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

cam070 Custom Title Time!

1,332 posts · joined Jul 2009 · 30 Dec 2009, 9:39 am

#754608

One word, MASTERPIECE!

063bug

0 posts · joined Feb 2005 · 30 Dec 2009, 9:42 am

#754609

Constantly amazed by the quantity of work and level of detail on this project 😵‍💫 👍

Flintstones Custom Title Time!

1,077 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 30 Dec 2009, 10:11 pm

#754740

impressive Ian.

I'm a bit concerned about the oil lines going under the spare wheel well though. You couldn't have run it behind?

Cheers
D

2443TT Fahrvergnugen

962 posts · joined Dec 2002 · 30 Dec 2009, 10:18 pm

#754741

There isnt going to be a spare wheel?

Another update.

I finished the mount for the crank angle sensor today. The sensor is actualy an ABS sensor from a porsche 944 so im keeping it german. The sensor will detect 2 bolts that are screwed into the back of the crank at 60 degrees BTDC.

I also finished off the dump pipe for the drivers side turbo, mounted the wastegate actuator, and added some aluminium heat shielding. The heat shielding is a folded/laminated mix of aluminium and some sort of fibrous heat shielding material (looks like asbestos so im sure its not). They use this stuff in the XR6 turbo's from factory and its very effective. While I am hopeful the ceramic coatings will do a good job to keep the temps down, Im taking no chances with the paint being as close to the heat as it is.

Thats all for today.

Cheers,
Ian

Sides Veteran Volks Folk

2,220 posts · joined May 2007 · 31 Dec 2009, 7:46 am

#754807

Looks awesome Ian, and getting oh-so-close... do you have the "startup party" planned yet ???

😉

Any chance you could post some pics on the oil lines back to the engine ??? I'm thinking of putting my oil tank up front also, so curious to see how/where you've run your lines... the feed one mainly...

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

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'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

Flintstones Custom Title Time!

1,077 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 31 Dec 2009, 9:23 pm

#754903

2443TT wrote:There isnt going to be a spare wheel?

I can see that there's no chance of that with the dry sump tank claiming the area.

It's the below pic that show's the oil line under the wheel well. I'd be worried about the oil line getting damaged if it came into contact with debris that was on the road. That's why I mentioned about routing the oil line behind the wheel well...

Cheers
D

2443TT Fahrvergnugen

962 posts · joined Dec 2002 · 31 Dec 2009, 10:01 pm

#754906

Ah... Now I see what you mean. Its nearly impossible to see from that picture, but the hose is actually cable tied on top of a steel plate (not to the bodywork. Those stainless hoses will rub through anything too). Its this plate that is the lowest point on the car at the front, not the hose. The plate also supports the oil coolers inside each guard and is itself attached to the body with 8mm high tensile bolts. I wouldnt use the plate as a jack point, but the stee plate is as strong as hell, so it will take quite a hit to damage anything there. Even then the bodywork would be damaged before the hoses would be.

Today's progress saw the completion of the wastegate actuator mount for the left side turbo, and fabrication of the air intake for that turbo. Heat shielding is done as well. As has become my typical form it has turned out way better than the drivers side, so I may well be re-making the drivers side again tomorrow. Im starting to think about air boxes and air filters now too.

If only I had oil lines and an ignition system! I cant wait to hear the car come to life.

Dave, no plans for a "startup party" as of yet. Sadly there are no local VW nutters that are as into modifying their cars like I am. There is a VW club up here again now though but they arent very active. So I'll most likely just call Reub and give the engine a few revs over the phone and post a bunch of video on the internet.

My usual tradition when starting up a new engine is get it running, do the cam break in, oil change, and then drive to the service station without the engine lid on (hopefully avoiding police), and buy a coke. Then relax and watch passers by jaws drop when they see whats in the back of the car!

I'll be sure to post pics of the oil supply and return lines when I get to installing them.

Cheers,
Ian

063bug

0 posts · joined Feb 2005 · 1 Jan 2010, 9:20 am

#754923

....what no local competition and you build one of the most complex bugs in the country..... go figure 😀 that can of coke will taste soooo sweet

Flintstones Custom Title Time!

1,077 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 1 Jan 2010, 10:14 pm

#755083

2443TT wrote:Ah... Now I see what you mean. Its nearly impossible to see from that picture, but the hose is actually cable tied on top of a steel plate (not to the bodywork. Those stainless hoses will rub through anything too). Its this plate that is the lowest point on the car at the front, not the hose. The plate also supports the oil coolers inside each guard and is itself attached to the body with 8mm high tensile bolts. I wouldnt use the plate as a jack point, but the stee plate is as strong as hell, so it will take quite a hit to damage anything there. Even then the bodywork would be damaged before the hoses would be.

Phew, that's a relief!!🙂

2443TT wrote:My usual tradition when starting up a new engine is get it running, do the cam break in, oil change, and then drive to the service station without the engine lid on (hopefully avoiding police), and buy a coke. Then relax and watch passers by jaws drop when they see whats in the back of the car!
Cheers,
Ian

The cops wouldn't even have a chance at catching you, with all that upgraded suspension, brakes and driveline😂😉

LIFE IN THE LOW LANE All people have the right to stupidity but some abuse the pr

2,534 posts · joined Mar 2007 · 2 Jan 2010, 5:47 pm

#755215

I think i speak for most on here that if I lived close enough i certainly would book a front row seat for the start up party!! as for the drive to the servo for a Coke there had better be video footage!!

ACCEPT THAT SOME DAYS YOU ARE THE PIDGEON AND SOME DAYS YOU ARE THE STATUE

Alder Outlaws VW Racing - check it out on fb!!

Sides Veteran Volks Folk

2,220 posts · joined May 2007 · 2 Jan 2010, 9:37 pm

#755261

LIFE IN THE LOW LANE wrote:there had better be video footage!!

Oh yeah - I hope so too !!!

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

2443TT Fahrvergnugen

962 posts · joined Dec 2002 · 2 Jan 2010, 11:18 pm

#755277

Maybe I should try do one of those webcasts! Broadcast the startup of the engine live... How much of a computer geek does that make me sound like?

I nade a little more progress with the car today. I have been working on the air intakes for the turbo's and came to the conclusion that I didnt like any of the pressure side of the intake and intercoolling plumbing that I had already done. It basicly made it impossible to get good straight airflow to the turbo's. So I have re-worked the whole intake system, moved the intercooler and changed the piping around a lot.

The end result is a VAST improvement over what was there before. Everything is solid mounted to either the engine or the gearbox, so it all moves as one unit. Air intakes are 3" to 2.5" at the compressor housings and are virtually a straight line. Sorry no pictures as of yet as its all in pieces again at the moment. I need to source some more 3" stainless tube so I can finish it all off properly, so its on hold till next week now.

Cheers,
Ian

hellbugged 48's and straight cuts

5,080 posts · joined Apr 2003 · 2 Jan 2010, 11:49 pm

#755279

2443TT wrote:I nade a little more progress with the car today. I have been working on the air intakes for the turbo's and came to the conclusion that I didnt like any of the pressure side of the intake and intercoolling plumbing that I had already done. It basicly made it impossible to get good straight airflow to the turbo's.

o dear........chasing every last poofteenth of power now.............bloody nutbag, time to institutionalise Mr Swinkles i think

BigWigRaceCars Learner Dubber

4 posts · joined Dec 2009 · 6 Jan 2010, 4:05 am

#755911

Wow. This is one of the best build threads I've seen. Great work! I just spent a full 1/2 day looking through this thread from the beginning (at work). If I get fired, I'm blaming you.

Sides Veteran Volks Folk

2,220 posts · joined May 2007 · 18 Jan 2010, 11:23 am

#758194

Two weeks without updates... I'm starting to have withdrawal symptoms !!!

😁

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

2443TT Fahrvergnugen

962 posts · joined Dec 2002 · 18 Jan 2010, 9:58 pm

#758271

Hi all,

Ive been moving house for the last weeks but am finally in. The new shed is great too. Smaller but a lot better laid out.

I hope to be getting stuck back into the VW soon. I still need to order an ignition system and the main oil supply and return lines but thats about all thats needed to get the engine started for the first time.

The main project at the moment is un-packing, and of course I also have a fair amount of minor house repairs to do as well. There isnt enough hours in the day at the moment.

Cheers,
Ian

cam070 Custom Title Time!

1,332 posts · joined Jul 2009 · 18 Jan 2010, 11:52 pm

#758281

Where asre your priorities? Car first!

Just kiddin, but I know I am not the only one waiting for updates here. Hope the new place is good and you are in and unpacked soon.

BigWigRaceCars Learner Dubber

4 posts · joined Dec 2009 · 21 Jan 2010, 3:53 am

#758601

What are you planning to use for the chargecooler heat exchanger, and where will you fit it? That car is getting full.

2443TT Fahrvergnugen

962 posts · joined Dec 2002 · 11 Feb 2010, 6:42 pm

#762171

Its been too long since being able to work on the car and post an update. After moving house I've had to make a few repairs to the new place, and that then got all out of hand like many of my projects. What started with some gardening and some roof guttering repairs turned into replacing 1600+ roofing iron screws, pressure blasting and painting the entire roof, and replacing all the guttering and flashing. Fortunatly I will be finished this weekend, so I hope to be able to spend a lot more time in the new shed in weeks to come.

Ive had another lot of earls fittings and a heap of -12 and -16 oil hose arrive for the oil supply and return lines, and have been able to finish all the engines oil lines and cooler lines. Ignition coils have arrived as well, but I still need to source an MSD DIS4 CDI unit. Here are some pics...

Earls oil thermostat attached to the return line from the oil pump diverts oil through the oil coolers if necessary and then returns to the tank. Supply and return lines will hopefully be run this weekend. The tank has a diagonal brace to make the mounts more rigid too, not that you can see it from that angle.

All the engine oil lines, turbo oil supply lines and returns are all done now too. Only pump supply and returns need to be finished now. That and wiring the ignition system and Im pretty sure the engine will be ready to test fire.

This is the new setup for the intercooler. The heat barrel is mounted rigid to the gearbox, so it all moves as one unit with the engine.I've had to use silicon bends all over the place to allow joins and tight radius's, but the result is acceptable and it shouldnt blow apart once the pipes are flaired a little. This revised setup allows a 3" air intake directly into a 3" to 2.5" elbow to feed each turbo. Meaning virtually no intake restriction at all.

This is the new shed! Car one side, workshop the other side. I stil need to unpack but that wont stop me from working on the car once time permits again.

Hope to have another update on sunday night.

Cheers,
Ian

reub VWRX is gone...

2,054 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 11 Feb 2010, 6:47 pm

#762172

Looks pretty serious dude. Man is this thing going to be scarey 👍

Reub

vassy66T1 Wow ... are U reading this?

2,120 posts · joined Jun 2003 · 11 Feb 2010, 7:51 pm

#762184

Ian, I shake my head in awe every time I see this car.

Great work and your perseverance is commendable/outstanding!!

Can't wait to see it one day.

Sides Veteran Volks Folk

2,220 posts · joined May 2007 · 11 Feb 2010, 8:29 pm

#762192

Looks awesome Ian !!!

👍

Any chance of some pics on where you've run your oil lines from the front to the rear... and have you gone braided for the full length, or hardline for the majority of it with the braid just at either end ???

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 · 11 Feb 2010, 9:25 pm

#762215

Brilliant work Ian 👍👍👍

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

Ollie Yeah Buddy

840 posts · joined Oct 2009 · 15 Feb 2010, 12:40 am

#762722

Woah...

Words can't describe how amazing this car is.

I just spent half of "Tango and Cash" (It's playing on Channel 9 - don't judge me!) flicking through this entire thread and can't believe this car is coming together so well! The fact that you have my favorite car in the world (R34 GTR) and an insane bug makes me green with envy! I can't wait to see the updates continue to filter through amongst the admiration from every follower on here.

On a side note, what mods have you done to Godzilla?

Cheers,
Ollie

Follow the Photo Fun:
http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=95238

- '70 1500 Beetle (The Clean One)
- '76 1300 Beetle (The In-between One)
- '69 1500 Beetle (The Mean One)

2443TT Fahrvergnugen

962 posts · joined Dec 2002 · 15 Feb 2010, 8:20 pm

#762820

Sorry but no update. I spent the weekend workiing on roof doing guttering and flashing, and am now very close to having it all sorted out. I dont think I ever want to do this kind of work again though with any luck i'll be done with the house repairs before the weekend and I can start to play with cars again.

OMClarke wrote:Woah...

Words can't describe how amazing this car is.

I just spent half of "Tango and Cash" (It's playing on Channel 9 - don't judge me!) flicking through this entire thread and can't believe this car is coming together so well! The fact that you have my favorite car in the world (R34 GTR) and an insane bug makes me green with envy! I can't wait to see the updates continue to filter through amongst the admiration from every follower on here.

On a side note, what mods have you done to Godzilla?

Cheers,
Ollie

Thanks Ollie, glad you enjoyed the read.

My R34 is only mildly tuned at the moment. Its was a standard R34 GTR S-Tune which basicly means all Nismo factory options (S-tune suspension, carbon fibre bits and v-spec aero parts, and side and front airbags). So its like a vspec but without the active LSD and with all the sound proofing.

Ive since added a tunable ecu, slotted rotors, wideband AFR system and a Nismo 80mm exhaust. Ive also built a pretty crazy 450kw engine upgrade for it too, but that project is on hold till the VW is running. Have a look at http://www.odengines.com if your interested in it, thats my other sideline "project". Too many projects...

I race the R34 in sprint events occasionally. It is truely an awesome car to drive. There is nothing ive ever driven or been in that feels so planted and controllable. They are a car that you can safely push beyond the limit. While a 2wd car would be off the track, the gtr just keeps on giving. They do eat tyres though. 6 sprint events per year, 4 x 4 lap runs at each event and it will totally destroy a set of tyres.

Ollie Yeah Buddy

840 posts · joined Oct 2009 · 17 Feb 2010, 12:26 am

#763005

Have a look at http://www.odengines.com

Hell yeah...

Follow the Photo Fun:
http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=95238

- '70 1500 Beetle (The Clean One)
- '76 1300 Beetle (The In-between One)
- '69 1500 Beetle (The Mean One)

Martin Taylor Learner Dubber

7 posts · joined May 2009 · 17 Feb 2010, 10:09 am

#763041

Awesome work, some fantastic fabrications going on!

Just a little info for you we used the largest PWR intercooler on one of the turbo cars over here, it was next to useless, air temps were over 85oC at the top of the 1/4

switched over to a HKS unit and it never went over 21oC.

good luck with it, looking forward to seeing the results of twin turbos.

Regards

Martin

Martin

9.83 on street tires and 98 octane pump gas

2443TT Fahrvergnugen

962 posts · joined Dec 2002 · 18 Feb 2010, 8:30 pm

#763240

Martin Taylor wrote:Just a little info for you we used the largest PWR intercooler on one of the turbo cars over here, it was next to useless, air temps were over 85oC at the top of the 1/4

switched over to a HKS unit and it never went over 21oC.

I ran a smaller PWR barrel cooler in my 2332cc turbo vw engine. I found the efficency of it to be very good, as over a 1/4 mile blast the air temp would only rise about 4-6 degrees over ambient temps. I used a 10 litre coolant resivour as well though to help slow heat soak of the coolant though too. Setup is everything.

If it was a front engined car you ar referring to that you then switched to a HKS core, then your 100% right. Its hard to go past the quality of those units. I had one in my R33 GTR and it would always sit very close to ambient temps, provided you had some good forward momentum. Anything above 80km/h and a good front mount is unbeatable.

Shame the VW's have no frontal area for mounting a decent size air-air intercooler. Unless you want to put in a core in a wing over the engine like they do on the turbo/GT2 porsches.

I had a break from working on my roof guttering and flashing today (its still not finished), and instead started plumbing my oil lines at last. After much consideration I have decided to not run the hoses through the heater channels. There is too much risk of kinking a hose. Instead they will be running down the pasenger side of the car next to the heater channel.

Here are a few pics.

Bulkhead fittings. -12 return, -16 supply lines. I used black nylon hoses as the intention was to run them through the heater channels and stainless braid tends to rub through everything it touches. Nylon wont damage what it comes into contact with.

-16 from the tank so there is as little restriction as possible on the supply side of the pump.

And finally how it looks with everything bolted back together.

More fittings are on order to finish the rest of it off.

Cheers,
Ian

Martin Taylor Learner Dubber

7 posts · joined May 2009 · 19 Feb 2010, 8:59 pm

#763394

The car in question was in a beetle. we convert the HKS intercoolers into charge coolers by welding a jacket on them

the turbo is a 40/94 hybrid from the the 40/88 Garret roller bearing unit. Running 28 psi of boost generating 540 rwhp.

the water pump for the intercooler is a davis craig 110 ltr/min pumping from a storage(ice) tank in the car. using -16 hoses

we were just disappointed with how it performed. the hks unit has nailed it now

Great thread by the way 😉

Martin

Martin

9.83 on street tires and 98 octane pump gas

Sides Veteran Volks Folk

2,220 posts · joined May 2007 · 20 Feb 2010, 10:19 am

#763447

Yikes... -16 supply lines, that's some serious flow you're gonna have !!! Very neat too how you've run them... more things to throw into the thinking for mine.

Keep up the brilliant work Ian... tho we all know that you will... I for one am eagerly waiting to read an "it's alive !!!" post...

👍

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