Studbug Thread

[callisto9]

Thanks for posting the pics and story! Very cool.

[dnyed]

Those darn CV joints!

[dmbluebeetle]

any chance of getting a close up picture of the skid plate mounting?

[StudBug Driver]

dmbluebeetle,

If we do not get rain tomorrow I will try and take some close-ups of the skid plate mounting points.

Note that the skip plate frame pipes (look like roll bar pipe) extend forward to the light bar and back to within 1" of the A arm pivot bolts. The 1/2" SS skid plate shows a couple of major rock hits, but its frame in undamaged. Guy Light really built a tank!

Unfortunately, if it rains the pictures will have to wait until next week. SB is going in the shop tomorrow for a new windshield and roof fix-up. Long story, so I won't bore you. Just get the SB fixed.

StudBug Driver

[StudBug Driver]

dmbluebeetle,

Here are some photos around the skip plate's mounts. As I said, its built like a tank.

One of Mad Mike's videos showed the StudBug in a rally traveling a high speed, when it slid off the shoulder of the road and hit a rock so hard that it came to a full stop almost immediately. Mike got the SB refired and continued to finish that stage.

Hope these photos help.
StudBug Driver

[jazzcat]

one i found of the beast in action

my favorite picture of this car hands down

[Frog U]

That is sweet and its local. You have to hit up some local car shows with it. I would love to see it in person. There is a bug show in Webster in august. When I find out ill post it here. It looks fun to drive

[jane]

[B] That is a great picture of The StudBug!!
Post the information about the car show in Webster when you get it!! We would be interested in showing him there!!
Also we will keep you informed about rallycross at Perry's Park in Leicester in August! We will be there with the StudBug!

[jazzcat]

if anyone has a copy of that image that isn't shot from a camera phone taking a picture of the monitor i would really appreaciate it

[Frog U]

bug bust 19
sunday august 2nd 2009
webster schroeder high school
875 ridge road webster ny 14580
Reg is 8 to 11
show hours are 9 to 3
$5 pre-registration $8 day of show.
$10 swap area
1st 2nd 3rd place awards + longest distance
free for spectators
Hope to see you there.

[jane]

Thanks for the information!! The StudBug will be there!! See you there! Jane

[jane]

Well, The StudBug was at the VW show in Webster, NY on sunday. It basically got rained out in the morning. Only about 30 or so VW's showed up. It turned nice in the afternoon. We met some nice people and had a good time anyway! Jane

[Frog U]

Sorry didnt make it had a death in the family. Plus the car wasn't ready. It still needs to be painted. They have cruise nights at wegmans on Thursday in canandaigua.

[Mad Mike]

Originally Posted by StudBug Driver

dmbluebeetle,

Here are some photos around the skip plate's mounts. As I said, its built like a tank.

I have pics of the skid plate OFF the car on RealAutoSport.com some where - I'll scare up links and share them when I get a minute. The main attachment points are under the front subframe where Guy Light welded a plate so the three bolts you see fix the supports solidly to the unibody. Up front there are two holes drilled in the fascia so that two tapped bosses could be welded to the bumper. Those two bolts fix the upper part of the plate/bar assembly to the car.

One of Mad Mike's videos showed the StudBug in a rally traveling a high speed, when it slid off the shoulder of the road and hit a rock so hard that it came to a full stop almost immediately. Mike got the SB refired and continued to finish that stage.

Tank-like does not begin to describe that car! Here's the vid - again - http://www.realautosport.com/video_c...tage8-rock.mpg

Just two weeks before that rally on Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula we'd DNF'd while leading our class at the Prescott Forest Rally in Arizona. Straight away in Michigan both rear DMS shocks broke but we only had one spare so handling became somewhat wobbly from that point on. When we smacked that boulder I was convinced we were done but the car started, scrabbled for traction and then found the end of the stage - and every other stage that year!!! Hell, we were outrunning the eventual class winner and his Ford Focus once we returned to daylight stages and even tied him on the all-uphill, paved Brockway Mountain Stage despite running gravel tires to his tarmac rubber and handicapped by both weight and power!

[/QUOTE]Hope these photos help.
StudBug Driver[/QUOTE]

One more -



That's us topping the Brockway Mountain stage - airborn despite the codriver's VERY vocal reminders to keep the wheels on the ground (a rear spring had fallen out earlier in the event and we didn't want to lose another). Notice how twisted the skidplate mount is and the truly eagle-eyed will notice that one rear tire is hanging lower than the other since we had to re-use a broken shock (welded a washer where the threads used to be to keep it from falling out).

Sorry for the reminiscences - I'll never forget my time with the World's First New Beetle Rally Car!

[Mad Mike]

Originally Posted by Zeouljin

[FONT=Century Gothic][SIZE=2][COLOR=Navy]The bug almost finished the first event in one piece, until one of the last runs when one of the CV joints exploded.

What is it with muddy rallycross style events and StudBug's CVs? I hate when that happens - especially when you've sold the car to a Freestyle Motocross star, need only finish the 2006 Wild West Rally in Washington to add Rally America's overall Two Wheel Drive Titles to the Production Class championships already secured and you have only 20 minutes to replace a halfshaft AND an outer tie rod assembly (on opposite sides of the car)! We got it done - but I looked like PigPen once the car returned to the fray:









Thanks for sharing the one below!! I don't feel like I ever presented the car as nicely - the downside of a life-long function-before-form attitude!

[dnyed]

And, Mike, we'll never forget you.

[jane]

Mad Mike - thanks for reminiscing and posting the pictures!! Everyone loves hearing about your time with The StudBug!! Keep them coming! Rallycross season starts end of this month and we'll be posting pictures here. The StudBug is itching to get dirty again!!! Although, he does look handsome all clean and shiny! Jane

[jane]

[B]HI - we're sorry to hear about a death in your family. We'll catch up with you some other time!

[Frog U]

sounds good. looking forward to seeing the stud bug

[StudBug Driver]

Hiya StudBug Fans and Friends,

Mad Mike and Guy Light will get a real kick out of our latest repair on the StudBug. All new mud flaps and gravel guards.

What was left of the original gravel guard sheets, which started out as two 4’x3’ sheets covering everything each side of the exhaust tunnel, was about the size of a large sheet of paper. Only one of the mud flaps in front of the read seat pedestal is left. See for yourself:

New gravel guards are sheets of super tough, flexible mud flap material from my friends at Susquehanna Motor Sports. Tough = It takes half a dozen hard strokes with the sharpest razor knife I have to cut it. Flexible = It stays flexible down to -40F. So, it won’t crack or tear with anything we plan to race over.

Now mount those sheets with 3 dozen 3/8” bolts to the undercarriage and wrap it up over the running boards and bolt it with a dozen 1/4” bolts. By the way, all the bolt holes have to be punches through the plastic because drilling it is very difficult and produces jagged holes that could tear open.

Mud flaps are made from 10” hay bailer belt material from Tractor Supply. This stuff has triple fabric reinforcing and tough rubber that I had to cut with a hack saw. Drilling holes was very difficult until I got a hardwood boring Forstner bit. And, each one was mounted with 3 or 4 3/8” bolts.

These should made the StudBug “bombproof” for years of RallyX and Road Rallys in any weather. Hum, SPTR…

I’ll keep you posted.
StudBug Driver