'88 16v Scirocco... competitive in ITA?

[JayBay]

Anybody have any feedback? I'm looking at a potential HPDE/intro to IT racing car, and I was wondering how this car could potentially stack up if I get into IT racing more seriously. I know the biggest weakness will be the meatball in the driver's seat at first, but I hate to spend too much time & money on a car that's way outclassed. Thanks for the input.

[zracre]

I havent seen a competitive one yet...If you like VW go for ITB...ITA is dominated by 1.8 Miata lightweight and Hondacuras. and maybe soon a E36...

[Bill Miller]

They do ok in ITA, but w/ some of the recent moves from ITS, I'd probably pick a different car if I wanted to race ITA. If I wanted to race ITA in a VW, it would probably be a Golf 2.0 16v. But w/ some of the other choices out there, a VW is probably not the best one for ITA.

[JayBay]

Yeah, that's what I figured. This one came up for sale, and it's a sweet car, very nicely prepped for short money.
http://www.freebmw.net/asquaredrex/scirocco/index.htm

It would be a great HPDE car, but I'm trying to keep an eye towards getting into IT racing, and this just seems to be outclassed in ITA. Oh well... the search continues.

[shwah]

IMO they have always classed the Scirocco a bit heavy for the class.

There have been competitive ITA 16v cars, but it has been a while.

[Limey]

...Interesting cage design.......how many attachment points to the body are there?? I think I counted 10.....

[mgyip]

We have a 16v Slorocco that runs in the DC Region and while he consistently beats my 16v GTi (which is akin to outrunning a Yugo on foot), the car isn't incredibly competitive. Besides being portly, the A1 chassis is a flexible flyer - the A2 chassis is better but regardless, the suspension design used by VW is less than ideal.

IMHO, VW isn't the car of choice for ITA - chose a Honda or Accura instead. VWs are more competitive in ITB or ITC.

[shwah]

...Interesting cage design.......how many attachment points to the body are there?? I think I counted 10.....
[/b]

I count 12.

[Bill Miller]

...Interesting cage design.......how many attachment points to the body are there?? I think I counted 10.....
[/b]

I counted 10 as well, and I'm not sure what's up w/ the cage design. All that extra tubing behind the main hoop isn't doing a whole lot, except adding extra weight. Those side stays on the "X" are doing nothing, and having the "X" and those addional stays go towards the back of a car isn't the best design either. If that car takes a shot in the back, it's going to transfer a lot of that energy to the cage, rather than letting the crumple zone absorb some of it. And the fact that the rest of the main cage is a bolted together Autopower, pretty much negates any gain from the tubes in the back. And an Autotech rear bar?

[shwah]

2 to rear of car
4 to rear wheel well
2 for main hoop
2 to front floor
2 to firewall

It looks like it could be made compliant by removing all the bracing that was added to the Autopower bolt in cage at the rear. The issue will be tubing type, and whether the car has an existing SCCA logbook. There is a good chance the tubing is ERW, and thus not legal, unless it has a logbook that predates the tubing update rule.

[Bill Miller]

Chris,

I don't see anything going to the firewall.

[zracre]

Chris,

I don't see anything going to the firewall.
[/b]

If you look closely at the footwell pics the one on the left is unpainted and the one on the right has some padding on it but it looks like its there...looks like a lot of work to make the cage legal for ITA...maybe a good track/SPU car if you just want track time and to be out there...if you want to be competitive, the same money could be spent on a dedicated ITA car. Racing is expensive, If you want competitive, lots of planning....

[Bill Miller]

If you look closely at the footwell pics the one on the left is unpainted and the one on the right has some padding on it but it looks like its there...looks like a lot of work to make the cage legal for ITA...maybe a good track/SPU car if you just want track time and to be out there...if you want to be competitive, the same money could be spent on a dedicated ITA car. Racing is expensive, If you want competitive, lots of planning....
[/b]

Yeah, I looked at that pic, but it was really hard to tell if there was a forward tube there or not. I wouldn't waste my time on that thing for an ITA car, unless the price was REALLY cheap. Pretty much tear the cage out and start from scratch.