the Green Weenie
Revised 11/26/99

   This is the dedicated page for my car, a 1971 Bug. Originally owned by Chuck Shelden of Redondo
Beach Ca (Muffler Mike's big brother). The car was raced for several years at the original Bug-Ins in the 1980's (including the last Bug In #31),  the Challenge Cup series of the same era, and numerous friday, and
saturday nights at the Brotherhood Raceway at Terminal Island in Long Beach. Although not an
attention getter, a nostalgic car none the less. A best E.T. of 12.80 @ 107 out of an 1800 cc engine
in its day was very respectable for the street car that it was. After few more engine combos, Chuck
strated to lose interest in the VW scene, since the Bug-Ins were gone there wasnt much VW
racing to do anymore. So after rebuilding the 1776 that ran 13.50's to a 94 motor, and gaining
4 tenths, Chuck decided to let Mike race the car at a few events in 86-87. The first one was
right after the rebuild at Firebird Raceway in AZ. After driving 400 miles to "conquer the
world of VW" we went home early on a VERY red lighted tree! But not before I was given the
chance to motor the car down the track for my first ever trip down the track on a time only run.
After spending 5 minutes to go from the first staging light to the 2nd one(I was freakin nervous!)
I ran a 13.72 @96 (I still have the timeslip) and that was about it... I got out of the car shaking like
a leaf with a smile on my face a mile wide. I was hooked... it beat the hell out of the 73 Super that
I was driving at the time, and it handled alot better as well... you could actually "feel"
the speed in this car (easy to do now thinking back comparing it to a superbeetle) After
collecting dust for several years, I purchased it  with the intent on doing some "modernizing".
The engine, and trans remaining the same (1914cc w/Superflow heads, and 48 IDF carbs),
it was giving a new  interior, electrical system, rims by Weld Racing, and a much needed paint
job (it was primered forever). Thus it began its life with a new look, and owner. Since buying
the car in 89' I have only put a few hundred miles on it due to the smog regulations and was
unable to drive it on the street in California because of this. (And the fact that "life" happens) Now
that the regulations for smog equipment have been lifted, and life is letting up on me, it has been
revamped again, this time with an MSD ignition, and the appropriate accessories for some bracket racing, and goofing in general.  Unfortunatly I needed money, and sold the Super Flos, and the Berg mainshaft to
Mike. (It's nice to know that my heads have been 3 time Pro Eliminator champs, and I vist them from
time to time <sigh>) As of this writing I was able to take the car out to the DKPIII/VW Paradise Drag
Day at the Carlsbad Raceway, which I went 3 rounds of brackets while sandbagging due to
severe ignition problems, and the Pomona Street Legal Drags at the Fairplex which it ran
13.69, and a 13.74 @97.4 on the antiquated muffler (Post ignition problems)So in theory with the track/weather/muffler being taken into consideration it should be a 13.30 to 13.40 car in
Sacramento. (It's always so much fun to run out the what if's!) Either way,
I am quite happy with it's performance especially after losing the goody-goody heads, mainshaft, and a drop in compression by a point and a half.

Engine
Universal Case Type 1
1914cc
69mm Demello 8 doweled counterweighted
94mm Cima's Dished .030
Pauter lightweight wristpins
EMS VW Super Rods
40/35.5 VW Heads ported, and combustion chambers reworked, non welded
Chromoly Retainers, Berg Pushrods
Engle 130 Cam, Autocraft 1.25 ratio rockers, Berg adjusters
Magnum Straight cut cam gears steel on steel
48IDA's 40mm venturis, custom linkage by Chuck Shelden
Skat Trak tall manifold, match ported
7.0-1 C/R
L87yc Champion spark plugs
MSD 6AL, 2 step rev control, MSD spiral core wires 8.5mm
Bosch 009 Distributer, Pertronix electronic pickup
Earl's Supply 19 Pass oil cooler
Ochuck oil filter (Homemade Oberg) w/Earls -10 oil lines
15lb flywheel, Kennedy 1700 lb clutch, stock ridged disk

Trans
Built by Kevin Pirtle at Trans West, Torrance, CA
IRS Type 1
4.37 R/P
Superbeetle mainshaft
3.78-2.06-1.58-1.21
Superdiff, welded 3rd/4th
Steel shiftforks etc, etc...

Best ET 13.69 @97.42
1.94 60' on Uniroyal 205/70/15's
Pomona Fairplex 10/99


 


 

Chuck running the brackets against Jim Upshaw at
what is believed to be Bug In 31

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