View Full Version : Does anyone know...
How to raise the front of a car on take off.
I know for a fact this can be done with a Beetle because I've seen it. I'm just wondering if there's a trick to it.
Basically, I want to stand the car on the back like a wheelie with the nose in the air for a moment.
VW Beetle if that helps.
Soulburner
06-01-2006, 04:01 PM
That's caused by a RWD car and a great amount of acceleration overcoming the weight of the front end of the car...
Lightweight front end
Drag setup suspension (extremely soft and crappy springs/shocks will allow it to "lift" and plant the rear)
It's not going to happen with your beetle...and if you did, when you come back down you will break something...
Of course you could just lift the front as high as you can when its stationary and do some camera tricks and edit out the jacks and what not...
I'll scan something, I've seen it done.
Basically just insane acceleration to get it right though.
[XC] leviathan18
06-01-2006, 04:26 PM
VW Bettle is RWD its possible but as Soul said you need hughe acceleration and hp to the rear wheel and you will need a very good suspension good luck with this....
amd4me
06-01-2006, 04:37 PM
I have seen it done on stock VW's.
And soulburner is right though.
When you come back down your front end gets jacked up.
Holst
06-01-2006, 05:08 PM
Cant be done with a "stock" beetle IMO.
Those ancient VW engines dont produce much power stock, even the 1800.
You can fairly easily fit a porche engine, which should be plenty powerfull enough. You can also mod beetle engines for allot more power if you want.
With the front of a beetle being so light its not hard to get it in the air. (In comparison to other RWD cars)
However it will handle awfull if you run it that light on the front.
Massive power on understeer.
I know allot of people who tune beetles and they try and shift as much weight to the front as possible, as the engine sits on the rear axle.
Holst
06-01-2006, 05:11 PM
I suppose you could hang some concrete blocks out the back of the car and remove the spare wheel and all the trims from the front to get the weight distribution as far back as possible.
Then you could wheele with a stock engine.
But the car would be slow, and practically undrivable.
Funny to try it.
Eclipsed
06-01-2006, 05:16 PM
You would need alot of hp, and some better suspension.
amd4me
06-01-2006, 06:11 PM
Cant be done with a "stock" beetle IMO.
Those ancient VW engines dont produce much power stock, even the 1800.
You can fairly easily fit a porche engine, which should be plenty powerfull enough. You can also mod beetle engines for allot more power if you want.
With the front of a beetle being so light its not hard to get it in the air. (In comparison to other RWD cars)
However it will handle awfull if you run it that light on the front.
Massive power on understeer.
I know allot of people who tune beetles and they try and shift as much weight to the front as possible, as the engine sits on the rear axle.
I dont care what your opinion is.
I have seen it done.
My sister can do it in her 1300cc beetle.
which is stock.
The last time she did it she collapsed the shock towers.
Rukee
06-01-2006, 09:34 PM
I`ve run many beatles, if you use an older tranny and a newer dual port 1600cc motor it is possable to get a wheelie, I`ve done it as well with a `64 convertable and a BAJA convertion unit too. You really need good tires the bigger the better and to rev the motor hard and dump the clutch and hang on. The front end will handle it fine, if it doesn`t then it`s rusted out or damaged already. I`ve also taken the bodies off, shortened the floor, made roll cages and they make fun toys.
This I have to try this.
My dad has a 1500cc and I'm likely to pick up a 1300cc Beetle at some point. If I can't do it on mine then I'll do it to my dad's due to the slightly bigger engine.
I haven't a hope in hell at getting insured on a Porsche engine at 17 though....I can only dream.
What are the odds of damaging the front end when i bring it back down? I don't plan to actually go very far with the front end up, just the take off really.
Rukee
06-02-2006, 06:06 AM
I`v run them off-road taking jumps and everything with no problems. Like I said, if it get`s damaged just popping a little wheelie, then it was rusted out or damaged to begin with, in which case you`d rather have it break at slow speeds in first gear then at 60mph hitting the railroad tracks!! ;)
Bigger is better with the motor, if you have an older VW they have lower geared rear ends, combined with the newer 1600cc motors and it makes a great combo. They also sell many high performance parts for the VW motors, big bore kits, dual carb kits, headers, etc. All will make a difference. Consider a BAJA kit too as you remove alot of metal from the car and replacing with fiberglass pieces saving alot of weight, which will help when trying to pull that wheelie. :)
There's a double carb in my garage...
So as long as it's in good condition it should take it without problems?
Rukee
06-02-2006, 07:00 AM
Depends on the intake manifold it uses and what style engine it works on (single or dual ports heads). If it has the manifold and it`s the same head style, it may very well work. :)
*edit*
Single and dual port motors are easy to ID. Looking at the intake manifold under the carb where it enters the head on each side, the dual port has a aluminum casting attached to the center section with clamp on rubber boots and you can see it splits the intake into two ports before it enters the head. The single port heads have a 1 piece intake and it`s a single tube where it enters the head. If you have single ports heads you can upgrade to the dual ports for increased power. You`ll need the heads, intake and cooling shrouds from the dual port. You can also bolt on the 1600cc pistions and jugs too.
I know it fits because a family friend that got us the part used it on one before. I'm curious about the pistons however, I'd like to have something more durable to give me a little more power...how difficult would that be?
(I'm new to messing with engines, just got into this when I started driving.)
Rukee
06-02-2006, 07:14 AM
How difficult?? That`s a relative term! For me it`s a piece of cake, but I have no idea of your mechanical ability. You can buy the engine rebuild kit with the new pistons and jugs, push rod tubes etc and you should be able to drop the motor, rebuild and reinstall in an afternoon.
Ok, with an engine rebuild kit, with some knowledge and a couple of people, a day to change pistons and such or is that too enthusiastic?
Holst
06-02-2006, 07:48 AM
Ok, with an engine rebuild kit, with some knowledge and a couple of people, a day to change pistons and such or is that too enthusiastic?
With no experience probablylonger to do a decent job.
It is very easy to get the engine out of a beetle andthey are dead simple to work on. Ideal if your not all that sure what your doing as they are easy to understand engines.
My mate with a beetle started off with a very old 1300.
Rather than loose his car he bought a 1600 and rebuilt it, then just swapped them over.
Im not sure about the US but in the UK a 1600 engine can be bought for almost nothing.
That way you can take as long as you want with the rebuild, and if you like it you can do the old engine as well once they are swapped :)
Yeah I know how to drop one and I know some of the engine. Would probably take me a few days but I've got the owner's manual for the engine and such and I know how to drop it.
Where in the UK do you recommend is a good place to find a 1600cc Engine to rebuild?
Holst
06-02-2006, 08:29 AM
We bought most of our bits at shows, you can buy an entire car in bits if you want :)
The only place im familiar with is a VW brakers in manchaster where you can buy practically anything you need.
But there are load of specialist VW places around as they are very popular.
Do you know of any good suppliers online?
I'm near London, Heathrow if you hear of anything decent near there let me know.
Holst
06-02-2006, 09:17 AM
I can ask my friend who is totaly VW obsessed.
I think there will be plenty of places around london to get bits.
Have you looked online?
Yeah but when I google something I never find much.
I'm hoping to modify the Beetle I'm getting because I don't want to :banana::banana::banana::banana: about with my dad's.
Getting one for free so that's not bad really. 1972 1300cc.
Rippthrough
06-02-2006, 04:02 PM
If your pulling the motor aparts, get the crank counterweighted and balanced, they're a bit fragile when you build the rpms otherwise.
By the way for those that aren't quite sure what I meant, this is the effect I want on initial acceleration. Don't want it up long.
http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/1319/robinson45mz.jpg
Rippthrough
06-03-2006, 04:15 AM
Yes, and just like everyone said, that you seem to be ignoring :stick: you need specifically setup suspension, sticky tyres, rwd, lots of power and, if you can, the front as light as possible. :slap:
cromwello
06-03-2006, 05:44 AM
also wen would you be wheeling ur car?im sure than pretty dodgy road safety wise on british roads.
Rukee
06-03-2006, 09:15 AM
You can only do it launching from a dead stop, it`s not something you can do while your driving down the road already.
cromwello
06-03-2006, 09:30 AM
am aware of that. however i am 19 and i often race boy racers of the lights.coppers sit in towns near traffic lites. wud look like an easy fine for a copper if he saw this car"dangerously unsafe".
Yes, and just like everyone said, that you seem to be ignoring :stick: you need specifically setup suspension, sticky tyres, rwd, lots of power and, if you can, the front as light as possible. :slap:
Well a couple of people mentioned that you need the very quick take off and it can be done a stock Beetle seeing as it's a strong little machine.
I want to know purely for novelty purposes :banana3:
Soulburner
06-03-2006, 11:45 AM
am aware of that. however i am 19 and i often race boy racers of the lights.coppers sit in towns near traffic lites. wud look like an easy fine for a copper if he saw this car"dangerously unsafe".
Negligent driving comes to mind...
speed bump
06-03-2006, 12:29 PM
To really make a car launch you want to have plenty of torque, a good rear suspension and pretty good rear tires.
You probably want to be carefull if you don't have a nice chassis setup and alot of torque though. I have seen Olds cutlasses with 455s and nitrous that after 2 season of drag racing the right front tire barely touches the ground.
dward3
06-03-2006, 02:53 PM
Shaz,
Here's a link from VW Trends. IMO, you should re-build the transmission, re-build the front-end [including steering], and buy some new shocks. Then you also need to upgrade your brakes and if you plan on making you're VW fast. You'll need to add a full roll-cage with good seats and seat belt harnesses. Be safe :)
http://www.vwtrendsweb.com/tech/
I'm damn well aware of those brakes....lol.
Thanks for the link man, much appreciated.