IT Build Questions

[VWralley]

I recently aquired a shell that i am considering turning into a race car. If nothing else it will serve as a track day car in place of my beloved restored '77 rabbit. I'm looking at ITA, because i love the 16v and also have one ready to race for the most part. Had a few questions that i can't quite seem to get from the rule books, would appreciate the help while i'm still in the planning stages rather than rolling up to inspections :p

1st off, the shell is an 85 gti. I thought that this car would be able to be updated to 90-92 GTI spec, is this correct? I would use everything from that spec line so I do understand you can not pick and choose which parts you do/do not want.

If that is allowed, would i also need to run the exact trim parts that car came with? for example the Big Bumpers, flairs and skirts. I would prefer to run the small bumper setup but i guess it really doesn't make all that much difference.

I plan to run this car in our local conference that has a production class that has very similar, perhaps slightly less strict than IT, however i figure building it to IT specs would give me an extra class to run in to maximize track time and allow for another driver on some race weekends

the shell in question
http://www.ralleytuned.com/site/wp-content/gallery/antonios-85-gti/3400473877_3c352ef5e3.jpg

[shwah]

IMO the 1.8 16v is a better ITA choice. Lighter weight, and better flowing intake ports.

Yes you have to run the correct bumper and body configuration for the car you are building. The G60 flares will need to be replaced with US spec parts.

Expect to spend a lot more turning that into an IT car than buying an IT car that already exists. You would even be better off buying an 8v ITB car and turning it into an ITA than starting from scratch.

That said, for many of us the jouney is part of the fun, and I chose to build my own car as well.

[VWralley]

The main reason for the 2L is that i have one, so acquiring the parts to go with the 1.8 would cost me more. The car will be completely stripped of anything worth any money besides the dash/wiring and the main body panels.

The main thing is i wanted to be certain that i can run the car in ITA per scca specs. I'll have to see if i would be allowed to run the car in the conference class, with a different minimum weight.

I can get an entire front end off an 88 GTI so i do have access to the 1.8, now its just time to debate which way to go..

[Sandro]

instead of ripping that car apart I would just sell that and buy the correct shell/engine

could probably sell that car for way more than you would buy one to turn into a racecar

[Lael Cleland]

VW ITB cars are going for $2000-$4500 ready to go! I sold a ITA 16V scirocco for $2300 with out a transponder.... It had current log book & belts ready to race....

[VWralley]

I do agree that buying a car that is built and ready to go would probably cost less in the long run, i will not argue that. I am not taking that car apart, it is already apart. The owner parted the car and was going to send that beautiful shell to the scrap yard. I told him screw that give it to me and i will use it for a track car.

I have a motor, built transmission and suspension for the car already. I can setup the car to run track days with probably about 1000 bucks, and that will have the car ready to race aside from a cage and safety gear. Right now i'm running a '77 rabbit that i built which is completely restored for my track car, the intention is to get that car replaced with something i don't care nearly as much about to play with. I also love building cars, that is almost half the fun for me, to build something and then beat the hell out of it :D

[karter74]

I would look at building the car to the conference production rules. Give's you a lot more flexibility. You can update it mechanically without updating the body.

"1403. Updating. Any model production car may be completely updated or back
dated mechanically (engine, brakes, transmission, rear end) without
updating or back dating the body, PROVIDED THAT any updated or back
dated model shall have the same body shell as the current model. Any
model production car being updated or back dated shall not weigh less than
the corresponding model years weight. Cars cannot be partially updated or
back dated by choosing only desirable components from various years or
models. If a component is used from a particular year or version of a car, all
equipment unique to that car must be used. Also the weight of that version
must be used in establishing race weight."

You might want to get in touch with a couple of the local guys. We have some pretty fast 16v cars up here. I chose to build my car too. Yes it would have been cheaper to buy but not as much fun. Also got my donor cheap so i ran what I had. Wish i had a 16v mk2 some days...

[VWralley]

Exactly what i was looking at! haha Looking at the rules as best as i could seemed like building to the more strict rules would give me both classes, but i think that i would have a better run in EP based off how the one local vw runs (usually starts up front and runs top 5).

I plan to do some more research as to where the car would fit best, but for now, at least knowing that it is legal to build the car how i had planned gives me a good start so i can start prepping the shell when it comes home next week