Another few weeks and haven't had a lot of available time for the build, but made some important progress. I'm installing Fast Freddies power steering setup in the Mk4. Will use for the steering plus hydroboost on the brakes. The main work for the installation is mounting the pump. It's intended to be mounted at the center intersection of the front X brace. But this area is partially taken on my build by the Breeze front battery mount. The round tubes of the Mk4 make it a little interesting as well. Plus I wasn't a real fan of how it's shown to be installed, with the pump hookups on the front pointed down. Probably OK for PS only, but for my setup the high pressure line leaves the pump and first stop is the hydroboost unit. The low pressure line goes to the reservoir, so also a bit of a roundabout path from the front of the pump. At first I was going to make a new bracket. But after making a cardboard pattern, decided the supplied bracket just needed to be modified a bit. Only took two changes. First enlarged the semi-circle cutout so that it could be mounted from the other side. This put the hook-ups pointed up instead of down. Then cut a semi-circle channel about 1/8 inch deep between the upper mounting holes so that it could mount tighter against the round X tube. I don't know what aluminum Freddie made the bracket from, but it's way harder than the usual 6061. My wood cutting bandsaw didn't like it all. I used a metal cutting blade in a sabre saw, and using a lot of wax lubrication was able to final complete the cut out. The channel I made pretty much freehand with an air driven cut off-tool dragging the disc from one side to the other. Then cleaned up both using drum sanders. Turned out surprisingly well. Roughed it up and shot a coat of Duplicolor engine paint, and it was ready for mounting.

This is the modified bracket waiting for the paint to dry. The bolt is just to hold it while painting and drying.



Bracket mounted to the pump. This is the opposite side from how it's provided.



Pump installed on chassis, from front. Note I just have room for the lower radiator hose bracket. Everything is well about the 4 inch tubes.



Pump installed on chassis from engine compartment. Direction of hookups are nearly ideal for easy and direct runs. The pump is rock solid. I'm very pleased how well the round channel tightens against the round X tube.