Mk3 ITB weight?

[MK#]

First post. Great forum! Can anyone give me a good idea of what a MK3 Gti in ITB is running for overall weight? I am considering ITB or GTS with a TDi swap. Where the TDi would class me in GTS is what I am trying to figure out.

THANKS!

[MK#]

Looks like around 2300 from what I have found. If anyone doesn't mind confirming that would be great. THANKS!

[Knestis]

Spec weight got increased this year to 2395.

IT class rules are at http://scca.cdn.racersites.com/prod/assets/GCR-UpdatedThroughDecFastrack1.pdf

Depending on how much cage you put in the car and whether you have the stock tank or a cell, it's not terribly hard to get to that minimum weight.

K

[JeffYoung]

Definitely one of the best cars in ITB. Not sure about GTS though. Thought that was pretty much all high dollar German iron in NASA.

[gran racing]

What's your budget for the build? If you want an all-out, no excuses version of the Golf III already done and waiting for a driver, there's one in the classifieds section. $10k sales price but it probably has double that in it. I've raced againt the car, sat in it and drooled over the interiror - it's good.

[D. Ellis-Brown]

You can get down to the minimum weight of 2395, (2195 without driver) . We did it in a 1995 Jetta..... No, it was not easy.... We put the car on a rotissery and spent over two weeks grinding out all of the undercoating, seam sealer, etc. We also removed all of the "hot melt pads", those in the trunk, inside of the doors, off the floors inside of the windshield shelf area (where the factory ECM and windshield wiper sits), removed excess seam sealer inside of the engine compartment..... Put in the minimum cage that the rules would allow and made sure that the cage went into both front door areas. Stock front doors, with glass, etc. in a Jetta weigh over 60lbs. Removed all brackets / components that that the rules permit, including seats, parking brake,hood and trunk latches etc. . We use the stock fuel tank. Lightest racing seat, lightest wheels, etc. etc. Read the rules..... there are opportunites within it that can aid in the process. There is, at least in the Jetta from Mexico, over 35 lbs of undercoating, hot-melt pads, seam sealer, etc. etc that can be removed. You would be amazed how much undercoating is in the fender wells. Once all that crap is gone, and repainted, then it much easier to keep the car clean in the underside....After market front fenders from Taiwan / China are lighter than factory units and have no undercoating in them. By the way, also put in the minimum amount of fuel that you need for the particular session and that will save some weight while you are running. I still know folks who go out to qualify with a 1/2 a tank of fuel..... Document your fuel mileage, and only run what you need.....

Good Luck. David Ellis-Brown

[MK#]

Thanks everyone. I am building the car over this year to run it the 2013 season. I am doing a TDi swap in it now. I am pretty sure the TDi in ImpovedTouring would be way out classed. The way the rules are in GTS it seems like I could dial in the weight to power and get myself in a competetive class. The estimated power will be around 135hp and 235ftlbs. With higher torque #s they take the average between the two. This would put me at 185hp. If I weight the car to 2700lbs it will put me right at the minimum weight to power ratio for GTS2. Seems like if the car can be easily made to get to 2500lbs then I can add balast in the right spots to get me to the 2700 mark. Any thoughts? I could also just get a pre built ITB golf and tow it with the TDi :D

[Knestis]

TDI isn't listed in IT so is not legal, so your choices are limited. I don't know the details but you could run one in SPU (a newish SCCA class).

K

[Flyinglizard]

There are a bunch of TDI track cars out west. They have been running my book setups and going really fast. 280hp, and 350tq??
NASA is the place to run this TDI car. Start with track days and worry about all of the fine print later. Keeping the car stockish, cage or hoop only.
Build it ,drive it, make a class decision when it matters.
The gasssrs have more places to run with SCCA, like about 4 classes. Stay away from the GT classes and even the ST classes, esp as a first build. They are big holes in the ground, waiting for ths shovel full of 20$ bills.

SCCA also has PDX/track days in some areas. These are a good away to get on the track also. No classes,just drivers. Find your local SCCA contact person and find a track date.

http://www.scca.com/sitemap.cfm has contact info.

Please excuse me if Ithink that you are new to racing, and you're not. Old guys like me assume things. Sorry.
Feel free to contact me directly @ me addy in my sig.
have fun,MM

[MK#]

I am new to the driver/owner part. I have been in racing for awhile. The highlight being David Leslies Crew cheif on the Mirko Racing 626. I used to run some of the Skip Barber race series but always loved sedan and the BTCC. Autocrossed for 4 seasons. Thanks for all the info. After further searching it looks as though the gti could be ok in GTS2 with the right amount of boost.