2443 Twin turbo street bug project, back on track again.

2443TT · 2007-11-17T12:39:46+00:00

Hi Everybody, Well my 1966 bug has been off the road for more than a year now. What started out as some mild engine changes and a gearbox upgrade (that never eventuated), has turned into a complete rebuild of the car. I've now got the car stripped of its guards, suspension removed, Porsche brakes are gone etc. All that remains is the shell and its sitting on stands. The reason all this happened is that after a few conversations with Rod Penrose, I discovered I needed to change a lot more things to improve the reliability of my setup if I wanted to extract very serious HP from it for any extended period of time. This meant some serious engine changes... which then got a little out of control. The end result of all the parts chasing, machining and custom made parts will be a 2443cc twin turbo'd, twin intercooled engine, water cooled heads, setup for sub 7:1 compression, flanged crank, 4 stage dry sump system, twin plate clutch, around 8500 rpm and potential for about 400-500rwhp. The engine build is on hold till the last of the machining work is finished and will be posted on another thread when it kicks into full swing. Having that much power meant that using a vw gearbox was going to be pretty pointless. I'd been previously trying to source a custom built box from Rancho. That was for the 2332 engine, but as it turned out I would have probably broken that box inside a year anyway. So the only option was to go porsche. 915 boxes are good for about 300hp, or more if you spend money on them. The g50's are massive, and require an absurd amount of cutting away of the chassis from what I've seen of other people cars. Unless I were to go 1/2 or full tube frame chassis, G50 was off the cards. I did come very close to getting a G50 though, and found a 2wd converted 5 speed for $4300 in sydney. But as it turns out Dave Butler had a 930 box. It didnt take much to persuade him to sell it either. These boxes are used in the Ultima GTO's with 500hp small block V8's on them. In stock form they handle 550hp, and with an oil cooler and remote oil pump they are basically the same box used in the 750hp 935 race cars. At last an indestructable gearbox. THe down side is that the ratio's are very high, but that can be fixed with a ratio change down the track. Now with an engine and gearbox sorted, I needed a way to get the power to the ground. It had been my plan to widen the guards and put some very serious rubber under the car. I've had the car that looks stock that goes like a rocket. Now Im going all out, the outward appearance is going to have to have as much intimidation factor as the engine sound will have. To make all this possible I was going to have to completely re-work the suspension on the existing chassis, or just build a new one and start from scratch. I scored a swing axel chassis to use as a donor pan and went about cutting and clearancing for the gearbox. So for suspension I've sourced all 1988 944 Turbo components. These are the widest rear trailing arms made for the 944's and increase the wheel track by around 100mm with the wheels I will be using. The front suspension is going to be converted to a custom Mcpherson strut arrangement using 944 turbo A-Arms, and spindles etc. All the suspension is going to be fully adjustable, so I can set the car up for motokhana or drags. I want the car to handle, stop and go. Anyway enough background... I've spend a few weekends contemplating how to best attack the new chassis and today I started to get serious with it. 930 Gearbox Clearancing My unique approach to an IRS conversion. Front gearbox mount/crossmember, and front torsion housing re-inforcing (the cardboard template). So thats about all for now. I hope to finish the front gearbox mount tomorrow. Im going to try and make regular posts for this build. The goal is to have it finished in 5 months. Cheers, Ian Swinkels

reub VWRX is gone...

2,054 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 25 Jul 2009, 4:15 pm

#725833

WOWSERS!
Looks sensational Ian. We're all hanging to see how it goes!👍

Reub

trickysimon 100km/h is only 9 seconds away

1,473 posts · joined Dec 2007 · 25 Jul 2009, 5:37 pm

#725843

😵 Thats awesome mate

ricola Wolfsburg Wizard

437 posts · joined Feb 2003 · 25 Jul 2009, 6:42 pm

#725849

That engine looks incredible, love the carbon/polished contrast!

http://www.ricola.co.uk

cnfabo Custom Title Time!

1,353 posts · joined Apr 2008 · 25 Jul 2009, 7:28 pm

#725852

i think ive gone bananas,,....

nothing short of WOW....

Flintstones Custom Title Time!

1,077 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 25 Jul 2009, 8:24 pm

#725858

Sensational ❗

Baja Wes V6 Baja Pioneer

3,119 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 27 Jul 2009, 10:07 pm

#726183

Looks nice! I don't know about the orange valve covers though.

Wes - www.offroadvw.net - 200HP Quad Cam V6 in a VW Baja - with climate control... 🙂
www.taylorcycles.com.au - My DH MTB racing brothers shop.

reub VWRX is gone...

2,054 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 27 Jul 2009, 10:35 pm

#726188

Baja Wes wrote:Looks nice! I don't know about the orange valve covers though.

Just as well they weren't red or you would have said straight out how horrible they were... 🙂

Reub

2443TT Fahrvergnugen

962 posts · joined Dec 2002 · 27 Jul 2009, 10:41 pm

#726191

reub-revhead wrote:
Baja Wes wrote:Looks nice! I don't know about the orange valve covers though.
Just as well they weren't red or you would have said straight out how horrible they were... 🙂

I agree... Orange is the colour out of the box. I'll be painting them flat black along with the tinware once its back from the sand blasters.

colonel mustard Son of Jim - Creator of Good

2,829 posts · joined Feb 2009 · 27 Jul 2009, 11:03 pm

#726193

I like the orange... its out there... Looking good mate.

mactaylor Custom Title Time!

1,005 posts · joined Aug 2007 · 28 Jul 2009, 6:11 am

#726208

looken great ian what brand is your dry sump pump?

EVERLAST CONCRETE TANKS
1800 552 123

2443TT Fahrvergnugen

962 posts · joined Dec 2002 · 28 Jul 2009, 9:01 pm

#726347

mactaylor wrote:looken great ian what brand is your dry sump pump?

Its an RPM 4 stage. 1st stage is 1.250", and the scavenge stages are all 1.75" stages.

The engine is now back in the car today. Im working on the header again now and have re-mouted one of the turbo's so far. I'll have some pics up in a few days when its finished.

Cheers,
Ian

Golde60 Fahrvergnugen

858 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 29 Jul 2009, 1:14 am

#726386

crazy

awsome and inspirational

...................( O \ l / O ).....................

Boostn Wolfsburg Wizard

657 posts · joined Apr 2005 · 30 Jul 2009, 2:00 pm

#726602

Looking good Ian,
what ecu are you going to use?
what is your predicted KW

VOLLKOMMEN ART
nick@vollkommenart.com

Speed and Style

2443TT Fahrvergnugen

962 posts · joined Dec 2002 · 30 Jul 2009, 3:22 pm

#726610

Boostn wrote:Looking good Ian,
what ecu are you going to use?
what is your predicted KW

I'll be using a Wolf version 5 ecu and MSD DIS2 or 4 ignition with 2 or 4 coils (havent quite decided just yet).

Power level predictions? Well the pair of trust T517z's are rated flow 700hp to the flywheel on a RB26, and examples of them tuned in GTR's they make around 400awkw maxed out. I hope to see 450-500rwhp on a max power tune, but time will tell.

Still working on the header today. The engine sure looks good bolted into the back of the car again now.

Flintstones Custom Title Time!

1,077 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 30 Jul 2009, 9:14 pm

#726661

Pics please 👍

dangerous 23 Windows of Awesome

5,901 posts · joined Jan 2005 · 31 Jul 2009, 6:09 am

#726697

"The engine sure looks good bolted into the back of the car again now."

YEAH!!!!

You cant say that and have no pictures!!!

westi wrote:That's mad Alan.

2443TT Fahrvergnugen

962 posts · joined Dec 2002 · 31 Jul 2009, 6:08 pm

#726768

Well here's the header 1/2 finished with the altered turbo positioning. This time I made a bracket to hold the turbo flange where I wanted it first, then ran the plumbing to it. Such a smarter way of keeping things leval than trying to hold something in position when welding it all together using curved pipes. Ive used mild steel for the header and Turbo X black ceramic coat it and the turbo's turbine housings rather than mess around with stainless.

I'll be able to easily put a thin stainless sheet metal heat shied around the turbo housings too. There is plenty of room, not that the pics show that. Enough to easily run 3" dumps from the turbo's with plenty of tyre clearance, but it will most likely end up being 2.5" as thats the size all the valving is for the sequential setup im using.

Manifolds are just temporarily fitted. Ive got to work out how I want to do the intake manifolds next. Im contemplating using a plenum chamber above each manifold and a single 3" pipe from each side to a center mounted throttle body, or running 2 x 2.5" pipes to a merge and then 2.5" from each merge to a center mounted throttle. The 2.5" setup would maintain better air flow at low RPM which should mean better torque in theory but I dont think that will be a problem with this engine. The 3" idea is a lot easier to manufacture.

I'll be finishing off the rear pipe work on the weekend, and then I want to pressure test it to check I havent left any pinholes in my welding.

Cheers,
Ian

Flintstones Custom Title Time!

1,077 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 31 Jul 2009, 11:17 pm

#726816

With the aluminum trailing arms, you've got so much more room for the turbo's and exhaust (when you do make it)
It's definately looking good!!

2443TT Fahrvergnugen

962 posts · joined Dec 2002 · 10 Aug 2009, 7:06 pm

#728513

Hi guys,

Well I got nothing at all done over the weekend, instead decided to have the day off to blow my nose and drink buckets of mucas but all good now.

Last week I had some flanges laser cut so when I knocked off work today after lunch I was able to get started on the intake manifolds. These are the comp eliminator manifolds I used on the last engine. There is a balance pipe welded through both ports (for when it had quad throttles on it), which I will still use as it keeps the vacuum hoses nicely hidden. This is how I mounted the fuel rails too, It proved very effective and is a lot neater than how CB would have you do it.

Here is one side of the intake manifold before its tig welded. Ive given the flanges and pipe the once over with the polisher too of course. Welds to the flanges will be internal and then the flanges will be milled dead flat again.

And here's what it looks like from the top. Its so time consuming making nice merges, especially when they have to look good. Where's Westi when you need him...

Cheers,
Ian

Stanley I guess the reward is in the doing of it

4,523 posts · joined Mar 2003 · 10 Aug 2009, 7:18 pm

#728520

lookin' the goods Ian.
Keep the pics coming

Boostn Wolfsburg Wizard

657 posts · joined Apr 2005 · 10 Aug 2009, 7:47 pm

#728529

Nice, Rochester 1000cc shower head injectors. They are great to tune down low.
The injector mount is much nicer than the std CB way !!
Can't wait to see the dyno sheets for this.

VOLLKOMMEN ART
nick@vollkommenart.com

Speed and Style

2443TT Fahrvergnugen

962 posts · joined Dec 2002 · 23 Aug 2009, 7:14 pm

#731017

They are rochesters but these are 650cc's from memory. Enough to get started and run in with but i'll be having to upgrade when I go after a max power figure. Ive got a base map from my 2443 that ran these injectors so it will mean no startup issues in theory...

So its been a little while since the last update. Ive been outsourcing having the tig welding done on the intake manifolds. The guys doing the work are very good but also busy so my project has been put to the bottom of their list as far as priority's go, which is a bit of a pain in the ass.

The first intake manifold end I had welded introduces me to how much stainless steel pulls when its welded. The flanges on the first intake end were about 5mm closer together once the merge was welded on the above pictures, so I had to do a lot of swearing to get it back onto the 4 mounting studs, bolt it on and then have some wedges welded in between the flanges to stop the whole lot twisting up and distorting.

I got it right on the 2nd intake and had these wedges welded to the flanges first before they were unbolted from the manifolds and the pipes then internally welded to the flanges.

With the ends done I set about doing the plumbing in between. This is more or less what it will look like, with the throttle body in the center through the firewall. The welding is being done on this tomorrow (hopefully). Im having this done in stages so I can re-check the pipe alignment and adjust for the material distortion that comes with the welding.

The entire intake will be flanged/bolt together, except for the left side behind the pump where there will be a clamped expansion joint.

As for this weeks activities ive been focusing on the exhaust system starting with dump pipes and the start of the exhaust. Ive used 2 x 2.5" pipes on the turbo flanges, cut them and joined them the full length so they fit nicely on the flange. Ive welded them internally and blended them to the pipe on the inside. The other end of the dump pipes then expands to 3" where it then runs parallel to the rocker cover as you can see.

3" might be seen as being a little excessive, but that is the standard size that would be being used if these turbo's were on an RB26DETT in a GTR, which is what they are designed for. The only diference is that I wont be merging them back together, there will be a 3" muffler on each pipe and an exhaust pipe behind each tyre. Im glad the wheels are so wide on the rear end, it makes for plenty of room for the mufflers.

Thats all for now.

Cheers,
Ian

Smiley Veteran Volks Folk

2,125 posts · joined Oct 2008 · 23 Aug 2009, 8:38 pm

#731055

Nice work. It's looking sweet Ian.

Smiley

If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.

DavoBuggy 1641 Officially Full-On Dubber

359 posts · joined Nov 2008 · 24 Aug 2009, 4:27 pm

#731152

This thing is insane! nice work dude!

Cheers Dave!

VWFREAK VWFREAK

2,577 posts · joined May 2004 · 24 Aug 2009, 7:55 pm

#731190

This build takes VW Porn to a new level, bloody awesome Ian.

reub VWRX is gone...

2,054 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 24 Aug 2009, 8:01 pm

#731192

SCHAWING 😵

Reub

2443TT Fahrvergnugen

962 posts · joined Dec 2002 · 25 Aug 2009, 5:15 pm

#731388

Howdee all,

Another update... Manifold nearing completion. The 2nd last lot of tig welding is now done, and ive got just the two last pieces and a throttle flange to have welded onto it now. With any luck it will be ready tomorrow afternoon.

Cheers,
Ian

2443TT Fahrvergnugen

962 posts · joined Dec 2002 · 26 Aug 2009, 8:29 pm

#731782

Welding finished at last.

Finishing the exhaust this weekend and then its time to break open the wallet and order some intercoolers and hoses for oil and fuel. Im beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel now.

colonel mustard Son of Jim - Creator of Good

2,829 posts · joined Feb 2009 · 26 Aug 2009, 8:36 pm

#731788

Its looking great. Out of interest, whats the deal with the red bandage :S looks great. Sorry, If iv missed it before, but one injector per Cylinder.... what size for this setup! amazing progress there 🙂 looking great 🙂

2443TT Fahrvergnugen

962 posts · joined Dec 2002 · 26 Aug 2009, 8:47 pm

#731796

The "red bandage" is a piece of 2.5" silicon hose. I'll is the expansion joint between both sides of the engine. Injectors will have to be around 1000cc to make the big power figure im after, but the 650cc injectors are still for well over 300hp which will be the street tune of the car.