Pro Mo's adventure in rust and ruin. (A build thread)

Projectile Motion · Post by **Projectile Motion** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 10:03 pm

Ya TallKewl, I noticed that in your thread too! Very similar design. It looks like a cool project you've got. I am up in Linda Vista area fairly close to you. Thanks for he offer and the same goes for you, if you need something shoot me a PM, I'll see if I can help.

Thanks for all the interest in my car guys. I should have an update real soon. I just got the seats and cell in and will be working on the pedals and dash through out this week. There is definitely light at the end of the tunnel now so I am super motivated. Plenty of pictures coming!

Projectile Motion · Post by **Projectile Motion** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 3:10 pm

Not quite an update but I thought I would show how I made my dash. I was going to go with Aluminum but after some thought, I ended up going with fiberglass. I figured some of you might be able to use this method on your own projects. There are many ways to make a fiberglass piece. The common method for car panels is to make a model of the finished piece (called a plug), then put some sort of release agent on it, then coat it with a few coats of Gel coat then on top of that fiberglass cloth/mat and resin. After it is cured, pull it away from the plug and you have your mold. Then coat the mold with a release agent and spray a few coats of gel coat followed by the fiberglass and resin.

That was a bit more involved than what I wanted to do for a one-off piece so I made a mold, put the fiberglass over that and that was my finished piece.

I started with some polystyrene foam from the hardware store and cut out the rough outline.

I then glued some extra foam, shaved it down and drew the basic outline of the gauges. 120 grit sandpaper worked perfect for the shaping.

I wrapped the foam in Aluminum foil because the resin will eat into the styrene foam. Then laid down the fiberglass mat (cutting for sharp bends and overlap) with two layers around the gauge area. Mixed up the resin and poured it on using a cheap throwaway brush.

After it cured I pulled it from the mold, trimmed to fit and sanded to get rid of sharp edges.

For the resin to be sandable it needs some sort of wax. I have plenty of resin with the wax in it but it is expensive stuff used for surfboards so I did not use it here. Instead I gave it a light skim with bondo to even out the surface.

After that cured I was just a matter of sanding until I was happy with the surface. Here it is mocked up ready for gauges, switches, lights and a finish (Paint, vinyl, headliner fabric ect.)

I have a build update coming soon so I will show how it looks attached and nearly finished. Hopefully someone will be able to use this to spark an idea of their own. But now I am off to some Christmas activities and watching the Chargers' Monday night game. Merry Christmas!

gpohls · Post by **gpohls** » Tue Dec 25, 2007 10:59 am

Threads like this inspire me to copy stuff!!!

I just wish I had one third of that welding experience....

One question: Why didnt you enclose with plates the shock mounts?

Seems to me it would have look awesome if you would have extended those plates and dimple die them...

Keep those pics commming

Projectile Motion · Post by **Projectile Motion** » Tue Dec 25, 2007 2:55 pm

Copy anything you want! That is why I put photos of the car online. Nearly all of the things I have done are a result of coping what I have seen either in person or a lot from the internet.

As for the shock mounts, I actually was going to do them all out of plate (no tube) but I went this route for a few reasons. First was that the tube design is way easier to build and second (and why I did not plate these in) was that a plate design would block nearly all visibility out of the quarter widows. It would look awesome though!

Post by **david58** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 12:18 pm

Here ya go Leather.

2 minutes to find.

buzzboy · Post by **buzzboy** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 3:21 pm

For the fiberglass, when you are doing your hotcoat(the waxy second layer) you can just shave a little bit of paraffin wax into your normal polyester resin. That's all that the surfboard resin is. Eccept it is added to alcohol and then mixed in with the resin.

Great job on the build. :tup:

Projectile Motion · Post by **Projectile Motion** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 3:38 pm

Really, all it is is paraffin? That is cool to know. I always heard it called "wax" but did not know that is really all there is to it. I will stick with the overpriced glass for my boards just because of the quality though.

After I was done I realized the bondo is probably better for the dash application anyways because it gives a better substrate for the paint.

Thanks for the build-list add Leather, I kept forgetting to PM you to do it!

Projectile Motion · Post by **Projectile Motion** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 10:36 am

Time to dust off this old thread. I was without internet for awhile at my house (Got to love having roommates that don't pay their bills!) then the dog stepped on my camera so now I have to borrow a camera to get some more pictures. I have been working on the car. The tube work is done on the front end, roof rack is built and mounted and I am just lacking 4 tubes in the interior. I have not started the engine cage/bumper yet because I want to build it around the motor to make sure there are no interference issues. This brings me to the reason for the update.
I am looking for opinions on what motor to build and run. First I should say that I have never assembled a VW engine. I have rebuilt many dirtbike motors (both 2 and 4 stroke) and can follow Manual instructions. I was thinking of a 1915, C/W crank, better heads and single IDF (cam I would not know until I know what heads/carbs I can afford). My thought is to go with the 94x69 because it would be a little easier to set up a stock stroke motor. I talk to a lot of people who wish they had gone stroker but I figure the extra money saved could go towards better heads. I am not looking to win any races here just a good reliable step up from stock. I figure I would ask this here because I want offroader's opinions since we have much different motor needs than a street car. So what do you guys think? Is a 1915 doable for a first time builder and will I be happy with the power? (The tranny is geared for the tire size so I am not looking for power to make up for that just to push the heavier car)

And I know what some of you are thinking so don’t, watercooled is out of the question on this car right now.

rickosuave1987 · Post by **rickosuave1987** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 2:24 pm

go with 90.5 pistons and a stoker. 94s will give you thinner walls. a 90.5 piston will be more reliable IMO. Go with 90.5 pistons and 74 crank.

Post by **Leatherneck** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 2:30 pm

My next one will have a big ole hanken crank to it. Never had a stroker, smaller cyl. larger stroke sounds powerful.

Post by **Hedrock** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 5:31 pm

Leatherneck wrote:My next one will have a big ole hanken crank to it. Never had a stroker, smaller cyl. larger stroke sounds powerful.

Joxracing · Post by **Joxracing** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 5:54 pm

Dude, I just read threw your whole thread, and im amazed. Are you superman?! You can do everything, Your welds are amazing!!, You can make a dash out of fiberglass, dude i want to marry you!!(in a non gay way, just so you can finish my baja)

I think that was enuff dudes for one post. Dude!!

Turbo_Manx_Maniac · Post by **Turbo_Manx_Maniac** » Mon Mar 17, 2008 7:21 pm

Hey Promo, maybe I can repay the favor for lending me the pivot tool. I'm gonna be building a stroker here in the next few weeks so I'll have a counterweighted 69mm DMS crank and rods I won't need. The crank and rods are in perfect shape, and I can help you assemble the engine if you want.

Want to fuel inject it?

sinistervw · Post by **sinistervw** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 1:14 am

Wow Just read through this whole thread and it is a major inspiration for me!

Thanks!

Nice Pit too! Got 2 myself....Lovers not fighters!

Projectile Motion · Post by **Projectile Motion** » Tue Mar 18, 2008 6:09 pm

Ricko, that is definitely an issue but as far as I understand the 94's have decent wall thickness and have proven to be pretty reliable. Better than the 92's just not as much as the 90.5's or stock cylinders. I cannot imagine the 139cc difference between 94's and 90.5's on a stock stroke making noticeable HP so what about just a 1776cc (running the best heads I can afford because I know a lot of VW power potential is in the heads)? . What are everyones opinions about small wall thickness vs. small displacement sacrifices? Which would you rather have?

My thought is that if I do go with a longer stroke I will go 82mm (90.5p/c for the proven 2110). Reason being that the "B" pistons are made for that stroke so setting deck height would be easier

. Someone shed some light on this for me because I am only going off of catalog descriptions here.

Turbo, keep me posted. I also remember you talking about being able to fairly easily make an FI set up and would be interested. Especially if it could be done for close to (or less!) than the price of a real Weber set up.

Thanks for the compliments everyone. It is nice to have hard work noticed. And Jox don't be fooled. Metal work has been a hobby for me for a while now and I have been working with fiberglass and resin almost as long as I have been surfing (over 20 years now). I actually make my own boards now so I have worked with the stuff a lot (and the dash is a lot rougher in person than the photos show!). These are about the only things I can do a somewhat respectable job on.