He built some very nice body-mounted bases for the cage, there's no going through those. As the body has to be repainted anyway, might as well just cut small holes through the roof, it's easy to get to to weld and bodywork.

Jason

No pics, sorry, but the A-pillar tubing has been replaced as per my request. Sooooo much better! They havn't been tied into the front suspension yet, but I just needed that done before the paint was redone, the other points are in non-paint sensitive areas. Now the window cranks have room, the visor can clear enough, visibility is not limited at all, and there is the max amount of room between the steering wheel and the tubing. Paint next, maybe off to the paint shop this weekend.

Ooops, I forgot to mention, NO HOLES CUT IN THE ROOF!!! whooo hoooo

Jason

Pics as promised! Nice big bases

http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/769413.jpg

http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/769412.jpg

.095 CroMo, I think I'll be adding another bar here to triangulate.

http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/769411.jpg

Lots 'O room now between my knuckles and the bar, much more comfortable!

http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/769410.jpg

http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/769409.jpg

I told him to make it as tight to the door and dash as possible, and he did! It feels much more spacious in there now, was very claustrophobic before.

http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/769406.jpg

Main hoop is purposely rear of the B-pillar, Will(Humble) will understand you don't want that nice big bar right next to your noggin in an accident. As it is all the bars around my head will be covered by impact foam.

http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/769405.jpg

Tight! (Said with a Scottish accent)

http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/769403.jpg

http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/769402.jpg

The main hoop will triangulate to the rear at the top of the struts. Still kicking around the Boxster idea, so I didn't want to do this just yet. Like Humble mentioned on another post, this leg needs to be straight to fall within SCCA-NASA-FIA rules.

http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/769400.jpg

You are only allowed 2 bends in the A post tube, so this worked out the best. I'll be adding another short piece at the top to triangulate that corner. It falls out of line of sight from the drivers seat and parallels the A pillar so it looks pretty nice too. Clears the window crank easily now and no where near the glove box.

http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/769399.jpg

This used to be tied together with the old A post, but I told him just to get the new A post in so I could get the paint done then we will come back to it.

http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/769415.jpg

I completed the lean-to part of the garage before the winter, but just finished pouring a section between the main pad and the fence last weekend. It's a big wide area to work on stuff and get dusty and dirty, then I can heat up the insulated area (M3 parked) when its cold or I'm working on something I'm doing cleanly.

http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/769408.jpg

http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/769397.jpg

I need to pull everything apart again now, get some of the finishing touches built before the paint is redone (LED housings, front splitter mounting points, 3rd exhaust hanger). I may even start playing with the rear end suspension to figure out if I can get some better geometry than I have.

Jason

Nice work! Love the detailed pics and also the "Über schnell" license plate haha!

Nice work! Fantastic welding! I wish I could do that..

Finally go the LEDs installed, what a PITA for such a small detail! I've been planning this effect for years now though, so it's awefully nice to see it actually working!

http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/775116.jpg

http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/775117.jpg

Hopefully some more work on the rollcage this week and off to re-paint.

Jason

Pretty cool Jason. :)

Thx Pete, I hope the final effect is cool and not tacky!

She's back to paint as of tonight, so next week sometime I'll hopefully be looking at a car that's all one color!

Jason

Where do I get this? that page? beautiful Käfer

PM sent to u.

Jason

muchas gracias Jason


thank you very much, and answer your MP

Today I played with vinyl. Wrapping, who woulda thunk?

Looks really good, you can see it's wrapped in places, but you've got to look at the right spots to find it. The cage still needs a diagonal main hoop bar and then the rearward arms, so I'll peel off the areas to be welded then just patch them up with more vinyl!

Jason

http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/784996.jpg

http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/784997.jpg

http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/784998.jpg

http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/785000.jpg

http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/785002.jpg

http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/785003.jpg

http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/785004.jpg

http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/785001.jpg

This is hopefully one of the next steps, should net about 350hp and be quite reliable.

http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/785504.jpg

Jason

That IS quite the set-up!
Some of those parts look familiar as my daily is a 1.8 5V (not turbo) and I run the VDCS diagnostic for it. The logging is very cool to live happening actually. Maestro7 I recently read about, funny enough I now see you getting it to tune the stock ecu. Very cool! Let me know how that works out for you!

Thanks for the update!

The sad story is that I've already spent almost $3k on a standalone fully adjustable system that I'm sure you would just love. Trouble is that I can't spend enough brain cells to full understand the system so every time I do any change it has to go back to the dyno. It's NEVER run well, especially cold, and I'm just tired of dealing with it. A modded stock ECU will be able to keep up with a lot of changes and also use the knock sensors to keep it safe. Anyone want a 034 Motorsport IIc standalone ECU?

Jason