Vassy's 54 oval build up for the track (hillclimb/circuit)

vassy66T1 · 2009-02-02T10:59:22+00:00

Hi all Have been slowly working towards this for quite a few years now and the real work now begins. Just before the beetle left the road it was a 66 beetle with K&L swinger pan. Then I scored a 69 semi auto (converted to manual) BJ IRS pan. Couple of years on and a good '54 oval body came along with no rust and very straight. Pictures below of body and pan with pan halves stripped off ready for the build.

vassy66T1 Wow ... are U reading this?

2,120 posts · joined Jun 2003 · 19 Apr 2009, 5:58 pm

#707830

Thanks for the tip Craig

vassy66T1 Wow ... are U reading this?

2,120 posts · joined Jun 2003 · 29 Jun 2009, 6:18 pm

#721336

A little progress again on the beloved beetle.
Had it sandblasted to help speed up the process a little (and for weight saving 🤘)
A couple of pics below. Spies Hecker etch primer for first coat before getting the high build 2 pac undercoat on it.
It is a pretty honest body but not without a flaw here and there.

vassy66T1 Wow ... are U reading this?

2,120 posts · joined Jun 2003 · 29 Jun 2009, 6:22 pm

#721341

Some photos of things in primer

This weekend will see the brakes and suspension getting a hop on. Thanks to Damien Pell for some gearbox mounts and spring plate templates.
More info later this week but dual master cylinders with in cabin adjustment of bias and 4 wheel discs are the go for my little baby 😘

Bit of excitement is creeping back in

matberry Moderator Go hard or go home

8,114 posts · joined Mar 2006 · 29 Jun 2009, 10:39 pm

#721404

vassy66T1 wrote:Bit of excitement is creeping back in

Cool Marcus....good to hear

Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE

oldskl60 Officially Full-On Dubber

251 posts · joined Mar 2008 · 1 Jul 2009, 8:14 am

#721594

Nice work Marcus, great to see!!

Sides Veteran Volks Folk

2,220 posts · joined May 2007 · 1 Jul 2009, 8:41 am

#721598

Great to hear you're back into it Marcus !!!

Will be great to have another beetle competing regularly up here.

👍

VWDCQ vice pres & web dude - vwdcqinc.org.au
Join a car club - get car peeps

My toys
'70 Hillclimb Bug 'Jezebel' w/- Haltech EFI - http://bit.ly/VwTNtQ
'60 KG Coupe - resto kinda started
01 New Beetle - gf's car, but I turn the spanners

vassy66T1 Wow ... are U reading this?

2,120 posts · joined Jun 2003 · 6 Jul 2009, 9:44 am

#722479

Got some more work done over the weekend.
Front end has been removed and disassembled. Decided to check it more carefully after upside down adjuster fiasco. The beam has been welded in the no longer straight position 😠
It is now one useless piece of rubbish. Pretty sure this is the same beam that came out of the car and was fine at the point when I handed it over ... what a joke.
Anyway, I am sourcing a new/2nd hand beam. The rear end got some attention and is ready for discs and calipers to be fitted. I will get the spring plated modified this week and probably assemble the rear next weekend.
Below is the brake balance setup for running 2 master cylinders. I will be fabrication a pedal setup with adjustable everything to suit. Also got some V force wheels so am selling the rivieras. The rivieras were 5.5" and that was an issue for tyre fitment which is critical (stating obvious here)
Another photo of the body below. It is progressing.

vassy66T1 Wow ... are U reading this?

2,120 posts · joined Jun 2003 · 6 Jul 2009, 9:47 am

#722480

Picture of rear discs and my beetle and the wifes Kombi sharing the back yard. My lovely wife has decided to put her kombi in the shed until the beetle is finished. What a gal!! Thanks Trish 😘

vassy66T1 Wow ... are U reading this?

2,120 posts · joined Jun 2003 · 3 Sep 2009, 8:37 pm

#733329

Here are a few photos of amatuers at work on the doors.

vassy66T1 Wow ... are U reading this?

2,120 posts · joined Jun 2003 · 3 Sep 2009, 8:39 pm

#733331

I finally have a straight front end ... yee fricken haah!!!
Thanks Craig T.

Craig Torrens 6 times Australian, 7 times State Hillclimb Class Champion

8,040 posts · joined Jan 2003 · 3 Sep 2009, 8:45 pm

#733335

No worries Marcus.......I'm glad I could help out.

give me a yell if you need anything else, the bat cave is always open for you 👍 😉

STIDUB Over it.

1,497 posts · joined Jun 2008 · 3 Sep 2009, 10:55 pm

#733362

im curious how your going to run the dual masters... made any progress with mounting? staying floor mount of going for an overhead setup?

Volkswagen Drivers Club of Queensland - member 🙂

STIDUB - yep its still a work in progress

Vwdcq club car racing/ and crashing while my bug isn't finished.

The above are personal views, no more, no less

vassy66T1 Wow ... are U reading this?

2,120 posts · joined Jun 2003 · 4 Sep 2009, 5:58 am

#733374

Hey STIDUB.
Haven't made progress yet but the first plan of attack will be with a floor or 'firewall' monted setup outside the cabin.
Once the front end is assembled then the pedal box and brake setup is next on the list.
Should see something in the next few weeks.

vassy66T1 Wow ... are U reading this?

2,120 posts · joined Jun 2003 · 16 Nov 2009, 8:05 am

#747617

Bit more work completed on the weekend ... time is at a bit of a premium at this end of the year.
The doors now only need the tiniest repairs and wet rub the hi-build 2K primer back. Came up looking really quite good.
The heads for the motor have arrived back in Oz and will be getting checked and cleaned/set up as will the bottom end crank, rods and case. Matt is handling this with Craig (Crankshaft engineering) doing the machine work.
The heads are wedgeports with 44mm inlets and 37mm exhaust. Chassis is on its wheels but now ready for front end adjusters to be fitted correctly. 😎

vassy66T1 Wow ... are U reading this?

2,120 posts · joined Jun 2003 · 17 Nov 2009, 7:13 am

#747787

Some pics of the heads. Should be some poke to be found in here somewhere!??

Sides Veteran Volks Folk

2,220 posts · joined May 2007 · 17 Nov 2009, 11:33 am

#747813

Hmmm.... wonder if you can fit one of Craigy's pigeon's down those ports...

😉

I know it'll be 1999cc, but what cam and CR you planning on running Marcus ???

VWDCQ vice pres & web dude - vwdcqinc.org.au
Join a car club - get car peeps

My toys
'70 Hillclimb Bug 'Jezebel' w/- Haltech EFI - http://bit.ly/VwTNtQ
'60 KG Coupe - resto kinda started
01 New Beetle - gf's car, but I turn the spanners

vassy66T1 Wow ... are U reading this?

2,120 posts · joined Jun 2003 · 17 Nov 2009, 12:16 pm

#747819

Matt Berry is going to be the one to make that call once the flow of the heads is determined.
It isn't set in concrete yet. Starting to move along a little though.

Craig Torrens 6 times Australian, 7 times State Hillclimb Class Champion

8,040 posts · joined Jan 2003 · 17 Nov 2009, 2:06 pm

#747828

Sides wrote:Hmmm.... wonder if you can fit one of Craigy's pigeon's down those ports...

😉

I know it'll be 1999cc, but what cam and CR you planning on running Marcus ???

Nah mine can only fit a Finch compared to the Pigeon ports of the Wedges 😂

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Sides Veteran Volks Folk

2,220 posts · joined May 2007 · 17 Nov 2009, 2:10 pm

#747829

OK, fair enuff - be interested to hear what Matt says/finds with 'em.

Possibly a dumb question... is it just the quality of the pics, or are there no threads cut into those spark plug bosses ???

VWDCQ vice pres & web dude - vwdcqinc.org.au
Join a car club - get car peeps

My toys
'70 Hillclimb Bug 'Jezebel' w/- Haltech EFI - http://bit.ly/VwTNtQ
'60 KG Coupe - resto kinda started
01 New Beetle - gf's car, but I turn the spanners

matberry Moderator Go hard or go home

8,114 posts · joined Mar 2006 · 17 Nov 2009, 2:22 pm

#747831

Ok Ok, bad phone pics I know but too much drama with proper camera for me.

Yes there are threads for sparkplugs.

1999cc, maybe FK 89 (can't help but stick with the old favorites 😁 ) and around 12:1 but early days yet, manifolds are weeks away, so no final decisions until all sussed.

Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE

Sides Veteran Volks Folk

2,220 posts · joined May 2007 · 17 Nov 2009, 2:32 pm

#747832

OK, cool - cheers Matt. The threads question was cos I thought maybe you were going for different plugs or locations.

Great to see the progress Marcus - can't wait for another Brissie VW to be hillclimbing regularly !!!

So some photo's coming out of Craig's uber-power 1916.... awesome !!! Can just see the ad now "Oval Ports - right-sized for a Finch, when you're just not hungry for Pigeon.". Very cool.... especially since I've seen a VERY similar set of heads just recently.....

😉

VWDCQ vice pres & web dude - vwdcqinc.org.au
Join a car club - get car peeps

My toys
'70 Hillclimb Bug 'Jezebel' w/- Haltech EFI - http://bit.ly/VwTNtQ
'60 KG Coupe - resto kinda started
01 New Beetle - gf's car, but I turn the spanners

matberry Moderator Go hard or go home

8,114 posts · joined Mar 2006 · 17 Nov 2009, 2:40 pm

#747833

Forgot to mention the small thread for the plug. Uses NGK D6EA.

Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE

Craig Torrens 6 times Australian, 7 times State Hillclimb Class Champion

8,040 posts · joined Jan 2003 · 17 Nov 2009, 3:01 pm

#747834

matberry wrote:Ok Ok, bad phone pics I know but too much drama with proper camera for me.

Yes there are threads for sparkplugs.

1999cc, maybe FK 89 (can't help but stick with the old favorites 😁 ) and around 12:1 but early days yet, manifolds are weeks away, so no final decisions until all sussed.

Nice 😎.........what fuel will it be running with that comp ratio ?

vassy66T1 Wow ... are U reading this?

2,120 posts · joined Jun 2003 · 17 Nov 2009, 6:46 pm

#747861

The plan is certainly pump gas (98octane) but Matt is the engine maestro 👍

Craig Torrens 6 times Australian, 7 times State Hillclimb Class Champion

8,040 posts · joined Jan 2003 · 17 Nov 2009, 8:13 pm

#747876

vassy66T1 wrote:The plan is certainly pump gas (98octane) but Matt is the engine maestro 👍

If you plan on running 98octane then I think you will have some major issues running 12:1 😊

matberry Moderator Go hard or go home

8,114 posts · joined Mar 2006 · 17 Nov 2009, 9:47 pm

#747904

Craig Torrens wrote:
vassy66T1 wrote:The plan is certainly pump gas (98octane) but Matt is the engine maestro 👍
If you plan on running 98octane then I think you will have some major issues running 12:1 😊

Yeah prolly a bit ambitious, we'll be using ceramic coatings as well so there's a few points of compression there for free (virtually 🙂 )and gotta see where the heads are first.

Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE

Craig Torrens 6 times Australian, 7 times State Hillclimb Class Champion

8,040 posts · joined Jan 2003 · 17 Nov 2009, 9:58 pm

#747909

cool...should go hard then 😉

Marcus and the motor that is !😂

matberry Moderator Go hard or go home

8,114 posts · joined Mar 2006 · 17 Nov 2009, 10:02 pm

#747911

Craig Torrens wrote:cool...should go hard then 😉

Marcus and the motor that is !😂

😂😂😂

Prolly in that order too.😂

Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE

vassy66T1 Wow ... are U reading this?

2,120 posts · joined Jun 2003 · 18 Nov 2009, 10:36 am

#747966

I'll go hard if I sit in the sun too long maybe!! Old and crusty 🙄

vassy66T1 Wow ... are U reading this?

2,120 posts · joined Jun 2003 · 12 Mar 2010, 9:32 am

#767195

Haven't updated for a while. Progress is being made on the body and panels. Couple of photos below. New engine for the single cab has sucked up some of my time and resource.
Pics