A hello from North Carolina

dragvw2180 · Post by **dragvw2180** » Wed Jun 06, 2012 2:54 am

I found this website by accident and hope to make new friends here. My name is Mike McCarthy , I am 60 years old and have been into VW's for 43 years. I bought my first VW when I was 17 and have liked them ever since. I drag race in Pro Outlaw in the SEVWA series with my chop top bug. I am building a 1966 bug for my wife and I , everything in my race car will be transfered to the 66 . The first bug my wife and I fixed together was a 66 so this project is very special to me, not only is this my last build but it is something we are doing as a family. I hope to meet everyone on here and hello to the ones who do, Mike McCarthy
click on banner for video

Fatsam · Post by **Fatsam** » Wed Jun 20, 2012 10:48 pm

That's cool. I found this website by accident also. Where at in north Carolina are you from. My sister lives in Monroe. Like it down there a lot. Hope to see some pics.

dragvw2180 · Post by **dragvw2180** » Thu Jun 21, 2012 8:38 am

Hey Sam,
We are from Michigan , moved down here in the early 80's and this is home. I do not miss snow,hahhahahah I plan to post the build here, step by step and hope to get input from members. My wife told me to go ahead and order the body repair panels I will need so that I can get this started. Here are a few pics of what I am starting with,

dragvw2180 · Post by **dragvw2180** » Thu Jun 21, 2012 8:44 am

me with the bug

Trans for the car

engine for the car

I hope to have it on the road this year but I will not rush this just to get it done. Mike McCarthy

Fatsam · Post by **Fatsam** » Thu Jun 21, 2012 2:21 pm

Looks like you got a hell of a start. With the looks of that engine, you must like the fast lane. Haha.

dragvw2180 · Post by **dragvw2180** » Thu Jun 21, 2012 3:12 pm

I have ben racing since 1985 and slowly have been planning to build this car. I told Dave and Judy Kawell when we built this engine that I wanted a street engine that I could race and thats what we came up with. The engine has 366 hp to the rear tire with race fuel ( C16 ). Click on the VRNews banner in the first post and you will see it run in the red car I am racing now.
After looking it all over I have made up my first parts list up for the build , I am going to replace the front clip from the gas tank forward, the lower quarter panels an both pan halves. The rest of the car looks pretty solid but as I remove all the paint I am sure I will find alot of hidden damage.
Thanks for the interest and comments, Mike McCarthy

Fatsam · Post by **Fatsam** » Thu Jun 21, 2012 4:37 pm

Just watched that video. That thing is wicked. I take it that thing hasn't seen the street much. You ever run a full 1/4 mile? I'm lookin to make mine quick. That's just down right fast....

dragvw2180 · Post by **dragvw2180** » Thu Jun 21, 2012 7:29 pm

No I haven't run 1/4 but it is really geared for it. So far it has only been test driven down the street in front of my house but never licensed. The headers on the car are made for sheet metal and alternator , but in the race car it is just excess weight. I will be running the race car until I am finished with all the body and paint work, then everything I need will be removed from the race car and transfered to the 66. Most of the mechanical things are done already along with all the electrical componants . When you get ready to plan your engine out give me a shout and maybe I can help . Mike McCarthy

Fatsam · Post by **Fatsam** » Thu Jun 21, 2012 9:23 pm

Thanks man, appreciate it. Are you gonna have to down tone that engine for the street?

dragvw2180 · Post by **dragvw2180** » Thu Jun 21, 2012 9:37 pm

That is the cool part , when the Kawells helped me we set it up with 8.2 compression, the cam is a Kawell grind almost the same as a fk10 , the heads are 044's that Dave gave some love to, so this really is a street engine that I can drive with pump gas. Mike McCarthy