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Post by Mock1racer on Jun 21, 2010 15:54:32 GMT -5
Ive said it before and I'll again, Matt you're the master at findin Sh!t on the Internet! ;D I will agree, the vortec motor is gonna be the best way to go if you find one that is in good shape. I just built what I had cause I'm to impatient to go searchin.
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Post by matt123 on Jun 21, 2010 17:00:52 GMT -5
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Post by V8 Super Beetle on Jun 22, 2010 11:51:27 GMT -5
LOL, thanks! I with I would've found that article before I built mine just for the roller setup. I do plan to eventually get a retro fit roller camshaft. I just wish I could find one that's close to my cam specs now. Even a custom grind wouldn't get it close. I've called. Any who, almost ready to come off! Yeah, they're not quite as light as you would think. It'll take 4 people to get it off. Make sure you lift it evenly or one guy will be getting quite a bit of the weight. LOL, my brother did. My end was kinda light. Just make sure you have all the bolts out and double check. There's a real nasty sealer they use between the body and the pan that makes it stick good. You'll see. It's almost the consistency of tar. Heck, could be. What's the plan once the body is off? I just sold mine for the money I need to buy a S10 chassis, not that you're going that route, but... Oh, be sure if you do sell the chassis that whomever buys it doesn't register their car or kit car using your numbers that are on the pan. It'll make it impossible to register you car, if it isn't already.
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Post by matt123 on Jun 22, 2010 14:36:36 GMT -5
thats exactly why im glad that this forum exist! because i wouldnt have ever thought of that in a million years! id have been that guy pullin my hair out at the tag office! thanks for that ;D!! i plan on sitting back and starring at it for a few hours once its off. kinda took a hit at work today so ill be tightin it up alittle but thats not gonna stop me. id really like to have the engine in the back but id also like to have a manual in it. that being said i have NO idea how id run linkage to the shifter to the back im gonna get the tape measure out tonight and see exactly how much room i have to play with. then its time to make a decision... Front or back... i think a big factor of that is going to be how much a transmission and rear end would be or how much a transaxle like the "caddywaggen" another thing is that that transaxle doesnt seem as strong or as easy to make stronger as a traditional transmission and rear end. so once i get the measurements and everything im gonna get on the internet and start doin some homework. ill let yall kno what i find.
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Post by V8 Super Beetle on Jun 22, 2010 16:25:13 GMT -5
The deciding factor for me was $$$ too. The S10 rolling chassis I bought cost $150. But then it had to be rebuilt. Ball joints and bushings were only about $250. Brakes and lines were cheap. Heck, the calipers are $10 new, for the entire caliper, with a core trade in. A popular rear end upgrade for the S10 is the 8.8 ford explorer rear with can be had for $220 here at pick-a-part. The rears come in 3.55, 3.73 and 4.10 either in locker or open carrier. I'm not trying to push the S10 chassis on you. Just giving you ideas. There's tons of frames out there that are just as inexpensive. It just made sense to me cause of the huge aftermarket support for the S10 / S10 V8 conversion crowd. Take a look at the "V8 bug pics" thread and some of members threads here. It'll give you ideas. There's a mid engine chassis towards the last page of the V8 bug pic thread. carmensbugs.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=12&page=1
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Post by matt123 on Jun 22, 2010 18:16:34 GMT -5
ok so i just got some measurements off the beetle and it looks like ive got about 4 feet to play with from the back of the seat to the end of the forks on the pan. (which really doesnt matter because ill me doing somekind of other frame, but it looked like a good spot to stop). i have about 49 inchs to the roof, i think that thats gonna be the least of my problems. and 56 inchs from the VERY outside edges of the car sooooooo...... im gonna have to get creative so i figure its time to run my radical idea out there and see what yall think.... ive found this trailer in this abandon houses backyard thats off a international truck. its just the truck bed but the fenders match the beetles really well i think. that would give me all the extra room i would need to make it work. my girlfriend boards her horse with the guy who owns it relative so im gonna see if i can get his number and see if he is willing to sell it. im gonna try and get some pics of it up soon if i can. let me kno what yall think? it would be alot of work BUT i havent seen anything like it.
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Post by V8 Super Beetle on Jun 23, 2010 17:17:54 GMT -5
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Post by matt123 on Jun 23, 2010 19:33:26 GMT -5
... exactly like that... i thought no one had done that before oh well. Actually im really glad to see that build because it seems like if it was any longer than that it wouldnt look right so im really not going to have any more room then i have right now. but thanks for finding that for me. so for now i guess were stickin with the body i have and no truck bed. I went to the pick a part/ scrap yard today and noticed that they have a 90s? caddy in there i didnt get a close look at it but if i can get it at a good price it will be a mid engine, if its an outrageous price then ill be lookin for a truck as a doner for everything. there is a wrecked mid to late 90s silverado which would have the 350 in it, that i pass on my way to work so ill see if i can stop in and see if there willing to sell it. only issue im worried about is that it is wrecked in the front which means the frame could be bent. and idk if i want to try and mess with striating the frame. so im looking to make a purchase on something in the near future. if its the truck or something similar its goin in the front, if it a caddy or something similar mid engine. the only thing ive really made my mind up on is its deffinatly gonna be a chevy and its deffinatly gonna be a v8. and im still tryin to find someone to help me get this d@*% body off. its really frustrating because i cant really do much more without getting it off...
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Post by V8 Super Beetle on Jun 24, 2010 10:53:17 GMT -5
Did you plan to use the Silverado frame? I wouldn't. I would use the engine out of it though. Chances are it's a Vortec engine like mentioned. See if they would sell you the engine only. If you plan to go the truck chassis route, find a mini truck. Might as well look for an S10 if you're going the Chevy V8 route. The sump of the pan, where the oil pick up is, is in different spots for different makes, ie. Ford, Chevy. The crossmember would be in the way if you put a chevy engine on a Ford frame. To make it simple, keep the frame the same make as the engine. As far as getting the body off, you could build some saw horses if you don't have any, completely strip it down (remove windows, lights, everything, even the doors if you can) to help lighten the body. Lift the front of the body up and place it on the saw horse. Then repeat for the back. You could also get some center blocks and 4x4's, place the 4x4s under the body in the front and back and have your center blocks near by. Lift one corner and stick a center block laying flat under the corner. Not tall, but laying flat. Work your way around all four corners. Then when you get back to the first corner, lift the 4x4 and stand the block UP. Repeat for all four corners. Then get another center block, lift a corner by the 4x4 and lay the center block flat on top of the one that's standing up. Repeat this until you have the body on top of two center blocks, standing up, on all four corners. I had to do it this way cause help was hard to find. It takes long, but you can get it done this way. Just take your time so it doesn't fall. Be sure to get the heavy duty center blocks if you go this route.
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Post by murphytj on Jun 24, 2010 11:20:33 GMT -5
Yeah, I built some sawhorses for my Squareback body and lifted in to them with a cherry picker and tow strap. Had no one to help me so I had to improvise.
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Post by V8 Super Beetle on Jun 24, 2010 12:08:38 GMT -5
Good call Tom. Forgot to mention the cherry picker / engine hoist. If you have one of those then that's easiest. When I did mine, I didn't have one at the time. You could always make a lever out of 2x4 as well.
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Post by matt123 on Jun 24, 2010 14:05:27 GMT -5
i dont have a cherry picker yet so im gonna be doin by myself. ill prolly have the girlfriend help alittle but i dont think shes gonna be doin much heavy liftin. just wondering but he silverado frame? is it too heavy duty for the bug of too heavy? i believe you that it will be but im just wondering why it would be more of a hassle?but she gets off work at 5 so im gonna see if i can put something together when she gets home. hopefully it will be cooler outside too. its crazy hot here today!
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Post by murphytj on Jun 24, 2010 16:19:31 GMT -5
i dont have a cherry picker yet so im gonna be doin by myself. ill prolly have the girlfriend help alittle but i dont think shes gonna be doin much heavy liftin. just wondering but he silverado frame? is it too heavy duty for the bug of too heavy? i believe you that it will be but im just wondering why it would be more of a hassle?but she gets off work at 5 so im gonna see if i can put something together when she gets home. hopefully it will be cooler outside too. its crazy hot here today! In my opinion, tube chassis is the way to go.
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Post by V8 Super Beetle on Jun 24, 2010 17:09:25 GMT -5
True, a tube chassis would be awesome, but it's very expensive. A round tube chassis would be the way to go. The thing about the Silverado is it's width, and the frame is heavier. Not only would you have to shorten it, but you would also have to narrow it. Unless you don't mind your tires sticking out 5-6 inches on each side and your frame being wider than the body of your car. It would end up looking like this. www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpbEKXN7rF8&feature=channel
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Post by matt123 on Jun 24, 2010 17:31:58 GMT -5
That makes alot of sense. i think ill call up the pic a part tomorrow and see how much they charge for a engine and a frame. ive found some engines on craigslist for a good price so hopefully something will be happening soon. any ideas about a tranny. my dad has a 3 speed but i really dont like only having 3 gears. if i run a automatic what would be a good one to run. really i want to make it a daily driver/ drag bug on fridays. but mainly i just would like to run around in it and be able to drive it the 4 hours home to my parents place so i was thinking at least a 5 speed if its a manual but any ideas for a automatic? ive heard there better for the drag strip but its not gonna make too much of a difference to me. BTW the bodys comin off tomorrow. i dont have to work now so ill have all day to tackle that. ill have pics up when im done. thanks guys
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