TURBO STREET RAIL

[madmike]

I hear ya,,I just stored my buggy, gonna snow today
as for your turbo : Pm sent
do you have a steering stabilizer on it? caster shim on the bottom beam? helps with high speed stabilization ,,king pins snug? I had a buggy with large front tires like yours and it shook too try some skinnys

[jackthegripper]

Hey all, back again for some advice from the wizards of shoptalk. Lots of changes in store for the upcoming season. Theres a couple major things id like to get done but im not sure what should take priority.

With the plans of stepping everything up i know the transmission is gonna need to be looked at, currently is is completely unknown but i can guess its a dual side cover IRS from a beetle w/ a 3.88? Never checked the fluid and ran it all fall driving it like a pissed off teenager all shifts are smooth and the seams started to leak at the end of the year, I definitley need to build a whole motor and transmission cradle because its on stock arms and i believe the irs housing is cracked on the lower motor housing bolts. Ive been looking at a bunch of options for the driveline but i think the cheapest and most efficient would be to trade in my core for a built rancho or similar setup. Other ideas were a porsche 901/911 5 speed or a bus transmission, or getting an old housing ang building my own?
What would you all suggest for the bug(1500lbs) street and strip use, i want something i can beat the dog snot out of and still have a decent time driving on the street; also i heard long gears are good on a turbo car. what do the drag people usually run? im still a bit unsure about transmission stuff but id love to learn more!
Another thing im looking at is to replace my General xp2000 set to something a little lighter and road worthy Im really not sure how they made it through tech: (image)
Looking at a street radial like . MT or similar but would also be comfortable with a performance street tire and not just an all out drag wheel. the current rear wheels are 275/50r15 and i'd like to retain the look of the big back tires and smaller up front, if theres a similar set to the General xp2000 i would also be interested in something like that.

Manifold! Im planning on building a new exhaust manifold properly this winter and im pretty excited for that. 1.5" primaries and 44mm wastegate, Think we're going to get a t3 collector flange and build our runners up to that, but we have a couple ideas and im sure we wont decide until the materials are in front of us. Have any of you turbo guys tried building a header that merge the two cylinders off each head together before they go to the turbo collector or should i stick to the 4-1 collector right at the turbo?

Speaking of turbo, im planning on getting a new snail but i've been very indecisive. Looking at staying with the t3 family and using the same .36ar housing on exhaust but on a 50 trim or a super 60. I want to splurge on a ball bearing and a fancy billet wheel but theres still a lot of tweaking and learning before im ready to step up to an investment like that on a little project like this. Im also willing to switch completely over to a k04 or something like that or a tiny borg warner twinscroll. Ive spent quite a lot of time putting in combinations on RB racing calculator. looks like its gonna want to flow 20lbs/min for the power I'd like @12psi. Which leaves room for me to grow to hopefully 15-20 psi with the cooling power or methanol...

Methanol setup is inbound for the build as well hopefully by the end of the 2018 season, Ive picked up a couple things to build my own system, probably get a jet from devils own and make some ghetto system, but being how important it is i would like to use some components from a legit system, the pump and maybe a progressive controller if i can find something used and cheap. Using this and the BTM timing retard i think i can make some pretty good numbers on this old lawn mower engine.

What else do you guys recommend I should do for the buggy to get ready? Im definitley doing a couple safety measures also, Disc brakes up front (with a portioning valve for line lock and tire smoke ) The windshield and roof is getting lifted 3" and better seat mounts are in store. I have a whole list of other little things that need to get done and i feel like im building a whole other car again! Distributors, fuel filters, carb jetting, exhaust flanges, suspension bushings, and axel seals, along with 30 other maintenance items. Oh yeah, and put a break away in the javelin-like steering shaft!

[jackthegripper]

Well were starting to get into spring here and were all running about prepping for the season. Parts have been rolling in and glad to announce all the turbo problems have been solved Send it out the G-Pop shop and had it rebuilt and assembled with a .42 garrett compressor housing and proper wheels fitted in the exhaust. Bolted up the turbo and couldn't resist going out in the 40 degree weather to see if spool problems were resolved. Its perfect, had to rejet the dellorto substantially and still need to dial in the new Turbonetics boost controller. Wastegate spring is at 3psi, waiting for the sun to peek out to do some higher boost pulls. still looking for a methanol setup to adapt to the intake to hit even higher pressures later this season. Here some pics from the first day out this year, nothing changed except turbo and an oil thermostat (actually still having trouble warming up, engine is cold!)



also have a bunch more parts piling up, waiting for weather to break to be able to bring it to the shop and put in a serious week of fab/suspension work. wanted to do disc brakes this year and found an old set of drop spindles (CB performance) with kingpins installed, recently cleaned and painted those and pieced together the rest of the brake components. Along with disc brakes and the "lowered shocks" it will be getting new tie rods and a steering damper put in for stability with all the new power. Also need to find something to put in steering shaft to act as break-a-way.



Other things id like to get done at the shop is re-work all engine and transmission mounts and make something a lot beefier to hold the motor down. theres hardly anything in right now to keep it in except one of those hoop conversion plates and the tabs at the end of the horns. Also throttle cable routing and some new bracketry is required on the carb, mainly miscellaneous drivability things.

A few other goodies this year are a boss 300w motorcycle stereo with bullet speakers, an old MSD two-step controller to play around with, and a 25psi VDO gauge with vacuum now! I planned to keep this updated throughout the summer if this forum is still active/ people show interest.

[rubenski]

Keep posting.

Nice config on your turbo

[madmike]

[jackthegripper]

Have been stacking miles on the buggy since the weather broke, was 82 degrees today! have disc brakes and drop spindles up front now with all fresh bushings and tie rods up front. It feels A LOT better, can not believe i was driving it on the street before. It had old style tie rods in a newer pitman arm and there was so much play! A factory steering stabilizer and a bracket will be built shortly, I think that'll make it feel much tighter at high speeds and less jumpy powering out of corners.
Still waiting to put on rear tires and drop the back to match the CB drop spindles up front. The front tires are 195-70r14(old were 215-70-14) and rear are 275-60-15(same as old). Matching set of Vitour Galaxy r, look to be pretty stick, blowing away these A/T tires on the street right now.

So many parts sitting around waiting to get put on the bug, stick around to see this monster grow!


First show of the season and a badass lotus parked next to me!

[madmike]

Did you slap some caster 'shims' behind the beam? they help with the high speed ect.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

Did you slap some caster 'shims' behind the beam? they help with the high speed ect.

Older style "U-build-'em" rail kits didn't always accomodate the different uses that they could have. A lot of caster in the beam accomodated 30" or 30"+ dia. tires in the rear and smaller tires up front well but not stock street dia. tires. No additional caster than stock VW in the beam worked well with street tires but not with big dia. tires in the rear. Some kits figured the builder would do the right thing and put proper caster to the beam. Buying a used frame requires checking everything out and not assuming which so often happens. One of the shorty rails in our group was like that so it was kind of "twitchy" but turned well in tight places.

Also there is the problem with the fuel tank and everything else in the rear and nothing up front so the stock spring stack is too stiff. Adjusters can help some as well as the notorious notching a couple of leaves in the stack a bit so the leaves would break resulting a softer ride. Kind of Oooo if the cut is right but not so if it is wrong. Having the seating located so far to the rear (which is pretty normal) hence reducing the weight on the front even more.

Proper shocks also can make a big difference as well.

By-the-way, your rail looks pretty cool! The last I heard they are not street legal where I live so I am jealous .

Lee

[jackthegripper]

Probably not so street legal here either but I have yet to be stopped, lots of buggies in the area cruise during the summer; bath-tub bodies and rails alike. I've gotten a thumbs up from the local cops on the way to work just the other day!
The rail is fun but i would really like to start with something i know more about, i've had my eye out for a ghia/type 3 fast back for awhile but no luck, the more i work on the barrian buggy the more i see wrong with it, i think it was rolled or ran into something; the farmer i got it from ran it through apple orchards and stuff and really beat on it. the lower shock mounts if looking at the rail from the rear aren't symmetrical and neither are the control arms(?) up front (the arms that go from the springs, to the link pins).
this thing has some serious power now, running 10psi around 24* timing. pulling about 1.1* every pound of boost. It tracks straight and hold corners good but I have a feeling this thing could get squirrelly without warning or something. I probably have something loose in my head because i still am in the thing every chance i get and i haven't really improved it too much this season except disc brakes up front, new rubber, motorcycle speakers, and tons more power
I really have to rework the turbo header and the support for the snail because it cracked from everything jumping around so much( lack of motor/tranny mounts) but it has given me an excuse to take it easy and hopefully last the summer on the current parts, I know that tranny is not very happy.
I recently helped a friend convert his 78 firebird formula to EFI and we put a vortec blower on it, im kind of kicking myself for not going efi on this set-up becuase it really makes sense to me and am going to continue it on anything else i put together (LS dreams ) BUT that is why i want to put this motor in a ghia/ bug/ fastback, because its era correct, Draw through turbo and MSD =old school cool!
Bit of a rant but i would appreciate some input on what to do with this thing next, i would like to get it to a point where i think its "finished" but none of these project cars we'll ever achieve that title in my eyes. This is just a summer toy and in the future ill have a serious car with modern tech i can adapt to any conditions. I have hopes of Franz Dubber getting a little rotary and put out on the dunes at some point in its life, we'll see where the girlfriend and I end up in the world

[Ol'fogasaurus]

I have two glass buggies as you probably know. I also have worked on a couple of rails also (in our group) (tube buggies similar to what you have) and, when done right, they are much stronger than the glass bodies on modified VW pans. For us, where it rains a lot, they disappear in the fog or moisture thrown up by cars and (especially) trucks and tractor trailer rigs. They are also so light they hydroplane very easily and can get blown around by passing rigs which is why they were kicked off the road. The officers would like the glass bodied rigs not be allowed on the street but so far they haven't got their way.

My blue buggy was street legal... to a certain extent, but after a couple of incidents, when driving around or carrying it on the back of a trailer, I de-streeted it in favor of off-road only. On the street kids would see it and run out onto the street yelling and waving at it w/o looking and almost got hit. On the trailer the kids would see the buggy and their dads would pull over so they could see it almost forcing me off the road as they got so close. Both types of incidents are/were scary!

buggy1.jpg

My black buggy was almost running until a the second of those two incidents happened so I have been fighting with it to convert it to sand only for over 20 years now. The g;ass bodies do not give much structure to the pan so you have to figure out ways to do out it in. I'm in the (I hope) later part of it now. There was a post several years ago here where they guy driving the buggy got into an incident and his glass body broke apart and left the pan bare. I don't remember now if he was thrown out or was still sitting in it.

I do have to admit that the blue buggy was so much fun to drive on the street and reacted so quickly with the short 80" wheel base.

Lee

[petew]

I reckon you're doing well. Street rails are the ultimate compromise of bad weight distribution and every other engineering flaw VW put into beetles. Any project is never "Finished" until it rolls out your driveway in the possession of another fool.

BTW, I gave up my tub buggy for beetle, precisely so I could drive it year round and leave it locked up. I've not really regretted that decision.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

I reckon you're doing well. Street rails are the ultimate compromise of bad weight distribution and every other engineering flaw VW put into beetles. Any project is never "Finished" until it rolls out your driveway in the possession of another fool.

BTW, I gave up my tub buggy for beetle, precisely so I could drive it year round and leave it locked up. I've not really regretted that decision.

That's about the size of it unless you total it or part it out but then... whats left really isn't anything is it.

My black buggy started out as a Baja but was so bad that I made it into a glass buggy! "Stupid" never really goes out of fashion I guess .

[jackthegripper]

yo!
Hope all you guys are having a good summer, time for another turbo street rail update!
Just rolled over 3000 miles coming home from coffee and car last weekend in Clay NY, the buggy is still going strong! I have tons of photos and video from the past couple months, really haven't done much with the car except put gas in it i'll dump the pictures down at the bottom, had a great summer and met so many radical people! even have an upcoming feature in a local car magazine!
Only changes are the Devils Own methanol kit, which i have bad news about.. and the matching rear tires: 275-60-15 (wish i went 295). The new rubber feels great and aspires a little more confidence on the street, consistently have been cruising at highway speeds without nail biting anxiety!
While installing the progressive controller for the methanol system i believe i messed up the MAP sensor, i've tried to repair the solder joints but still having issues. Probably for the best i still cant turn up the boost because its still hammering away at the stock IRS, next season for sure the driveline will be addressed! Although it would've been nice to cool the charge on some of the 90+ degree days i was out.
I am also still blown away that the OG distributor i got in the original motor is still hanging in there also, i didn't even check points; just threw it in after the electronic one fried from a presumed long key on. Still looking for a used MSD unit or another quality adjustable distributor, I think it will shoot some proper flames after the final weak link is eliminated from the ignition system.
I think I am also going to look into extending the rear trailing arms and beefing up the whole rear assembly when i change up the driveline. Im still undecided on which way to go but i think the simplest route will be a decent street built IRS and some good axels. A local guy has a 914 transmission for sale that i have heard of people adapting but i think i would have to source too many parts, but boy would i love a 5 speed. I know it needs a 911 nosecone but what do people usually do about CV shafts and stub axels? Anyone had any other suggestions for transmission/axel setup, willing to swap hubs and get creative, rear discs would be valuable also.
Currently restructuring my life and deciding a different direction so i say all of this with plans of having funds and time available next spring but i highly doubt i will. My future has to take priority and the toy will have to get put on the back burner! Doing this so i can play for life, and advance my mechanical ability to new heights. Looking to do a A & P technician program and work on jets and other aircraft, i'm sick of restaurants and school isn't for me. Oh well, i'll see where i end up! I'll make sure to let you guys know what happens with this little bug!

Another Buggy showed up to Street scene315



Photos a friend took while cruising local river roads(everyone loves the 1 <3 meth sticker)



only difference between the men and the boys is the size of their toys

At the VWCCNY 15th annual show, definitley the best time ive had at a car show. The girlfriend and i drove out the day before and camped at Onieda shores with the buggy. Hung out with VW people all weekend, super friendly group of out of the box thinkers!



mid engine h6 corvair buggy!

dragonfly on the turbo oil feed

Cruise to a newer show with some modern turbo cars, they couldnt hang with the power to weight ratio of the bug!




Last weekend at Cars and Coffee! Beautiful porsche and a cool local evo


On the way home another buggy passed by and puled in where i was posted up with lunch. we were both braving the 60 degree weather and laughing about crazy buggy drivers



And last but not least, Finally a little clip of Franz Dübber. Let me know what you guys think!
[BBvideo=560,315]https://youtu.be/lzADJbjpmU4[/BBvideo]

[rubenski]

Great photo's !

Cool car!

[petew]

Nice, how many revs are you using the 2 step at?