Hi my name is Dan and I've been lurking on this site for a couple months now. I had a taste of desert racing this year when I helped pit for a friend at the Silver State 300. I was hooked at that point and have been planning a build for my XP 1000 since. I reached out to Thad at Fabwerx to do the fabrication work on my car. Thad's work is top notch with his attention to detail and pride he takes in his work. So a week ago today I made the haul to So Cal and dropped my car off at Fabwerx for Thad to work his magic! Here are some pics of his progress so far, stay tuned for more to come.............
XP 1000 BITD race build by Fabwerx
- Thread starter COrider
- Start date
sand shark
Well-Known Member
He does awesome work. He built my cage on my xp1000.
badassmav
Well-Known Member
Hey Dan. Welcome to the Underground! So, I assume that you are having the car built for the purpose of racing, is that correct? If so, BITD or SCORE, and when do you plan to run your first race? Are you driving? Riding? Racing the full season? Have you guys decided what mods you are going to do to the chassis yet? I know, I'm a bit inquisitive, but one more question: Did you just acquire your UTE after being bit by the racing bug, or are you a long time UTV enthusiast? Thanks a lot, and best of luck in the building of your UTE!
sand shark
Well-Known Member
Yep - going have to swing by his shop and check it out.
Hi Reid, My offroad passion started with rock crawling Jeeps here in Colorado and Utah around 2003. I sold my last Jeep in 2008 after discovering that it's a lot more fun to go fast offroad and switched to riding on 2 wheels.
I'm not a long time UTV enthusiast but have always been interested in them. I bought my 1000 in February (never owning a UTV or even driven one) with absolutely no intentions on racing it. Wow who would have known these things are so damn fun! I attended the SS 300 in May and got bit by the racing bug and here we are. So I'm building my 1000 for the purpose of racing BITD, I would like to participate in the SCORE series as well but I'm taking it one (huge) step at a time
. Thad's gears have been constantly turning since I first spoke with him mid May. This will be his first full race build on a XP 1000 platform so I'm sure he's planning on some super trick features. Jason at KC HiLITES was kind enough to provide us with all the LED lighting for this build at a rockin price! Also Nick at KARTEK in Corona, Ca set us up proper with Mastercraft seats and harnesses along with other misc accessories for the build.
I'll be meeting Thad in Vegas on August 14th to pick up my car, fab work complete and hopefully I'll chase/pit with whoever will have me at V2R
. I still need to figure out the logistics of the whole chasing/pitting/racing thing, my friend was out of the race due to mechanical problems 80 miles into the SS 300 so I didn't get much experience at that race. I'm trying to get my car ready for its first race at the Bluewater Desert Challenge in October.
badassmav
Well-Known Member
That's an impressive turn around time for a ground up build. Good for you. I live in a small world in the hills, isolated by choice, so I'm not up with the who's who in motorsports fabrication. But I have heard of Thad from Fabwerks here in the underground numerous times, all in good context. Good luck with your new hobby in life. I'll be watching to see how you do!Hi Reid, My offroad passion started with rock crawling Jeeps here in Colorado and Utah around 2003. I sold my last Jeep in 2008 after discovering that it's a lot more fun to go fast offroad and switched to riding on 2 wheels.
I'm not a long time UTV enthusiast but have always been interested in them. I bought my 1000 in February (never owning a UTV or even driven one) with absolutely no intentions on racing it. Wow who would have known these things are so damn fun! I attended the SS 300 in May and got bit by the racing bug and here we are. So I'm building my 1000 for the purpose of racing BITD, I would like to participate in the SCORE series as well but I'm taking it one (huge) step at a time
Thad's gears have been constantly turning since I first spoke with him mid May. This will be his first full race build on a XP 1000 platform so I'm sure he's planning on some super trick features. Jason at KC HiLITES was kind enough to provide us with all the LED lighting for this build at a rockin price! Also Nick at KARTEK in Corona, Ca set us up proper with Mastercraft seats and harnesses along with other misc accessories for the build.
I'll be meeting Thad in Vegas on August 14th to pick up my car, fab work complete and hopefully I'll chase/pit with whoever will have me at V2R
nice . a quick question as I am doin a build right now also. the fuel cell.do you need a firewall if its under the seats?i am doing a 4 seater to 2 seat conversion with tank behind the seats. and according to the book I need a firewall(and also want one). but was just curious as to how it pans out if its underneath seats.to me it would make no sense at all if you don't need the firewall being underneath..even more scary . I can always change things as I am at that point now anyway.....
sand shark
Well-Known Member
Looks great.
Great question and even bigger debate! Call the series your going to race and ask them directly. I have had this argument with Score on numerous occasions. My 5/1600 has the fuel cell (Fuel Safe) in the car, behind the seats and was told I needed a firewall separating the drivers from the cell. Then I was told my firewall was not tall enough and had to go up to the shoulder part of the seat. In a 5/1600 its not easy to make a firewall, and a 5/1600 retains the VW sheet metal shell & floor which is much stronger then some skinned aluminum body. Then on the Jimco class 10 car we had the fuel cell behind the seat, with a firewall behind it separating the trans / motor from the cell/drivers compartment. Now the class 1 car as it currently sits has a saddle cell which is underneath the seats and comes up in the back. There is no firewall separating it from the drivers, but there is a firewall separating it from the trans/motor. Both the 10 & class 1 have always been OK to race in that format.
If you look at any Jimco class 1 or 10, I bet you dont see a firewall between the cell & drivers. You will see one between the drivers compartment & the motor/trans though. So go figure! When I have pointed this out, tech does not seem to give a crap and just tells me to follow the rules they have required. I think because the class 1's 10's & so on are bigger boys who typically are buying turn key cars from reputable shops, they get away with much more then a private or garage built race car. BTW my 5/1600 was also built by Jimco!
Also Score requires you have a removable tube that is in front of the cell, so if it was to come loose it could not slam into the back of the seat. Once again that seems to be a rule that is supported 50% of the time. The 10 car had it, the class 1 does not. How could you on a fuel cell under the seat?
I'm a long time off-road racer, but I can say when it comes to Desert Racing Organizations having the same rules, and inspecting & following those rules, its pretty week. Lets face it Tech is more for show then actually inspecting cars and making sure they meet the class rules. Desert racing is only one, maybe two steeps above "Swamp Buggy" racing, when it comes to being organized and following their own rules.
alright I'm starting to get excited now!!!!!
You might want to re-think the rear cage area, as I see no real bumper. One nerf and your exhaust and rear suspension are going to be crushed. To me the rear cage area looks more suited for KOTH vs true desert racing.
Another area of concern I see is the tube that goes from the rear cage/bumper area, by the rear shock, and ties into the "B" pillar door area. That tube should connect with the diagonal tube in the door area. Right now as the pictures shows those are two dead end tubes. You want those two tubes to connect so that the load & twist is transferred across the whole chassis. If you were to do a flip or cartwheel, or got nerfed hard enough I can assure you that stock section of thinner wall tubing in the "B" pillar area will kink & bend, due to the two dead end tubes not intersecting each other.
Please! Please don't take my comments as criticism, but that I have been around and understand chassis design enough to see concern or a potential week point. And maybe the main chassis is not done and more tubes are planned to be added that are just not there in those pictures.
He's definitely not done tubing out the door areas. He will be reinforcing the chassis where needed and building front and rear bumpers.
sand shark
Well-Known Member
It's getting there!
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