It was looking soooo good in the driveway this morning -- I just figured that daddy needed a new chair for the office

A Kirkey Seat is for sale !!!!

http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/s...psecpseguw.jpg

Nice ghia mate

Thank You

I was just wondering if .. .. .. .. ..

http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/s...u.jpg~original

I'd love to have huge(r) tires under the Ghia -- -- But I can't bring myself to do any cutting to the body, I just think the stock lines are beautiful -- I could do a 3" Torsion narrowing and go that route, but it would require a lot of "redo" to my cage as it is mounted to the outside of the torsion tubes..........

And then I find this build ------

http://www.pro-touring.com/threads/1...d-Sema-Project

I just think all the 'hacking' done to this body is just crazy -- -- It will be badass when done but .. .. .. ... ..

My Son bought me a new key ring for the Ghia -- Does he know something I don't????

http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/s...f.jpg~original

Got to talk and hang out with Finnegan and Freiburger for about a hour today at the Optima Challenge --

They were working on a yellow Mazda rotary pickup with a 455 front engine Olds mounted in the bed -- they bought it from a guy who claimed it was a 10 sec car -- must of been timed in the 100 foot, cause it was a dog LOL

I didn't have much to offer them as far as help or suggestions, BUT they had some very nice eye candy hanging around them and it made walking away very VERY difficult LMAO

Did get a cool sticker -- Had volunteered to help doing the Tech-in early this am (before it got into the 100's) and the guy making the stickers messed up as it was suppose to be intermediate, so I took the damn thing LOL -- don't know if it should go on the Ghia or the tool box -- probably be the tool box

http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/s...psoyx772pd.jpg

SO -- -- About December 15th I had the engine out and got the trans back from Benco -- I reinstalled the engine did some upgrades, and started putting everything back together

Immediately, I started having EFI problems -- turn on master power -- Electromotive EFI would come on run all the prestart stuff, hit start, engine would run for 20-30 seconds and shut off -- -- -- I would turn off the 'key', turn on the 'key' -- nothing -- kill the master power everything would repeat, engine would run, shut off, again everything dead

Holy crap I was vexed,,,,, so I sent the box back to Electromotive,, came back,, still the same thing,,, sent the box back and they sent me a new one as a replacement...... By this time I was pissed and I had the AEM setting on the shelf, so I started the AEM install -- -- So flash forward until this month and I had finally finished the install (OK, OK , I know I'm slow, but I was just frustrated with everything) I took the Ghia over the WesTech in Mira Loma to double check everything I had done on the install of the AEM and for them to tune the damn thing......

So I get a call from Eric @ WesTech last Friday, the Damn AEM is doing the same freaking thing, turn on main power, turn the 'key' on -- it would cycle thru everything perfectly, turn the 'key' off, turn 'key' back on -- -- box is all pissed off -- turn main power off/on -- start over, it work once then fail.....

WTF is going on???????????

I am Stumped -- I had gone through the wiring twice during the install checking everything -- -- I really dwelling on this thinking, thinking............ I'm thinking that the ARC switches is letting a small of current to flow through when the 'key' is off, not letting the memory clear for a clean restart...... Nah!! how can that happen through the relays......

SOOOO, I'm in bed Saturday night at about 11:30, almost asleep, when it hits me, The freaking alternator has a bad diode in it and letting current bleed through -- -- Hmmmm just might be it...

Monday night after work, I swing by WesTech, walk over to the Ghia, pull the exciter wire off the alternator.... SHAZAMMMM, freaking problem disappears -- -- 10 DAM months working on this thing and it was just a bad freaking Alternator from the very beginning...... who would of thunk it.......................................

Long process but now its fixed, if we wanted a simple life we wouldn't play around with these old cars, keeps your mind active and young, well that's what I tell myself

Wellll, The guys at WesTech are really MAD at me - --- -- - One of the front oil coolers decided to split open while the car was on the dyno Monday -- what a mess -- Freaking car was still dripping oil out of the spare tire drain Tuesday when I went over to help by-pass that cooler -- should of just put another oil cooler in its place, but their description of what happen had me confused -- -- but I've been working nights lately so I'm in a constant state of confusion LOL (still had to have the blue towels and rags there to continue to mop up the oil in this picture LOL)

Don't know when they will have some open dyno time so they can get the Ghia back on there

http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/s...psfayys3zh.jpg

They did have a cool open class desert car on the dyno Tuesday -- -- about a half million dollar toy there

http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/s...psqzlwoe9s.jpg

http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/s...psfairkovg.jpg

Was over working on the oil cooler at WesTech -- Chad from BangShift was there -- He had a junkyard SBC on the Dyno and all the guys there were running around the dyno and giggling and laughing and just cracking up -- --- --

They had setup two targets behind the headers and were pouring BB's down the carb and watching them hit the targets.... It was the craziest thing I'd ever watched-- I don't know which was funnier watching the BB's come shooting out of the headers or the guys running around laughing their azzes off -- -- Then they pulled the plugs out after their "run" OMG .. .. well, look at the pictures.....

Soon to be a video to be posted somewhere :::::::::::::::::::::::

http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/s...psuyvpjk7b.jpg

If you look closely you can see all the BB's on the floor....

http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/s...psdheiokbo.jpg

A little update -- -- Nothing is happening LMAO

The last 2 weeks the guys from WesTech have been jammed with the high dollar cars going to SEMA (or Chad destroying a SBC) or Eric being sicker than a dog -- Hope he's feeling better !!! -- Went over to work on the Ghia this morning, but they've all left to go to SEMA too..... Oh well, it's not like I've anywhere to go LOL -- and remember I'm the one who made the deal that the Ghia is not their first priority, just something for them work on when they can -- so really no problem as far as I'm concerned, because they are treating the ghia very well !!!

SO, Screw it,,,, I'm going on Vacation -- see you all in a couple of weeks

This was in my in-box today -- --

Circuit of The Americas (COTA) February 26-28, 2016



Good Morning:

I hope this finds each of you in good spirits as we trek through Fall toward Winter. I for one think a more southern location is in the cards. HMMM, perhaps Austin, Texas?!

For the fourth year in a row, it’s time to think about three days of driving on America’s only purpose built F1 track, Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas. MVP Track Time has scheduled our 4th annual three-day COTA track event for February 26 – 28, 2016.

Now for the moment you’ve all been waiting for, the investment to play at COTA. The entry fee for all three days is $1,375, the same as 2014. As with previous years, there are a limited number of spots available for COTA. Yes, they fill fast.

STEP 1
The $1,375 entry fee for all three days at COTA can only be completed with Pay Pal (you can use any major credit card through the Pay Pal system if you don’t have a Pay Pal account) at the link below:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/websc...=JQ3XJ9LSZHJUN


STEP 2
Once you have completed the entry fee, head over to the “Registration Page” of MVP’s web site (link below) to register. You’ll need to scroll to the bottom of the page to complete the blue outlined registration box. Click on the“Event” drop-down menu and choose Circuit of The Americas (COTA): February 26-28, 2016.

http://www.mvptracktime.com/id92.html


After we have allocated the registrations by run group, based on individual track experience, we will send out group confirmation e-mails to each run group. We will have four (blue, green, yellow and red) run groups allowing us to schedule two hours of track time daily.

In the spirit of transparency, the rental of COTA, as you can guess, is rather costly, so once you register, MVP will not be able to give you a refund until COTA is sold out and we have a replacement for you. If/when we can replace you, there will be a $100 cancellation fee. Inside of four weeks (January 29, 2016 and later) prior to the COTA event there is no refund. This is the reality of renting Circuit of The Americas.

If you have any questions, grab the phone and call me at (314) 249-3770 or you can e-mail Feffman@MVPTrackTime.com.

Happy Motoring and I hope to see you at COTA. Enjoy your day.

Mark Pfeffer – MVP Track Time
www.MVPTrackTime.com
Phone: (314) 249-3770
E-mail: Feffman@MVPTrackTime.com

Been working hard on the tune on the Ghia


Here's the latest dyno sheet::::


http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/s...psfbpslpgf.jpg

It's Story telling day and it's Baseball season (here in the states) and the final year of Vin Skully's 67 year career announcing Baseball -- -- Here are a few of the stories he interweaves into his broadcasts that makes him so great.......

http://m.mlb.com/cutfour/2016/04/27/...ll-a-story-day

Well, The Ghia is back home -- -- It has been gone so much the past year that there almost wasn't a space for it in the garage..... you know how a empty spot in the garage fills up quick LOL

http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/s...ps8hbe4dht.jpg

I brought the damn thing home Sunday, with more problems than it left with, oil leaks up the arse and just a ton of electrical issues. It runs OK. It drives on and off the trailer and goes down the road, then it just shuts off -- -- guess I'm just gonna reach in there and grab a handful of wiring and just rip it out and start over.... Ordered some new electrical things and they will be here tomorrow night, so tomorrow I'll get started straightening out my rats nest and decide how I want to proceed.....

On the way home, I was cruising a car show at the Riverside Auto Center with the Ghia on the trailer, and there was Ester (E-girl)((Powder puff VW racer par excellence)). I didn't know she was Ms. Route 66.... Damn she looked good in that tiara... LOL

Monday, thinking I had the electrical all sorted out, I took the car out on my little 3 mile test loop I use. Left one signal and was rolling onto the throttle, trying to get my gremlins to reappear. Damn, only boosting to 4-5 pounds, double damn, forgot to plug-in the boost controller and was only running on the waste gate spring..... Turned onto a side street so I could connect it back together... As I climbed out, this new GT Mustang pulls up next to me and rolls down his window... "I usually don't stop and congratulate someone for beating me, but that little thing is fast ! Whatcha got in it??"

"Just a stocker with a little boost," I replied, "If I'd known we were racing, I would of really got after it!!!!" Hope I don't go to hell for all the little lies I tell, LMAO.

He drove away shaking his head..... Don't mess with the Air Cooled!!!!! LOL

As life goes -- so do our toys --

The Ghia is for sale for $16,500 --

I believe this is a really fair price knowing how much in receipts I've shredded....

all offers are welcome, but please don't embarrass yourself.

Tuner leaned out the engine, then noticed a loss of power -- I said thank you very much, please do it again sir

http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/s...psgvaqzmxu.jpg

But I now have a solution to this tuner ****----

http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/s...ps99irwrl8.jpg

So you're keeping the Ghia, then?

Sorry, been on vacation for a few weeks---

I'm doing a complete freshen up on the engine right now (waiting on machinist to do a touchup hone on cylinders for the new rings) -- then I'm putting the engine up for sale

If somebody pops up and wants the car and the price is right might consider selling it............

Oh lets say I've gone little stupid since the last post -- -- a complete tear down is now in order, inspection/R&R of the bearings, Corilla rods, J&E pistons, new gapless rings, heads completely redone (new porting, valves, springs, heat resistance coating on the inside, heat dispersement coating on the outside, blah blah blah), new 1.4 Pauter rockers, a couple of weeks in Italy for vacation and got all the parts and pieces back from the machine shops,,, and wah-la back together as a birthday present to me.... """Oh yes dear, it shouldn't cost more than a $100 to redo the engine,,,,, cough,,, cough ,,, choke, cough....."""

http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/s...psykbbrohn.jpg

Ok --- I think I got the carb intake mocked up -- this engine is starting to have more colors than an Easter Egg -- --

http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/s...x.jpg~original

Engine is almost ready -- Just need to finish the MSD install -- I still hate crawling around the freaking cage to get to the back of the firewall LOL

http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/s...s.jpg~original

I'm so over using steel braided line -- and E85 just eats them up -- I'm having to replace it almost every other year -- So now I'm using hard line when I have new installs or replacing old lines, I'm using either SS or Aluminum... AL is softer and easier to form and more forgiving than SS.....

http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/s...a.jpg~original

IT'S RUNNING -- -- Fired right up -- My timing light took a dump so I was just guessing where I was at --- and was trying to guess where I was at with the fuel but it was sounding real nice.........

Thats great to hear!
What boost and fuel were you at when the engine detonated and broke rings on the dyno last time?

He was creeping up on the boost so I really don't know, but it was E85---



No sooner than I bragged about how great my 16300 starters, I had mine go out --- Damn it!!! -- -- So, I jumped into my car and drove over to CarCraft in Riverside, all the while preparing to buy another 16300 (and get lunch at Zorba's).... Was setting there bench racing with Bob Godfrey and whining about losing a starter, Ed perks up and said that he had this new brand new starter "OE Brand Part Number BA16450" out of Florida making some really killer starters.... I'm going, Yeah, Yeah, I've heard this all before... So Ed brings one out. They are tiny and light!!! I'm looking at it and thinking there's no way that this little thing is gonna spin my 2963.... He says, you buy this, and if you don't like it, bring it back in the original box and I'll put 100% of the money towards another starter.... OK, what do I have to lose except another chance to come over to CarCraft and go to Zorba's Hamburgers for lunch (I live for a Zorba Burger and Onion Rings from this place -- they are great!!!! Remember that the next time your in the area)..... SO, I bring this thing home, throw it into the car and this little starter is winging my engine at a higher RPM than I have ever had..... Really impressed with this little thing!!!!!!

Confucius says -- You definitely have an over rich condition, if you are finding pinholes in your intake by fuel squirting out.......

Words to live by if you ask me.....

Update time ---- Some dude came up to me an made me an offer I probably should of refused, but I didn't and I gave him the big engine out of the Ghia..... So I'm thinking it is time for a more of a street loving engine for the car -- So here is the new incarnation -- A 2332 with a bunch of goodies.... Probably not the total top shelf build I should of done but has enough good parts to get it running and sorted out.....

Still fabbing stuff together and trying to get everything to play together nicely......... The engine is 1/2 inch wider and 3/8" longer than a stocker, so everything that I bought trying to save time, had to be modified and took more time than piecing everything together.... Here's where I'm as of this morning and I'm planning a full day of attacking this thing, but I'll probably spend most of it chasing parts/bolts/stuff if you know what I mean....

The purple lines on the blow-thru hat on the EFI is where I'm having interference with the deck lid -- I'm trying to decide whether to cut the hat and reweld it at the purple lines or offset the deck lid higher -- kind of leaning towards opening the deck lid up as it will add a little more air flow to the engine also....

http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/s...l.jpg~original

Playing in the garage today -- made the "spacers" to raise the deck lid -- the results --

http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/s...ps5ide7c6z.jpg

Clears everything by a 1/2". So I could of made them a little smaller.... Got some 1/2" black pipe and some 8mm fender washers. Welded the washers to the pipe and came out pretty sturdy... Just need to throw some paint on them...

Almost got the intake system all finished. went to weld on the POP-off valve on, then notice/discovered that the flange was Aluminum.... Oh well, good place to finish for the day..... Off to my favorite Mexican food place for dinner....

http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/s...n.jpg~original

Looking Great...

For those of you that warned me about using aluminum for fuel lines with a alcohol based fuel -- -- Well,,,, You were more than right

http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/s...e.jpg~original

My injectors looked the same too!!!!!!

Fuel system completely redone -- just missing two -8an to -6an fittings -- ordered them from Jeg's today........ Redid the front mounting of the fuel pump and ran the 5/8" lines down through the tunnel -- need to take a picture of that

Oil system is next .....

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/1642301.jpg

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/1642935.jpg [/quote]

What is the bracing underhood for/accomplish?

Any updates?