Any suggestions on what to buy for a hillclimber??

[murfy49]

I am currently looking to purchase a relatively cheap car to use as a hillclimb car but im not really sure what to get. Is an early golf any good for this or would i better off looking for a cheap jap car? I would rather the golf but is it worth it money wise?

[Mischa]

I am currently looking to purchase a relatively cheap car to use as a hillclimb car but im not really sure what to get. Is an early golf any good for this or would i better off looking for a cheap jap car? I would rather the golf but is it worth it money wise?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8ti5G4jFSo

my uni builds one of these every year. costs around 20000.

[Jarred]

mk 1 would be ideal. Its small and light, has a pretty damn good chassis as standard, let alone with a cage etc.

There are plenty of upgrades availiable too, in terms of power, drivetrain, chassis etc etc..

THere is even an ex-race/rally car for sale atm on this very forum, no eng or g/box though. search for "gunter" ;)

Really depends on how much you want to spend. You could be up and going for 5 grand on the cheap, but much better to spend 10K and have some nice stuff imo, that would be just the beginning though..!

[RhysQ]

an MG Metro 6R4.....the ultimate hillclimber.

6 Cylinder, Rear Engine, 4 Wheel Drive.

This 410bhp beast pulls a 0-100 time in just 3.2 sec and rides on rails.

check out some vids on youtube.

2463

may be a little hard to find one on the market though and i don't think they are too cheap. :D

if you are not too concerned about it being a dub i would be jumping into a Mazda Familia 4x4 turbo or a Pulsar GTi-R. you can pick one up pretty cheap these days and they go like the clappers.

[Golf Houso]

;195698']an MG Metro 6R4.....the ultimate hillclimber.

6 Cylinder, Rear Engine, 4 Wheel Drive.

This 410bhp beast pulls a 0-100 time in just 3.2 sec and rides on rails.

check out some vids on youtube.

2463

may be a little hard to find one on the market though and i don't think they are too cheap. :D

if you are not too concerned about it being a dub i would be jumping into a Mazda Familia 4x4 turbo or a Pulsar GTi-R. you can pick one up pretty cheap these days and they go like the clappers.

X2 on the gti-r and the familia, or you could just go mainstream and do the subies and evo's they would be alot more manageable with parts and labour I'd imagine.

[static1800]

All depends on the budget you have, a mk1 would be a good cheap way to start or even a mk2. It would also depend on what class and what restrictions you would have, might be worth looking up the cams rules on what you can do modification wise as that can effect the decision as what chassis to get e.g if you want to run a 16v it might be easier to run a mk2 as they came factory with the engine so running one within certain rules would be easier.

The cams site has the manual available online check it out and read up on the hillclimb rules and then go from there.

[gtimk5]

http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/newforum/upload/showthread.php?t=18803

Theres the link to "Gunter" It isnt any show car but it is very competitive. The very last event down here was a hillclimb and we finished up 5th outright. Got beaten by an Evo, 2 GTRs and a cosworth Escort.
The cage alone cost around $2,500-$3000. Expecting around $4000, no less..
Andrew :)

[RhysQ]

http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/newforum/upload/showthread.php?t=18803

Theres the link to "Gunter" It isnt any show car but it is very competitive. The very last event down here was a hillclimb and we finished up 5th outright. Got beaten by an Evo, 2 GTRs and a cosworth Escort.
The cage alone cost around $2,500-$3000. Expecting around $4000, no less..
Andrew :)

and what came in behind you....anything substantial worth knowing? thats the real question!

[TSi2NV]

I would have to 2nd the nissian GTi-R or the mazda GTx 1.8 Turb 4wd both are light weight and go like a stink, :biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

[gtimk5]

;195804']and what came in behind you....anything substantial worth knowing? thats the real question!

Are you picking on me??? :biggrin:
WRX's a couple of Porsche 911 comp cars, BMWs and the normal run of the mill comp cars, you know, 4 cyls, holdens ect ect... all types of brands.
The weekend before, I snapped the exhaust cam on the 16v and drove it home on 2 cyls from the Rallye of Burnie. Thats 400 kms of driving.
Stuck another cam in it and after a couple of days of work deliveries the compression was back up. Wasnt sure how it was going to go in the hillclimb.
Andrew :)

[Bug_racer]

Id hate to spoil the part , but best car (in my terms and keeping it VAG) would be an old bug with a 1.8t donk or even a VR6 Turbo in the back . FWD cars will always struggle to get off the mark with big power , and a bug is lighter than a mk1 as well

[RhysQ]

Id hate to spoil the part , but best car (in my terms and keeping it VAG) would be an old bug with a 1.8t donk or even a VR6 Turbo in the back . FWD cars will always struggle to get off the mark with big power , and a bug is lighter than a mk1 as well

in regards to hillclimbs i just can't see how people look past small AWD turbo's such as those mentioned before (and of course your WRX, EVO etc.). what would be the costing and reliability of setting up a hillclimbing bug with that type of gear? as far as VAG goes however, yeah you are probably right, the bug would be the goods.

finally, i can't imagine the chassis and drivetrain setup would be better than that of a GTi-R. and all the work is done for you. just buy it and find the nearest hill.

[gtimk5]

Fellas have bought GTiRs to compete in down here and have had to spend heaps on the brakes and suspension to be competitive. Only been one decent one here and he was 2 times state rally champion. As a gravel rally vcar they were found to be too nose heavy.
Ex forum member "britchie" bought one a couple of years ago and found it lacked the power of the Mk5 GTI. A simple hard acceleration test out in the country proved that.
He only had it for 2 weeks until some thugs stole it and burnt the thing to the ground. Mongrels :frown:

[murfy49]

thanks for all the advice so far,
I am currently only in the planning stage so sorry im not interested in buying gunther sorry. The car will more then likely be a dual purpose vehicle (i.e for the street as well.) As soon as i sell on my current vehicle i will more then likely looking to start with a standard mk1 golf to drive when im home from duty and id really like to be able to go to the brand new local hill climb track.

Im not looking to spend huge dollars to begin with but id like to start with a car that can be developed over time to eventually become a permanent race car.

Check it out the new track

www.gippslandcarclub.com

[Bubu]

The convienience of being able to drive the car home at the end of the day would be great. Having said that if you want to have a street car and eventually make it a full comp car then you may find that you will have a car that does not perform well either way. It may not be extreme enough to perform well on hillclimbs and it may be difficult to live with as a daily driver.

You could also consider a non-complianced import. I have seen WRX's and RX7 Series 6 for around $8k. They are good base models to start with and there are plenty of aftermarket parts available.

I dont have the answer to satisfy your needs. I guess it also depends how much you have to spend, how serious you are about it and how long you plan to do hillclimbs for.

[quozl]

Any suggestions on what to buy for a hillclimber??

This (http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=-LYmr7opxuw) & This (http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=0dW9XcgGk2Y)

Norma M20 Hill Climb car running a L6 3L BMW engine.

[static1800]

Thats a Norma M20 not an R8 btw, M3 powered monster :D

[quozl]

Thats a Norma M20 not an R8 btw, M3 powered monster :D Yes I know that's why I edited my post to explain what it is, I didn't post the Youtube video.

Cheers Al

[static1800]

ah no worries, i posted before your quick ninja edit :)

I'm wanting to do some hillclimb in my mk1 when its complete, the engine will be hot enough to have some fun but still streetable. Should be a great basecar for it.

[Water Boy]

Hitting up Boisdale hillclimb and the new Huanted Hills in a Mk1 will be sick... Also gota love Rob Rouy in the golf :biggrin:

[gareth_oau]

if its going uphill, then you might want something with a turbo - offers a lot of lowdown torque, which i'd suggest is more important that KW

[Jarred]

if its going uphill, then you might want something with a turbo - offers a lot of lowdown torque, which i'd suggest is more important that KW

or rather a supercharger over a turbo for increased torque. a 2L should also have good torque in a light mk 1..

[RhysQ]

or rather a supercharger over a turbo for increased torque. a 2L should also have good torque in a light mk 1..

please no.....not another "turbo is better", "no, supercharger is better" debate! :(

[gtimk5]

Its not a case of stacks of power in hillclimbs as the tyres never get up to temperature. No good having pooloads of power if you cant get around corners!

[GoLfMan]

Mk1 all the way, good light little car with plenty of cheap parts and heaps of engine conversions...

i'd be pretty keen on a WRX too, with some small tweaks it'd be highly competitive and the boxer 2L turbo is a torquey little sucker :)

[Preen59]

Its not a case of stacks of power in hillclimbs as the tyres never get up to temperature. No good having pooloads of power if you cant get around corners!

Glad to see someone has some brains.. :)

[Preen59]

Mk1 all the way, good light little car with plenty of cheap parts and heaps of engine conversions...

i'd be pretty keen on a WRX too, with some small tweaks it'd be highly competitive and the boxer 2L turbo is a torquey little sucker :)

Just use a golf and run it on 2 cylinders.. Then it'll sound the same and you don't have to be seen in a subaru.. :duh:

180 degree V4. Sorry had to say it. :nana:

[GoLfMan]

i'd still have a WRX, sweet car :)

[Jon_Vr6]

There arent rules what car you can and cant use for hillclimbing.
Head out to any hillclimb and you'll see people in just about any car. Yes there will be your usual full competitive blokes and there will also be your average daily driver/mums shopping cars.
Its all about getting out there and having fun....

ps. the old morwell track was awesome. Cant wait to head out to haunted hills :D

[murfy49]

There arent rules what car you can and cant use for hillclimbing.
Head out to any hillclimb and you'll see people in just about any car. Yes there will be your usual full competitive blokes and there will also be your average daily driver/mums shopping cars.
Its all about getting out there and having fun....

ps. the old morwell track was awesome. Cant wait to head out to haunted hills :D

hey jon i guarantee you will be impressed by the haunted hills track. Viewing is greatly improved also, so if u just like watching motorsport its a much better place to go. (you can pretty much see the entire track from the car park) I went to watch the opening of the track (cant remember when it was exactly) but being a local lad from day dot it made me proud of the area (not often you can say that about the Valley).

The opening day was a troubleshooting day which they deliberately didnt advertise and on their website they say they had a bigger turn out then they had ever had at the old track (apart from state titles).

[Water Boy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azVlo3J9Lz0&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZr15OKwT5c&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4mOA3mwpEM&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQ8zVB2WFUs&feature=related

[Blitzen]

I'm now seriously considering buying a Mk2 or 3 Suzuki Swift GTi. So long as it runs, and the body is ok shape, I don't care how many kilometers it has on it.
I will be going for...
A COMPLETE strip out.
Engine rebuild with higher compression and worked head.
Half Cage.
2 racing buckets.
I'm aiming at 130hp and 800 to 850 kg in weight.
Coilovers.
LSD.
Non turbo or super charger.

[Jarred]

I'm now seriously considering buying a Mk2 or 3 Suzuki Swift GTi. So long as it runs, and the body is ok shape, I don't care how many kilometers it has on it.
I will be going for...
A COMPLETE strip out.
Engine rebuild with higher compression and worked head.
Half Cage.
2 racing buckets.
I'm aiming at 130hp and 800 to 850 kg in weight.
Coilovers.
LSD.
Non turbo or super charger.

thats the spirit :D:D

[Blitzen]

thats the spirit :D:D

Hahahahaha...You know it...

I looked at the Purgueot 205 GTI, Golf MK1&2 GTI's, and settled on the Swift GTi cos of the fact that they have a proven engine, easy tunability, spare parts are cheap(compared to the other cars on my short list), and the car is very easy to work on. This car will also be road registered, but will also be a hobby car, and a learning experience.
This car will be my first foray into competitive motor sport, and will also be my first opportunity at building a race car. I will use it as a way to have a bit of fun, learn, and buggerise around with cars alot more powerful than me!!:biggrin::biggrin:

[gareth_oau]

strip out a Ford Laser TX3, VR6s have good weight distribution (err... facing uphill), cheapo WRX maybe (part of me hates them, but that sound and those 0-100 times: I could never stay mad at it). Mk1 Golf would be a laugh. Old ford Escort with lots of work even.

+1 for the Escort. i used to have the old Mk2 RS2000, started out life with a 70KW 2L engine. I stuck a few little bits and pieces on it and ended up with a sub 5sec (to 100kph) 250KWs:biggrin:

[JVLR32]

Id hate to spoil the part , but best car (in my terms and keeping it VAG) would be an old bug with a 1.8t donk or even a VR6 Turbo in the back . FWD cars will always struggle to get off the mark with big power , and a bug is lighter than a mk1 as wellthis is very true:driver:

[schoona]

At the mattara hillclimb festival in newy, pretty much the only things running consistenly quick (apart form the open wheelers), competitive times were the Bug's, as Seb said. And they were still only 1800 i think.

[Preen59]

+1 for the Escort. i used to have the old Mk2 RS2000, started out life with a 70KW 2L engine. I stuck a few little bits and pieces on it and ended up with a sub 5sec (to 100kph) 250KWs:biggrin:

Hells yes! My mate used to have a Mk1 escort with a 2l pinto donk. 45 DCOE webers etc. 200hp. Sierra gearbox. Half cage, fully seamed, big guards. beautiful car.. And FAST! Used to blow a lot of evos into the weeds at super sprint events etc..

[DaveMack]

Try this:

http://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/images/imported/2008/11/th_ok5-1.jpg (http://s209.photobucket.com/albums/bb56/DaveMack56/?action=view&current=ok5.flv)

Dave

[geoff_gti]

Try this:


GTFO!!!!! :eek:

[gareth_oau]

thats amazing. i wonder how steep the incline is? I cant understand how it didnt just "fall off"

[schoona]

thats amazing. i wonder how steep the incline is? I cant understand how it didnt just "fall off"

Me neither, considering the COG/COM is going to be so high. Then you have moments (greater perp distance form the face x weight + acc due to gravity) acting against it.

So those tyres are beating all that, as well as fighting with 700-800 Nm from that thumping big V8 up front. Awesome engineering. Just don't know how they do it :???:

[ausgolfer]

Bit of a late suggestion.
But if you want a CHEAP and reliable car, and depending on your taste I think a cheap mini clubman or an imported mazda MX5 mk1. Surprised either of them haven't had a look in yet. Cheap and fun and would be very competitive against other cars with similar layouts.