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General Information => General => Topic started by: MrDave on May 19, 2004, 11:06:45 am

Title: My personal Rabbit diesel landspeed record
Post by: MrDave on May 19, 2004, 11:06:45 am
1982 Rabbit Pickup with ALH TDI

200kph / 124mph @ 4500 rpm

(175/70/13s, 3.42R&P, 0.71 5th)

I had to get somewhere quick...


4500 rpm is just 200 rpm shy of the TDI's redline.  I'm quite sure I could've made it to redline, but I was buzzing along at 16-18psi on the boost gauge, and I've heard bad bad things about these VNT-15 turbos at high boost levels above 4000 rpms, so I chickened out for that extra 200rpm/10kph/6mph.

Test performed on a secondary highway in rural Alberta with zero traffic.
I may risk my safety, but I won't risk the safety of others.


-Dave
Title: My personal Rabbit diesel landspeed record
Post by: BlackTieTD on May 19, 2004, 01:34:03 pm
saw that on 'the other forum'.

nice numbers dave.

i was hoping to put up some impressive top speed numbers of my own but i doubt i'll reach 200km/h. shooting for 180km/h with the 1.6TD.
Title: My personal Rabbit diesel landspeed record
Post by: VWRacer on May 19, 2004, 06:22:52 pm
Not bad, Dave! The WORLD LAND SPEED RECORD for a G/DT (1.5l - 2.0l diesel pickup) is 129 MPH! :D
Title: My personal Rabbit diesel landspeed record
Post by: MrDave on May 20, 2004, 12:02:09 am
Quote from: "VWRacer"
Not bad, Dave! The WORLD LAND SPEED RECORD for a G/DT (1.5l - 2.0l diesel pickup) is 129 MPH! :D


Wow.


I mean, wow.


I could do that.


Quite easily, too.


taller tires,  autotech's 020 3.32 R&P, my 3.16 02A....


I could do that.


What's the proceedure for that?  Hit the salt flats during some official racing week or something?   Might be a nice vacation....

Nice relaxing drive there, set a record, nice relaxing drive back....
("You didn't trailer your vehicle here?  You drove your car to the flats?  You drove it down from Canada?!?")


-Dave
Title: My personal Rabbit diesel landspeed record
Post by: VWRacer on May 20, 2004, 09:20:05 am
I agree that you could probably do it, Dave. Lose some aero drag (lower the caddy, remove the mirrors, smooth front end, add cap over bed, etc.), and run to max RPM and you'd almost certainly go over 130.  To set a new record, you have to beat the old record by 1% or more on 2 runs within 1 hour of each other. The current G/DT record is actually 129.665 MPH, so to set a record your two runs would have to average 129.665 + 1% = 130.962 MPH...call it 131 MPH. The nearest place to you that I know of for setting land speed records is Bonneville Salt Flats just off Interstate 80 in extreme western Utah, near the town of Wendover.

You can see the (unofficial) diesel land speed records by clicking on the records link here (http://www.landracing.com). There are links to all the major sanctioning bodies on this page, as well. Be sure to read their rule books, as safety is paramount. Racing is usually done in August and September.

And yes, full points for coolness are awarded to those who drive their steeds to the flats. :D
Title: My personal Rabbit diesel landspeed record
Post by: BlackTieTD on May 20, 2004, 10:13:00 am
go for it dave! you already have the cap  :lol:
Title: My personal Rabbit diesel landspeed record
Post by: MK3 GTD on May 20, 2004, 10:27:47 pm
man, do i need your gear ratios, i've hit 200 kph with my AAZ MK3 Golf but i was sitting at around 5500 RPM with 175/70R13s (alloys off my rabbit)
Title: My personal Rabbit diesel landspeed record
Post by: MrDave on May 21, 2004, 11:13:59 am
Quote from: "MK3 GTD"
man, do i need your gear ratios, i've hit 200 kph with my AAZ MK3 Golf but i was sitting at around 5500 RPM with 175/70R13s (alloys off my rabbit)



Yeah, the 3.42 020 R&P is made of unobtanium.
Oddly enough, though, there is 3.48 or a 3.40 or something which was
used in the early Dodge Omni.   If you didn't know, the early Omnis used VW engines and 020 transmissions....


So for a quick calculation:
02A TDI transmission, 3.16 final drive, 0.72 5th gear, yeilds a redline velocity of 223 kph, or 139mph.

But I'd have to locate the 5th gearset from an 02A CHA tranny.
The stock 5th gear for the CTN (what I have) is a 0.76, which yeilds
212kph or 131mph @ redline.

Though, 5000 rpm would take it to 140mph.

Keep in mind the aerodynamics of a Rabbit more closely resemble a brick than a high speed salt flat racer.


-Dave
Title: My personal Rabbit diesel landspeed record
Post by: fspGTD on May 21, 2004, 01:37:19 pm
Quote from: "MrDave"
Quote from: "MK3 GTD"
man, do i need your gear ratios, i've hit 200 kph with my AAZ MK3 Golf but i was sitting at around 5500 RPM with 175/70R13s (alloys off my rabbit)



Yeah, the 3.42 020 R&P is made of unobtanium.
Oddly enough, though, there is 3.48 or a 3.40 or something which was
used in the early Dodge Omni.   If you didn't know, the early Omnis used VW engines and 020 transmissions....


So for a quick calculation:
02A TDI transmission, 3.16 final drive, 0.72 5th gear, yeilds a redline velocity of 223 kph, or 139mph.

But I'd have to locate the 5th gearset from an 02A CHA tranny.
The stock 5th gear for the CTN (what I have) is a 0.76, which yeilds
212kph or 131mph @ redline.

Though, 5000 rpm would take it to 140mph.

Keep in mind the aerodynamics of a Rabbit more closely resemble a brick than a high speed salt flat racer.


-Dave


Go for the record Dave!  :)

If a little more speed is all you need, you could put on some 185/70/13s too and go from 23.19" diameter to 23.74" diameter.  That would get you another 2.5% (3mph) with no change in engine RPM.

PS - maybe you can remove your tailgate for better aerodynamics.

Edit: do you have A-pillar fairings?  They are supposedly good for reducing the drag coefficient by 10+%!  Factory pieces, bolt on perfectly too I might add (assuming you've got the rubber-gasketed front window not the urethane-bonded style.)
Title: My personal Rabbit diesel landspeed record
Post by: MrDave on May 21, 2004, 02:44:48 pm
The pickup has a cap on it, currently.
The cap will stay till I can get my bodywork done (it's been siliconed on by the previous owner)

As for the pillar flarings, I don't have a set,  but I figure that alot of aerodynamic issues can be fixed with duct tape...

As for tires, I was kinda thinking of stepping down to 155-80-13s.
Narrower, less rolling resistance, that sort of thing.


You know, and getting those cool smooth hubcaps.


The whole concept seems incredibly odd.
Basically, the record is so low that anybody who was willing to put even a little effort in could set a new record.

'course, it would be kinda cool to be able to claim that my daily driver, besides being an obscure 20+ year old VW Rabbit Pickup, gives me 50+ MPG, can go over 1200 kms on a tank of fuel, and is the current world land speed recold holder...

-Dave
Title: My personal Rabbit diesel landspeed record
Post by: VWRacer on May 21, 2004, 03:12:53 pm
Exciting, isn't it...? :wink:  :D

And I just took a look at the G/DS (diesel streamliner 1.5l to 2.0l) record, which is where my CSR would fit in...and it's just 145 MPH. Heck, I've already calculated that my car can reach 125 on the 3/4 mile-long main straight away at Thunderhill in its high downforce setup! Take the wing off and put in a 10:31 R&P, and 150 MPH is certainly within reason.

Don't get distracted, Stan. Don't get distracted... :roll: ;)
Title: My personal Rabbit diesel landspeed record
Post by: cheng on May 21, 2004, 06:26:04 pm
c'mon you know you want it!

not too much of a distraction :wink:
and just think of the bragging rights!

the sponsers would be lining up to have their logo next to your " WORLD LAND SPEED RECORD  HOLDER" blazing forth from the side of your car!
Title: My personal Rabbit diesel landspeed record
Post by: VWRacer on May 21, 2004, 06:58:03 pm
Oh...don't think it hasn't crossed my mind! :D

Off to Laguna Seca...back Sunday night.
Title: My personal Rabbit diesel landspeed record
Post by: fspGTD on May 21, 2004, 08:31:57 pm
Good luck at Laguna Seca Stan!  Are you racing the Sports Racer with the GTI engine?
Title: My personal Rabbit diesel landspeed record
Post by: VWRacer on May 24, 2004, 08:51:24 pm
No, Jake. I was engineering for one of the teams that I do that for. This weekend is a 4-day break for me, so I am hoping to get my CSR track-ready then.
Title: My personal Rabbit diesel landspeed record
Post by: Dr. Diesel on May 26, 2004, 02:35:20 pm
that's pretty fast!
my jetta is deep into the tach red red zone @ 150km/h!  (cursed close ratio!!)
Title: My personal Rabbit diesel landspeed record
Post by: MrDave on May 26, 2004, 03:25:16 pm
Some quick calculations:

020 tranny
175/70/13 tires, 3.42 FD, .71 5th, 4500 rpm = 200 kph / 124 mph
175/70/13 tires, 3.42 FD, .71 5th, 4700 rpm = 209 kph / 130 mph

tranny swap: 02A tranny
175/70/13 tires, 3.16 FD, .76 5th, 4500 rpm = 203 kph / 126 mph
175/70/13 tires, 3.16 FD, .76 5th, 4700 rpm = 212 kph / 131 mph

tranny swap, 02A, 5th gear swap
175/70/13 tires, 3.16 FD, .72 5th, 4500 rpm = 214 kph / 133 mph
175/70/13 tires, 3.16 FD, .72 5th, 4700 rpm = 223 kph / 139 mph

tranny swap, 02A, 5th gear swap, next size up tire
185/70/13 tires, 3.16 FD, .72 5th, 4500 rpm = 219 kph / 136 mph
185/70/13 tires, 3.16 FD, .72 5th, 4700 rpm = 229 kph / 142 mph

for fun:
185/70/13 tires, 3.16 FD, .72 5th, 5000 rpm = 244 kph / 151 mph


The design of the TDI diesel is such that the power drops off after about 4000 rpm.  The lower I can drop the revs, the more power I'll have, and the faster it'll go.

My dyno (http://jetta_gli.tripod.com/tdi/torque.txt)

'course, the Rabbits have about the same aerodynamics as a brick, so I'm sure that'll determine the limit of things....

-Dave
Title: My personal Rabbit diesel landspeed record
Post by: VWRacer on May 26, 2004, 05:48:51 pm
Quote
'course, the Rabbits have about the same aerodynamics as a brick, so I'm sure that'll determine the limit of things....

If you can carefully calculate the frontal area of the rabbit I can calculate the hp required to get to various speeds.

Off to work...back late.
Title: My personal Rabbit diesel landspeed record
Post by: MrDave on May 27, 2004, 09:52:51 am
Quote from: "VWRacer"

If you can carefully calculate the frontal area of the rabbit I can calculate the hp required to get to various speeds.


I actually looked at this some time ago, and made a spreadsheet.
Internet research (and some old newsgroup posts from Jake)
yeilded a frontal area of 19.69 sq.ft, and a Cd for a VW rabbit
ranging from 0.41 to 0.46.

A quick calculation reveals that for a speed of 225 kph (140 mph) with Cd=.41
Power(drag) = 107 hp
Power(friction) = 14 hp
total: 121hp

For Cd=.46
Power(drag) = 120 hp
Power(f) = 14
total:  134hp

What other power factors am I missing?

I really should combine the drag spreadsheet with my dyno spreadsheet.
The point where the two curves cross should be the terminal velocity.

-Dave