Salt Flats 130 MPH Club: Planning on racing?

M

mickey

Guest
It'll cost about $125 for each entrant. Check out www.saltflats.com for more information on the 130 MPH Club. You'll also need the proper full-face helmet and a battery tie-down. (Whatever that means. They're already tied down, aren't they?) Anyway, the details are on their web site.

No need to send money yet. Let's wait a while. I got a reply from them and it's a GO! But they want us to RSVP well ahead of time. I'd like to get a rough count of how many RACE CARS we'll have, and how many SPECTATOR CARS we'll have. Just a rough idea for now. Post here!

-mickey

p.s. There is a small entry fee for spectators. I'll find out the details.

p.p.s. The Salt Flats are a very delicate environment. They might have to limit the number of vehicles on the salt...both racers and spectators. I'm going to consider this thread a "first come, first served" list just in case the numbers need to be limited. I assume that there will be some members who aren't interested in a trip to the Salt Flats, so alternative entertainment plans will be made. (Or it might just be a "hang around in Park City" day.) Anyhow: Post here ASAP if you want to participate, and let me know if you're RACING or SPECTATING!
 

Dezl Don

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 21, 1999
Location
Cleveland, OH
I'll race if I make it to the event. It'll be good to see what a totally box stock 99 A4 Jetta TDI will do.

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Dezl Don
 

SoTxBill

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 14, 2000
Location
its not the base, its the additives!!
TDI
13 passatdsg 10 jetdsg, 09 jetdsg, 2006 jetdsg, 2001Jet, 96passat, 86jet, 81 jet, 78pickup all vw diesel.
tenatively my better half and i will be watchers,,, and if I can work up some courage,, maybe this ole timer will also run...,,
gonna be a great sight...
will you have a contest to see whos fastest, whos' got the best looking, whos got the most mods..uglest car, etc...
we can award a bag of m&m's to the winners..
 
M

mickey

Guest
If you want to be the King of the Salt, remember: Skinny tires are better! Fat won't help you any.

Jettas and Golfs should have the advantage.

-mickey
 
M

mickey

Guest
The Meteor is long gone. The heir of the guy who built it took it back. The state neglected it, and kids were vandalising it. It's undergoing a restoration.

-mickey

p.s. I've gone 125+ in the Evil Beetle and it felt stable. Totally different car from the original Bug. I'll add an temporary air dam of some kind to reduce lift, but other than that I'm not worried about it. Besides, I have plenty of life insurance.
 

Jackmc

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2000
Location
Waxhaw NC
TDI
2012 Sportwagen
I'd be careful trying to go over a hundred in a NB. Anyone thinking of doing so might be interested in some wind tunnel experiments done in the '70s on the old syle bugs to see how much lift is generated at various speeds on drag racers.

I know that the NB is not exactly like the old one but it is still curved on top and flat on the bottom like an airplane wing.

At 100 mph a stock beetle weighed around 400 lbs going straight and if you got a little sideways then forget it. Sideways at 100 it was off the ground producing more lift than the car weighed.

Still I would love to see how fast some of our Golf and Jetta brothers can go and it would also be fun to take a sight seeing trip to the capitol building to see the museum downstairs with the old salt flat car there. I believe it was called the "Mormon meteor"



[This message has been edited by Jackmc (edited January 08, 2001).]
 

Jackmc

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2000
Location
Waxhaw NC
TDI
2012 Sportwagen
OK Mickey, just keep it straight!

Too bad about the meteor, that was a cool race car.

BTW, I think the pics of the new VW van were taken at El Mirage dry lake bed here in California and that is another place where people try to do some top speed runs.
 

VeeDubTDI

Wanderluster, Traveler, TDIClub Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 2, 2000
Location
Springfield, VA
TDI
‘18 Tesla Model 3D+, ‘14 Cadillac ELR, ‘13 Fiat 500e
Ah... what the hell? If I can make it to the Fest, count me in for racing.
I'll have the clutch, the IC mister, and the PiperCross cone done by then.


EDIT:

I take that back. Everyone who participates must have a fire extinguisher MOUNTED (that means drilling holes) in the vehicle... and some other stuff.
I also need to get notarized consent from my parents. I don't think they'd want me doing that... but it's worth a shot.

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Über-Beetle: UPsoluted 2000 Yellow New Beetle 1.9 TDI 5-speed
1987 Diamond Blue Mercedes-Benz 190D 2.5 Turbo (sold, but considering re-purchase)
------------------
I'm not cheap, I'm just STOOPID!

[This message has been edited by VeeDubTDI (edited January 10, 2001).]
 

Sooty

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 29, 1999
Location
Midlands, UK
I’ve just read the club rules, and noticed that ‘Rental cars will not be allowed’, so I suppose that means Sarah and myself will just have to watch you lot having fun
 
M

mickey

Guest
I think the mounted fire extinguisher would be required for the 150mph club, right? I'll have to look at the rules again. At any rate, it shouldn't be too tough to come up with something to make the judges happy that could easily be switched from car to car without a lot of drilling and mayhem. Ditto for the helmet: Just need a few and we can share them around. I'm not sure what they mean by a "battery tie-down"...probably something pretty simple, but the batteries are already bolted down to the pan.

-mickey

p.s. NO RENATAL CARS? Damn. Count me out. (You didn't really think I'd blow up the Evil Beetle again just for your entertainment, did you?
)
 

Lug_Nut

TDIClub Enthusiast, Pre-Forum Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 20, 1998
Location
Sterling, Massachusetts. USA
TDI
idi: 1988 Bolens DGT1700H, the other oil burner: 1967 Saab Sonett II two stroke
I'm not so sure about this now. The 130 club requires that the car begin from a standing start through a one mile acceleration zone to a 132 foot timed trap zone. The 130 mph is the easier part, the acceleration to that speed within only one mile is going to be mighty difficult.
 

Dezl Don

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 21, 1999
Location
Cleveland, OH
I'll be happy to have on my resume that I drove on the Bonneville Salt Flats. I'll be thrilled if my speed hits triple digits.

------------------
Dezl Don
 

d9

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2000
Location
NC USA
TDI
01 Jetta
Sounds Too Cool.

I hope I can come.

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'01 Jetta TD<font color ="red">I</font>, Silver Arrow, GLS, Black Leather, 5 speed, descreened, Upsoluted, Epsilonian Confederation member.


[This message has been edited by d9 (edited January 15, 2001).]
 
M

mickey

Guest
I'll put it this way: The odds of ANY TDI on the planet hitting 130mph in 1 mile after a standing start are as close to zero as you can get! It is absolutely impossible. But it'll be fun to try!


-mickey
 
S

SkyPup

Guest
I can only make 95 at sea level, even my motorcycles top out at 115
I'd need a two mile start to do it.
 

Dezl Don

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 21, 1999
Location
Cleveland, OH
Based on SkyPup's report, I may have the "honor" of being the slowest car to ever run in the 130 Club attempt.

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Dezl Don
 

BIGJOHNO

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May 2, 1999
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Frozen Tundra
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2010 Golf (Black) mine; 2011 Golf (UGM) hers
Are you all saying even BGs setup (assuming he added propane again) wouldn't make it (and I'm talking about his TDI
).

John
 

Sooty

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 29, 1999
Location
Midlands, UK
This has got to be tested.

I’ve just called a friend who is a local roads surveyor, he thinks he knows of a suitable piece of road to test this out on. We’re going to do a little survey this weekend in order to check suitable distance markers and to confirm it is a flat road (it looks flat, but we are going to check to make sure that it really is). Mike should be able to borrow one of the laser speed detectors they use to calibrate local speed cameras to record the closing speed.

Once we confirm the road is suitable and that we will have no police spectators. We’ll do some runs, he’s got a scubby WRX that he want’s to play with.

I’ll let you know how it goes
 

MacGyver

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 13, 2000
Location
SW Ont, Canada
TDI
1997 Jetta, black
Hmm...I read this thread earlier today so I just tried this on the way home...
Not real accurate, but using the odometer, I can get about 100mph in about a mile & my J3 is as stock as it gets. I wasn't holding the accelerator down and slamming the clutch either.
The heavily modded guys have got to be able to get close even with the altitude, no???
 
M

mickey

Guest
Never happen, mods or no mods. Read their web site. It takes some SERIOUS iron to hit 130 from a standing start. (Especially considering that SALT isn't the best surface for a rapid getaway.) The idea is to have fun, but actually reaching 130 is impossible.

Getting to 100 is relatively easy, but remember that above 100 mph aerydynamic resistance increases rapidly. It's not directly proportional to speed. Also remember that 130 would absolutely max out the gearing of a stock TDI. A really tall 5th or a 6-speed conversion would get you over the top EVENTUALLY, but not in one mile! That top gear would be very tall, and even then the engine would be way past the torque peak.

We'll be competing against each other. "130 MPH Club" is just the name of the event itself. Still...I think we'll open a few eyes.

-mickey
 

MacGyver

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 13, 2000
Location
SW Ont, Canada
TDI
1997 Jetta, black
Ahh...Yeah, I see your points.
Ok, well, I won't be there, but looking forward to seeing some videos


I hope to be chipped come Saturday, I am going to recheck top speed & measure distance it takes. Uhh, soon as I check the rating on my snows...
 
M

mickey

Guest
About 100 miles west, right by the Nevada border. I recognize that not everyone will want to make the drive, so other "tourist" type activities will be suggested. I don't envision the GTG as something where people are herded from one event to another. For one thing, there are too many fun things we could be doing than we could fit in a mere 4 days. I envision various TDI activities and other things being offered as alternatives from which Fest attendees can choose.

-mickey
 

VW Derf

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Richmond, BC, Canada
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2010 Blue Graphite Pearl Golf Variant
Just thinking of those of us who will be spending most nights in Park City, but wanting to go to this. 2 hours traveling time each way. If we make a convoy this can be fun.
Hopefully the main events can be hit by those who want to see every TDI event without too much trouble.
 

MountainMan

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2000
Location
Bountiful, Utah USA
VW Derf a good part of that 100 miles is 75 MPH zone, cruising at 80-85 will be no problem. An hour and a half shoud be easy.

Scott

[This message has been edited by MountainMan (edited January 19, 2001).]
 
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