Volkicar Experience
It
was Saturday, February 14, 2015. Some people celebrated St. Valentine Day. They
show their love each other and everything is flowers and roses in pink fog with
gold butterflies. In Bulgaria there is another group of people which celebrate on
the same date St. Trifon Zarezan Day. It’s a Bulgarian holiday of the
winegrower or another day to drink with friends. But these holidays aren’t for
me.I want a road to a city. So, my route started from Varna to Kaloyanovo – it’s a village but special one. There is a race track and I drove a Volkicar.
Volkicar
is named to its designer Volkan Isik – Turkish race driver. He also created the
V1 Challenge race for the first time in Turkey. The 'V1 Challenge' was included
in Bulgarian Federation of Automobile Sport last year.
Technical info
Motor
|
1251
cc, inline 4 cylinder, gasoline, DOHC, air-cooled, 4 carburetor, 115 HP;
|
Gearbox
|
5
forward gear (sequential, manual), electric reverse gear;
|
Drive
line
|
100%
lock differential gear, rear drive;
|
Weight
|
530
kg/ ;
|
Weight/Power
ratio
|
4.6
kg/HP;
|
Dimensions
(l/w/h)
|
302/160/135
cm;
|
Wheelbase
|
1915
mm;
|
Track
|
1600
mm;
|
Chassis:
|
Original design, tubular;
|
Suspension
|
Original design; Front: double-wishbone independent;
Rear: rigid axle,
adjustable shock absorbers;
|
Brakes
|
(Front)
Disk, (rear) drum;
|
Body
(inner/outer)
|
Original design, composite plastic;
|
Tire
(Lassa)
|
Original design, 205/60 13;
|
Rim
(CMS)
|
Original design, 13 inches x 6 inches;
|
Driving experience
Tezcan Mustafov gave me
instructions before I seated behind the steering-wheel. We did tour with an old
BMW 3er (E30). I was trying to keep in mind all turns and tips about the speed
and the accurate gear.
First of all, put the
helmet and then the seatbelt. The gearbox is sequential - press the clutch,
push the gear stick forward and you are on the 1st gear. On the backward
position are Neutral, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th gears.
The gas pedal is very sensitive.
So, push the pedal nice and easy and the Volkicar is moving forward to the race
track. The first five to ten laps are to learn the Volkicar - how goes, how
stops and to shift the gears correctly.
This 530 kg car can reach
150 km/h so as to stop fast you have to learn to use the engine and brakes.
Shifting Up is easy but downshifting is a little bit difficult. The clutch
connects the gearbox with the engine too high and I needed more time to addict
for it.
When I started feel the
Volkicar better I began to think about the track. I had thought about how to
pass next turn with maximum possible speed on the optimal gear with 120%
safety. A few times Tezcan Mustafov
stops me to give me more tips and tricks about stopping - how to use the
clutch, the engine as brake and the brakes.
The feeling was as like I
was on the first time of training. A few tips and a lot fun with gasoline.
After the 20 lap I was exhausted. The race isn't only physical but also and
intellectual. That’s because you have to think a lot about the speed, the
engine, the next left turn, the gear – does it will be enough to get out the
turn. How long to accelerate to the next right turn. I wondered if I'll have
time to downshifting and braking or the turn comes fast.
