Beck 550 spyder, AX Candidate? Options

[Joseph Mills]

Looking at some of the specs on this kit made me start thinking how good a candidate it might be for auto crossing.

As far as I know Beck is the only kit that has a hand made tubular frame instead of a VW frame. Maybe that accounts for it's lightweight?

Something around 1200 pounds total! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/ohmy.gif)

We all know that light cars turn corners fast, and with even meager HP it's going to scoot in a straight line.

Suspension... well, maybe that is the bugaboo... Volkswagen. VW's on an autocross course are always scary with their positive camber from the swing axles. Maybe limit the amount of travel? Are there after market handling kits for such? Or additional link systems that bolt up?

Would a kit car be up to handling the torque and twisting forces of AX?

Thoughts? (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/idea.gif)

[Jake Raby]

Really... I never said that neing midengined SOLVES the issue, but rather that it makes it less notable on the same road and speeds. I can tell you that now based on driving my swing axle beetle through twisties with the weight hanging off the ass end and a swing axle just like the Beck 550 uses.

These changes really are not needed. Having driven dozens of these cars I can say that they handled very similar (on the same roads) to my 914 with full Konis, full cage, Mueller's bearings, gusseted trailing arms 180 pound springs and front and rear sway bars.... But the 914 isn't lightened an ounce and has the cage as well.

You really have to drive one to see just how little they really need to handle very well.

The only issue I foresee in AX is the fact that the car is so light that it will push the front wheels under full power- Hell I have that problem in my beetle.

lapuwali, have you ever driven a 550 Replica??

FWIW- I have been blessed enough to drive the real Mccoy and can say that the replica was better in every performance category, even with the 4 cammer...