59 gets a makeover-Early Cal-look - includes 1985cc Engine Build - it runs!!!!!!

[nicolas]

that makes that car even more special. cool project, which would make a nice engine with the rebuild gearbox.

[Harry/FDK]

Jo, the flywheel looks chromeplated...

[Jo Clifford]

Neat motor build, I dig the specs. How much compression? I've heard the NPR's don't like it over 9:1, maybe thats just a nasty rumor though.

With the deck height we're aiming for it will work out at 8.9, so looks like I'm safe   

[Russell]

Looking great Jo, glad your getting stuck in to the engine, better than waiting for the boy, he takes ages...... I'm always waiting. 

Nice work on the interior also, can't wait for you too take me to starbucks, we will get there in half the time now.

Cheers

Russell

[rick m]

ZACH....

Just a rumor on the NPRs.  We've all run them with more compression than 9.0.   

RM

[Jo Clifford]

Thanks for the positive comments 

and also thanks to Rick M, for confirming what we already believed, that the rest of the components, assembly and final tune are the most important aspects of any build. 

So with the deckheight set at 0.055 I was able to know the desired cc required in the heads, so now I am just waiting for this to be done and my manifolds to be match ported, so I can finish up the long block, I am supposed to have the heads and manifolds at the end of next week, fingers crossed 
The compression is now set at 9.1/1

Also this week, I had the pistons balanced (thanks Shawn, for the quick service  ) there was 6 grams difference from lightest to heaviest, so they definitely needed doing. 
I also got my stage 1 kennedy cover and a super daiken disc, so they can go on as well

[Jo Clifford]

All those parts were then cleaned and we decided to paint the cylinders, with a high heat paint.

[Jo Clifford]

With the paint dry on the cylinders, they got a final clean and the insides lubricated, ready for ring sealing, the rings were checked for gap then refitted to the pistons, which were then fitted back into the cylinders, using a tapered ring compressor all that was needed was a gentle push down and they were in, seals put onto pushrod tubes and that was all I could do until the heads arrive.

[rick m]

Nice work Jo.  I'm send these shots of you doing your motor to my daughter Shanna.  She has a 65 bug and wants to do her next motor, with me there to simply give direction.  You do a better job than many guys I've observed trying to build a motor.

Rick Mortensen

[Jo Clifford]

Nice work Jo.  I'm send these shots of you doing your motor to my daughter Shanna.  She has a 65 bug and wants to do her next motor, with me there to simply give direction.  You do a better job than many guys I've observed trying to build a motor.

Rick Mortensen

Thanks for the kind words Rick, it would be nice to think that me doing this and posting on here helps to inspire her to go ahead and do it.  Having someone watching and giving advice gave me the confidence to try it myself, I'm sure having you there giving direction will do the same for Shanna     It would be cool if you could do a build thread with her on here as well.
Thanks
Jo

[Jo Clifford]

On Wednesday morning I got a message to say my heads and manifolds were ready to be picked up, at this point I just would to say 'Thank You' to Greg and Steve Tims for their excellent service, vary rarely do you get parts or products earlier than promised, which is the case here 
So we collected them that afternoon, now I could continue with my engine build.
First the head studs were checked for length and shortened slightly, with a small amount of loctite on each I fitted them to the case.  Then the wrist pins, rod small ends and pistons all were lightly oiled, the inner piston clip was fitted and a small amount of sealant placed on the bottom mating surface of the cylinder.
I then fitted the first piston/cylinder to the rod and pushed it down to the case, this was repeated with the adjacent piston/cylinder and the under cylinder tin fitted.

[Jo Clifford]

Now I could fit my new cylinder heads  I lowered one into place, applied a little sealant to the pushrod tube seals and fitted them in place, with a little more sealant under the 4 lower head washers, the washers and nuts fitted with some thread assembly lube, I torqued the heads in place.

[Jo Clifford]

With pushrod length and rocker geometry sorted for me I fitted the pushrods with a little lubricant on each end and on the tip of the valve, then fitted the rockers, which torqued down and finally adjusted the valves.

[Jo Clifford]

So next was all the tin, a vent tube was added to the 1 & 2 valve cover, some pieces of tin got some paint then with some small adjustments and trimming everything was made to fit together.
This older Scat breather box was cleaned and declared fit for use, the carbs were fitted back to the ported intake manifolds then to the engine.
The shroud was marked for the coil mount, drilled then fitted with rivnuts and the coil was then fitted.

[Jo Clifford]

Time to take it off the build stand and onto the run stand, took the opportunity to introduce the car to it's new engine 
Then onto the run stand, everything was hooked up, a special run in oil added, carbs primed and it fired up, timing checked and adjusted then straight away we could tell it was a little lean so stopped, idle jets changed and started up again, ran for a few minutes like this, still seemed to want more fuel so up another size on the idle jets and it ran much better and smoother.   Ran it long enough to bed the cam in properly and then shut it off   
It was really nice after shutting it down to see it was totally dry underneath, not the slightest sign of a leak, I guess I did my part well 
Carbs are now going to come apart as one of them isn't reacting to adjustment very well so may have a problem from sitting for several years, once that is sorted it will go in the car.

[BeetleBug]

Nice build thread, thanks for sharing. A beautiful, little engine indeed.

I would like to wish you and Richie a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Look forward to seeing you again in 2012.

Kind regards,
Kalle

[Taylor]

I dig the mufflers!  cool!

[Fasterbrit]

Sweet project  I dig the colour!

[Jo Clifford]

After a lot of tinkering with the carbs and making several jet changes, we ran the engine again last night, and now todays job is to get it in the car   

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/8eSBFlEIoqs" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/8eSBFlEIoqs</a>

[leec]

Sounds great

Have a good Christmas

Lee

[Harry/FDK]

x2

[Jo Clifford]

Thanks for the positive comments

So first job was to remove the old engine, then remove the header and exhaust as these will be used on the new engine (the exhaust shown before is one we just use to run engines on the stand). 
I then cleaned up the header and painted it with high temp black paint (it was ceramic coated silver when I bought it) 
The tin over the flywheel was fitted then the Scat breather box mounted and we now could install the engine.

[Jo Clifford]

Engine fitted, no problem, so next was plumbing, I also had a new Berg Traction Bar kit that we bought at the Classic a few years ago, that had been gathering dust waiting for a project like this 
This was fitted and we decided it would provide a good place to mount the oil filter, then we measured the length for the oil lines and I made them up, then fitted them.

[Jo Clifford]

Carbs were fitted, fuel lines done and all the little things connected or added, mufflers bolted back on and it was ready, first we just checked for any possible fuel leaks, primed the carbs and it fired straight up, a faulty oil pressure light switch gave us a small scare, but after it was swapped everything was good, all we had left to do was adjust the clutch cable free play. 
First time the clutch pedal was pushed down the tube in the tunnel broke away and left us with no clutch operation   
It sounds good seems to run well, no leaks, but I can't drive it!!!!

[Jo Clifford]

Well it seems that even naughty girls get Christmas presents, I just took it on it's maiden voyage 

[rick m]

Jo,

What cam did you put in this motor? Just curious.

Rick M

[Zach Gomulka]

So here's the full spec of the engine:-

VW Magnesium case, with machine work by Jason Lauffer
DPR 78mm welded crank, with matching 14lb flywheel, 36mm Scat Gland nut
Eagle VW journal 5.5 rods (donated by my red car after it's engine rebuild)
NPR 90mm stroke pistons and cylinders (New)
Engle 125 with bolt on cam gear and Scat lifters
Steve Tims Heads, 42/37 valves, opened up for 90mm cylinders, 52cc chamber
1.1 / 1 swivel feet rockers
VW main bearings, Mahle rod bearings, Silverline Cam bearings, dual thrust.
Kennedy Stage 1 and Super Daiken disc
1.5 qtr sump (no name brand, swapmeet find)
Santana Power Pulley (swapmeet bargain)
26mm Shadeck oil pump, blue printed and plugged for full flow, with swapmeet pump cover
Thunderbird 1 5/8 header and dual mufflers
44 DCNF's on Berg Manifolds
Bosch 010 Distributor with blue coil
12v Alternator with Berg welded fan
36hp style shroud

[Jo Clifford]

Small job done today, re-installed the original speedo, this was restored almost 3 years ago by Orange Empire Speedometer, reset to Zero, in preparation for a new engine.

[Jo Clifford]

Another job done, thought it was time to upgrade the rear lights, so these are now installed and what an improvement   

[Mike Lawless]

Well it seems that even naughty girls get Christmas presents, I just took it on it's maiden voyage 

Been following along Jo. That's gotta feel pretty good. Doin' it your own self, then drivin' it around! Nicely done!