ShopTalk Forums | Aircooled VW Tech & Restoration Help

Oh....and what are your plans for an engine in this?

Ok, woke this morn drank 2 pots of black mud. Mounted front arms, spindles, rack and pin, tie rods, beam rods took a brake and pulled a rod. More coffee stir the wife, snap pics a get on the computer. Seriously though, the only important note I want to clarify is the patience in mounting your rack. If you get it perfect the first time, your not checking it correctly. Rotate it forward and aft and make sure you understand what results in what. This will teach you about bumpsteer and the drastic toe changes that result. Rotate to extremes-this will make the changes more pronounced and clarify what is going on. This is a topic you must learn yourself in order to align your front end and have a safe and straight car. It is not rocket science but expect to be puzzled a little. Trust me..play with it until it suddenly comes clear and you go "ohhhhh I see". Note the two tabs on the rack mount with hose clamps that allow adjustment. Not my idea, I wish I rememberd who suggested it, it worked great. This bumpsteer once understood applies to all steering suspension so it's value is golden. Not to sound condisending but this is probably the most critical part of your build. I checked bump on the camaro so many times it was crazy....one dip a speed can kill you.

I know you guys probably know this stuff already. I just like to have the critical stuff mentioned in case some is learning. As of now it's a stock dual port 16. I will probably drop a 19// or something like that. Yeah the arms are a learning experience for sure, nomatter what your past. Expect to be humbled.

Some things need to be mentioned over and over and over, some may know it but some don't, some may need a reminder. Man you are flying what brand of Black mud are you drinking, I NEED some of that!

Getrdone wrote:I know you guys probably know this stuff already. I just like to have the critical stuff mentioned in case some is learning. As of now it's a stock dual port 16. I will probably drop a 19// or something like that. Yeah the arms are a learning experience for sure, nomatter what your past. Expect to be humbled.

Keep up the posts man great build you got going on and great info too.

Don Fransisco Hawaiin blend. Sounds gay but tastes good. I mix with decaf. nowadays. The longer the post the fresher the Jo.--- More progress! yeah it's going to slow big time here in a few min. Reinforced the shock hoops added brake lines, drums etc. I have all the bearing numbers for the drum install if needed. I figured the stock drums to be better than the cheap discs such as chirco offers. I can only guess by they way they look to be a mass of unsprung weight. I'll save the for the future. who needs to stop anyway..thats what my dad says of his mini sprint. They dont have jack for brakes and scarey fast! 600cc on meth.

I thought for sure someone would ask what the overkill beam brackets were for. I guess everyone figured it out.The fore holes are going to be for pins to tow from. Oh I just ordered high speed Sat. internet serv. There are some posts I wish to read or respond to but cant due to the pics freezing me up. Soon I will enjoy high speed without going to Nuts&noble

Man you sure are chugging along. I havent even started my beam swap . it it looking very good. Im not sure if you said, but how much travel are you going to get out of the front end?

Have'nt decided yet. I have more travel than I want to use. I wish to keep some fiberglass upfront. I have a second beater front end I think I'll call my desert hood. I thik I was able to squeeze all the travel possible with 2.5" arms. I also was able to keep it under the hood. I need to discipline myself on the work--no one is paying me to build this.I will take some measurments ASAP to get the parts combination on record for those who need the reference. I need to get over to the car page and post some specs. Hey yours runs! Thats most everyones milestone goal.

Hey yours runs! Thats most everyones milestone goal.

Couldn't have said it better myself!!!

Getrdone wrote: Hey yours runs! Thats most everyones milestone goal.

Yes mine runs. But as soon as I can afford to mine will be just like yours...in peices and getting upgraded...
Hey Clint, any chance that you would make and sell more rear arms since you have the jig all dialed in?

Nice fabrication...Im thinking it doesnt qualify for "poor mans" though!

Hey ricko depending on when you tear into yours maybe you can have the arms in the pics with the drive flanges and axles. I going to start builing another set of arms with the 3/4" heim for the spring plate. I'm not repairing or replacing this trans so when it goes it's bus time. Here is where I'm at. Added the last bars to the front today. Had waited until I had the steering shaft was in to diagonally brace the front. I added base plates when welding to the tunnel. All the is left upfront is the headlight mounts and limit stops on the beam. I think I am going to use pin and hook style along with a strap. Anyone have any unique or cool stop ideas. I tried a few searchs to no avail. Oh, I am considering cutting off the entire spring plate, turning some 1/4" wall DOM to fit in the tor. housing and mount the heim there. Waste of time? Should I leave it and bolt a plate to the end and call it good?(with a turned bung of course)

Oh for those starting. I know better and I thought I did a pretty goood job doing the body work first but I should have washed and cleaned the firewall before building a jungle gym over it. Take the extra 15 min and wash/degrease it and put some paint on it. So what if you scratch the crap out it. Touch it up afterward. The last diag bars were painted sans the ends as not to have to get a gun in there. Washing , brushing around the bars is just a pain in the arse. I know you will probably be so stocked to finally bend tube you will ignore this.....then when your done you will think Getrdone told me to paint this first. Now I know what he meant. And for the record I'm a rattle can guy. I scratch everything and cans touch up easy.

Getrdone wrote:Hey ricko depending on when you tear into yours maybe you can have the arms in the pics with the drive flanges and axles. I going to start builing another set of arms with the 3/4" heim for the spring plate. I'm not repairing or replacing this trans so when it goes it's bus time. Here is where I'm at. Added the last bars to the front today. Had waited until I had the steering shaft was in to diagonally brace the front. I added base plates when welding to the tunnel. All the is left upfront is the headlight mounts and limit stops on the beam. I think I am going to use pin and hook style along with a strap. Anyone have any unique or cool stop ideas. I tried a few searchs to no avail. Oh, I am considering cutting off the entire spring plate, turning some 1/4" wall DOM to fit in the tor. housing and mount the heim there. Waste of time? Should I leave it and bolt a plate to the end and call it good?(with a turned bung of course)

I would go with the plate and bung myself. You are going to be able to keep this under the 550lb weight limit that the rest of us abide by aren't you?