1973 V8 Super Beetle Front Engine Conversion - 283 SBC

[Humble]

Here's the trick I used when I notched my rollcage: Go find a toilet paper tube, a razor, and a sharpe. Take the tube and start by cutting two very shallow U's on one side so it looks like a notched pipe. Start shallow then slowly take away more until you get a nice fit. Once your cardboard template is ready you do a different angle or pipe on the other end of the tube. Only do a template for tubes on the right or left side not both sides. For instance the rear cage stay, and a door down bar on the drivers side. The reason is, you can slice the tube long ways and turn it inside out which gives you a mirrored template for the passenger side of the car. Once you have a line down just use a grinder to take off material, work slowly and test fit often, patience is invaluable with cage work.

Here's a couple pics of what I'm talking about.

[V8SuperBeetle]

Thanks for the tip Humble. I did something similar. I made template from the existing notches.

I spent most of all Sunday trying to get my cage assembled. It's going to take longer than I thought, but It's getting there.

I trimmed and notched about half of the bars. I did quite a bit of thinking and just figuring out exactly how I want this thing to fit. Now it's just making it happen.

The main hoop didn't exactly go where I originally wanted it to so I'll be welding it into the body and the rest will be welded to the frame. I plan to gusset the cage to the body in various places just to stiffen the body up and so the cage and body become one unit that bolts to the frame.

It doesn't look like I got much done, but It's kinda tough do this solo.








The die grinder worked great using the edge of disk to cut. So I got the main hoop and bar tacked.

[V8SuperBeetle]

Not a whole lot of progress was made this weekend, but some.

I got the tranny completely taken apart and then found that the direct clutch piston spring, in the valve body, was broken. Probably the reason why the tranny was taken out of the car. It is a 5 clutch, heavy duty, th350, so that's good.

I decided just to go ahead and take the tranny to a professional shop because they could get it put together quicker, I don't have much "clean room" where I can assemble the tranny, and I get a 6 month warranty with the guys who did the work, that is if I can get it all going with six months time. Haha.


They did a really nice job and they were very informative about the parts I had and what to look out for. Basically the kit I had was a stock rebuilder kit repacked. Which is ok for my purposes. I dropped off the tranny Sat morning and they had it ready Monday after work.




I installed the tranny crossmember.




The tranny is ready to go in. I'm thinking I'll put the motor, hook the tranny up, and then install it as a unit...? I could just have someone help me pull it through the door rather than remove the engine. Hmmm...dunno which was would be easiest. Either way it wont be as bad as installing it in a car with a firewall and floor.

Also, I have a new radiator, fan, mounting hardware, etc. on their way. I bought a 22"w x 19"h aluminum radiator. I'm pretty sure I figured out a way to put my radiator up front. It'll be mounted low but wont be sticking out of the bottom of the body. Hopefully. The only way I see this working is I'll have to use a rack and pinion setup, which I'll have to buy.

Any advice on which rack to use for the S10 frame?

[V8SuperBeetle]

Another quicky update. I got the transmission installed last night. Torque converter seated all the way down and it spins freely with the bell housing completely bolted up. Now I just need to crawl under the car and bolt the converter to the flex plate.

Believe it or not, I got the tranny in all by myself. I lifted it and sat it on my floor supports, got out a jack with a block of wood, raised the jack, instead the converter (after a quart of ATF), slid the tranny forward until it sat down on the jack / wood, then roll the tranny forward and mated them up. Easier said than done, but it worked.


Sorry, the night shots on my camera phone suck.



I still need to adjust the crossmember. It needs to go in the most forward mount holes so it'll bolt up.