A rather odd thing to say, Chris, tbh. Like saying that a show car can't have a Roll-Cage, or Centre-Lock wheels. The Arch mods are clearly necessary for the car's suspension setup (however misguided some might think they are). I don't think the world of Motorsport can 'lay claim' to large wheel wells to the exclusion of any other type of modifiying/preparation. These 'grass cutters' aren't my cuppa, but the work involved is clearly impressive and I've admired many a decked Karmann or Razoredge.
Solely in the context of inner arch work. Cages etc.. all add ons.. fine. Simply if inner arches are being fundamentally altered, then: a) for a show car, the bar has gone up ridiculously; and b) when is a VW no longer a VW? Anything can be created by a skilled fabricator, but the line shifts enormously when show cars require remoddling of a chassis, beyond arch lips / arch tugging. See Prodrive Open day thread though - '000s spent in labour, doing re-tubbed shells.
did anyone notice the bottom of the brasilia when the spare wheel well was out? it was battered!! JUST RAISE IT!! you're in a field FFS...
Nail on head. Doesn't matter what the car eventually ends up doing. Some people spend thousands on race-spec engine builds for cars that later barely ever turn a wheel. Fabrication, and the build process, are the goal for some people. At the end of some projects, the owners are either ready to sell, or too scared to drive what they've created. There must be dozens of forest-arched Escorts that have yet to run a gravel stage? Or 600bhp Sierras with more Carnauba than Paint? Those particular inner arches aren't rocket science, being simple shapes in flat steel. They aren't even pretty, and stick out like a sore thumb as not being part of the original chassis. They're a functional modification, necessary for that show car. I wouldn't agree that the bar has 'gone up ridiculously'.
Arch-tubbing has been around in the American truck/Hot Rod car scene for years. Normally has to be done as part of a `body drop`or `chanelling`. That`s where it`s not possible to lower a chassis anymore so the body is dropped in relation to the chassis. Major fabrication required... Much more difficult on monocoque VWs, but they`ve made a good fist of it with that red Jetta...
Arch tubbing on the VW show scene? It's not commonplace, and every aspirational kid has just had the carpet and floorboards whisked away from underneath. This costs money. Not just a paint job, some rimz and suspension, but structural, precision bodywork. C'mon, wakey, wakey
Chris, there are more advanced cars than that on this very site. I'm thinking of this one. ^That is proper fabrication. Is it a race car? I mean, has it actually competed? (seriously, I don't know) Has it attended any VW event at all since it was completed? (again, I myself don't know) If it has, does that make it a Show car? 'Coz I'm a damn sight more impressed with that than I am with a couple of tubbed wheel arches...
That 5 pot build is WAY more interesting than a slammed car. A subtle drop for handling is much better than riding on the floor.
Entirely different kettle of fish. Yes, it is a track car, which has been used on the quarter miles, albeit until it had an inlet explosion sometime last year. It is exquisitely prepared, a testament to its owners skills, but it competes on times, not looks. Tubbing front arches purely for show and scene stance is an entirely different matter.
I've never been interested in stance so I prefer the other kettle of fish to be honest. Looks wise, it's awesome in it's own way and I'd have that over any scene car.
There are quite a few people on the show 'scene' that will spend far more than some of us track peeps will just to be ahead of their crowd. I'm not surprised to see a modification liked tubbed arches tbh. For instance, Marcus Haeger (sp?) with the grey dutch mk1 with the chrome VR6 on TB's went to the trouble of narrowing the front wishbones, running gear and rear beam just so that 9" wide 16" BBS splits would sit perfectly inside his arches which also involved relocating the inner arches too. Very subtle but very costly. I'd say just as extreme as tubbing arches if not more. Gurds
That VR Mk1 is `Big` Ron Huizer`s... Utterly sublime car with a lot more subtle modification than many know, as you say. Strut brace doubling up as the rad fill/header is borderline genious...
