Karman Sutra

[Fiatdude]

Let's see January 4, 2014 ---- Breakfast at Donut Derelicts from 6 to 9 am in Huntington Beach -- --

Then lunch with DKK at Hero's in Fullerton at 11 -- -- Weather in the High 70's, maybe 80's --

Thinking I'm gonna limp the Ghia out for some fun in the sun

Going to be a great day in the neighborhood -- --

[Fiatdude]

HOT DAMN -- Pat McDermitt Sighting -- I REPEAT -- Pat McDermitt Sighting

What a cool thing Donut Derelics is -- Left the house at 4 pickup my buddy Randy at 4:30 had breakfast -- got down near there unloaded the ghia and drove the last mile to the Donut Shop -- NICE CARS -- got there at 6am sharp and the parking lot was pretty full .... Drove through the isles looking for a spot and finally found one and park -- Got a lot of really nice comments on the Ghia and the way it 'sounded' driving in -- -- shot the Bull, met was cool people and I see this guy taking pictures of the car -- HEY THERE -- It's Pat -- Damn, it was nice seeing and talking to him --- Suddenly, it's just after 8 and cars start firing up and leaving -- So I hit Randy up to take some pictures and a video of the car driving out thru the lanes ... Here is all I got



Can you find the Ghia LOL --

So anyway, Randy jumps in and we head back to the trailer to get ready to head up to Hero's, Man the car is running NICE -- went thru 4 gears -- looked down at the speedo, ooops exceeding the speed limit, just barely, we get to brookhurst and head north and the freaking trans decides to head south DAMN -- -- BAMMMM thought it was a cv and the axle was banging around --- nope all internal inside the trans ---- Double Damn -- the one thing I haven't touched on the car, thinking it was a good piece, because the PO was a trans guy and he said it was in good shape....... pull over side of a busy street, where there isn't really place to park, and I make a dash for the trailer while Randy stands there to 'protect' the car..... needless to say I didn't make it to Hero's today,,,, BUT Pat did text me his picture of the Ghia

 

So I was offically there LOL

[Flow]

I have a friend spending his holidays in California and I just saw this in his pictures 

[Fiatdude]

Flow -- -- would you please thank him for thinking enough of my car to take pictures of it and I hope he doesn't mind me stealing them for my files .. ..

And thank you for posting them

[Fiatdude]

Did some wheelin' and dealin' -- swapping and shopping -- then something fell off the turnip truck



Thanks Evert

[Fiatdude]

http://comediansincarsgettingcoffee.com/louis-c-k-comedy-sex-and-the-blue-numbers

[Fiatdude]

For the next time you get into a jam

[Fiatdude]

Got the windshield installed Wednesday just before leaving for Phoenix for 4 days of Spring training games ----- Nice HUH???

Before



After



NICE

[Fiatdude]

Ben at BENCO trans is the MAN --- He is Building me an 091, with most of the good stuff that my car needs, at least as much as I can afford right now LOL -- Man, they've got a cool little black on black kitten there "Greasy"... Almost worth the price of admission to watch him scamper around, attacking your shoe laces ......

All the 930 CV stuff is setting on the floor, axles should be here today..  Thanks to the Guys at CarCraft,,, Those guys are always there for me when I'm trying to de-pooch something I've pooched up LOL

So I need to finish cleaning out the garage. Then start rip and tearing on the engine and trans and get it out of the car, and get the car ready to receive the new good stuff when it is done in ten days....

[Fiatdude]

I think this is what I'm gonna end up with --- depends on availablilty

Tire Size:  225/55R16 Dia. = 25.74"

Redline = 6500rpm    R & P = 4.57

1st - ratio - 3.1     mph 37
2nd - ratio - 1.75   mph 62    Shift point 3677
3rd - ratio - 1.09    mph 100    Shift Point 4023
4th - ratio - .7      mph 156    Shift point 4174

Wish I could of afforded a 4.13 Weddle R&P -- would of taken my top speed up to 172

Change the rear tire to a 29" front runner and I could of got 194 (((IN MY DREAMS LMAO)))

Great Calculator and graph at                 http://www.teammfactory.com/gear-calculator

[Fiatdude]

"IT" has begun

[Mike Lawless]

Good to chat with ya at DD Harold!

Are you gonna use the Berg mounts?

[Fiatdude]

Always Great seeing you and Big Red -- Wish that I would of spoken with your new friend and offically welcomed her into the SoCal racing fold, but didn't know if I"M the right person for the job LMAO

 I've been given three different sets of mounts and I don't believe any of them are Berg's, I do know one set is EMPI, is there much of a difference between the two? -- gonna mix and match and get something that will work -- -- I remember the great job you did putting new swing arms, tubing and coil overs on your car -- and I keep finding the cutting wheel in my hand -- -- but so far I've been able to resist the urge and keep this a small job LOL

[Fiatdude]

Short day -- -- had some weird bolts holding the CV's in place -- turned out they are called triple square and are used by Porsche and Mercedes (THOSE BASTARDS) -- -- Had to order the bits and they will be here tomorow -- the saga continues

[Fiatdude]

Another day down --- waiting for parts HEE HEE HEE -- -- Need some serious cleaning NOT



Interesting thing on the CV's mounted on the trans -- only 4 bolts with 2 pins,,, something different --

[Fiatdude]

Well, I've decided to pull all the 930 stubs and axles out and go back to those indestructable type 1 CV's



Just kidding -- -- new 930 stubs on left

[Fiatdude]

[Fiatdude]

Ended up with a 1.18 Third -- and a .77 fourth which will drop my top speed down to 142mph

[Fiatdude]

Well,,,, I've had the 091 for a week now -- -- Damn, I've had the freaking transmission in and out 5 Brazilian times -- I've bought 4 or 5 different sets of trans mounts and changed my mind 500 Brazilian times............... Thanks to Jon Schweers and Mark Christensen for being my sounding blocks allowing me to bounce 100 Million Brazilian weird ass ideas off them...... Thanks to guys at BENCO, CarCraft, Pacific Customs and Berg for giving me more freaking ideas and letting me buy more parts than one man will ever need in his garage LMAO

Well, here's the ordeal.. ... ... Started with a Scat setup, with somebodies elses mid-mount -- with this setup the 091 comes in over the torsion tube and needed a HUGE area cut out of the luggage area -- -- -- absolutly F U G L Y -- -- -- got a nice hole there now that needs to welded back up  DAMNIT --

Plan two -- -- Berg -- Now out of all the stuff I bought, this had the best fit and finish, The holes for the bolts were right on perfect, just a little clearencing for the trans -- -- but again, it was above the tunnel  -- not anywhere as high, but above the tunnel..... HMMMM looking for another option

Plan Three -- -- heard through the Ben at Benco that the guys at Pacific Custom had a system that mounted the trans at a 10* angle and allowed the nose to be installed at the orginal location,,,, Now we're talking .. ..  so went and bought that -- -- brought it home and tried to mock it up -- -- damnit -- -- the rear mount was nice but I have bars that come down to stabilize the trans forks and it interfered with them and the front mount bolted to the front of the trans BUT the way it was attached and mounted to the torsion tube would require the removal of my sway bar --- Nope that wouldn't do .. .. ..

So here we are in a quandry -- -- what to do - what to do -- -- mo' phone calls, mo' head scratching .. .. .. ..

OK -- -- Plan 7 zillion -- -- I want the damn nose to fit thru the stock hole.... N O, I'm not gonna buy the berg mid section to use a T1 nose section,,,,, So here's the plan and I'm sticking to it -- LOL -- I'm putting the trans in at the 10* angle (actually about 8*) -- I've clearanced the forks to allow the 091 to set lower in there and rewelded them (need to cut another area out for the reverse switch and weld it for final install) using the clearance info from the system I got from Pacific -- -- I'm using the Berg rear mount with just a touch of bending so it is tweaked to the new angle -- I'm using the Berg mid-mount but will have to do some fabing as the hooks used to weld to the trans forks now set about 1 1/2-2" down from the forks ----- Ta DAAAAAAAA --- the nose cone on the 091 needed some clearancing to fit into the pan hole but that is done and after THE FINAL mock up (DAMNIT LOL) it looks like EVERYTHING will fit very nicely.... oh you want some pictures -- -- tomorrow, -- -- -- I'm cleaning up now to go out and get me some In-N-Out then watch the Game of Thrones

Thanks again to everyone who let me bend their ears on this chit and helped(let) me do it my way......

[BeetleBug]

Nice write up! Thank you for sharing.

-BB-

[spanners]

I'm an inclination fan!  My OKRASA Wasserboxer is so fitted, it's part of the overall build plan with its angled sump and suits inclining to perfection, mine is dry sump, but you may have to run more oil in the sump of a wet sump T1motor, also the transmission vent is best moved to the diff housing as the oil level is higher at the stock breather position on the nosecone once inclined and they blow oil. Just so you know what too expect...

[Fiatdude]

Thanks -- -- will be moving the trans vent

[Fiatdude]

Here is a picture that shows the clearancing on the left side -- was warned to make sure to weld up the seams after the cutting -- the front 2" clearance is for the reverse switch and only needs to be done on the left side

 

Here is the clearancing that needed to be done on the nose cone to fit in the stock hole



Here is my new window to the world that needs to be welded up -- unfortunately it was opened up just a little at a time so I've got a whole bunch of small 1" wide strips to puzzle back together and then weld in -- -- LOL -- Sucks to be me -- -- You can see where I had to move both of my coolers outwards to get the 091 in there



The mid-mount needed to be lowered 1 3/4" to center up in the stock hole -- This is the kind of welding where I wish I had a wire feed instead trying to TIG this chit together under the car -- My big ass just can't get into a good position to do this chit anymore LOL -- -- -- either need taller jackstands or more friends with lifts,,, so I don't burn them all out with my constant modifications LOL

[spanners]

I can tell you love it tho lol!   That's the main thing, enjoying the challenge of new stuff.

[Fiatdude]

maybe you should put the trans where it goes with the nose cone above the tunnel and just use a Bus to Bug shifter coupling like this? You could make one out of steel so you don't break it.

http://www.amazon.com/SHIFT-COUPLER-dune-buggy-baja/dp/B003LIRKT2

I've had one of those shift couplers setting on my work bench for a long time Greg -- But I've been warned away from them by a lot of people, I've had only one person say that his trans shifted OK with one of them.... BUT

Put the engine in today and everything was good until I tried to put Marty's intake on the left side -- NOT EVEN close to fitting -- would need to put a 1" dent into the firewall to get it to fit ---- BASTARD -- -- So I guess I'll pull the trans out again and look over my options OR just start laying on the ground and start kicking and screaming until somebody gives me a ice cream cone.......................

[Fiatdude]

I'm thinking I need to change the name of this car to "Machete" -- -- LOL -- I would of included a picture of my hands,,, but they are not for the weak to view LOL



Don't get too excited -- it will be getting pulled in a few minutes as soon as I finish my breakfast tea

[Fiatdude]

Took it for drive -- -- -- needs a little adjusting on the shift linkage -- but I like it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_ghiKiL0qc&feature=youtu.be

[TexasTom]

Don't tease us with this idling stuff, Harold!
Let's see it GOING!!
 
TxT

[spanners]

Don't tease us with this idling stuff, Harold!
Let's see it GOING!!
 
TxT

.^^^^^^^  Yes, and more pics of the finished install please.....

[Fiatdude]

WELLLLL,,,,  I have been ignoring putting some updates here -- -- The Trans shift linkage is offically over the torsion now ----- and the mid-mount was welded in place -- -- made a extension/adjustor for the shift linkage as the shaft is about 2-3" short of hooking up using a dogbone to keep the shift rod in the tunnel -- -- -- -- Since the trans location wass settled, and I refused to pull the damn thing out again,,, I put in the CV's and axles -- Damn that greese is slimey LOL



Listed under the just my luck chit -- -- was doing the last little bit of trimming to fit the trans -- put on a new cutting disc -- - -- Had one little section to smooth over and the damn thing hooked and jumped -- -- Sliced through the clutch cable so fast I didn't even notice I had done it until I saw the bowden tube laying on the ground DAMMMMNNNN -- --

Finally got around to sticking the engine in and it wouldn't slide the last 10mm WTF?? put it in -- pulled it out -- looked at everything -- scratch my head --- repeated these steps about 3-4 times -- talked to Ben at Benco -- first thing out of his mouth was removing the early ring off the presure plate because Of the new late model throw out bearing --- GODDAMNIT -- just flat forgot about doing that -- pulled engine -- sure enuff there's that damn ring -- pulled clutch removed ring -- spent 1/2 hour getting the dual discs to realign LOL -- stuck the engine back in -- AHHHHHH finally started bolting all the accessories back in place and chasing the slight modifications required to the new place the engine is setting -- fixing all the little things that break when you don't want them too blah blah blah -- Still need to get to a tuners and get this damn thing dialed in -- but it is running and shifting (needing some slight adjustments there) -- but DAMN HAPPY SKIPPY to be finished with this little project

The main reason I always include my screw ups in these posts is that I've been playing with/building cars and motorcycles for 50 years now and not always with VW's -- and sometimes I forget (or just don't know) about the little or big things that need to be done to accomplish a task -- and if someone reads these things and it helps them in the future,, it makes feel like it was all worth it to me -- -- sometimes just knowing all that is required to complete a swap or upgrade will give them insight to accomplishing it or possibly even keep someone from attempting it and creating another project setting in a garage for years being ignored......