Mk3 gti vr6 ITS car
- Thread starter Toplevel
- Start date
If by "it's all I have," you mean in street car form, you'll want to revisit the math.
It is NEVER EVER cheaper to build what you have, than it is to buy an already prepared race car - given whatever level of preparation one cares to talk about. The metal box that you start with is a tiny portion of the total cost once you are done.
Figure out how much money you have to spend right now. If that's not enough to buy a car that's "ready" to race, open a savings account for the purpose and start squirreling away money until you do have enough.**
K
** It's actually pretty rare for a for-sale race car to be truly "ready to race," particularly budget buys.
It is NEVER EVER cheaper to build what you have, than it is to buy an already prepared race car - given whatever level of preparation one cares to talk about. The metal box that you start with is a tiny portion of the total cost once you are done.
Figure out how much money you have to spend right now. If that's not enough to buy a car that's "ready" to race, open a savings account for the purpose and start squirreling away money until you do have enough.**
K
** It's actually pretty rare for a for-sale race car to be truly "ready to race," particularly budget buys.
Gotcha. The answer is going to depend on how much of what you currently have will transfer legally to IT.
Cage - Has to meet SCCA-specific rules
Engine - Essentially stock, balanced/blueprinted
Gearbox - Stock ratios, final drive and diff can be changed
Body - Stock sheetmetal, stock glass intact everywhere but the doors, no body kits
Wheels - 7" wide maximum
K
Cage - Has to meet SCCA-specific rules
Engine - Essentially stock, balanced/blueprinted
Gearbox - Stock ratios, final drive and diff can be changed
Body - Stock sheetmetal, stock glass intact everywhere but the doors, no body kits
Wheels - 7" wide maximum
K
Toplevel
New member
The old cage is out and i had a cage shipped in from kirkey racing. Engine is stock except is bored .040" over with oem style pistons. And it has arp hardware. Stock gearbox with peliquin lsd. all glass now (was lexan) and no body kit.
Im just working on getting the cage set in place. I may have to have new door bars made. I dont like how close they come to me while in the seat.
Im just working on getting the cage set in place. I may have to have new door bars made. I dont like how close they come to me while in the seat.
Sounds like, if you aren't too worried about competitiveness, you've committed enough $$ already, to make it a tough cut to change options. You're right that you'll be fighting an uphill battle against established S cars, particularly at tracks with long corners.
It'll be fun, though.
K
It'll be fun, though.
K
I was in an SCCA IT race earlier this year at Portland Int'l. A VW Corrado VR6 driven by August Macbeth, a guy on his Novice license, was VERY competitive. Long time hot shoe Ron Tanner, in a 280Z, set an ITS track record of 1:31.157, but August ran tough with a fast lap of 1:32.060.
If you're racing out East, I'd think that VR6 power, combined with GTI brakes, would be competitive at Watkins Glen. Thinking about it (it's been 20 years since I raced in the Northeast), Lime Rock isn't exactly a handling track -- more of a momentum track. I think the VR6 could do well.
While in its day the Corrado VR6 won SSA, the A3 VR6 GTI was never competitive in Showroom stock (unless it rained). I don't know how much IT mods will do to its competitiveness. With all the weight in the front, you are going to need to be creative to get some serious front (neg) camber or you'll eat front tires at an alarming rate. When the VR6 first came out, I got VW NA on the phone, when I saw 295 degree oil temp on a hot day at Gateway Int'l. VW's tech guy told me not to worry about it. So it can really take a beating (or heating).
Good luck -- it's always fun being an underdog -- plus the corner workers love it when you go past their station with your inside rear wheel a foot off the asphalt!
If you're racing out East, I'd think that VR6 power, combined with GTI brakes, would be competitive at Watkins Glen. Thinking about it (it's been 20 years since I raced in the Northeast), Lime Rock isn't exactly a handling track -- more of a momentum track. I think the VR6 could do well.
While in its day the Corrado VR6 won SSA, the A3 VR6 GTI was never competitive in Showroom stock (unless it rained). I don't know how much IT mods will do to its competitiveness. With all the weight in the front, you are going to need to be creative to get some serious front (neg) camber or you'll eat front tires at an alarming rate. When the VR6 first came out, I got VW NA on the phone, when I saw 295 degree oil temp on a hot day at Gateway Int'l. VW's tech guy told me not to worry about it. So it can really take a beating (or heating).
Good luck -- it's always fun being an underdog -- plus the corner workers love it when you go past their station with your inside rear wheel a foot off the asphalt!
Eric Parham
New member
I watched the Bildon Corrado at the Glen back in '06. Although it wasn't fully developed yet and was running on lesser rubber, it was actually very competitive. Unfortunately, I think it tangled and didn't finish that race. I believe it sold cheap less than a year ago -- I wished I had the money. Anyway, the GTI should be just as competitive on all but the fastest tracks (due to more frontal area than Corrado) now that the weights are the same. The big plus for the GTI is that sheetmetal and glass will be sooo much easier to find and cheaper! I collected some of the parts and had been thinking of doing one myself, if/when time and $ permitted -- but they didn't.
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karter74
New member
I think the Corrado at Portland might have been Bildon’s. I know it sold to somebody up there. I have not seen it at any of the races I have been to though.
I have been running a MK3 VR6 GTi for a bit. I love it. It is a blast to drive and I am having fun figuring it out. I do have to admit me and the car are not competitive. My goal is to get the car quicker than me. Which shouldn’t be hard…
I think the car can be competitive if you are willing to put the time and money into figuring it out. Get some cooling for the brakes and do everthing you can to stiffen the rear. That is a good start. Oh and buy good brake pads.
I have been running a MK3 VR6 GTi for a bit. I love it. It is a blast to drive and I am having fun figuring it out. I do have to admit me and the car are not competitive. My goal is to get the car quicker than me. Which shouldn’t be hard…
I think the car can be competitive if you are willing to put the time and money into figuring it out. Get some cooling for the brakes and do everthing you can to stiffen the rear. That is a good start. Oh and buy good brake pads.
KarsRgood
New member
I've been running a 1997 GTI VR6 in ITS at Waterford Hills, which is definitely a handling track, for about 4 years now. Honestly, I'm consistently about 2 full seconds off the ITS leader per lap. Unless it's raining, then I podium
. But progress has been made, when I first got the car I was 4 seconds slower
.
It's not so bad, I can usually keep pace with the 944 guys, but I rarely see the RX7s unless one spins. It has potential with more money and development, I'm hoping to chop another full second off the difference at least.
It's true the car isn't very competitive in ITS, but it is a crowd favorite. I get tons of compliments from other drivers, corner workers, and fans on how much they love the rarity of the car and the SOUND!
If you want driving experience, do it. If you want to win; buy something RWD.
. But progress has been made, when I first got the car I was 4 seconds slower.It's not so bad, I can usually keep pace with the 944 guys, but I rarely see the RX7s unless one spins. It has potential with more money and development, I'm hoping to chop another full second off the difference at least.
It's true the car isn't very competitive in ITS, but it is a crowd favorite. I get tons of compliments from other drivers, corner workers, and fans on how much they love the rarity of the car and the SOUND!
If you want driving experience, do it. If you want to win; buy something RWD.
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jungle
New member
As much as it pains me to say it.....it is not a competitive platform....I own one, it is my baby...I did many lapping days, and ran it in NASA Time Trials....I came to the point where I need to start de-modding it and cage it or race something else.
there is simply too much weight over the front wheels. if the motor was back 3" or if the block was aluminum it would be a killer! Take it to some track/lapping days (I highly reccomend going through the NASA HPDE/time trials program. See how you and the car stack up.
Far as I am concerned, if you don't already, you must get an oil cooler.
The car is stupid reliable....after prolly 5000 lapping/Time Trial miles, the only things that happened to it were a blown rear wheel bearing and two busted motor mounts.
I thought LONG and hard about buying the Buildon Corrado......if they would have been better about answering my questions, and if the car had a title I prolly would have.
there is simply too much weight over the front wheels. if the motor was back 3" or if the block was aluminum it would be a killer! Take it to some track/lapping days (I highly reccomend going through the NASA HPDE/time trials program. See how you and the car stack up.
Far as I am concerned, if you don't already, you must get an oil cooler.
The car is stupid reliable....after prolly 5000 lapping/Time Trial miles, the only things that happened to it were a blown rear wheel bearing and two busted motor mounts.
I thought LONG and hard about buying the Buildon Corrado......if they would have been better about answering my questions, and if the car had a title I prolly would have.