So sorry for lack of updates - have been busy with house renovations - relocating water, gas & electrical as well as a lot of digging, drilling and general stuff. Not what I want to do however it has to be done.
What of the VW projects?
- The 2276 cc from the black VW is now sitting on the bench ready to fire up with new 48 IDA's and with some luck, the new exhaust from California will be here in the next couple of weeks. I removed the engine from the car a month or so ago, dismantled the top end to see how it was looking, soda blasted the combustion chambers, raised the CR to just shy of 10:1 and re-assembled with a host of JayCee odds and sods.
- The 2028 cc has now been assembled out to the heads. I got my dad to assemble the bottom end of the engine just so he can say he built it. Cool. Engine contains Scat 78.8 mm crank, Scat 4340 lightened flywheel, Berg 90.5 mm pistons and cylinders (dyke's top, total seal 2nd), Eagle 136 mm rods, Engle K8 cam & lifters, Magnum straight cut gears, new AS 41 magnesium case, Berg sump, Berg pump, o'Berg filter, Jaycee push rods & tubes, Scat 1.4:1 rockers, CB wedge port heads, CSP rocker covers, MSD distributor. CR is about 8.6:1 from memory. The engine is awaiting the short IDF manifolds from California (same box as the exhaust for the 2276 cc mentioned above) and then once I have mocked up the throttle bodies (2 x dual throat IDF) that I have grabbed from Greg, the tin ware will be altered to suit the engine and then sent off for paint etc. This new 2028 cc engine should prove to be a reasonable daily driver type deal, especially with heads that contain some decent cooling fins, plus the cam is somewhat mild (boring?). Exhaust is the 1 7/8 unit that was on the 2276 cc previously.
- Greg's drag car - I have purposely not mentioned this project yet and certainly not shown photo's as it isn't my car however the photo's aren't far off from being shown. Engine: 88 x 94 mm; front narrowed 4 inches; frame head laid back 10'; rear end narrowed 4-6 inches (I forget how much I cut out of it!) and raised 4 inches; rear fenders raised about 5 inches; fuel cell up front; 1 piece fibreglass front; billet pedal assembly; Kirkey racing seat; raised transaxle & engine (2-3 inches adjustable); Ron Lummus wheelie bars; Ron Lummus roll cage (with extra supports everywhere); Ron Lummus flush mount windows. From what I can gather, this might be a rapid car once it's all together. Funny because it hasn't been much of an effort, what with Greg paying the bills and me cutting, welding & assembling the car. Nice not to have to pay for a project for a change.
- The MK twice GTI is all happy and repaired after the idiot smashed the front. The engine might have been replaced while it was being repaired... Also must thank Rhys for the front end work- replaced the struts, tie rods, all mounts, ball joints and while we were there threw away the sub standard MK 2 brakes in favour of some MK 3 disks, callipers & hubs. The car stops now like it should which is good as the engine does crank along. Almost forgot - replaced the front tyres with some directional semi slick type tyres to sharpen it up around the corners. Magic daily driver and what is most unusual for a VW - I hardly have to work on it because of a failure. Reliable car considering it's 20 years old.
- The 1602 cc is still on the back burner until the panel van gets the new 2028 cc engine installed and Greg's transaxle is finished along with getting my 2276 cc running again. I just don't have the room right now (hence the work on the house renovations...).
