Custom Frame

Droogz · Post by **Droogz** » Sun Jun 09, 2002 5:47 pm

Does anyone have any information about building your own pan/frame. I have a type3 and am not sure if want to or if the pan is going to be up to snuff. I am thinking about building my own and using a bug front suspension and a bug rear. That way parts are allot more plentifull. I think if i make my own pan i can maybee stiffen it up a little more than stock.

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Joshua M. Curtis
http://www.curtisonline.net/

Droogz · Post by **Droogz** » Mon Jun 10, 2002 2:38 pm

*BUMP*

Any takers... anyone on this forum.

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Joshua M. Curtis
http://www.curtisonline.net/

Jim Molloy · Post by **Jim Molloy** » Mon Jun 10, 2002 2:53 pm

There's a company that advertises in
"Hot Vw's" called "Panamerica" I think.
They offer new pans with fiberglass pans
and choice of rear suspensions.VW torsion
or coil over springs.If I remember right
the price was fairly reasonable.Don't
know if they have a website

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72 SuperVert-12A Rotary,Yaw Carb,Racing Beat Air Filter,Custom Stainless Exhaust,MSD Coils.Unique is what we seek,bizarre is what we are

nicanor · Post by **nicanor** » Mon Jun 10, 2002 6:54 pm

He's a great guy, I talked to him numerous times over the years (I keep puching back my project further and further). He can make chassis in rear or mid engine configuration in any width and wheelbase size. His "standard" kits uses mustang II front suspension (cheap at junkyards) and Fiero or late Thunderbird rear suspension. He also said he can use stock VW fronts and thinking of a way to make stock rears workas well. Expect about $2500 for the chassis itself, no suspension parts except fron A-Arms. He can build up up to a rolling chassis with tranny/engine. Also he can make it so any tranny/engine combo to wrok, east/west or north/south too!

Droogz · Post by **Droogz** » Tue Jun 11, 2002 1:02 am

I was actually thinking about building the frame myself. What i want to do is keep my type3 body but put it on a new frame that uses a beetle front suspension and rear suspension. That way I can use adjustable beam?s, drop spindles, short beam etc. I then want to mount a rotary engine in the back so building my own frame would allow for me to beef up the rear end where the engine will be. I don?t want the outside of the car to look very modified other than possible a 4" in chop and suicide doors.

From this website http://www.blindchickenracing.com/How_t ... tompan.htm you can see someone else doing it but for a baha bug.

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Joshua M. Curtis
http://www.curtisonline.net/

[email protected] · Post by **[email protected]** » Tue Jun 11, 2002 6:55 am

IMHO you don't need a beefed up frame for a rotary engine. They don't have enough low-end orque to get you into trouble. Your troubles will be handling a type-3 at speed, regardless of engine. But clearly you aren't worried about handling if you are going to slam the body. So, save your money. Do your rotary conversion first, then see if you need the frame.

[email protected] · Post by **[email protected]** » Tue Jun 11, 2002 7:00 am

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Droogz:
[B
From this website http://www.blindchickenracing.com/How_t ... tompan.htm

[/B]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Daydreaming at the keyboard in Paint is not the path to re-engineering a pan. I can't think of a more Mickey Mouse setup that that URL shows. If you want a chassis, by god, get a real chassis. See the URL posted earlier.

bljones · Post by **bljones** » Tue Jun 11, 2002 8:56 am

If you want to see what someone else has done with a type 3, check out yesterday's classifieds on the samba- www.thesamba.com
There is a new ad for a squareback with a ford v-8 stuffed in the rear, with photos of the pan.

nicanor · Post by **nicanor** » Tue Jun 11, 2002 9:07 am

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/ ... 1650533282
Nice in deed and cheap I think at $5k

You may be overthinking the custom chassis bit for your need. Unless if you're building it for the sake of having a custom chassis?

Droogz · Post by **Droogz** » Tue Jun 11, 2002 2:43 pm

The following are reasons i was thinking about making my own pan.

1. Use bug front end to allow for more options for parts (type3 parts are hard to find and are limited). Also possable bug or porsche rear end. I need to add frame horns anyway. I want to improve handleing.
2. Maybee stiffen the chasis up a little.
3. Dont need to worry about finding a pan to patch mine where it may have rust.
4. Allow custom mounting of rotery engine. I hope to put one with dual turbos with some minor port and polish work. I was hoping (in a perfect world) for 200+ hp.
5. I am planing on choping the top about 4" currently anyway.

There are prob many more reasons

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Joshua M. Curtis
http://www.curtisonline.net/

nicanor · Post by **nicanor** » Tue Jun 11, 2002 5:06 pm

Emaile that guy Eric Martin and ask to sell you plans. He may be willing. He's done enough R&D to know what works and what doesn't, I trust his opinions. He makes them normally for bugs and Ghias, not Bradley's. He made specialized ones for Riot kits' mid-engines as well.

tuna · Post by **tuna** » Sat Jun 15, 2002 10:39 pm

Droogz,

1). Swapping the front suspension to a Type 1 beam is a logical and economical move, for the reasons you stated. As for the rear, the Type 3 suspension is the same as a Type 1. In fact, the Type 3 is better, as the whole assemblies unbolts from the floorpan.

2).-4). If I was doing this kind of project, why not look at the drag racers? People like Ron Lummus build chassis for VWs that will handle a lot of horsepower. For that, why even bother with the Type 1 beam? Why go with a basic hot rod a-arm setup with air bags?

5). The chop top will have no effect on the floorpan you run, unless you cut the roof off completely and make it a roadster.

Tuna

Droogz · Post by **Droogz** » Wed Jun 19, 2002 2:30 pm

After some thought i may actually see if i could weld a type1 frame head on a type3. That may be the most economical way. I then can also use some tube/box steel to stiffen up the frame.

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Joshua M. Curtis
http://www.curtisonline.net/

ShutupandDrive · Post by **ShutupandDrive** » Thu Jul 25, 2002 1:03 am

Anyone got a number or web address for Panamerica??? Where are they located? I've been looking for someone to build me a custom chassis for a while.

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-Just Jeff
cal-look 67'
62 choptop streetfighter
barn-fresh 57 ragtop

Mike I · Post by **Mike I** » Thu Jul 25, 2002 6:01 pm

Try a search for 'LOCOST 7', Bloke named Ron Champion home built a Lotus 7 with his son (and races it). His book has very detailed info on the chassis build and suspension. Quite a few similar sites from other Locost builders. Good source for ideas.