Because Diesel Racecar

I'm going to have a nice influx of cash come fall and I'm toying around with the idea of building a turbo diesel lowbuck/E36 M3box racecar. Yes, I know it will be slow...whatever...I think it will be fun.

My short list:

I. Mark 1 Rabbit diesel. Maybe with a later TD swap.

II. Mercedes 240D. Big, heavy, 68 hp. Simple front suspension and IRS.

III. Volvo 740 w/ VW straight 6 TD. Again, heavyy. But suspension is easy/relatively cheap to set up. Kinda rare, but I know where a couple are.

I'm sure there are other choices out there, but these 3 seem to be (relatively) available and pretty easy to come by already having a manual transmission. Plus there's some semblance of an aftermarket.

What do you guys think? I know my Mercedes pretty well (DD'd an 82 240D w/ 4 speed last year). I've had a ton of RWD Volvos (never a TD though). I've heard those VW sixers aren't very sturdy.

As for the Golf/Rabbit, I know nothing about VWs. I've never owned one and they've never been that appealing. I know they're light and have a lot of aftermarket though. I bet 100 hp would make one fly. haha.

I've also kind of considered later Mercedes (190d/w201, 300d/w124). The lack of manual trans with the w124 and the overcomplicated suspension on both is a little off putting.

4bt volvo wagon if money allows.

twist all the frames!

E30 - 524td diesel swap

fidelity101 wrote: 4bt volvo wagon if money allows. twist all the frames!

Hahaha. That would be sick. Should have said so in the first post, but total budget would be $1500-2k. Got to find an okay car, gut it, sell as much off it as possible, leave the basics, then put money into essentials.

bmwbav wrote: E30 - 524td diesel swap

Too expensive/rare.

2k would be hard with the volvo. The VW you would need a 500 dollar rabbit/GTI and a 1500 dollar TDI motor from a newer gen.

fidelity101 wrote: 2k would be hard with the volvo. The VW you would need a 500 dollar rabbit/GTI and a 1500 dollar TDI motor from a newer gen.

I was thinking a $500 rabbit and a $500 2nd gen TD Jetta parts car. 80 hp/114 ft lbs....I wonder how much boost it can take.

Can't figure out how to embed.

http://youtu.be/O2NQQWPUyPw

I have always wanted to do a Rabbit with a later TDI swap.

I doubt you will enjoy an original diesel engine, no matter what you do to it. (I had one). Unless you throw it off a cliff- that would be enjoyable.

$500 sounds like too low a budget for a wrecked TD parts car with a good motor in it.

I'll be watching... should be fun!

another brick vote

VW TD and tdi engines are very expensive, its possible to pay as little as $1200 for one that runs, but $2k+ is much more likely. A more realistic budget for a VW diesel project closer to $7500 than $2500. I would think a w124 Mercedes would probably be the cheapest diesel that would somewhat easily make more power.

SVreX wrote: I doubt you will enjoy an original diesel engine, no matter what you do to it. (I had one). Unless you throw it off a cliff- that would be enjoyable.

I had plenty of fun with my stone (as in "slow as a")stock 79 diesel Rabbit with GTI suspension and other bits added. Once it got up to speed it was even decent on the highway. One of a few cars I wish I had kept.

The the VW what you're looking for is Daryl Beck's EP Jetta.

I cousin has been running a 1977 Rabbit Race car converted to a TD from an 1984 Jetta for the last few years with NASA-SE. I drove it once before he swapped from gas and it was a laugh riot, Not particularly fast but I was foot to the floor from turn 3 all the way around CMP. It's got great brakes that you don't really need just lift and then back in the throttle. I'll see if I can find pics and stats on it. He has plans to upgrade to a TDI in the next year or so. The TDI engine was about 1700 bucks and he bought it a few years back.

As much as I like the Rabbits, I think you would be happier with the brick.

You already understand the suspension, etc, and it is a lighter weight chassis to play with than the MB.

The VW sixer is nothing of great value, so it won't hurt your feelings to boost 'till you blow. If it doesn't work, it will be a good platform for a different motor.

Plus, it works better for your budget.

http://gainesville.craigslist.org/cto/4461440727.html

I was under the impression that the Volvo and the Merc both weighed about 3000 lbs. Seems like the Volvo has a better front suspension, but the Merc has a better rear design.

From what I've seen on craigslist over the past few years, W123 240d's are generally cheaper than W124 300d's. My old 240d was sideswiped and both rear quarters were rusted out pretty badly but ran like a top, $800. That's the sort of thing I'm looking for. Cheap, beat, but good runner.

I don't like BMWs.

In reply to RoughandReady:

Dont forget the region we are in and the affinity for Samurai's with VW TDI's... Just find something with an MB OM606 and buy some go fast bits from Finland.

This is interesting: Says Nissan diesel with 5 speed. Do y'all think this guy has just no idea what's in this car (just a stock MB diesel and 4 speed)?

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/cto/4435698479.html

Also, if you're going to get a BMW diesel, do it right.

http://fayetteville.craigslist.org/cto/4431464457.html

Old diesel rabbits seem pretty plentiful...

http://chattanooga.craigslist.org/cto/4454707919.html

http://florencesc.craigslist.org/cto/4440633229.html

http://winstonsalem.craigslist.org/cto/4455420686.html

MrJoshua wrote: http://gainesville.craigslist.org/cto/4461440727.html

Because bmw likes their fuel efficient diesels to rev higher than their fuel efficient gassers.

MB's in action.

RoughandReady wrote: I bet 100 hp would make one fly. haha.

Coleman/Moto IQ did a TDI swap in a 1G rabbit. It was still not very fast. They barely cracked the 0-60 in <7 seconds barrier. Theirs had 124whp.

http://www.motoiq.com/MagazineArticles/ID/1833/PageID/2684/Project-Sipster-Part-6--Faster-Sipster.aspx

I forget how much the Beck car has but IIRC the rev limit was something like double the stock number and the power triple, but he's a master with an oil burner.

if you go diesel rabbit ill follow that build! Really want one for a DD but there all rusted E36 M3boxes around here

RoughandReady wrote: MB's in action.

Damn look at all that body roll, more roll than a bakery

There's a guy local to me that's doing a tdi swap into a Caddy. The engine donor cost them $1200 at a dealer-only auction. The next time I swing by there for motorcycle parts, I'll get some pictures.