Development

The plan for Dude's Beetle was originally an streetable daily drive car with occasional weekend race use, but over the four year rebuild period it turned into an all out race car! The car has progressed massively over the years, starting off with a stock 1600cc engine, and finally ending up with a larger capacity 1914cc engine with a 50bhp of nitrous, turning out 175bhp at the wheels. This has cumulated in a best ET of 11.82 at 115mph at Shakespeare County Raceway! Hopefully there's quicker times to come yet!

 

The Car

Dudes Beetle 1969 Volkswagen Beetle (see the photo's and video page for more Dude's Beetle pictures)

 

Body Modifications

Flip frontRemovable engine lid and wing Pre 67 fibreglass flip front, race weight fibreglass doors, rear removable fibreglass wings and engine lid, plexi glass windows, rear wheel inner arches removed for better access to engine and gearbox (and to reduce weight), and power 'kill switch' mounted in the front scuttle. Paint by Phil at Autobodyworxs.

 

Roll Cage

Roll cage 8 point roll cage by Jim Smith at Cotsweld (rear bar, door bars and window net, tied into frame forks, and beam).

 

Interior

InteriorThe dashGearbox inspection hatch Single drivers bucket seat with 5 point Simpsons harness, aluminium door and quarter panels, custom made access hatch allowing full access to gearbox, Autometer monster tach and shift light, oil temperature and pressure gauges, drilled handbrake (converted to a staging brake) and drilled pedals.

 

Wheels and Tyres

Zero offset erco Ercho race weight wheels (4.5" at front, 6" at the back). 135 low profile tyres at the front, 6" M&H Racemaster slicks at the back.

 

Brakes

Type 3 rear brakes VW disc brakes at the front and rear Type 3 drums at the back. HURST linelock.

 

Gearbox

Gearbox Rhino gearbox with BERG internals, including close ration gears, aluminium spool, and short race axles. Rebuilt by Paul at Bears Motorsport.

 

Suspension

Front suspension Lowered at front with Bugpack shocks, 2 pairs of caster shims, and limiting straps to help weight transfer. Stock height at rear with up rated torsion bars, up-rated spring plates, spring plate retainers, and Bugpack shocks.

 

Engine

1914cc engine 1914cc engine (built by Jim at Stateside Tuning) with 50hp of nitrous, 130 Engle cam with straight cut gears, 69mm balanced, counterweighted and 8 doweled crank, Magnum 044 heads (39mm intakes and 35.5mm exhaust) with dual HD valve springs (ported and polished by JMR), 48 IDA carbs, Phoenix 1 5/8 merged header exhaust with stinger, SCAT H beam rods, lightened flywheel, KEP 1700lb clutch, standard rockers on Autocraft bolt up shaft with swivel foot Porsche style tappets, 2.5ltr CB deep sump, and Autobodyworks custom made breather box.

 

Ignition System

MSD 6AL system MSD 6AL control unit and distributor, with a fully programmable 3 step controlling for burn out, launch and top end RPM.

 

Fuel and Nitrous System

Jazz fuel cellNitrous set upNitrous bottleTwisted sanity controller Jazz racing fuel cell, Holley black fuel pump, Twisted Sanity nitrous control system, Dynotune nitrous fogger injectors, NOS solenoids and Dynotune purge valve.

 

Future Plans

Re paint the car and add retro sign writing, narrow and lower the front beam, and a larger CC motor and low 11's!!