit of carb icing.

But it’s quick, like motorbike quick. That might be because it’s low to the ground and therefore fees fast, or because it’s such a visceral experience, or just because it’s quick.... it throws you back in the seat!

Got spotted by a friend, had a brief chat and he filmed us leaving




Ordered some Silkolene Pro FST as it’s supposed to be a good cure for carb icing

[wightfug]

Looking great !

Has that still got the stock box in there ?

[johnthesparky]

Mar 6, 2021 22:03:49 GMT wightfug said:

Looking great !

Has that still got the stock box in there ?

Thanks, Yeah it’s a AT irs box

[johnthesparky]

An update, sit down this is going to be a shock!!! We’ve actually done something to the Fug again

We eventually got around to sorting the huge scrap pile



Which we turned into some car part money



Which cleared the garden, and then meant we had gardening jobs to do
But smashed them out, with the agreement that once shows start we are off of painting and decorating until the autumn... and actually come the autumn, Tom will be in year 11 (and needs to concentrate on GCSEs) so we may have another year off next year too but there is a plan as long as he knuckles down and tries hard, involving scrap money, a learner car, and hopefully a trip to Germany... but that’s for next year..... this year is very much about seizing the day

So we’ve fitted the transmission straps we’ve had for 18 months







Also took the back wheels off and will hopefully swap the tyres, put the All Terrains back on the slots, and fit the radials to the Chinese chrome steelies we got before all of this kerfuffle





The ATs are in the back of the Astra estate, and we are working on that next weekend, so need to grab them and drop the wheels at a tyre place.

Next job is to re-index the rear suspension, as it’s always been too low at the back. So either next weekend if the engine swap goes well, or the weekend after we’ll crack on with that