So I take it you FINALLY got the slugs then? LOL Less pics more wrenching. LOL

 

Jimbo - Yes FINALLY! I got to swap the front axle in the Jeep and build a new fence for the side yard. Then on to Bug time. So probably next week sometime.

 

Well my Jeep project is finally done, so back to Bug work. I got the Juke out of the garage and the Bug in to place over the weekend. Finally some room to work. Time to pull the bad engine out. Should have it out before the weekend. Then on to building the new engine.

 

Engine is pretty much ready to come out! Still need to pull the door and 4 mounts off. Other then that, its ready.

 

Motor is out! Spun bearing on #2. As expected. All other bearings are bad.

 

Well its been yet another month and pretty much no progress. The engine is all torn down and I saved what few good parts were left. After that, I ordered up everything else I was missing in order to build the new engine. Then I sent the rotating assembly off to get balanced. A day later I did not get the phone call saying "your parts are ready". Instead I get the call that says "these pistons wont work". So they were made with the wrong size wrist pin. Too big. Cant open up the rods enough to make it work either. So now back to the waiting game on another set of pistons. At least it was not my fault and shouldnt cost me anything but time. I just hope it isnt going to be 4 months like last time. If anything, I am throwing the short block I have built and ready to go back in it. Its a clone to the original engine. Not what I want to do but at least I can go back to racing.

 

Just in case no has said this before, THANKS for building and documenting this. Way better than I thought it would turn out. No disrespect. Just that good. LOL

 

Thanks Jimbo. Coming from you it means a lot! No disrespect taken. I have seen a lot of hack jobs roll through this forum in the past couple years and was hoping that mine would not turn in to one. Every time I see the Bug, I ask myself if I really built an entire car without prior knowledge or experience doing so. And ya somehow I did. Cant wait to drive it again.

 

Well still waiting on pistons. So on to body work.

 

Dang man, that really sucks. If you don't mind my asking, was it a case where you specified the wrong size, or did the vendor make a mistake? If it's on them, then I would think that they shouldn't just replace the pistons, they should also prioritize the replacement set so that you're not penalized by being "pushed to the back of the line" again...

Best of luck!

 

Luckily, this mistake was not my fault. I asked them to use another set of pistons that they already make as a starting point. The two big changes were increasing the bore size (which they did) and move the pin height down to get a better quench. Well instead of moving the pin down, they made the pin size bigger. All the specifications were given over email so I had a good paper trail explaining exactly what I needed done proving it was their mistake. I dont think they threw me to the end of the line but somewhere in the middle. It takes even more time to do them since I got the skirts and tops coated. They dont do it in house so it adds an extra week or two. I got an update on Friday saying that they were currently being coated. So hopefully that means I will have them in my hands in 2 weeks.

 

Well the new pistons showed up a couple days ago. They seem to be correct as well. Find out for sure when I drop the first piston in. Got the rotating assembly back from balancing today. Engine assembly should start next week. Finally getting close to driving this thing again.

 

Well the engine is built and set in place. The hard part is over. Might have it running this weekend. Its supposed to be in the low 100°s out so we will see.

 

Looking good!!! It won't be too long hopefully
.

 

Thanks Jimbo. I need to get the wheels back on this thing and put it back on the ground so I can roll it outside. It has been sitting for 8 months so it has more then plenty of cob webs and dust on it. Need to get it all off before I finish putting it together. Cant stand working on a dirty vehicle. Even my Jeep with 160k miles on it is cleaner!

 

Well, it runs. Still a lot more work to do, but it runs. Might throw a seat in it tonight and cruise it around the block.

 

20 miles in to it, it still runs. Bad news is that its low on boost and there isnt much I can do. Already have the smallest pulley on the blower. Need to do some searching and see if I can get an oversized balancer instead. Or.... a bigger blower. Currently hitting 9 psi when I was shooting for 15 psi. I still think it runs better then the last engine with 11-12 psi. 2:30 mark is the good stuff.

 

That looked like a fun ride!

 

Bitchin' blower whine!