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Low Budget Excitement! ".......Out of the corner......OK, there's third gear......Oh CRAP!!!......whew, just missed that rock......Downshift....S-turn coming up......Back on the gas.....Big jump ahead...Take it in 3rd.......come on, come on..........YEA!!!" There's a good number of off-roaders out there who've had that dream. You know, Man and machine against the desert, Mano-a-mano. Sometimes you win, sometimes the desert wins, and once in a while it even rains. Unfortunately, many abandon the dream before it's really even begun, thinking the costs too high. While racing in any form is not inexpensive, there's still a way for the "Ivan Stewart" in us all to live that dream without mortgaging the dog & both kids. It's called "Class 9 - Challenger" The Father & Son team of Tim & Gary Hart came to Class 9 after winning the 1995 Class 5-1600 Baja Bug Championship in the Fud Racing Series. As costs in the 5-16 class continued to climb, it became increasingly difficult for the Harts to field a competitive race car on a budget. Even with good sponsorship, the out of pocket expenses were taking a definite bite out of the "fun factor". While the Harts wanted to continue racing, moving down to the less expensive Class 11 was not an option, and a move to trucks would prove even more expensive. Class 9 buggies offered an ideal solution. So the question on your mind right now is, "How much?", right? The price will really suprise you. For around $10,000, you can build yourself a state of the art, highly competitive Challenger car. A big wallet won't help you much here, since there's only so much you're allowed to do to the car. Limited in suspension and engine displacement, the Class 9 buggies are certainly not limited in the challenge they offer. In fact, Class 9 is called "Challenger" because the cars are so evenly matched, making for a true "drivers class". Engine / Transaxle The rules of Challenger call for a basically stock Type 1 single port VW engine. displacing an actual 1584 cc's. Class rules allow for a single Solex 1bbl carb, coil type ignition (no Magnetos allowed, sorry) and 4 into 1 exhaust with a USFS approved spark arrestor. Internally, the engine is allowed a maximum of 7.5 to 1 compression, balanced crankshaft, rods & pistons (all of stock type) and unported heads. Camshaft selection is open, but is realistically limited by the "stock" nature of the other engine components. Gary Hart is the engine builder of record for T&G Racing, and along with son Tim, added there own special touches to the Challenger's mill.
The VW Type 1 Transaxle built by Paul Smiley is of the "swing axle" variety, in keeping with the class rules. A stock 1st & 2nd gear are followed up by a close ratio 3rd & 4th. The hard to find German 4.37 to 1 ring and pinion are mounted to a screw type "super diff" differential, turning Sway A Way axles, and Tupe 181 drums. A 4-puck clutch & 1600 lb. bus pressure plate, and aluminum side plates round out the trannys beef. Chassis / Suspension World renowned chassis manufacturer, Chenowth, provided their "4LW" chassis, literally "hot off the welder". When Tim & Gary arrived at Chenowth's El Cajon California facilities to pick up the car, the finishing touches were being put on the bare chassis.Still hot, the 4LW was loaded onto the T&G Ford F-250 and cooled off on the way home! The Chenowths have developed a legendary reputation in the trench warfare of the Challenger class. While heavier than many of the newer offerings like Bunderson or Lothringer (two of the industries best manufacturers) the Chenowth has proven to be nearly bulletproof, taking thousands of miles of punishment with little complaint. With less than 8 in. of front & rear wheel travel from the "stock" VW suspension design (Swing axle rear, and ball joint / trailing arm front) "punishment" is an accurate word to describe it. "You don't drive a 9 (Challenger), you skip it like a stone across a lake. You get up on top of the bumps and STAY THERE! If you get down in them, you get beaten to death trying to get back up on top" says Tim. Easing the pain enormously is the job of specially designed Fox 2.0 "Challenger" Shox. Designed and valved specifically for the Challenger cars, the Fox units pack a tremendous amount of performance into a lightweight, compact package. Further aiding the shocks effectiveness is a custom designed liquid cooling system engineered by Tim. Using a transmission / oil cooler, braided nylon line, silicon, steel tubing, an electric fuel pump, and coolant, the Fox Shox can be pushed to their limits with no fear of heat induced shock fade. While many Challengers are slowing down due to handling problems late in the race, T&G Racing's Chenowth keeps going with a "first lap" feel. Additional suspension components include spring plates & torsion bars from Sway A Way. The combination of 27mm "Intermediate" bars and super durable (chrom-moly steel, twice the thickness of stock) spring plates is well suited to the chassis dynamics of the Chenowth, and are made even more versatile by the addition of torsion adjusters. Making the chassis tunable to course conditions is a must for desert racing, since they can change greatly from lap to lap. Proper setup often makes the difference between sitting in the winners circle, and spending a long night in the desert with a broken car, and coyotes for company Steering Steering is accomplished via a Wright Rack and Pinion unit, with Chro-moly tie rods, and a combination of International 1 ton, and Ford 3/4 ton rod ends. The stock VW spindles are reinforced to rulebook specifications, and ride in German (VW) Ball Joints for maximum durability. The light weight (1600 lbs.) and rear engine location of the Challenger cars make power steering unnecessary, even with the increased tire diameter. Big tires and R&P steering boxes can add up to some sore arms without a little hydraulic help. T&G chose a Fox Nitrogen steering stabilizer originally designed for a 5-1600 car. Adjustable via gas pressure, the Fox unit keeps the wheels pointing in the right direction, and minimizes driver fatigue. Tires While Class rules call for Steel wheels, the tire sizing is open. Tim & Gary opted for the proven Yokohama Super Digger III rear tires sized at 33X10.5X15. The Diggers mounted to a 5 in. wide rim result in a rounded tread surface, which allows for more wheelspin, and increased rolling radius. In front, 7x15 Yokohoma highway tread tires provide knifelike steering, along with a high sidewall profile. This extra sidewall height works like additional suspension (in the rough), and that's a thing that Challengers can always use more of. While many racers have "gone tubeless", Tim & Gary prefer the added security a tubed tire provides. Although adding weight to the rotating mass, the time and speed lost are more than made up for by fewer pit stops due to blown tires. In the desert, there are no shortage of things ready to tear a tire to shreds. Cactus, rocks, other cars...the list goes on. T&G Racing are firm advocates of the theory.."Better safe than sorry" Interior The interior of a Challenger is purely functional. It has to be since there's little room for luxuries. A pair of Beard Super Seats and aci 5 point safety harnesses are bolted directly to the chassis for maximum safety. Between them rests a Jamar shifter with reverse lock-out, which prevents any transmission damage from an accidental missed 3-2 downshift at speed. A Yaseu 2 way radio with helmet intercom provides vital communication between the driver, co-driver, and crew. Speaking of helmets, the team's Shoei RF-R helmets are set up for a pair of Cactus Racing fresh air systems, mounted behind the Challengers seats. An added benefit of the Cactus system is the cooling ability. The circulation created in the full face helmets help keep Tim & Gary cool in the ultra-hot summer races. Knowing that a comfortable driver is an effective driver, the Cactus system is an invaluable part of the teams winning effort. A quick detach steering wheel eased entry and exit, since the "door" is actually a hinged roof panel. Entry to the cockpit by the side "window" openings is not possible, because of the solidly mounted safety nets which keep the occupants hands & arms safely in the cockpit, and protected in case of a rollover. Other safety features include a Firesafe on-board fire suppression system (manual Halon Dump), first aid kit, and 16 gal foam bladder Jaz Fuel Cell, mounted behind a steel firewall. Reflective "flares", on board water, and survival supplies all meet or exceed the rule book requirements, and add an extra layer of confidence to both driver & co-driver.. Lighting The 4 KC Highlights "Daylighter" 100 watt units live up to their name, and provide the Hart's Challenger with more than ample illumination during the night races common to the Fud Series. A 55 Watt fog light is rear mounted (and faces rearward) as per class rules, to provide an "early warning" to approaching cars in limited visibility conditions. Sometimes the standard tail lights just aren't enough, and getting rear-ended by a Class 8 truck is never fun. A red clearance light is mounted to the interior and wired to the oil pressure sending unit. In case of a sudden pressure drop, the light goes off, and there's no missing it. This system has saved the engines in many cars from catastrophic damage. Finally, there is a "work light" mounted in the engine bay. Midnight in the desert is no place to wonder where your flashlight went, and the added safety & convenience of a chassis mounted light is well worth the very minimal cost in weight. At the Races T&G Racing's most recent outing was the SNORE "Terrible Town 200" (Feb 21) in Henderson NV, where the team came home with a 4th place finish out of a 19 car (Class 9) field. Starting in the 10th slot, Tim & Gary ran consistent laps, moving the Challenger up 3 positions by lap 3. Assisting Tim and Gary with the Driving chores were Rich & Lee Culiver of El Centro Ca. Both veterans of the desert wars, Rich and Lee took over the car on lap 3, on an increasingly deteriorating course. The course proved to be the least of Rich's problems, when a 1/2/1600 hit the T&G car from behind, mangling the engine cage, and knocking an exhaust pipe loose from the collector. After a quick repair (a'la crow bar) in the pits, the Challenger was back on the course, and gaining position. When the checkered flag dropped, Rich pulled the car across the line in 4th position, keeping the car's record of top 5 finishes intact. Thanking the Sponsors Tim & Gary Hart would like to take this opportunity to thank their sponsors who have made their success possible.
Your dream of racing in the desert doesn't have to remain a dream. Challenger offers you an inexpensive (relatively speaking) solution for making the dream come true. Now just ask yourself...."Would I rather skip rocks across a pond, or a Class 9 Challenger across the desert?" Well, What are you waiting for? Find out more about
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