Racing a Fabia VRS?

[Sooty Zaust]

Afternoon all,

As the title says, has anyone actually built a proper motorsport ready (circuit racing) VRS to use in anger? I can see that there is a lot of road and track day mods that people have completed but wonder if the VRS is up to the job of being a proper racer...

I have been on the lookout for a saloon/hot hatch car that can be/has been converted for actual racing and is a bit "different" and the VRS with the dieslel/Skoda badge combo sounds like it could be interesting and a bit of fun.

Finally, I know that the ATMR boys had a 1.9TD golf a year or so ago in the VW cup, anyone know what that was kicking out? I remember talking to Mr Turner and he was raving about the massive torque which was just as important as the power output...if you have any stats on that then let me know.

Thats it. And if this has been covered a few times already, sorry, but 2 weeks of searching thru the forums on and off has led me to much BHP bravado and not a lot else!

Cheers

[devonutopia]

I don't believe it is without going WAY ott. Much easier to track-prep something smaller - cheaper in long run.

That Golf was Allard's one, and was around the 250hp mark

[high on dirt]

there is 2 track prepared mark 4 golfs 1.9pd lumps in both at TOTAL-VAG. Guessing they were first made for the vw cup i no for a fact one was the 5 door orange one. Dont think anyone has done it in Skoda VRS yet, but cant see it being any harder. Its all down to power to weight in the long run and getting the right setup on the day!

[stuno1]

there was one on pistonheads about a week ago. Had role cage, all the usuals so far as coilovers, fmic, re map etc. Had the rear seats removed, sport seats put in, stripped carpets and plastic trim, bare bones with mods!

[Bigw2069]

Heres a good starting point for you then http://briskoda.net/forums/skoda-car...dified/108388/

[youngsyd]

Two words...DO IT!

[stuno1]

found it!!!!

Skoda : Highly Modified 218 bhp 349 lbs ft - reliably.

[Shifty]

Thats mine - any questions regarding buying it, please PM me

[stuno1]

some serious work, time and love put in to that mate. What you buying instead?

[skudmissile]

Originally Posted by stuno1

some serious work, time and love put in to that mate. What you buying instead?

Hes not, think hes going abroad

[Sooty Zaust]

mmm, a mixed opinion there.

For the guys that have tuned past the 220 mark, have you completed any mods to the engine- pistons, valves, head work, uprated pumps etc? Have you had to uprate your trans or drive shafts?

Also out of the 1.9PD engine range across the VAG group, is there a 'best' option? One with the best bottom end or head etc? Are the gearboxes interchangable across the VAG range?

Also any idea of the dry weight of a Fabia? I am loooking at the 300BHP per tonne mark to be competitive....

I'm liking the idea of a VRS for circuit racing, but I suppose if they were really that good, then why hasnt everyone, or at least one person gone out there and done it?

I would be interested to hear from the bigger output people out there about their experiences and ideas of costs for extracting the most from the car...

Cheers

[mantamad]

I think that there are a few that have been done for rallying but not sure how much the 34mm restrictor hinders power.

Simon

[Shifty]

Originally Posted by Sooty Zaust

I am loooking at the 300BHP per tonne mark to be competitive....

Cheers

I personally don't think a Fabia can produce that from a PD engine. 1.8t + ££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££ will though

[Tom_vRS]

300bhp/tonne

Thats not going to happen with a PD lump imho. The Fabia is a lard **** too

[Decron]

On the road weight is 1315kg. Striping the rear seats and the spare saves 60 - 70kg

Doesn't shave any weight off the tubby front end however but the Furby VRS is fine on track, it's easy to balance out, easy to sort the brakes etc and if driven properly (And thats the issue with most of them. They are not as easy to get going quick as say a Clio. It's not about the BHP, it's all about the talks ) will show a clean pair of heels to a lot of other machinery

[skudmissile]

The pd130 engine will rev up better than the pd150.

The blocks are much stronger on the pd150 engines but with this extra stregnth comes mores metal to move

My car runs about 230bhp and is fairly fast. as it in it will pull on alot of so called faster machinery.... i wont go into details as it always sparks riots

the problem with the fabia is the weight at the front, you are never going to get rid of that weight.

The only reason i have stuck with the pd lump is fuel economy. Its as fast as i would say most petrols up to 300bhp but still achieves quite good fuel econ for the level of performance. about 35-45mpg

I i were building a race car i would use the 20v t engine, lost if tuning parts available and quite a few different engines to choose from there too. BAM coded ones are the best??

[jabba_luke]

Originally Posted by skudmissile

The pd130 engine will rev up better than the pd150.

The blocks are much stronger on the pd150 engines but with this extra stregnth comes mores metal to move

My car runs about 230bhp and is fairly fast. as it in it will pull on alot of so called faster machinery.... i wont go into details as it always sparks riots

the problem with the fabia is the weight at the front, you are never going to get rid of that weight.

The only reason i have stuck with the pd lump is fuel economy. Its as fast as i would say most petrols up to 300bhp but still achieves quite good fuel econ for the level of performance. about 35-45mpg

I i were building a race car i would use the 20v t engine, lost if tuning parts available and quite a few different engines to choose from there too. BAM coded ones are the best??

AGU if your prepared to change the internals
Or even better BAM bottom end with a Flowed AGU head

IMO you wont ever get a Fabia to handle as well as say a Golf TDi, for one the Golf is lighter, and it has a wider track. After owning the Fab it was a great fast road car, but not a race car chassis if you ask me. maby a wide track one running TT 4x4 floorpan and WRC panels with a 300bhp TDI lump would be better though.

Luke

[Micky 32]

Originally Posted by skudmissile

The pd130 engine will rev up better than the pd150.

The blocks are much stronger on the pd150 engines but with this extra stregnth comes mores metal to move

Err no it's not. The PD150 and PD130 bottom end are one of the same.

[Dave_G]

Originally Posted by high on dirt

there is 2 track prepared mark 4 golfs 1.9pd lumps in both at TOTAL-VAG. Guessing they were first made for the vw cup i no for a fact one was the 5 door orange one. Dont think anyone has done it in Skoda VRS yet, but cant see it being any harder. Its all down to power to weight in the long run and getting the right setup on the day!

Orange one;


There are a couple of vans in the VW Cup too. Red Caddy and Dave Whinny's silver/blue one - although that's probably a 2.0 new fangled beasty.

[skudmissile]

Originally Posted by Micky 32

Err no it's not. The PD150 and PD130 bottom end are one of the same.

How much you willing to bet on that?

[Shifty]

Originally Posted by skudmissile

How much you willing to bet on that?

I have a 150 lump in mine now, so i'm interested in a factual answer.