V8 Super Beetle Project

[V8 Super Beetle]

Thanks Tom. I'll more than likely finish the round tunnel and trans hump. I've just been working on other things and I would like to get my driveshaft in before I weld up the tunnel.

I'll have some pictures soon and hopefully some video.

[V8 Super Beetle]

IT LIVES!!!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvUaSOQgPYQ


I just wanted to post this real quick. The video is dark, but man does the car sound good. I've done other things, notice the location of the fuel door, and have some stories that are quite embarrassing, but I'll get the pictures up and the stories too.

[paulj]

Way to go Matt! Sounds great..............

[zbhover]

Sounds great Matt!!! I can't wait to see you buzzing around in it..... ;D Good motivation for our project

I just ordered some drop spindles for our bug, so hopefully I'll start making progress again....... LOL

I was planning on doing a little work on it last weekend and this weekend, but we ended up having 3 squirrels get down our chimney and into our basement. I spent all last weekend trapping them, and squirrel proofing the chimney and all this weekend cleaning up the mess.........

I'm planning on taking a week off of work next month so maybe I'll make some progress then LOL



Keep us updated, can't wait to see/hear more!

[V8 Super Beetle]

Thanks guys! It won't be long before it's drivable, but not street legal just yet. I just need to shorten the driveshaft, run brake lines, and get the steering worked out. All easy fixes, but it's just finding the time.

Sounds great zbhover. If it's not one thing it's another. I guess that's life for you.

I'll post more soon. I've got some pictures that I just need to download and post.

[V8 Super Beetle]

I should've posted some of these updates as I went along but I've been busy with work and trying to finish this thing before the baby comes.

Today, I took the driveshaft to the shop and they're shortening and balancing it. I should have it Monday.

Lately, it's been a bunch of little things that have been keeping me busy and getting the engine going. That in itself has brought up some problems. The rear radiator setup wasn't getting water to the engine so the engine ran hot, 205º-230º, a couple of times during break-in. Not having any success using the rear radiator setup, I temporarily set the radiator up front on a bucket just so I could get the engine broken in at a normal operating temperature, 160º-180º.

Here are some of things that have been keeping me busy. These photos are in a random order. Some are self-explanatory.

I finished welding up the other side of the roof and b-pillar.






I had to buy another fuel rail because the one that came with the carb poured gas on the engine. My own fault. I cracked the line tightening it while on the carb.




Got the gas tank filler hose hooked up. If you haven't notice, I also relocated the door to the back.




I also got rid of the 3" lowering blocks in the back because; a, I don't want to take the chance of the auto zone blocks breaking under the torque of the 383, and b, the rear of the car was about an 1" - 1 1/2" lower than the front. Now the car looks a little more balance and I have a little breathing room if I were ever to corner hard I wouldn't have to worry about the tires rubbing.




One of the welded seems in the system was leaking up at the top. Seems they blew through the tubing. I tried welding up the hole, but the water from the tubing, what was left after it all leaked out, was steaming out the hole preventing me from making a good sealing weld. So I had to cut it out and use some radiator hose to fix it. When I was cutting out the section I just so happened to poke a hole in the oil filter. Needless to say I drained all the oil, put in a new filter and filled her up with fresh oil. Which was OK cause I planned to change the oil after the break-in, which is when this happened.




Here's the relocated fuel door all welded up and ground.




Here's my bare bones gauge setup, which I'll keep as is until I finish the car. Later once everything is done I'll upgrade them. Gotta cut back on certain areas. The manual cheap-o gauges will do. I have a tach, oil, and water temp. All I need. I welded the gauges to the dash bar. When I go to paint the car they'll be painted with the interior. You'll also notice a couple switches hanging and a push button starter. I plan to make a simple small panel, which will be below the gauges, to install those in.




I still need to make a support for the filler neck. The original setup point it the other direction.




Here's the gas pedal and brake mocked up. I have plenty of room, but I should've gave myself more leg room by moving the main hope about 6" back. Oh well, it's a race car and not a cross country cruiser.




You can see I cut out part of the metal tubing to fit in a radiator hose so I could put the radiator up front. So I had to buy another radiator hose to reconnect the rear radiator system. Still attempting to get it to work. IT'S GOT TO...




Primed the bare metal surfaces after grinding to keep from rusting.






Drill a hole and welded in a larger 3/8" fuel outlet. I welded up the stock outlet.




I decided to weld on the front shackle mounts. That was a pain reaching now that the body doesn't come off. Here you can see the paint ground away to bare metal and the mounts tacked in.




This is a picture of how I shimmed the leaf springs. The springs I have are a 1/4" narrower than the S10 springs, so I had to shim the front and the back of each side with three grade 8 washers. Worked like a champ.












Here you can see the front leaf spring mount welded up. I welded up the front, back and the sides. Not to mention I filled in the holes too. So they should be in there nice and strong.






I'll have more soon. Hopefully this thing will be driving by next update.

[V8 Super Beetle]

Got the driveshaft shortened and balanced at a place called Northwest Drive Train Service. A nice group of guys, quick turn around, and fairly low pricing (plug, over). Now I can finally finish the flooring. I'm going to get the brake lines ran and hook up the steering so I can move this thing around under it's own power.




More soon...hopefully of this thing driving.

[Mock1racer]

WOW!!! Got a lot done.
Hey Matt that looks great! Movin right along, How about tryin to get more CFM through your radiator, might help with the cooling.

[V8 Super Beetle]

Thanks. I have a 2010 cfm fan. The problem with my system at the moment is the water isn't getting to the block, nor is it getting to the radiator. I need to sort out the problem of getting it to the block first. I had a leak in my system, which I fixed, so I'm going to see if I can't get the system to work hopefully this weekend. I'll keep you posted because I might need more help. We'll see how it goes.

[Mock1racer]

You may have to run an electric pump in the back to get the water to flow through all that piping. Summit has inline pumps that don't connect to the engine, problem may be that there is too much head pressure for the current pump and it just needs a booster.

[V8 Super Beetle]

I saw those and have considered one. They're a little pricey though. Apparently a lot of people with a similar setup, Fiero guys, member CMD who has a rear radiator in his bug, seem to think the pump I have now will work. I just need to bleed the system. They're some other techniques I haven't tried which I'll use to completely fill the system as well. I'll let you know how it goes.

[V8 Super Beetle]

Made some leaps and bounds, so to speak. I FINALLY got the rear radiator setup to work. With the fan on and idling in place, the car stays between 170º-180º. I got the trans cooler lines ran, tranny filled, and IT WORKS! So that's great news. Here's a video.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=jddQnaYaADo

I've also been working on finishing up my brake system. I took the rear drum brakes apart, sand blasted the parts, painted them, got a new hardware kit, and wheel cylinders. I have one side put back together. The hold up on the other side is the emergency cable is shot. The spring is no good. Seems like it got hung up while mudding.

Hopefully I'll get the brakes system setup and I can move it around under it's own power.

[74slug]

Great job on the rear set up. What did it take exactly to make it work?

[Mock1racer]

Hey Matt, that sounds real good, is that just headers or have you done the exhaust? Real smooth, was that blood on your hand? Don't bleed to death before you finish the car! Yeah what did you have to do to get the water movin?
Oh, yeah one more thing, what kinda rear end are you using? S-10? 4 x4?

[V8 Super Beetle]

Thanks 74slug and mock1racer!

Air lock seemed to be the problem. I solved the problem by removing the thermostat and started filling up the system at the intake outlet first. By doing that it also filled the return line first. Once it started overflowing at the block, I buttoned it back up and then I started filling the system up where the inline filler neck is until it overflowed. That filled the send line. Then I topped off the radiator. I started it up and let it run for a couple minutes and I noticed the radiator was getting warm, which was a sign it was working. I had to top the radiator off about 3 times as the system gradually push out the air to the radiator, which is the highest point in the system. Having the rear of the car jacked up, cause I was doing the rear brakes, helped too.

That's the actual sound of the exhaust. It's true dual, 40 series FlowMasters, and the exhaust is dumped right after the mufflers.

LOL, yeah, that's blood. I didn't realize I had cut my hand until later. There's still plenty of sharp edges to get cut on from cutting up the body.