Victor Jr.'s day at the races, part deaux

[Ron Pieper <rapieper@yahoo.com>]

This time, it was autocross.  Finally.  Hell, I got the car nearly two years ago, fer cryin' out
loud.

Biggest questions du jour were 1) would the car hold up? (after all, engine, tranny, FI system, PS
were all untested in autox); 2) was my decision to use the particular 4-speed I chose a wise one?
and 3) how would I do after over a year layoff?

Quick answers: Very wll, yes, and pretty poorly.

The car itself, even though I rushed through all the cleanup and still have issues to tackle, was
great.  Drove 35 miles each way and got 5 runs in without a burp.  Runs pretty well, actually.

FYI, it's a 16V in a MkI.  I eliminated the oil cooler and am using a stock 1.7L radiator.  No
issues on a 550 day...we'll see what the summer holds.

Several months ago, I noticed that one wheel stud on the rear (drum) pulled out the threads in the
drum.  During prep Sat night, when I replaced the rotor, I noticed that three total studs were
locking up, and that the threads were too boogered to remove them.  How did it get this way?  I
loctited them in about a year ago, and was using proper ball seat lug nuts.  The wheels are
factory BBS once applied to Jetta (no Pete, you still can't have 'em!).  Anyhow, I believe it was
the impact wrench use, so I eliminated that from further use and switch back to lug bolts.

The 4-speed's ratio in 2nd gear was perfect.  I have a GL which has the tallest 4th that I'm aware
of in any 020 (1.75, vs. common 1.94 and 2.12).  It also has a 3.89 final drive.  I was able to
burnout too much in 1st at the launch, but I already knew that from the drag strip, but once into
2nd, the car had plenty of pull and never did I have to go to 3rd, which is cool for the longer
stretches we see at the local autoxes.  

As for me, I stunk.  Got 5 runs in with only two recorded times, the others were DNF.  Got lost on
course the first two times out (grrr..only had time for one walkthrough, with a novice friend, so
I was thinking about explaining vs. remembering; my fault), then ran a pretty solid time, then
another blistering run but got a few cones, and another DNF for being too hot and sliding off
course.  

The conclusions: the car has plenty of power all over, Hoosier road race tires take a lot of time
to warm up; old Sciroccos are rare and gained me many compliments (even though it's raggy
looking); and boy do I need some seat time!

Sooo....since I built this car with the idea that I'd keep it legal for FSP except for the engine,
  who has a nice, fresh, 1.8L JH that's got lower miles and would be legal for FSP (.040 max
overbore, stock internals, no head work, stock cam)???  I'd be willing to trade a nice rebuilt
tranny or my 2.0L 16V for the right engine...gotta be fresh though...

See, I could compete very nicely in FSP, but not in SM :(  

Thanks for reading!  Pic coming soon!

Ron

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