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When is first light off - is there a projected date?
I know when my engine came to life it was very inspiring.
No set date. It happens when it happens, If it was within another two months, I would be very happy. I might take the engine down to work and throw it on our run stand. At least I can make sure everything is good before it goes in. I can get a good idle and rev tune on it at the same time. I am sure the first time I hear it fire up, I am going to want to drive it!
Well I have officially gone crazy. As I was taking the rear part of the car apart, I stopped and stared. Seeing how the engine set and looking at the CV angles, I decided I needed to change something. The car was originally designed to have the engine sitting a different way. Because of that, the frame was not designed right for its current trans. What I am doing now, is cutting the back half of the car off. The engine is moving back 3 inches and down 2 inches. What this means is a lot of work. New a-arms, new frame, new motor mounts and so on... I am doing this right the first time so that down the road I don't have to do it again. Sure it would have worked how it was, but why leave it if you can make it better!
Good luck with the rear end re-do. Definitely a cool project. Is that 4x4 1/4 inch wall tubing? Holy overkill batman. I don't forsee that chassis ever twisting up. Very beefy stuff.
Bdiddy - No its 2x2 .095 wall with some of the main frame being .120 wall. It is still overkill but since I am doing somewhat of a unibody design, I figured overkill is better then having flexing issues.
Good news over the weekend. I finally got the car registered in my name! Stupid CA wanted $800 in back fees. If it was registered in CA, I would worry about getting pulled over and sent to a ref. So, I went out to AZ and got it all done. $35 for 2 years and no worries, yes please. Thank you AZ!
After yet a month of work, I have very little to show. Cutting apart seems to take longer then building. But, the new rear frame is in (not fully welded), the engine is mounted, and 3 out of 4 a-arms have been made and I just have some more bracing to add. What I do have to say is that everything I did was 100% worth it. My axles now sit at less of an angle at full droop then it did at ride height with the engine in the old spot. Now at ride height, the axles sit at 1° down which is parallel with the a-arm. On to the pictures!
Lower arms shortened. Still a lot more work to go on the lower arms. Just making sure everything fits right first.
Mounted
Bottom frame has been widened.
Engine going back in to make sure it fits and to make mounts.
Starting the top arm
More arm
A little more arm
Installed arm
Old VS new
Update for engine. Still waiting on my head to get back from the CNC shop... Should be next week. Then back to engine building.
Well just to make this build drag on even longer, I ended up getting another project.... I figured my little Juke won't be able to tow the Bug around so I needed something that will. Now I don't have to borrow someones truck everytime! Not that the Jeep needs much work (just a few bushing) but it is going to slow my Bug build down a little. Can't work on them both at the same time!
Nothing too crazy as of now. I made my last Jeep a little too crazy and it wasn't too fun to drive on the street. It did have 18" of travel and 36" of articulation so it was a blast off road. I am just thinking a nice wheel and tire combo with a small 2 inch lift. I will probably make my own arms for it and add some real coil overs down the road. And if the engine ever blows up, it will be getting a LS!
Once again it has been quite a while for an update, so here it is!
Rear suspension is done. Car is back on the ground and rolling. I got to roll it out side for the second time in its life. I also got a few little goodies for it.
As of this point, I am pretty sure I am putting a hold on any more progress but only for a month or two. After months of searching and putting offers in, I finally found a new house to live in! Let the moving begin....
Back on the ground and pushed out to clean the garage.
Ride height is set at 5.5" with a perfectly flat underside
Nice shiny header
Added a wing. I know some of you are going to hate it.
Didn't quite fit like the pictures I have seen, so I modified it to get close
That bug is awesome! Never seen it before. The wheel fitment has been a pain like the rest of the car. I tried them in so many different configurations its not even funny. I ended up putting the rear wheels an inch back and the front wheels have been push forward and inch (from stock). I think it looks better that way and the longer wheel base should help with the handling. As of right now, the track on the bug is 10" wider then stock rear and 8" in the front! Tires are also twice as wide as stock. Should make a nice go-kart!
I really like the new control arms ALOT better. Did you change the lower control arm mounts like the tops? Tubing vs. tabs
Yes I changed it up. Actually all arm mounts are now the square tube design. I decided it was the better route to go so I changed them out throughout the entire car. A lot of work but more then worth it
I forgot to post finished pictures of the engine. I will try to get those up later. What a headache the ported head turned in to...
Well another 2 weeks have gone by and not much to post. I am supposed to be moving this weekend and then back to working on the Bug! I have been ordering a bunch of parts in the mean time though.
- Spec stage 4 clutch with solid disk
- Exedy Chromoly flywheel
- Drivesaft Shop custom axles
- Pre bent 6 point roll cage (needs a lot more bracing then how it came but fits nice so far)
- Blue Sea fuse blocks
- Parker Pumper helmet air system
Coming soon
- Big Brake kit
- Fuel system
- Paint
- Heater box
I am pretty much done after that! My biggest thing left is all the welding.... So much more welding to do. Half Tig and half Mig = a lot of time. The frame is all Mig and the suspension related stuff is all Tig.
Well I have finally moved. Still have more stuff to take over but at least the Bug is there now! I should start working on it again in the next week or so. No internet or TV yet so looks like I will have no choice but to work on the Bug!
Loaded and ready to go.
At its new home with twice as much room to work now!
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