Frank818 -1993 VW VR6 Turbo donor- Build Thread

[Bob_n_Cincy]

great to see it drivable. Your about 1/2 way done.
Bob

[Canadian818]

great to see it drivable. Your about 1/2 way done.
Bob

That's just cruel, lol

[mikeb75]

Quick congrats Frank!

[choobs]

Congrats Frank!

[DodgyTim]

Congratulations Frank
Very few people take on a kit car build, fewer complete them, and even fewer complete something as difficult as what you've done

[Frank818]

Tnx all. Yes it was a huge pressure relief. And again, Pete and Bob are 100% right. loll

I took a very high risk on this kit as no one could tell near the possibility to fit this drivetrain and with which gearbox and how. Was just flipping a coin. I invested a lot of time and money even before I could know if it's driveable. I refused "no" as an answer and yeah it was a very difficult 2 years and 3 months. You're pretty in that too, Adam, but I think you found an easier solution for your drivetrain.

Steve you're right, I was debugging today. Before I move on on installing completely the body and then the finish in the cabin and the doors I wanted to improve a few things I noticed during this short ride.

Not sure I'll go kart it again. Too many rocks on me and everywhere. I even found some in my air filter, I have a double-cone filter like this:

s-l225.jpg

and it's located right over the rear wheel, doh! I need side sails and splash guards. But I think I may go on the dyno in go kart mode and then on a track session with body on in order to push it, see what breaks, fix it and make it more reliable.

Speaking of reliability, what impresses me the most is that all my little issues or weird behaviors I had on the Corrado (electric and mechanic) are all gone. As if I fixed them all in a totally different environment than OEM.

[Frank818]

Steve, what do you mean by the "post-it"?

[svanlare]

In the independence day clip, after Will has his "opps" moment, he pulls the post-it off the dash


and then mutters about some joker, and flips the post-it to fix the shift pattern.


BTW, my son's first suggestion when I told him about yours was that it would stop thieves.

[Speedy G]

Happy 40th!!! What better bday gift! Congratulations!

[Frank818]

Oh yeah that post-it! Flies by pretty fast on the video. Nah that didn't work, man. lolll

Tnx Speedy, it's definitely a very special gift, yeah. One of a kind that can only happen once in a life time. Hard to beat that.

[Frank818]

Bob,

Tell me something. If the jacket is fixed on the shifter side and moving on the trans side and the cable fixed on the trans side and moving on the shifter, how can any of those 2 move when I shift? Ref to my picture on another post on last page.

[Bob_n_Cincy]

Bob,

Tell me something. If the jacket is fixed on the shifter side and moving on the trans side and the cable fixed on the trans side and moving on the shifter, how can any of those 2 move when I shift? Ref to my picture on another post on last page.

Frank
There has to be an inch or two of slack in the cable path the allows the jacket to move.

Here is a bicycle brake mechanism. You can see how the jacket pushes one shoe while the cable pulls the other shoe.
180055.jpg

Bob

[STiPWRD]

Great job Frank! You've certainly earned it.

[Frank818]

Small updates.

I'll wait for the reverse shift pattern, doesn't prevent me from passing inspections but I got TONS of stuff to do that do prevent me.

Finalized my exhaust with perfectly centered tail pipe. Ran out of 308LSi wire before the end, I'm short about 1-2 meters of wire! Sick.

There is less than a finger of clearance between the pipe and the bumper fiberglass, at the 90-deg right after the muffler. So far the tightest exhaust I've seen on the forum (it's super tight at other places too). I will have to wrap that pipe and put some gold foil on the fiberglass, just in case it may cook from heat. I can't believe how tight things are on this car, pretty much everywhere! I have to make all that street reliable.

I gave it a slight upwards angle to match the grill. Was looking good also when parallel to the ground but it ended up matching the grill's angle.

2016-08-14 10.39.18_1.jpg2016-08-14 10.39.34_1.jpg2016-08-14 10.39.44_1.jpg

I think my exhaust is "the" thing I am most proud of on this car. Before that, I knew **** all about welding. Needed to learn welding, then learn SS welding and I had no place for error cuz I didn't have any spare exhaust parts, at the price they cost I had to get things right first time. Turned out great looking and no leaks. I did that WAY better than the so called "exhaust guy" from 2006 who fab'ed my old Corrado DP. He did 4 huge mistakes a turbo car should never ever have. Douch.


Not sure I posted a pic of my shift bracket? Raw material, reversed shift pattern.

2016-08-05 16.39.32_1.jpg

[Canadian818]

Looks good Frank! Don't you have a v-raptor top grill? In which case won't it be the only thing you're exhaust will be near?

[Frank818]

I have both VRaptor's grills, top and bottom. Currently drilling holes for the bottom one so I have no pic of the exhaust clearance yet, but you can see on the below pic there is fiberglass above the grill, cuz I fit it from the outside. That's where the elbow at the exit of the muffler is. Then the pipe goes down to the center hole and bends super tightly 90-deg to get out of the engine bay.

IMAG3746.jpg


It's so tight, believe it or not but on my pix of the pipe in my previous post what makes the tip is the 1/4-1/2 of an inch of pipe from the elbow above the gearbox. Shortest tip I've ever seen. This is why I needed a perfect alignment of all my exhaust pipes before and after welding.

[Frank818]

Here's how tight it is on the exhaust post-muffler:

2016-08-20 18.44.50_1.jpg2016-08-20 18.44.58_1.jpg


The tip is almost perfectly centered, off by a mm or 2 I think. Since everything there will be black, no one will see.

2016-08-20 18.45.12_1.jpg




How did you guys bolt the turn signals' lenses in place? There's no place to put any tool inside the fiberglass cup/hole.

2016-08-20 18.45.28_1.jpg

[Canadian818]

Are you planning to wrap the exhaust Frank?

[Frank818]

Are you planning to wrap the exhaust Frank?

Hell yeah. Up to the last 90-deg elbow which I won't. I will paint it black with some old DEI exhaust paint I still got. Not sure yet if I wrap the flex bellow and muffler, I can't figure out the consequences (good/bad) of doing it.


Have you tried bolting your turn/reverse signal lenses on? Couldn't find how!! I don't recall reading anyone having trouble on that, so I guess I'm just dumb.

[Canadian818]

Have you tried bolting your turn/reverse signal lenses on? Couldn't find how!! I don't recall reading anyone having trouble on that, so I guess I'm just dumb.

No, not quite there yet, lol. Been away for work, lots of stuff ordered though. Hopefully it'll be waiting for me when I return.

[Frank818]

Darn you slowed down lately, then. loll

[Frank818]

In need of Tail/Brake LED bulbs?

Get those http://www.ebay.com/itm/281762205444...witem=&vxp=mtr

US SELLER!!! They are a little more expensive than chinese knock-offs but the quality is top. They give a nice red spot in the middle and a kaleidoscope/star like around it, cuz that's how the globe is made inside. Only 7w at full power, they provide a great amount of lumens and the difference between tail and brake is very noticeable.

[longislandwrx]

frank that's super close, I don't know what your egts on the vdub are but i'd be worried about a fire.

[Frank818]

frank that's super close, I don't know what your egts on the vdub are but i'd be worried about a fire.

You're probably talking about the muffler and not the LED bulbs?
Yeah I know it's close, I don't like that either, but that's how it ended up on this build. Before arriving at that last pipe I had to find solutions to comply to other requirements, regulations and constraints. I pushed them all to the acceptable limit. And then I ended up that close.

I could cut the muffler's outlet and bring the pipe inwards, but I then need to weld an extension on the tip which will be hard to cut right and most of all will make the weld very visible, unless I grind it totally perfectly. I believe I have a good 30-50h of work for this change. That may be not much but for me it's a lot cuz every single hour may make me overshoot plating in 2017.

On the other hand, it's possible the inspector will kick me out if I don't fix this. Or heat will cause a problem. I have to try and I'll fix only if I hit a problem.

I will wrap the pipe and use gold foil or an alu sheet with gold foil, then it may touch but it should prevent most of the heat transfer.

I've been living dangerously on this build since day 1, that is a good example. I'll try and see. No I am not happy.

[longislandwrx]

also regarding the shift pattern, cant you just sell the ktuned and get a gtm shifter?

[Frank818]

Yes I could. But I won't, I'm not concerned anymore about the pattern. The whole idea for the K-Tuned was looks. I also worked out the center console around it. Changing the shifter will certainly cost me more and take more time than simply reversing the pattern. At the moment though it's ok to leave it as is, I'll see after inspection if I want to reverse it. Definitely the least of my concerns now. Stupid body panels that takes a lot of time to adjust the fine details...

[Frank818]

Right rear splash guard fitted. Took about 10-12h. I still need to do very small details like insulation and caulking/foam/tape to fill the small gaps and prevent dust from entering the engine bay or bumper (+ insulation for rolling sound) but that will be done at the end of the build once it's all good to roll.

I needed small modifications, but the precision is what took at least 8 of the 10-12h of fitting. Always like that.

I used Craig's tab liners so I can remove the entire guard in one big ****ing piece, although it's very tight and there aren't more than 2 ways to do it right.

Jeff, from Atlanta, had a lot of issues, the tire (25.3" tall mines are 25.4") kept rubbing on the liner at over-full compression.
It seems I might be ok up to 1/4" of bump stop compression. I was ok up to the stop but that was before final drilling and fitting, hopefully not much moved, I don't think so.

I can take more pix for those who want to compare but as you see I fitted the liners high and inside, about 1-1.5" inside the fender lip. That gives an extra something for everything above.

2016-09-11 12.30.20_1.jpg2016-09-11 12.30.37_1.jpg


EDIT: I will have to cut to clear my brake lines, I'm 99% sure. I may have to cut for the upper rear and front links too. But that's so damn easy anyway!


I am working on the rear of the car for the past month. There's a lot to do there, including my engine bay cooling. Once it's all done I will post pix, instead of a few pix during the progression. I think my cooling will give some people ideas.

[Canadian818]

Looking good Frank, can't wait to see what you've come up with for cooling.

[svanlare]

I'm now well behind your progress, but that just means I get to copy what you have been doing when I get to the body! nice work

[Frank818]

Cumulating a lot of pix for the body, but in the meantime, @PETE, could you plz post a pic of your headlight projector bolts solution? I used epoxy on the FFR provided plastic inserts and the epoxy is so damn good the inserts don't stretch anymore so the rounded head bolts don't fit. I have to drill them out (only 2 I tested, phew) and use another solution and you're the only one I've seen with another solution.

Headlights install, CAUTION, do NOT use 3M 8115 panel bond epoxy on the plastic inserts. Will provide picture with other stuff once I make a huge body update.

[svanlare]

When you post the body pictures, can you include how you mounted to the frame, I have that coming up soon (I hope)

[Frank818]

Steve, how I mounted what to the frame? The body panels? All of them? And what about how I mounted them to other panels (panels to panels)?

[Canadian818]

Steve, how I mounted what to the frame? The body panels? All of them? And what about how I mounted them to other panels (panels to panels)?

Might as well post the all Frank, unless you're worried you build thread is getting too long, lol.

[svanlare]

I knew what I was thinking, just that all the words didn't make it down onto the page.

Yes, I was looking for how the body mounts to the frame. I'm at the phase where I know it is the next big job to take on, but I don't have a clear picture of how I'm going to implement. I'm definitely using screws so I can remove the panels, but just starting to surf the forum for what other choices folks have made regarding mounting (washers/sizes/spacing/etc). So I was seeking some inspiration in the photos.

[Frank818]

Might as well post the all Frank, unless you're worried you build thread is getting too long, lol.

Nice try, but it's true it's getting long, cuz the build itself is very long! So the thread goes with it.
Anyone thinking of fitting a VR6 in there will need all the détails contained in this build.

Yes, I was looking for how the body mounts to the frame. I'm at the phase where I know it is the next big job to take on, but I don't have a clear picture of how I'm going to implement. I'm definitely using screws so I can remove the panels, but just starting to surf the forum for what other choices folks have made regarding mounting (washers/sizes/spacing/etc). So I was seeking some inspiration in the photos.

Yeah that's no issue I can pic every single bolt on my panels. I got a few different solutions wrt to bolts, yes. Depending what panel I fitted where.

[Canadian818]

Anyone thinking of fitting a VR6 in there will need all the détails contained in this build.

Oh I get it, and that's the same reason mine is overly detailed. That and it's good to get others opinions on the changes I've had to make.

[Frank818]

Yeah but in your case a lot of people will now transplant a rotary, cuz you got votes from Wayne whereas my he doesn't read my thread. So your build is very important.


Front Splitter subject.

Read an interesting article written by a non-US guy http://www.formula1-dictionary.net/splitter.html

Seems like for a splitter to be effective (and apparently they aren't much UNDER 120km/h) it needs to stick out of the bumper by twice as much as the bumper's ground clearance.
Yeah cool, so I need a splitter that sticks out 9". It's only about 3 right now and it's quite in front already. More than most 818S I've seen here.

Therefore I'll end up with a useless splitter (the very most of the time I am under 120 (75mph)) that will scratch or hit on bumps or something at some point. Only good thing is it looks really nice sticking out by 3", gives the car THE look I wanted. But at what cost...

[Frank818]

Headlights install, CAUTION, do NOT use 3M 8115 panel bond epoxy on the plastic inserts. Will provide picture with other stuff once I make a huge body update.

Revisiting this. Who said movies don't inspire people. After watching the movie Approaching the Unknown (not that great), I saw Mark Strong fixing a bunch of issues in his space capsule. I then said to myself that if he can fix aerospace stuff alone in space with limited tools there's no way I cannot fix a headlight plastic bucket!

So I went in the garage and... fixed my inserts!

They are really well bonded in place with the 3M 8115 (I start to love that stuff, bonds anything to anything) but using pliers and somekind of force I was able to snap off the glue on one end of the insert which then made it possible to pop it out with some other kind of force. After cleaning the epoxy with an exacto it's almost good as new.

I will put again some epoxy but this time I will snap in the round headed bolts before bonding the inserts in place! Plz do the same if you use epoxy.
I know how to increase the bond if I need to so my guess is it will work.

Thanks Mark!

[Canadian818]

Yeah but in your case a lot of people will now transplant a rotary, cuz you got votes from Wayne whereas my he doesn't read my thread. So your build is very important.

Yeah you're right, Wayne's endorsement does make my thread more important, haha.

Front Splitter subject.

Read an interesting article written by a non-US guy http://www.formula1-dictionary.net/splitter.html

Seems like for a splitter to be effective (and apparently they aren't much UNDER 120km/h) it needs to stick out of the bumper by twice as much as the bumper's ground clearance.
Yeah cool, so I need a splitter that sticks out 9". It's only about 3 right now and it's quite in front already. More than most 818S I've seen here.

Therefore I'll end up with a useless splitter (the very most of the time I am under 120 (75mph)) that will scratch or hit on bumps or something at some point. Only good thing is it looks really nice sticking out by 3", gives the car THE look I wanted. But at what cost...

I think engineers are often so concerned with what's the perfect or ideal setup that they don't acknowledge that less than ideal setups still work. Doesn't FFR have a warning somewhere not to use their splitter without a rear spoiler because it makes the car unstable. How could that be if it doesn't stick out 9"? Also, didn't they get a measurable amount of downforce when they wind tunnel tested their splitter?

[Frank818]

Good point. Would still work, but maybe takes a faster speed to be noticeable. Not downtown Edmonton. lolll

I think FFR tested at track speeds, not sure they tested under 100km/h. But in the end it's possible no matter the splitter, under 100 it's too slow anyway. And that's ok, cuz downtown you don't need downforce, the car has no lift at those slow speeds.

I have a front RACE splitter and no rear spoiler other than the standard FFR lip. I think I'm the only one using that combo, or if not there aren't too many I believe. Not recommended but I have a lot more weight in the back, so relatively my front is too light and needs more downforce than the rear compared to the proportions FFR designed it for. I took a guess with the race splitter, which I got for free over the street spoiler cuz mine was in bad shape and at the factory they had no street ones available at that time, so they put a race in there. Tnx to FFR, that was appreciated.

Anyway it looks cool sticking out at 3" so mine stays there.


Steve, if you ever start your body before my pix are posted, let me know which specific area you may need and I could leak a couple. I mean a couple of pix...