My Aunt's Dune Buggy

[V8Nate]

The back half is wire wheeled and painted with por15, new Gabriel shocks installed, brakes installed on the backing plates and the custom emergency brake is finally done for the most part! I ended up using the sheaths from the universal "hotrod" ebrake kit and stock cables ran thru them. I mounted the ebrake handle assembly on the top side of the tunnel because there just wasn't enough room with how this is designed.

I tore the stub axles apart and cleaned everything just to find out a incorrect spacer was installed on 1 side so had to order those up

[V8Nate]

Cleaning parts is so time consuming, I have found that penetrating oil (liquid wrench or similar) does a nice job of softening things up to help make cleaning much easier. Great work on this project Nate! Please continue to keep us updated on your progress.
Kenric

Thanks for the tip Kenric! Will do

[V8Nate]

Today I got the mounting plate for the emergency brake handle ground down and painted. Also came up with a solution for the rusted out bump stop mounts on the trailing arms, I drilled them out and used a rivet nut in the hole which allowed me to use a 1/2 bolt that the bump stop fit snugly on. I ended up using some red loctite and snugged the bolt down to hold it in place

[Ol'fogasaurus]

Nate, if one isn't there I think I would add a washer under the somewhat softer rubber bump stop and the riv-nut to keep potential heavy loading off the upper flange of the nut spreading the load out more than usual and somewhat off of the riv-nut itself. Necessary, maybe not, but it would be more of a just-in-case thing by spreading the load out some.

Lee

[V8Nate]

Nate, if one isn't there I think I would add a washer under the somewhat softer rubber bump stop and the riv-nut to keep potential heavy loading off the upper flange of the nut spreading the load out more than usual and somewhat off of the riv-nut itself. Necessary, maybe not, but it would be more of a just-in-case thing by spreading the load out some.

Lee

Good idea lee

[V8Nate]

The axle spacers came in and i got the stub axles installed today, nice to get that checked off the list. Spent some time on the engine and test stand, made some oil lines(rubber with braided stainless and earls fittings from a/c.net) they were kind of a pain to build, I find the ptfe line much easier to work with personally but I figured might as well use up some of the stuff I had laying around.

Everything but the fuel pump is now wired up on the test stand and I buttoned up a few last things on the engine I wanted to before Saturday. I used some ultra copper on the preheat tubes and took a file to the bottom side of the carb flange, even with a small nut it was riding in the radius. Used the rivet nut tool again for the coil mount on the fan shroud. I still need to install the rockers and plugs/wires but ill do that after i crank it to build oil pressure. I'm shooting for Saturday to break in the motor fingers crossed the Volkswagen gods are smiling down on me:)

[V8Nate]

https://youtu.be/g31m1uGB2UQ

[V8Nate]

Cam breakin went well!

https://youtu.be/2HPq1fSAnv4

[V8Nate]

https://youtu.be/2p4RkjTjey8

Here's the ebrake setup and the trans and shifter are hooked up


https://youtu.be/gL3acIXA0Wc

And a little how to for shortening cables

[V8Nate]

The 1600 is running good! Pulled the stroker out of my bug and put the 1600 in to break it in. Other than needing a little fine tuning on the carb its a good runner!

https://youtu.be/eHBxHdOwYzk

[V8Nate]

Well so far I have 370 miles on the little 1600 and it has been running great! Got some more work done in the dune buggy, I finished installing all the brake lines, adjusted the brakes and bled them. Installed the pedal assembly and clutch cable which I used one of those empi cable shortening kits on. The new cv's are installed and axle nuts torqued. I think I'll get started on the wiring next

[V8Nate]

Here's a little ride along video:)

https://youtu.be/wHExx-t5y0Q

[V8Nate]

Made some good progress on the dune buggy! Buffed the paint before I started assembling the car and it turned out really nice compared to what it was. Installed some new stainless tail lights that I hit with some compound. All the fasteners that I have replaced are stainless or blasted and repainted.

Ran all the electrical minus under the dash, battery, engine bay and fuel pump. Cleaned the tank out and shook it up with some gravel to knock any of the crap out of it followed by a new tank outlet w/screen and a new sending unit and installed that in the car as well as the hood. I did hook the wiper motor up to the switch and tested that, just have to hook the power up to the switch.

I cleaned up the headlight buckets as best as I could get them and installed the new headlights with built in turn signals which is a nice little update in my opinion:)

Got the engine up to 450 miles and called that good so that needs to be pulled out of my car pretty soon.

[V8Nate]

Now the fun of wiring under the dash is up next, once that's done I'll tear down my bug and pull the 1600 out and install the new clutch before I put it into the buggy. I'm sure I'll mount the windshield soon enough then you will see my solution I've worked out for mirrors:)

[BAJA-IT]

Looks like you are doing it right. Should be a fun ride when done.