August Meeting
Posted: August 29th, 2011, 10:17 am
The FV Ad Hoc Committee met on August 24.
Members attending: Steve Oseth, Stevan Davis, Bruce Livermore, Dietmar Bauerle
Guest: Fred Clark
Fred Clark informed us that the schedule has been set for the RunOffs:
10:40 Monday
2:10 Tuesday
4:10 Wednesday
8:40 Thursday
Race at 9:30 Friday
The Committee has asked the CRB (via the F/SR Committee) to clarify the wording regarding the front suspension link pin offset bushings. A Tech Bulletin will probably appear in Fastrack in the coming months as an Error and Omissions statement clarifying that the ...”offset suspension bushings and alternate locating spacers” wording applies only to the LINK PIN bushings and nothing more. Questions have been raised recently on the forums and the Committee agreed that there was confusion and that the GCR needed to be more specific.
Over the past months, Committee members have received a number of inquiries regarding the legality of "Chinese" pistons and cylinders. While the Committee does not make or enforce the rules, we do try to respond to this type of request as best we can. The "Chinese" pistons that Committee members have seen appear to be non-compliant with the rules since they are not "dimensionally identical" to original VW pistons. Specifically, the compression ring land width and location are not the same as an original VW part. There may be compliant Chinese pistons out there, but those that Committee members have seen appear to be non-compliant in our opinion.
During this discussion, the general concept of using dimensional limits to control pistons was discussed. This would replace the "dimensionally identical" limitation. This led to a discussion of the use of custom made pistons. Some on the Committee feel that if we change to dimensional control, forged pistons will be allowed by default. At that point, a case could be made that a more optimal FV piston design could intentionally be allowed which would use readily available "real" racing rings, etc. Would this be a cost effective alternative to the expensive "ring packages" currently being used?
When piston and cylinder availability becomes a real problem, Chinese pistons, forged pistons and dimensional control will be part of the discussion for finding replacements. For now, the Committee is not recommending any changes.
Mike Kochanski has asked to remove himself from the Committee due to family commitments and we will be honoring his request. We are therefore entertaining the addition of one or two new members to the Committee. Stevan Davis will be sending a letter via the FV Registry asking for “volunteers” with a background in FV either at the regional or National level.
No other matters were presented or discussed.
Next meeting is scheduled for September 28
Members attending: Steve Oseth, Stevan Davis, Bruce Livermore, Dietmar Bauerle
Guest: Fred Clark
Fred Clark informed us that the schedule has been set for the RunOffs:
10:40 Monday
2:10 Tuesday
4:10 Wednesday
8:40 Thursday
Race at 9:30 Friday
The Committee has asked the CRB (via the F/SR Committee) to clarify the wording regarding the front suspension link pin offset bushings. A Tech Bulletin will probably appear in Fastrack in the coming months as an Error and Omissions statement clarifying that the ...”offset suspension bushings and alternate locating spacers” wording applies only to the LINK PIN bushings and nothing more. Questions have been raised recently on the forums and the Committee agreed that there was confusion and that the GCR needed to be more specific.
Over the past months, Committee members have received a number of inquiries regarding the legality of "Chinese" pistons and cylinders. While the Committee does not make or enforce the rules, we do try to respond to this type of request as best we can. The "Chinese" pistons that Committee members have seen appear to be non-compliant with the rules since they are not "dimensionally identical" to original VW pistons. Specifically, the compression ring land width and location are not the same as an original VW part. There may be compliant Chinese pistons out there, but those that Committee members have seen appear to be non-compliant in our opinion.
During this discussion, the general concept of using dimensional limits to control pistons was discussed. This would replace the "dimensionally identical" limitation. This led to a discussion of the use of custom made pistons. Some on the Committee feel that if we change to dimensional control, forged pistons will be allowed by default. At that point, a case could be made that a more optimal FV piston design could intentionally be allowed which would use readily available "real" racing rings, etc. Would this be a cost effective alternative to the expensive "ring packages" currently being used?
When piston and cylinder availability becomes a real problem, Chinese pistons, forged pistons and dimensional control will be part of the discussion for finding replacements. For now, the Committee is not recommending any changes.
Mike Kochanski has asked to remove himself from the Committee due to family commitments and we will be honoring his request. We are therefore entertaining the addition of one or two new members to the Committee. Stevan Davis will be sending a letter via the FV Registry asking for “volunteers” with a background in FV either at the regional or National level.
No other matters were presented or discussed.
Next meeting is scheduled for September 28