Honestly, the water cooled engine is a GREAT idea, but the more complicated you make your car the harder it will be to repair. Both the VW motor and Subaru have a huge aftermarket, but what's cheaper that Vdub parts? The best part about the motor you have is the simplicity, it will run on pretty much anything, clearances, tolerances, overall effictiveness it doesn't really care.... it'll keep going. Or at least that's my view on the VW motors. What happens if your wastegate malfunctions without you realizing, and boost up to 25psi, seizing the subaru motor? Don't know what to do from there, but if it was the VW, I'd get some marvel mystery oil, unseize it (not hard to do in a vw motor LOL) and I bet it would still run.

Just my 0.02cents

Water vs Air

With the an air cooled motor  I can rebuild it on the road side, or even run on 2 cyclinders. With the WRX not a chance. This is going to be a big choice. I will post a few pictures of the re-power project as I get closer to a clue of which way I might go.

Your right about the air cooled motor does have many pro's to it. I don't know much about the WRX motor and thats a little scary. All that water makes me ill just thinking about it.

I think I'm  doing this because some of the HEMI monsters that rolled into view for a shot at this seasons race. A few more horses in the "theWart" can't hurt if they are reliable and safe.

Aaron

Well, Aaron, I can't say for certain we'll be here for Season 3 or whatever. THis was just a perfect storm of timing, opportunity, and let's face it, car appeal. The final casting choices loaded the show heavily with hand-built, hi-HP heavily modified cars - because modern, reliable cars with few miles and few mods makes for dull Reality/Rally TV. Our car was a real threat of winning simply because it's not modified! (Dodge built a great little factory package that looks and runs great, so it doesn't need a lot to be fun) Not to mention it was comfortable and got really good gas mileage. We were in the Top 40, that's honor enough.

Without bitterness, I can say it will be remarkable if we can do this again. Amanda is VERY critical to her employers and can rarely find this kind of time off, if it hadn't been in Dec it wouldn't have happened anyway. I'm in the middle of a real estate slump, but when it picks back up I'll be busy again, though that's easier to reschedule than her work. A couple of years salary is not enough incentive to risk the health of your job, and her boss might not look so kindly on another attempt at this.

The biggest problem we are facing is the emotional impact of being rejected, for whatever reason. It was really hard on both of us, because we are so ordinary (whitebread) things like this don't happen to us, and we got pretty involved. We really thought we had a shot. But it broadened our horizons a little more, and we're both going to try some things we've always wanted to do, both together and singly. Just because life is short.

I do think the process should have been better prepared, and better executed than it was. I believe the shipping times from the East Coast played a large part. A majority of the teams are gonna be Mid to West Coast, and that's gonna hurt ratings. Don't y'all know that if you get the NASCAR fanbase, you get the big ratings? LOL

REB

I really believed you guys had a shot.... If fact I felt that so much your the reason I am doing this Re-power. I know I can build a better motor and will have to if I am going to challenge a modern car like yours. I going to need a little more

I can't say just how much I wanted you two to get this trip. At least you made the Fantastic-40. There was close to 4000 fans that didn't get that far. You should be proud of the place you made. I don't think for one instant that your hard work isn't going to matter. Your car has even become more of a beast... And you are going to get to enjoy it every day!

Kevin heres one for you and your wife. You guys are winners in my book.

Team VW -Aaron

Aaron, how heavy is the bug? You have to remember the Hemi "monsters" probably weigh in around 4000 lbs, so if your bug is arouns 2000 lbs, you only need 1/2 the HP to hang with them.

It's the isn't the HP as much as the torque. So the bigger displacement is needed to achive that goal.

yes !!!! aron's blog is back !

THanks! It's good to have another goal.... I pulled the motor today! I will post a few pictures on the forum soon...

Team VW

throw a pontiac 400 in that bug

 As promised some PROOF of what I am doing for SEASON 3! I have as I have already stated due to some of the cars picked for the Bullrun this year. I felt that I needed to add a little more to my package and waiting one month before casting of Bullrun 3 wasn't going to cut it. I better have my car ready and bugs (don't laugh) worked through. No last minute issue's to keep me from running the race.

Not that what I had wouldn't have been enough to wipe up some of those v8's oil leaking at the sight of my beast rolling up. 

I have two pictures for you the first was taken on Monday November the 17th. The VW bug  is Sporting a 2-litter fuel injected Turbo charged 184-hp Boxer that was able to do low 11's in the quarter mile.

The second picture is the hole were that motor is missing removed on Monday  November the 24th (the day I got the bad news). I am going to rebuild and improve on the design of what was already a very incredible build. I am hoping to increase the torque and maintain the life of the motor in the process.

Here is the specs of the motor I plan on using in Bullrun 3

 2.2 litter 911 Boxer 94 bore x 76 stroke with 235@ 25" CFM 70cc heads This will produce 224hp @ 6500RPM's natural. I plan on reinstalling the turbo system that should give me over 330hp and 240 ft of torque. With this set up it will be like having a 429 Boss under my hood. With less than half the weight of a Boss you know its going to rip up some peoples ego's.

Technically, yes you can make more than that number naturally aspirated. The power you have for a VW is great right now, 300hp with "reliability" on a vw doesn't go hand in hand. Yea others claim to do it, and are "street cars", but to go 4000 miles is another thing. With power like that you'll be eating up Trannies, CV axels, clutchs, and more.... that's just my opinion, I've had my share of Vdub troubles

That is were the bugs have to get worked through. Your SO right about all those other issues.

I think that my Transaxle should be able to handle the stresses. Only using the turbo's added horse on parts of the show that might need that type of power and saving the other parts for finishing the rally.  That's my thinking about under tuning the Natural power keeping it in the low 200hp range.

Sound about right?

It's gonna take alot of work, to have any VW motor make 200hp naturally aspirated, !@#$ my 2180 only made 120hp. Low 200 hp's with the turbo is gonna fly.... and I wouldn't crank up the boost on the show, pump gas + air cooled motor+boost= bye bye engine. I know this cause I blew up my home built turbo bike here 2 days ago when I added a new turbo capable of 25psi.... damn pump gas lol

What size turbo are you running, Aaron?

Hey Aaron:

We used to put Subaru 2.2L engines and trans in VW's. OutBack in Cali makes the wiring harness. Yes it would be liquid cooled but it will rip!

Never thought about that pump gas issue. I remeber team olds and Mr.Angry having to drink booster fluids for their motors. Not a good idea on a bug... Adds to much heat. Bugs needs the real race 'LEADED" fuel at 200+ levels.  Pump fuel is just going to kill it faster due to heat and detination. I'm going to need a pump gas motor!

I might think about changing up this build a little. I don't plan on building the new motor for a couple of months. Just because of ideas like you guys have brought up. And getting the parts list together.  

the turbo is a T3-AR48 so it is able to pump out much more boost than a bug can safely swallow. I have boosted into the 21-lb once, motor did fine... At that level my HP number is 184.

Porsche motor. I've heard of guys shoehorning them into your style bugs. NA power on pump gas.

Well, assuming your turbo set up is 100% efficient, every 14.7psi boost your motor to "double" it's natural horsepower. What motor do you have now? A 1914cc? If that's how much boost you had to run for 180's horsepower, it's going to be even more challenging to get even more power out of it....

Thats why I need to up the displacement... so the new 2.2 litter is the key to adding the additional power. The heads are going to have the LS-1 valves installed. I can't do the headwork myself so CB is going to build them for my application. the new valves are going to be 46x38 (94 bore) also adding a 1 to 1 1/4 roller rockers should allow for better breathing of the motor. Should be able to free up the little ponys with out taxing the bottom end to much... I'm thinking that should put me into that low 200hp natural area. Plus be able to run the turbo at about 15lbs for daily driving. My fuel injection system is 36 lb injectors and should be able to take the added load as well. 

2440 Kit sounds like right up your alley You're stock heads right?

If I ran a kit like that I think I would use single port heads... For that classic look...

I have a spare VG30DE I can part with for cheap money. :) A bug with a 300ZX engine would ROCK.  the NA engine is 190 RWHP stock lol. With a few upgrades and you are in thr 210 area.

 You'd have to be creative to make it work though. Maybe drop it in the back seat area lol

i cant beleive that thing ran 11 sec in the quarter mile.  thats awsome for that car

That would be a fun car on the strip I'm sure.

People think these cars are just peace rally people movers. That isn't the case anymore. There is so much tech for these cars. If you under estimate them your going to get a slapping. Now here is a video of  a 8 sec car. True these are full on draggies  which mine isn't . I have to be honest I was using a different transaxle for the drag race when I punched that 11 sec ticket. Still it was my motor and car striped of everything.

And of course MISTER HAPPY does have some great racing history. You might have seen one of his cousins.

If a VW can do this little 1000 mile trip then we can win a Bullrun Rally event.... NO JOKE

lol  those are some nasty bugs.

I know someone locally who put a chevy 350 w/ twin turbo in a Porsche 930, and heard of several others who put N/A chevy 350's in other Porsches as well.   Would that be something you'd consider if the VW's arent too off of the P-car setup's?     I don't know enough about those cars though to know if thats realistic or not.

I would lose the abilty to repair MISTER HAPPY anywhere.

Besides eating a v8 with a (little) bug motor is what is fun about tricking out a VW. No respect, untill i rip it out  of them!========

Sorry to dissappoint you Aaron, but quite a lot of gearheads are familiar with how well a VW can be built. I'm in the category of "There's no replacement for displacement" but I still know better than to underestimate a bug. I'm sure if you ask PW, he'd say the same thing. All of us old time gearheads have a healthy respect for bugs.

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Bullrun Season II - IT’s ON! Team VW’s Blog Category: Automotive   It has begun! THE BULLRUN is on the road after it's long a cold delay in TV  hell. What would it have been like to have been there? What did those lucky enough to make the start today feel, as they fired up those motors on a 4000 mile Bullrun adventure?  Imagine 12 cars all lined up at an off camera starting point. Then one by one getting a signal to start the car. An assistant director walks up to each of them and tells them to round a corner to line up in the street just ahead. Did their hearts quicken and their knuckles whiten as they gripped the steerning wheels for their first time on camera. Did they say a little prayer? Hoping they didn't stall the car as they sped off to start the race? Then after lining up having 11 teams cockwalk your car and your team. Each team looking for a weakness in your build. Snickering at this item or that issue. Did they see something that you missed. Did they follow the other teams around the car defending its tires or the intake choice. I can just imagin the stress on the teams all looking forward to the time when Bill and the flag girls let them begin the race. Bullrun Season II Commercial Starting in Febuary 2009 we are going to learn who has the right stuff to take the second running of the BULL'S all the way. I can't wait to see the blow-ups the breakdowns and the victory laps! And oh ya the OFFICAL LINE UP! Fans get those TIVO's ready and hope for the best yet. We want this to be the highest rated Speed show ever! This has to be the second best Bullrun ever right behind the one Team VW & MISTER HAPPY wins.  We all know that the only hints on this years Bullrun are going to be in the ads shown on Speed channel. It's going to a black out on info as it should be. So don't pitch a fit about not having any offical updates.... Oh ya, I just installed SpeedHD on my boob tube (a 50-inch plasma)! We wanted to see the parts falling off the cars, the tears and the tempers ect, ect, ect... Ok I'm back on point and done talking about how I'm bigger than you and my cars could wipe you up. O.K. O.K.! 20 days of filming and it's in the can. So lets race people. I want to see you run like the devils lifting up your skirt. Give it to us good and make it louder than hell! LETS GET IT ON! TEAM VW & MISTER HAPPY I would also like to add that the new site is incredible and is built for the fans of Bullrun. Shaun you have done a great job of adding the bells and whistles that any fan would die to have in their web site. This is the Bullrun of web sites if thats possible. You have done a great job and as new fans start to come aboard it is going to get a little crazy in here. So Thanks for the Site! Hope you get a trip on the BULLRUN express train! You deserve it!

i cant wait to watch this !

Some people don't read my blogs. Why are they still waiting for a dear "JOHN". The casting of the Starting 12 was on the November 27th/28th you were then told on the 29th and filming started on the 30th.

Nuki is right I bet there are 11 teams now. Lets hope that Solitud and Dart are still shaking the tree.

Time to get ready for season 3

 I read your blog, just believe in miracles LOL

Now prepping for season 3!

TEAM BULLITT

I read your blogs as well Aaron and yep time to start planning my upgrade list even more as it seems im still hurting on the power department ...season 3 here i come ......hopefully .....maybe....

Team Bullitt? Are you trying to take KC's job? Gettin the locals up in arms! You should be ashamed of yourself.

lol

I would think that they are losing one team every 2.22 days. At that rate they would have 3 teams running for the finish after 20 days of filming? So it would be possible that they would have 10 teams as of right now. But Andy did say that the format was changed to add a little some some to the mix...

 So who really knows what is going on and I don't think Andy is going to phone in and tell us. But I bet someone has pitched a fit already and if they haven't then they are racing.....

well i just hope which ever team that has 2 hot chicks doesnt get eliminated first episode !

WHY IN THE HELL DO YOU PEOPLE STILL THINK I"M IN THIS SEASON!

Stop sending me email asking me about this season.

 I AM OUT! I DIDN'T MAKE IT! BUG IS AT HOME!

I am just like you guys looking for a season III casting call...... I not kidding....

You might be right.... But I don't think people would think I'm in this season because of my Blog topics? I just comment on things that I think would spike thought on the up coming season.. Myspace page is off the f'in hook! Like I know what the shizzel is really going on! I'm just a fan waiting to run a cool rally in a sweet  VW car.

I think that several cars might have a chance at beating me. But not to many thats on the record.. Maybe two cars- at the most. But I don't really get the idea that I am posting to hide the fact I'm on the show! WRONG!!!!!

Mister Happy and TEAM VW DID NOT MAKE THIS SEASON! THAT IS THE TRUTH I SWEAR IT.

Wait, your not in Aaron...  

LOL, just kidding.  :)

Now GTO are you just tugging at my Goat?

at least it made ya smile right heh.

Repost of Aaron's Myspace Weekly Blog

Bullrun II: How did ad’s play a part in the choice of Teams?
Category: Automotive

In the Bullrun forums this week some people have brought up some great questions on some team's cars and how they were picked for the current season.

Now, I would like to say that I have not a clue how they really made their choices. But I think that we can all agree on some of the criteria used for the final choices.

Drama, drama and more drama is one key to a great reality show. They picked cars that viewers would have had some emotional reaction to. (Good and Bad). Also the team's that would be driving the cars needed to fit the cars personality as well. Those two points most likely tossed more teams out of this years consideration more than anything else.  You know the producers are not going to pick a '95 Ford Taurus that would be drivin by a pair of blue haired grannies. No Drama, No Picky, Period.  

Let us take last seasons Mr. Angry's Team they had a car that was high end muscle and the team was playing at the same level as the car. This team thought that their S'it didn't stink and played the rally as if they had already had it in the bag. A lot of fans didn't like them but many did. That is what the Bullrun producers wanted when they picked Mr.Angry and Team Charger. It added vaule to Bullrun and to those companies who wanted people to stay put and see the products they were selling. Almost every team had some of that "Drama" last season. Except for Classic Mustang in my oppion. Those guys thought the Bullrun was a sunday carshow's poker run. Don't get me wrong I bet they were great guys and all. It was just that they weren't going to do anything that might have hurt the car. They really didn't add drama or value to the show. Even Alsop told them that they could have limped the car into the pitstop!  Hell! team hot pants had so much extra spunk that even Goldberg was shocked at their attitudes. I believe that those type of teams were the ones they wanted to recreate in this seasons line-up. Leaving the blue haired Mustangs, (errrr) trailer queens at home. I think they might have done just that with this seasons line up. 

From the rumors I'm hearing, I'm sure they did. For the most part - one car is missing from that list. I bet you can guess which one it is and it isn't yours!

The most important thing about putting on a show like Bullrun is the MONEY! They need to get companies to pony up the cost of filming. No one does anything for free in TV land. This means understanding what companies wants to sell to the people who are going to watch the show. They are going to pick cars that would get viewers to buy products those companies are going to sell. So if you don't have cars that use the magna flow cold air intake or GE's ultra white head lights they aren't going to lay the ad money down to support the show and its going to fail. I believe that they looked at cars that fit in that mold first. Then filled the spots with cars that had "DRAMA" secondly. If your  team fit both Money maker and Drama queen then you just might have had a chance of getting on the show this season. Other wise no gimick or bad ass car was going to get you even close to the starting line. 

This years line up was put together to get the best return on the money. Those companies that pay for us to enjoy the Bullrun trip want us to see the goods they are selling. I think that is just as it should be.. If we have a great season II. Then I can almost see the starting line for season III.

I'm just guessing... Team VW & MISTER HAPPY

Repost of Aaron's Myspace Blog

Bullrun III: Performance Modification vs Reliablity where is that line drawn?

What a great question. It is one of many issues facing us as we ready our cars for a third casting of  Bullrun. In fact it could be one of the most important issues facing prospective teams going forward.

I believe the first thing you should understand is that Bullrun is a legs race not a drag race or a closed course race, but it is a special type of rally race. That is going to put a huge demand on every part of your car. If you get the mix wrong your going home early.

You know that a 800hp Hemi is not going to make it to the finish line. Neither is a stock GEO metro going to win a single challenge (let alone make it past casting). It would take an act of God for either one of  these cars to make it into the second half of filming. To be quite honest. One car is way over built and the other is well a GEO. Your going to have to find a middle ground in order to even think about winning. For the modern teams it isn't to hard to mod your car safely and enjoy the ride. A chip here and a cold air intake there and whamo! your car is ready... Factory for the most part, but ready.

For the Classic teams the balance issue has much more meaning to us. Classic means you can't brake or turn, it just goes in a straight line and most of the parts are worn out from the passage of time. It goes without saying that most of the repairs should have been done even before you enter into this mad cap rally. But now you have decided to get a car ready to run this rally. You better know what your trying to do.

Nissan 240SX - Build up spec's

Lets review last seasons Nissan 240SX... This car is a perfect example of over building just for the sake of 'I can, so I will'. This car never should have been cast for this type of show. At best it was a drag car that was never going to make it the 4000 miles. One import magazine even called the car a 'Frankenstien'.  This car was pushed so far beyond what was 'safe' power. They never thought about something going wrong and how it was going to be repaired. They had the time in the pit to get something done, but because it was so custom. It needed parts that were not avalible at a local parts house. Adding parts just for the sake of it. Is not going to achive the balance a car needs to run in this rally.

I had heared that some of the teams that were very deep into the casting were spending huge amounts of money on bolt on parts. That is just not right. Adding goodies that they have not used before is just stupid. They don't know how the car will react to the 'improvements' being added. I am using the word improvements very loosely. Some parts might even hurt the car. They don't understand exactly what its going to do under real world conditions. In any type of racing that is a very bad thing.

 Anyone that races regularly tests all performance parts several times before putting it on a track for a race. You understand your car as it was before you entered the rally. The limits of the car are well defined to you. Why would you add a Frankinstien part that could destory your chance at winning the rally.  I don't get it. You changed the limits of your car and you don't know just how it going to affect your team during the race. Is Stupid!

I would look at adding improvements to your car like having plastic surgery. You could come out looking like M. Jackson if you don't have a clear cut image of what your doing. I believe you know what is good for your car and your pocket book. So find a level that will give you the best chance. That might be just adding some new tires and changing fluids. Run with what you know. Do not build a Nissan SX. It sounded good on paper but lets you down in the real world. 

 Please remember that you may never make a Bullrun show. So, the car you are building needs to be something that you enjoy everyday. If you do decide to build a car that can run this type of race. You need to be smart about the build. Really think about what your strengths are and what you are going to be demanding from your car.  Start now and take small steps. The end product will be better and it is something your going to be proud to drive every day. When Bullrun III casting starts you are going to be ready and not running around like a chicken little. You will have done it right and you will know it is a Bull-ready car.

Someone wiser than I once said. " A good car and a great driver will always beat the great car and a good driver."

Thats just my two cents... Aaron

Team VW & MISTER HAPPY!

Dude, my '68 beat a prepped XR4Ti on a road course.

It's ALWAYS the builder -not the car.

For that matter, I seem to recall Mr. Angry's Charger outhandling quite a few modern cars.

Edit from longer post re: chassis tuning old Iron: Whups! I'm not giving away secrets for free!

Aaron's Myspace Blog - Reposted

BULLRUN SEASON II: Finish Line Draws Near! 7 Days!
Category: Automotive

 Update: It seems we don't know what is going down? Maybe they have started or haven't. Seems that the time table might not be what we think it is and if so all the rumors might just be that "Rumor".  This weeks blog was based on the idea they started the rally on Nov 30th and that teams needed to be avalible from Nov-26th to Dec 20th. So I believe that they are going to rap on the Dec 20th. And during that time they need to eliminate 1 team every 2.2days. That would leave 4 teams as of today. If they are using the same format as the first rally.. That is my guess and is just a guess. I must need to have a disclaimer on my blogs

I am just writing down my thoughts on the subject of Bullrun using the information I have. Nothing more.... I can't believe people think I would post anything that might or could destroy any chance of running a Bullrun with my team...

Can you believe 19 days ago Bullrun invited 20 Teams to a hotel in L.A. to find 12 teams they would allow to begin this season of Bullrun. Some of those teams we know and some are still a guarded secret. It is a small bit of candy for those of us that follow the rally closely. It is something like an itch you can't scratch or a girl friend that keeps telling you "No!".  I know it's just a mater of time before I get the job done. That is what waiting for the Bullrun's return has been like for me. Maybe for many of you too. 

It's been along time coming for BULLRUN to return to TV land and filming is now coming to an end  in just a few more days. For some  of the 12 teams picked in LA it already has.

Most of those 12-Teams that started this adventure 14 days ago, have  failed to achive the end result of winning a Bullrun Rally. Likely for some stupid error along the roadway. I'm sure that they will get to re-live that error on Speed Channel this February.  Then they are going to have to answer to friends and family about that stupid move for the forseable future. However in the end they will have been apart of a increadible adventure. We just hope that they didn't hurt the cars or their egos to much in bringing this race into our homes... But, maybe just enough to get Bullrun another season for us that are sitting at home and in our garages cheering them on and wishing for our chance to run this adventure also.

I think those unlucky teams that have stalled along the way might be sitting back in L.A. or maybe at the finish line waiting for the final 3 to arrive. Wondering just what is happening like the rest of us with only 7days before the rap party.

Those that are still involved in the race are getting tired and nerves are getting a little tender. I will bet you this. These last seven days are going to be intense and full of action. If you look back at the first season you can see the teams stabbing and kicking at one another to get into the final three. And if these teams are headed up to the Northeast they are in for some very bad conditions. Which might make the ending even more fun to watch. So to those teams that are left. I hope you enjoy the last few days of an adventure of a lifetime and as a fan I thank you for your pain and distruction. If you have given less than your all.  I'm going to rip you a new one. Enjoy!    

Team VW & MISTER HAPPY!