Project "little monster"

Nice work

Rich

Good fabrication Paul! Liked the cardboard template. I've got a stash of cereal boxes in my garage for such occasions!  :wink:

A few more pics of today's stuff:








Also, I pulled the engine out again (nothing much was connected, apart from the engine mounts and driveshafts), I'm getting good at this, it must be the 7th or 8th time now! Tasks ahead include painting the new cable shifter's tray from underneath, making the radiator custom mounts in the front panel, then its painting the engine bay.

Then I can clean everything up and assemble it all and drive it.

i want your garden.. and your kit 8) a jig would be so useful to nick… i mean use your car lifting technique

welding skills would be useful aswell :roll:

pauls doing a grand job here and has some very good fabricating skills yet he fixes computers?

paul move down south ill give you a job  

i'm interested in seeing this shifter tray in action- a similar idea (not so deep) may allow me to use the CAE shifter i'm after, and keep the gti console.

mk1john said

i'm interested in seeing this shifter tray in action- a similar idea (not so deep) may allow me to use the CAE shifter i'm after, and keep the gti console.

Well, the centre console mounts in place (the shifter's box needs a slight trimming to fit, its physically a tiny bit longer than the hole in the console) and I've done a height check and it sits at the proper height. John, its a case of choosing a datum for vertical and horizontal and taking accurate measurements. For example I measured how high the shifter was from base to trim securing nuts at the top; and I knew how much the centre console lip sat above the datum; so I could work out the required depth to accommodate it. Your CAE shifter might well be a different height so the tray depth will be slightly different, but the principle (and probably the shape of the tray?) will be exactly the same.

Can you weld John????

Boring but required stuff. These are the holes for the cable change shifter. To the right are the holes (which swing the cables in a curve) and the plate covers the first hole I did.


These little tabs hold the radiator in place


One each side


This is a strengthening piece along the top (not yet welded in place), needed because I'd cut away the lower lip of the top of the front panel.


Because the front panel isn't quite flat, I needed to make a 'bump' or curve in the strengthening bar. You can just about make out the bend


Cleaned up ready for welding


Welded, then ground down and wire brushed to clean.

nice work mate.
quicky for you now that box is in place won't the exhaust sit quite low as it normally bends around the rod shift ?

The exhaust doesn't bend around the rod shift, it sits below it (unsure?) I welded a cut-down exhaust hanger to the base of the tray, which is at the same height as the previous one. In any case, there will be a custom system fitted soon.

Today's stuff:


Shifter, with all the trim in place


Gear lever gaiter removed


Centre console removed


From above


Front panel strengthening


Painted

i might be being dumb, but why does the front panel need strengthening? :dontknow:

X said

i might be being dumb, but why does the front panel need strengthening? :dontknow:

Because I chopped the rear lip out, so I can fit the radiator further forwards.

Not checked this thread for a while. Looks like you're making good progress paul and the fabricating looks like great work.

Is it not going to be tempting to strip all of that trim and extra weight back out when this project is finished to see just how fast you can get it down a strip?

i cant remember if youve told us or not, is this going to be road legal or for track fun only???

The gear stick sit's perfect there mate, great job!

What rad are you using out of curiosity, the twin fan vr6?

The car will be fully road legal and I'll be retaining all the interior, etc.

The radiator is a Passat Turbo Diesel rad - its the same width as the VR6 one but its slightly less tall. If I have overheating problems, I can fit an oil cooler - this will take a little work off the main radiator.

Since the last update, I have given the car a good clean out. Also I had to turn it round so I could jack up the rear, so I could plan on where to put the fuel filter. It will carry the stock VR6 filter at the rear, which sits in a cradle which will be bolted to the underside.

Also, still on the area of fuelling, I've cut the fuel lines in the engine compartment ready to connect up to the engine:





The fuel lines now come directly updards from the wishbone support area, like a carburettor car. Luckily VW have already provided clips on the bodywork. Once the engine is out again, I'll bend the fuel lines neater, maybe using P clips.

Its now booked into a specialist exhaust fabrication place, who will be making a custom 6 branch manifold and system, its going on a trailer on Tuesday so I'll need to winch it on and off and jiggle the car round to do this!

Paul, what was your reasoning for taking the cables through the bulkhead and not under it as per the rod shift? Also will the gearchange not fit below or is it a case that fouls the exhaust. I've seen corrado shifts fitted to Mk1's in this fashion but never inspected that that closely.

cheers

good work fella

Cero said

Paul, what was your reasoning for taking the cables through the bulkhead and not under it as per the rod shift? Also will the gearchange not fit below or is it a case that fouls the exhaust. I've seen corrado shifts fitted to Mk1's in this fashion but never inspected that that closely.

cheers

Leave loads of space for a big exhaust.

Today I took the car on a little road trip (on the back of the trailer) to have its custom exhaust made and fitted. It will be a couple of weeks before I get the car back, all going to plan.


All screwed together and ready to go


Not the easiest place to load stuff, with the curved road around the garage, slopes and rough surface!


Onto the trailer