V8 Beetle update: trans. cross member, drive shaft

[zbhover]

I just put a quick update of our 1969 V8 powered convertible VW Beetle project on my website and thought I'd let everyone know, and post a few pictures here.

I was able to finished up making a cross member for the 200R4 transmission, got the engine and trans "leveled" (trans down about 3 degrees) welded in the engine mounts, put in the drive shaft, and dropped the body back onto the frame, etc.....

A direct link to the update on my website with several pictures is here:
www.v8beetleresource.com/chassis17trans3.html

You can see the rest of the project from the home page of my V8 Beetle Resource website at:
www.v8beetleresource.com/

Next I'll be working on making a rear cross member to mount the shocks and sway bar end links too, and then making some traction bars.

Here are a few pictures, there are more at the link above:



Next I wanted to get the transmission cross member made for the 200r4 (2004R) transmission and modified S-10 chassis, until this point the trans has just been sitting on a piece of pipe that was across the rails. To start out I pushed the bug into the garage and hoisted up the tail end of the transmission to where I wanted it to get the engine and transmission angle just right. I then got he engine centered just where I wanted it and tack welded the engine mount adaptors that I made a while back to the s-10 chassis. After I had the tail of the trains just about where I wanted it, I took some measurements so I could start making a cross memeber. I realize that the angle of the chassis might change a little as the car gets to be more complete, so I made the cross memeber with enough room to shim the trans up or down a little bit.




I got into making the cross member and kind of forgot to take a couple pictures along the way. Here is the main part of the cross member after I got it made. I used some 2x4 steel tubing that I had left over from a trailer we built for our hovercrafts. I notched the ends of the tubing to pull it up into the frame to get my trans mount hight correct, and then welding some heavy angle over the notch to strengthen it up. I also got the hold drilled for the transmission mount.





Just eye balling the chassis after getting the engine and transmission mounted to where they are supposed to be, and also haveing the rear suspension finished from my last update.





Next I lifted the tail end of the 200r4 up and pulled the crossmember back out to drill some mounting holes, then I put it back in and drilled matching holes in the chassis. I was tempted just to weld in the cross member, but I figured I'd better bolt it just incase I ever wanted to change transmissions or something.....

While I had the cross member out I also welded a 1/8" support plate on the top and a 1/4" support plate on the bottom. I did this becuase I drilled access holes in the top of the crossmember so I could get to the trans mount bolts and then cut a spot out in the bottom to also be able to get to the center trans mount nut.....





Next I needed to make some braces to tie the cross member into the top side of the frame rails to help keep them from twisting and to make sure everything is plunty strong. I used some more of the 2x4 tubing that I had, and did a little cutting, bending and drilling.





Here I have the cross member braces sitting in place after I got everything drilled. Of course I ran out of bolts so off to the hardware........






Since I didn't have the bolts for the cross member I decided to get my drive shaft adapted to fit the ford explorer 8.8 rear end. The rear end didn't come with the pinion flange adaptor, so I had to order one, but I found a ford 8.8 pinion flange adaptor for 1350 U-joints, which was great because that's what my driveshaft whats, plus I had a 1350 U-Joint already, so no need to order a conversion u-joint like I had to for the s-10 rear end....





Here I have the drive shaft put in place........... Fits perfect, like it was ment to be........ Hard to believe that one half of a drive shaft from a 77 c-20 truck was the perfect length....






Now it looks like a car again....... LOL I dropped the body back on the chassis, and with all the old body and bed mounts cut off, and the rear suspension set up I was able to get the body just about where I want it to end up..... Next I need to work on a rear cross member to mount the shocks and sway bar end links, plus to tie the back end of the chassis back together again..... Then I'll probably be working on making some traction bars, and then, and then and then................





Thanks for following our project!

[zbhover]

Another Quick update on some progress on the V8 Bug.

This time I finished up the rear cross member, got the shocks, and the rear sway bar mounted, etc.

Below are a few pictures but you can see more from this update at:
www.v8beetleresource.com/chassis18.html

And see the rest of the update at the V8 Beetle Resource homepage:
www.v8beetleresource.com



Next I needed to make a rear cross member for the s-10 chassis. I needed the rear cross member for a couple reasons, 1) just to tie the back of the frame rails together 2) a place for the upper shock mounts, and 3)I needed a place to tie in the sway bar end links. I started out by putting the u-bolts and leaf spring plates on the axle instead of c-clamps. The leaf spring plates are from the ford explorer, I figured I might as well use the built in lower shock mounts that where already there if I could. I just had to bend the mount tabs towards teh tires because it put the shocks at too much of an angle to be able to attached anywhere that would work.

I also mounted my rear sway bar. The stock explorer rear sway bar was VERY whimpy looking compared to the zq8 S10 extreme sway bar I was going to use with the s10 rear end so at first I thought I'd make it work for the 8.8 rear end. It was going to be more work than it was worth trying to make it work so I bought this hellwig sway bar that is ment for the explorer 8.8 rear end. It mounts nicely to the rear end, and I'll just have to figure out some end links.





I got into making the cross member and kind of forgot to take a couple pictures along the way. At first I was thinking of using a piece of 2x4 tubing or c channel, but first I didn't have any on hand, and I just didn't like the way it would look. So I had some heavy wall 1 inch square tubing so I started messing around with it. I first cut a piece to go straight across the bottom, then I put the shocks in the lower mounts and was eyeballing them. If I ran another piece of 1 inch tubing from the top of the frame rail to the center of the lower piece of tubing the angle was the same that the upper shock mount would need to be. So then I cut the two piece of tubing for the top supports and tacked them in. This should be plenty strong and I just like the way it looks compared to a piece of 2x4 going straight across.





After getting the tubing tacked in place, I tacked on a couple piece of 1/4" plate for the upper shock mounts that ran with the angle of the upper supports. I then pulled it off of the car and started welding everything up.

I got the shock mount brackets/tabs from Speedway Motors they were like 2 or 3 bucks for 5 of them, well worth not having to make them.





Next I had to do a little work to the lower shock mounts. Since I bent the tabs out to work with my setup the holes no longer line up.





Not a problem though, I just welded up the old hole in the long side, cut off the extra length and then drilled a new hole that lined up with the other one. A pretty simple fix I think.





I also got the shocks from Speedway Motors, they are their 3 way adjustable Carrera (QA1) Street Rod Shocks. I have them wrapped in paper and tape so they don't get all scratched up. They ended up being perfect for my application, and I figured being adjustable might help a bit. They have a regular, firm and very firm settings. Just push them in and turn the shaft until it clicks. I figured I'd set them at firm and go from there.





I ended up making end links out of a couple heim joints, one male and one female. That way I could adjust them to just the correct length.





Here is a closer look at the homemade end links. I just ordered 2 male and 2 female 5/8-18 heim joints. I was short on 5/8" bolts so just for mock up the top of the end links are bolted on with 1/2" bolts. At first I was going to make some mounting tabs out of heavy angle and weld them to the back of the cross member, but I didn't have a 5/8" drill bit and my step drill was SHOT. I didn't want to stop progress so on to plan B. I had some heavy wall 5/8" id seamless tubing so I cut a couple chunks of that and welded it to the bottom of the cross member. I think it ended up looking cleaner this way anyways.




A few weeks ago I picked up some seats for the V8 Bug. On Craigslist I found some PT cruiser seats for 25 bucks, that was for the two front buckets, and the rear split seat. They are in pretty good shape, a little dirty, and a couple burns in the back seat, but I can't complain for 25 bucks. I'll probably get some black seat covers for them until I have the money to recover them. I just had to throw the drivers seat in and sit in it. I think these will work out great, they seem to fit nicely arn't too high, etc... Of course that 1" angle holding the body together is in the way a little.... LOL




Like I told a few people, with a little duck tape we could have a finished rat rod....... LOL

Next I'll be making the traction bars and then probably onto the body...........


Thanks to everyone who is following our project!