Just awesome. 16 valves, close ratio sequential shift.

VW Scirocco at SMP

Shannonville, May 23, 2008.
We went to our second test day at Shannonville, this time with the Thousand Islands Z Car club. After running all of the morning sessions, trying out different settings, the transmission linkage broke in the first run after lunch.

The new 5-speed close ratio will go in before the NY Region national at Mosport.

Volkswagen Scirocco - Design Interview (Part 1 of 2)

Joe Camilleri's test day

I thought that I'd catch up everyone who has offered encouragement, information or received parts for me on the status of my HP Scirocco project.

After four years of a bare shell up build, it's almost finished! On Friday night my son Theo and I loaded it up and on Saturday we headed to the Dunville, ON test track to run a practice day with the vintage club VARAC.

Getting started was not an easy task. After some usual first time probs with the trailer, like no working lights, we loaded up the car and the van. Earlier in the week, the trailer got new tires and wheels and the van got new brakes. On our first attempt to roll the car on to the trailer a ramp popped up and pierced the spoiler breaking off a brake duct. Sigh... the perfect new car just lost its cherry. A few rivets and some racer's tape later, we were ready to go.

We got to the track with no problems, unloaded without doing any more damage and went out for the first session. The plan was to do a few slow laps and come in to look for stuff; leaking, spraying, rubbing, falling off, smoking, burning, rattling around, etc. Nothing. Car was bone dry so we went back out.

The welded diff is a bear to drive at low speed. I was getting used to it and the track but screwed up a slow turn by going too slow (gas on to turn) and pushed off to the outside of the track and smashed up the spoiler in the same spot and dented the fender. Merde.

After taping it up we went back out four more times, each session getting faster. On the last session I flogged it and was the fastest car on track among a mixed bag of vintage racers (944s to MGAs). Steering with the throttle is fun once you get used to it, but it's very tricky at low speed. (I have a 5-speed with an LSD that needs a rebuild to go in later.)

I can't really say how fast it is, it certainly doesn't have the torque of my old GT5 Mini or that coming-on-the-cam-here-we-go feel, it's more of a momentum car. The O2 sensor seemed to be out of its range so maybe it's running too rich, I have to look into that. The track was too small and tight to compare to any that we race on. Handling was OK, turn-in and brakes were good. The temps and oil pressure were all fine, all we did was check tire pressures, wheel torque and put some gas in. I must say that I am really amazed at that. I decided to not mess with things and get maximum track time.

I have to do something with the gas pedal, it's too low and makes heel'n toe hard sometimes.

All in all, it was a good test. I got comfortable with the car and remembered how to pack the van and go racing after six years off. Besides bodywork, there's some work to do on the trailer. It needs all new wiring for the lights and brakes, I have to install a controller in the van and fix the trailer fenders and tie downs.

I haven't decided which race to go to first. Mosport in June makes some sense but it would be fun to go where there are some cars to run with. If a lot of cars are going to Nelson at the end of the month we may go there, if not there's a test day at Shannonville that same weekend. For sure we will be at the Glen in July as my crew chief Ned is flying in from Oregon to help out. He already has his room booked at the Lodge.

Thanks to everyone who helped me get this far, I hope to see you on track soon.

Joe

For anyone interested, the whole story is here: http://gallery.mac.com/joecam06#100008

New Scirocco goes to Nurburgring

Europe is waiting in great anticipation for the new Volkswagen Scirocco which will hit showrooms this autumn. Before that time comes Volkswagen wants to underline the following point, that the Scirocco is not just a revived icon but a revived icon that can hold its own in the Green Hell. After all, thats where most VW enthusiasts will take their new Scirocco every chance they get.
Yesterday VW took the Scirocco race version to the Nurburgring for the first time, after being tested at the Spreewaldring and Oschersleben track in April. Volkswagen factory driver Dieter Depping was the lucky person to lap the (in)famous track in Germany.
Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen said: "The new Scirocco was in its element from its very first lap around the Nordschleife. The car also ran perfectly on this unique and difficult track. Now it's a just a question of preparing the three Scirocco perfectly for the race. After all, the 24-hours is a merciless test for man and machine.”
The three race Sciroccos will enter the race, the first driven by Carlos Sainz, Giniel de Villiers and Dieter Depping, the second by Jimmy Johansson, Thomas Mutsch and Francois Verbist and the third by Nurburgring legend Hans-Joachim Stuck, Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg and Bernd Ostmann.
In preparation for the 24 Hours of Nurbirgring the three teams will have a chance to practice at the four-hour endurance race at the Nurburgring in VW Golf GTI R-Line's this saturday May 10.
Source: Volkswagen