Shiftin' Ghia 1974 Coupe VWDRC.

[RUSS74GHIA]

So the crank is back from the machine shop after being balanced. It's now dismantled again and all cleaned up ready for the rods.
As for the rods, there's a 4g difference between the lightest & heaviest so i'll be attending to that later tonight, and also checking the pistons for the same.
Should have the crank built-up midweek and the bottom-end assembled by the end of the weekend.

[RUSS74GHIA]

Oops, this thread has been starved of updates.

The motor is now together and running.




Here's the new spec
2109cc
CB Performance forged 76mm c/w crank
94mm Mahle pistons
Balanced bottom end
Match-weighted pistons/pins/rods
Engle W-125 cam
Lightened flywheel
Empi 3Qt sump
1.25:1 rockers
CB double springs
35.5x40 valves
Flowed VW 043 heads
9.5:1 CR
Uprated guides.
Remote filter
1 5/8 merged header
Custom stainless twin silencer
Dual 40 DRLA, 36 vents
Custom breather
Facet Silver Competition Pump
8mm lines, Holley regulator & gauge.

She's off to the dyno next Saturday, the larger chokes have been fitted so I'll probably need to go up 10 on the mains and maybe 5 on the idles, I'm hoping for 130bhp@fly

First test will be at Cal Look Drag Day 7/8 June, and first competition will be SPRC Summer Nationals 28/29 June

[RUSS74GHIA]

I made it to Cal-Look Drag Day, but unfortunately after 3hrs of queuing for a run my 40yr old wiring had a hissy fit and I lost ignition.

Fixing this meant installing 2 new blade type fuseboxes and pulling all the wiring for the seatbelt interlock relay system, so I missed SPRC Summer Nationals in June.

However, I did make it to Bug Jam .

I arrived early on Thursday, set up and casually swapped-out my Pro-Grip clutch disc for a 4-puck. Checked the gland nut while I was there, as I've had issues in that area before.

Unfortunately had to go to work on Friday morning, but 3 1/2 hours of that was stuck behind a jack-knifed tanker on Airfield Rd. Made it back for 8pm when I cracked open a cold one.

First bit of track action was the Pro vs Sportsman shoot-out where was drawn against Paul 'The Legend' Bargate. This was a tough dial-in; I knew the old smaller engine never ran to true potential at 16:01, had I resolved the under-fuelling? How would the slicks perform? How much quicker with almost an extra 200cc and a hike in CR from 8.8 to 9.5? I've not run for almost 4 years!
Using a formula known only to myself I arrived at 14:95 as a safe dial-in.
I knew I cut a good light (0.12) and the car moved through the gears faultlessly. I felt a bit of movement after 1000ft but kept my foot in and avoided any steering input - The result, a win for Sportsman and a 15:2237 @ 83.94 ticket to boot. Really chuffed with that, 0.79 off my PB.
Into Q1 and no changes were necessary. A great hook-up initially, but then a big bog as the revs pulled down. Again, great through the gears but I felt a bit of underfuelling at about 1200ft. 15:54 @ 81.38
Q2 was a disaster, stalled off the line and then it wouldn't hold fire. Managed to roll past the gantry and got towed-off the track. It was clear I had another fuelling issue.
I missed Q3 & Q4 as I found that my fuel pump unions were not seating properly and I was losing fuel, and possibly sucking in air too. So I swapped my brass 90deg unions for some straight stainless ones and installed them with threadlock.
Back in the engine bay, it looks like the adjuster on my Holley regulator may have been loose and had backed-out. I reset this to 4psi and she ran fine and revved nicely.
Sunday morning my pit-bitch Dean and I had an early start. Checked & reset the valve clearances and timing. Dean noticed that my throttle linkage had come loose, and also needed a little fettling. Spannering complete, it was time for Q5.
Wow, what a difference! Great rolling burnout, great launch (my first under 2 seconds at 1.989), strong through every gear and again a bit 'floaty' through the last 300ft. The result, 14:77 @ 88.21

60 1.989
330 5.9426
1/8 9.2973
1/8 73.55
1/4 14.7764
1/4 88.21

Awesome! Even better news is that she'll be even quicker when I sort the ideal launch rpm. She's not even been rolling roaded yet, jetting has been guessed and carbs set by ear. Line-lock is still yet to be fitted.

Throughout all this I had been experiencing some clutch judder. I put this down to not running a Bowden tube. With the harsh clutch set-up and solid rear/intermediate strap/eurethane nose gearbox mounts I guess this is a no-no.
Q6 saw me suffer with the clutch as it pulled the motor down to stall on both the burn-out and launch, needing yet another tow back (thanks again Dean)
I called it a day at this point, as this weekend was really just about a shakedown.
I've still got a few more jobs to do, so I doubt I'll be out again this year. I've got the short track at Rye which is fairly near where I can test my launches

[RUSS74GHIA]

Just a little update, a lot going on.

I've picked up a CE 002 gearbox from a type 2. This means I can run Porsche 944 stub-axles, CVs and driveshafts. After selling off my broken box, spare box and shafts this is almost a free conversion.
I've had to buy a bespoke front mount and intermediate mount to do the job. I guess I'll need to run the shift-rod on top of the tunnel and modify the length of the rod too. I've also ordered a Bug-Tech shifter.

Engine wise I've decided to do al the upgrades now as all of the parts have been sourced; Kulhtec rods with 3/8 ARPs, Engle FK89, Engle lifters, CB Straightcuts, Bugpack 1.4:1 rockers & CB Manton pushrods. It's all dismantled ready for cleaning.
Heads are currently away being flycut and faced, so hopefully the shortblock will be complete by the time the heads are back, which will mean I can then set deck geometry and cut rods.
This will leave just the carbs to re jet etc.
Hoping to have this all ready for the start of the season at Easter, with an aim to be running consistent 13s. I should then have a good idea at the close of the season what I will need to do to achieve 12s with my set-up so that I can graduate from Sportsman class to Pro.

[FJCamper]

Hi Russ74Ghia,

You drag and we road race but we admire your Ghia and I enjoy your honest descriptions about things coming loose, iffy judgement calls, and good and bad luck in general.

It ain't easy being fast.

FJC

[RUSS74GHIA]

Thanks FJC.