The GTV

[Donny B.]

Zach, have you tried the Bergs for the breather cap.  They used to sell one for their breather box when you didn't vent to the valve covers.  The stock oil filler cap fits their breather box.  I don't know if they still sell them but they used to.

[Zach Gomulka]

Yeah Donny, I did. They make their boxes to take either a stock VW cap, or a domestic style breather cap. I'm going to try and morph the two...

[Zach Gomulka]

Did the cap... it came out ok, no close ups I've decided it will be temporary until I find the proper EMPI air cleaner assemblies, and I can vent the motor to them. Hopefully this does the trick until then. Header will be refinished next summer when it's too hot to drive. Making progress, fingers crossed this is the week...

[gilbert17]

cool!

[Zach Gomulka]

The engine is just about ready. Waiting on parts to get the linkage set up, and a couple other little things. And ohh yeah, the MUFFLER

The car finally received its EMPI front sway bar that I've had kicking around for a couple years and I took off that POS 3/4" bar. VERY happy about that as I HATED the 3/4" bar! Now I have front and rear EMPI 5/8" bars. Drilled and tapped the dropped spindles and installed Ghia disc brake backing plates. All new SS braided soft lines for the brakes, the car was still wearing its original ATE's from '71! New engine seals. New 165 XZX's for the back. And a TON of other little things. It should drive like a completely different car, and I can't fucking wait!!

[xavier]

Awesome!
Let us know your driving impressions with the Solex.
Xavier

[Rick Meredith]

The engine is just about ready. Waiting on parts to get the linkage set up, and a couple other little things. And ohh yeah, the MUFFLER

The car finally received its EMPI front sway bar that I've had kicking around for a couple years and I took off that POS 3/4" bar. VERY happy about that as I HATED the 3/4" bar! Now I have front and rear EMPI 5/8" bars. Drilled and tapped the dropped spindles and installed Ghia disc brake backing plates. All new SS braided soft lines for the brakes, the car was still wearing its original ATE's from '71! New engine seals. New 165 XZX's for the back. And a TON of other little things. It should drive like a completely different car, and I can't fucking wait!!

SHOTGUN! 

[j-dub]

Looking good Zach!

[Critter1]

I really dig your car Zach!! Great job on the work you've been doing too!

[fredy66]

have fun

[Zach Gomulka]

It lives! After chasing a few problems (operator errors ) yesterday evening, she finally came back to life. I must say, the throttle response is greatly improved over the original engine, you'd never guess I stuck with a stock cam I think the aluminium pressure plate has something to do with that. And the 8.6:1! Accelerates from 3-5k rpm in a hurry, feels like it's about done by 5,500 which was what I was expecting/hoping. Going to fix an oil leak (generator stand to case, out of all places to leak I didn't expect that), check the valves, then give it another run in today on the stand, dial in the carbs and check the timing at full advance. Probably do an oil change as well. I was nervous as fuck about all these old parts coming together, but so far they're doing their job! Gonna be a hoot to drive!

[Nico86]

Great Zach 

[Zach Gomulka]

#3 idle mixture screw is not responding. I've narrowed it down to the carb, guess it's coming back apart

[Zach Gomulka]

#3 idle mixture screw is not responding. I've narrowed it down to the carb, guess it's coming back apart

Pulled apart, cleaned, etc. Now the problem has migrated to #4???

[.]

What aluminum flywheel are you using ?
 

[Zach Gomulka]

I'm using the original flywheel, 8 doweled and lightened to 12.5lbs by DPR. Bolted to it is a stage 1 Kennedy pressure plate in aluminium.

[Zach Gomulka]

This is sickening for me to talk about, but here goes...

Leaving the Classic yesterday, I got into an accident with the car. I was looking around for street signs indicating which way to get on to the freeway, and didn't notice the traffic light in front of me had switched to red. Got hit pretty hard on the passenger side by a Camry. My fault. Everyone is fine physically, but the car isn't. The front fender, front quarter panel, door, rear quarter, and rear fender are toast. Front wheel looks ok, but the trailing arms and the beam, possibly the pan head, is bent. Roof is ok.

Fixing the car is very possible, but it's far beyond my means right now (and will be for quite some time). Not to mention that it will never be the same to me after the work is done. It was an original car and I ruined that. So I am offering it up for sale here (and no where else), to a friend on The Lounge who has the means to put it back on the street and enjoy it. I would hate to see it parted out. This past weekend the car was by far in the best condition it has ever been in. The all EMPI 88x69 Solex 40P11 engine I built for it maybe 1500 miles ago was running seamlessly, making great power and still returning 27 mpg while beating on it all the way from Arizona to California. The suspension, with the NOS Koni shocks, original EMPI front and rear sway bars, CSP beam stiffeners etc, honestly makes the car handle like magic, and it rides like a stock VW. I had the original paint buffed and polished last week, the car was professionally detailed and looking better than it ever had. The car will come with all of the original parts that I removed from it that were replaced by either modified VW parts or original EMPI items. It will also come with NOS parts I haven't fitted yet, most notably EMPI 88mm biral cylinders and slipper skirt pistons and EMPI front and rear fiberglass air dams.

Before, and now after the accident, I had no honest idea of the cars value. There's nothing else around to compare it to. That being said, I'm taking offers on it. To me it's more important that the car goes to a good home, and isn't merely gutted for it's parts.

If you are seriously interested in the car, please PM me and I will return my phone number so we can talk about it. Car is located in Orange, CA.

[Coxy]

Shit 

I always admired that car. Such a shame but it'll be back on the road no doubt.

[Jeff68]

Oh No.......   I'm glad that you and that no one got hurt in the accident.  You worked so hard and put so much effort in to that car.  Hope you find someone that will bring the car back and have it live once again.  Sorry that it happened!

[Dave Galassi]

Zach, please check your mail.

[Jason Foster]

Oh Zach,  What a damn shame man. Glad you are ok mostly. Don't beat yourself up over this dude an absolute crying shame but stay positive.

[danny gabbard]

Sorry to hear about your car zack, I know how bumped you must be! You had your heart and soul into it. Send me some picture before you get rid of it. Maybe a second look and it will be fixable.

[Rick Meredith]

This is sickening for me to talk about, but here goes...

Leaving the Classic yesterday, I got into an accident with the car. I was looking around for street signs indicating which way to get on to the freeway, and didn't notice the traffic light in front of me had switched to red. Got hit pretty hard on the passenger side by a Camry. My fault. Everyone is fine physically, but the car isn't. The front fender, front quarter panel, door, rear quarter, and rear fender are toast. Front wheel looks ok, but the trailing arms and the beam, possibly the pan head, is bent. Roof is ok.

Fixing the car is very possible, but it's far beyond my means right now (and will be for quite some time). Not to mention that it will never be the same to me after the work is done. It was an original car and I ruined that. So I am offering it up for sale here (and no where else), to a friend on The Lounge who has the means to put it back on the street and enjoy it. I would hate to see it parted out. This past weekend the car was by far in the best condition it has ever been in. The all EMPI 88x69 Solex 40P11 engine I built for it maybe 1500 miles ago was running seamlessly, making great power and still returning 27 mpg while beating on it all the way from Arizona to California. The suspension, with the NOS Koni shocks, original EMPI front and rear sway bars, CSP beam stiffeners etc, honestly makes the car handle like magic, and it rides like a stock VW. I had the original paint buffed and polished last week, the car was professionally detailed and looking better than it ever had. The car will come with all of the original parts that I removed from it that were replaced by either modified VW parts or original EMPI items. It will also come with NOS parts I haven't fitted yet, most notably EMPI 88mm biral cylinders and slipper skirt pistons and EMPI front and rear fiberglass air dams.

Before, and now after the accident, I had no honest idea of the cars value. There's nothing else around to compare it to. That being said, I'm taking offers on it. To me it's more important that the car goes to a good home, and isn't merely gutted for it's parts.

If you are seriously interested in the car, please PM me and I will return my phone number so we can talk about it. Car is located in Orange, CA.

Crap crap CRAP!!

I got a lump in my throat reading this... I'm so sorry for you Zach. It's one of my absolute favorite cars. I wish I had room to take it.

Please let me know if there's anything I can do to help.

[Rocket Ron]

Sorry to hear of this , I hope you find something to move onto and that it can go to someone that is able to restore it to its former glory

[Zach Gomulka]

Thank you, everyone. Thank you so much Dave for the offer, I will let you know if it wears out it's welcome at it's current resting spot.

Fixing the car is possible, for someone else. Luckily, late model sheet metal is plentiful and relatively inexpensive. Even if it was within my means, I reckon the car will need a complete exterior paint job and new decals, which ruins much of the appeal for me. And honestly, moving on to a project that doesn't own me, that I'm not emotionally attached to, has been sounding pretty good for a while now.

Also, I can email or text pictures to interested parties. Sorry, but I'd rather not post the carnage here. Just how I feel :/

[Taylor]

Unfortunate indeed Zach,  I'm really sorry to hear this and hope you decide to start anew.  Sorry again,  Taylor

[SlingShot]

A Sad Ending to a very cool weekend.

Seeing the carnage happen in front of me was very surreal.

The GTV has been in our VW family for years now, and it's hard to believe this happened.

Zach, you have givin new meaning to being a purist,  you built & corrected the car top notch. I will hate to see it go, and you know I'll help you out either direction you go.

Your twice removed bro,
Sling  

To enjoy are some shots from our weekend.

[Donny B.]

I am so sorry to hear this Zach.  I know how much the car meant to you.  This obsession can overcome us if we aren't careful.  Just don't make any rash decisions.  I am sure you will find it a good home.

[SlingShot]

 

[Zach Gomulka]

I forgot about those shots you took in front of Gary's. Too cool I've never had so much fun with the car, with all of our cars, as I did last weekend.

Man, I get choked up talking about it. This one is going to hurt for a while.

Keep in mind that I built this car to keep forever, to be the best a GTV could possibly be. It makes great power, runs VERY cool (oil temp wouldn't go past 180 while flogging it 85mph up a hill in the desert!), gets good mileage (which will improve with tuning which I hadn't gotten round to yet), handles VERY well, takes bumps like a stock VW, stops like a dog on the end of it's rope, the heater will burn you out of the car, the interior is presentable, everything from the horn to the dome light to the original Sapphire AM/FM radio and even the windshield squirter works. The gearbox is original and performs perfectly. It's an amazing all-around car, with history to boot. I'm going to miss it, but I think it should move on to someone with the passion and resources to make it whole again.