I'll put my 2 cents in here just because I have had one (and still do, just doesn't run) since high school.
1. A/C is for sissys and it is a source of hp loss and added weight, but it will keep you comfortable in the staging lanes.
2. Again, power steering is for sissys, takes away hp and is more weight but when you only need 18lbs of air in the front tires, how heavy could the front be to actually need power steering?
3. Room for 4? I have had five people in mine, just make sure the back three weigh 100 lbs each! LOL
And why would you want 4 people in the car? It is just more weight for the big race at the stop light, or are they your witnesses?
4. Stoner appeal, sorry that was the bus not the buG. Back when I did mine it was the Cal Look appeal.
5. Reliability? hahaha, Ive seen more ricers on trailers than a bug any day. They were sold from the 40's until 1979 (in the states) and it was the largest selling car ever produced. I dont think unreliability would have done that for any manufacturer and this was just one model of car from VW.
Power brakes? Who needs 'em, more air being taken from your engine.
6. The car only weighs 1900lbs (mine is a '69, earlier ones weighed even less) so the power to weight ratio becomes incredible, what does your weigh, 2500-3000lbs? My engine put out around 140hp which is over three times a stock engine, and I didn't have to go get some exotic GSR engine to do it. Now if you could do that with your Honda, that would be something!
Some trivia: Did you know that VW is the only company to adopt a nickname?

Onto bigger and better things.
Are going to actually drag race often (strip or street) or did you just want see how fast your car is? Here is the dilema, if drag racing is something really want do then a FWD car is a big challenge in the area of traction and you may spend twice as much to go just as fast as a RWD car. I have seen many 10 second Hondas that would probably be 9 second cars if they were RWD. This is were they become VW bugs, you got this massive amount of power and now you start spitting out half shafts like tooth picks because your driveline was designed for about 100-130hp. I like to watch the import drags and the pros have the halfshafts lined up like hot dogs at the AM/PM just waiting for one to snap.
Yes, like the bug, they can be made to be fast, fun to drive, but very inconsistant. You want to do the same thing every run, that is what wins you rounds and races. Just bring a lot of spare parts or a trailer, something has to let go.
Of course the street kills are fun in a 4cyl, I have some good ones of those to share someday.

I think we're loosing perspective here. My main beef is the fact that Nick is considered rice because he has a Honda. I think 14's is pretty sweet for a stock motor, and with the turbo plans he has it should be a pretty fast car. Also, his civic should weigh in the area of 2000 lbs., since that's about what a 5th gen CX weighs. And he went from a 70 HP motor to a 180 HP motor, not bad.

-Ben

you wanna talk about a heavy ass car

i drive this

[External Image Removed]

its a 1990 mercury cougar LS w/ a 3.8 V6 that boosts a wopping 140hp and weighs............3775 lbs.
i have hopes for a 393 stroker swap someday but its just a hope

The problem here is that trying to talk to a VW BUG guy, is like trying to talk to a devout christian. There is no arguing(sp?). No matter WHO is right, the bug guy will never admit. VW BUG people are like a cult. So it is really pointless dragging this on. So we will just leave it at that.

As far ar FWD vs RWD? Everyone has thier thing. True RWD owns FWD. But what does it matter? It only matters what you want to build. For that matter, why even BOTHER with street cars. If you want to get down to it, build a top fuel dragster if all your worried about it the absolute fastest time possible.

Besides AWD owns ALL. =)

"I think" it weighs is much different than taking it to a scale a getting it weighed. Mathmatically 2000lbs and 180hp puts him well into the 13's. Could be all the tire spin off the line, trans geared for the original motor which probably has the ratio's of a transfer case. Or the car is actually much heavier.
Let me guess, was the 14.80 accomplished by a full interior gut and removing the right headlight to get more air? More time and effort wasted for a average time. Always run the car the same way as you have it on the street.

If you didn't read into the post so much you figure out that there isn't any argument that a bug is better than a Honda. My point was for the amount you have spent I can make my car much faster as yours should be faster for what you have spent. A car bouncing around 15's is nothing special compared to what is out there these days right from the factory, regardless of make. It may be good for your car but you will get your ass handed to you quite often.
How could we even begin to compare creature comforts? The Honda wins that hands down, not even a need to go there. Shit, you win that just with wipers alone! LOL. But if we are going to racing at the track or on the street somewhere in Fresno then my money is going to go further and my car will be faster. But the biggest argument I can win is that when we both get done with all our mods, I dont have to worry about any smogs, legal or illegal.

All right, if you really want to get down to the specifics his car weighed 2108 lbs. stock, (that's from edmunds.com). He has a full interior and the only lightening mod I know of is a carbon fiber hood.

The point is he's running a stock motor. He bought the car with it, and has yet to modify it.

-Ben

RICE!!!!!

I'm not neccessarily looking for specifics but weight does matter and the best way to get it is by going to a public scale at trucking place and have them weigh your car. Then if you take things out weigh them too to see how much better it may run. Gas alone is about 7-8lbs a gallon. So that is something to consider also. If he ran his car with the full interior then that is best way to do it if your looking to keep up with someone on the street. If you make it run a 14.20 at the track gutted and a empty tank it certainly wont be anywhere near that on the street. Looks like his biggest enemy was the heat and humidity, watch the weather and find a nice dry day with high barometric pressure and that will give you the best possible times.

well,

my bottom line in this thread is this, vw....

if you put $3000 into your car over time, you'll be running low 14's too. if you put $3000 into it at once you could be in the high 12's. nickle and dime build ups don't result in serious power...saving money and investing it at once does though!

jason

the nickel and dime technique worked for me. Im running consistant 13.50's and my personal best was a 13.33. i did all my mods one by one and over time.

yeah but you're modifying a roots blown 3800 v6. he's nickle and dime'ing a '67 vw bug. if he'd buy a block, crank, rods, pistons and heads he'd probably quadruple his power output. instead he's putting kadrons on it, which probably wouldn't support the higher compression and camshaft profile, etc. it's the law of diminishing returns or something like it. the more you build that'll work NOW, the less it'll work later.

like spending bucks on a cold air intake when your planned turbo kit can't even use it. capiche?

jason

Ok

Stock the car weighed 2080. That's with spare tire, jack, tire iron, and FULL interior. And that's what was in the car when I ran the times above. I like to race with everything I am gonna have at a stoplight.

As far as the transmission. It is out of a 2000 Acura Integra Type R. Meaning: Short gears, short throw, and LSD. Compare to stock:

Type R

Type 5-Speed Manual
Final Drive 4.40:1
1st Gear Ratio 3.23:1
2nd Gear Ratio 2.11:1
3rd Gear Ratio 1.46:1
4th Gear Ratio 1.11:1
5th Gear Ratio 0.85:1
W/ LSD

Stock:

1st-----3.250
2nd-----1.761
3rd-----1.066
4th-----0.853
5th-----0.702
Final Drive---3.250

Quite a difference.

And as far as a 2000 lb car w/ 180hp running 13. You are wrong. The 95 JDM GSR motor at the CRANK puts out 180hp. Accounting for powertrain loss, I am guessing i have got about 140 at the wheels right now (unless you count the 8mm plug wires that add like 50hp. =p). Not to mention the 175-60-13, 11 YEAR OLD tires that were on it at the time (and still are). You can assume there will ba a lot of wheel spin. Through all of 1st and 1/3rd through second to be exact. I mean, a 2.4 60 foot isn't what I would call great, or even good. Which leads to the FWD = WWD thing. But thats a-whole-nother topic.

And as far as the cost of mods. Ill give you an example. The guy who owned this car before me had a B18A1 Integra LS motor, with a P.O.S. greddy drag 3 turbo (See intercooler in sig). That setup on this car ran mid 12's. Thats with an LS motor which redlines at 6000, and a crap turbo. Now take this motor into account. More horsepower STOCK(180 vs 142), higher compression (10.6 to 1 vs 9 to 1)which means more power with less boost, Higher redline (8000 vs 6000), a much better flowing head, all attached to short gears and LSD. No how much really, do you think it is gonna take to make this car fast? Considering the previous setup that ran mid 12's was simply a stock LS motor w/ a turbo.

I mean, doesn't seem like a bad deal to me.

In reply to:

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Originally posted by LS4_454


1. A/C is for sissys and it is a source of hp loss and added weight, but it will keep you comfortable in the staging lanes.

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Originally posted by LS4_454

2. Again, power steering is for sissys, takes away hp and is more weight but when you only need 18lbs of air in the front tires, how heavy could the front be to actually need power steering?

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Originally posted by LS4_454


3. Room for 4? I have had five people in mine, just make sure the back three weigh 100 lbs each! LOL
And why would you want 4 people in the car? It is just more weight for the big race at the stop light, or are they your witnesses?

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In reply to:

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Originally posted by LS4_454


5. Reliability? hahaha, Ive seen more ricers on trailers than a bug any day.

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Originally posted by LS4_454


Power brakes? Who needs 'em, more air being taken from your engine.

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In reply to:

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Originally posted by LS4_454


6. The car only weighs 1900lbs (mine is a '69, earlier ones weighed even less) so the power to weight ratio becomes incredible, what does your weigh, 2500-3000lbs?

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