1973 V8 Super Beetle Front Engine Conversion - 283 SBC

[V8SuperBeetle]

If it isn't one thing it's another. I didn't get the motor in this weekend much less did I get the car home. My old man and I couldn't get a hold of my uncle whom has the engine hoist we need to borrow. So the move was put off until next weekend. I'm going to try and borrow one from my mechanic. So hopefully I'll get it home sooner than this weekend.

Some pics of the engine 98% complete. Just need to install small stuff like vacuum hose for the dist., pcv valve, put the oil sender unit back in (manual one installed for pre-oil which is pictured).

[effvee]

Hi, you might want to add some ceramic booties on your wires, thoses headers are going to cook them time after time;set after set.

[V8SuperBeetle]

Originally Posted by effvee

Hi, you might want to add some ceramic booties on your wires, thoses headers are going to cook them time after time;set after set.

The headers are ceramic coated, so that'll help. I haven't heard of that being a problem before, but I will look into it.

[V8SuperBeetle]

So I got the engine in last night. It's finally a V8 bug. Haha.












I've managed to get one bolt completely through the mount and the other is in but not through the back of the metal mount plate. I've got to move the rear of the engine about an inch towards the passenger side so it can go all the way through.

On another note, the engine fits great but I'll have to raise the body about 3" to clear the breather and the alternator. Seems dropping the body 6" around the frame was a tad too much. I might have to buy me a lower mounting alternator bracket for a short water pump. Maybe the one I have will fit after I raise the body, but we'll see.

One great thing is the dist. clears the wiper motor compartment by about 2". That's with the motor all the way forward in the mounts so I've got a little wiggle room to move the engine back slightly if needed.

[Humble]

Lookin' good! Where are you going to put the radiator? Clearance looks a little tight at the front of the motor.

[V8SuperBeetle]

Thanks Humble. The radiator will go in the back to fill the void and to help distribute some of the weight to the back. The high mount alternator bracket will have to go unless I can find away to use the same bracket to mount the alt upside down. I might wind up fabricating a cowl induction hood depending on whether or not I can have enough clearance under the hood.

[Humble]

With the radiator in the back I'd be worried about airflow, how are you going to get air back there?

[johnnyvee]

talk about your overkill

rock on

[volkdent]

I'm sure you can fab up a low mount alternator bracket, and a low rise intake would clear the hood wouldn't it? Hate to see that thing looking like a 4x4!!!

Make sure you're gathering plenty of air and forcing it through the radiator if your doing rear mount. I'd suggest aluminum as well to make it as efficient as possible. On the good side the motor is going to be laughing at how much weight your asking it to lug around!

Jason

[V8SuperBeetle]

Haha, tell me about it. True Volk, the car is fairly light even as it is now. When I moved it this weekend the car rolled on the trailer with no problems whatsoever.

I've decided I'm going to make a cowl induction hood. Possibly even get a 2" air filter to replace the 3". I don't want to cowl too high. I'm sure it'll all work out. Good new is I'm not going to raise the body and it will stay as is. Here's some pics from the move.













Here's a couple pics of us moving it and securing her down. That's my old man, the bald guy is my half uncle, and the boy is his son.

[V8SuperBeetle]

Well, I got some things done over this weekend.

I went to Pick A Part, because they had a 50% off labor day sale, and picked up a tranny crossmember. I looked for a tranny but they were all pulled and gone. I sanded blasted the crossmember here at work and it's ready for some paint.






Painted the transmission crossmember.




Flushed and washed the radiator. Then I gave it a light coat of black engine enamel. I was going to polish the brass but the way I plan to mount it and set up my fan shroud my efforts wouldn't have been worth it cause it would be hidden.






I used almost a full quart of Master Series in my gas tank to seal off all the garbage in the tank. Seems to have worked cause I don't hear crap rolling around in there anymore.




I also painted and put the gas tank in place. I just need to get some bolts to permanently hold her down.




Last but not least, I picked up a used good th350 for $100. Getting her ready for a rebuild which I'll attempt myself. What little fluid I poured out looked really clean.




Almost forgot, I'm ordering my roll cage today so I'll have tranny rebuild and roll cage pics coming in the next few weeks.

[V8SuperBeetle]

I started the rebuild of my th350 tranny by starting disassembling it last night. I almost got it completely tore down but I'm lacking a couple of tools to do so. One of which I ordered, a clutch spring compressor, and the other is snap ring pliers which I'll just buy.

I've never rebuilt a transmission before but this thing is a piece of cake to take a part with the help of a Ron Sessions book. Shouldn't be too bad to put back together either. On another note, this tranny is really clean inside and has very little signs of wear on the clutches, bushings, and trust washers. I had thought about just buttoning it back up with new seals and gaskets, and a good case cleaning but I want to make it more durable by adding an extra clutch and a hardened sprag as well as give it stiffer shift with a shift kit and adjustable modulator.


Pan off. See, clean.




My low buck oil pump puller. A $7 pry bar and two 3/8"x16 bolts threaded in 4 complete turns. Worked like a charm.








This is about as far as I got. I couldn't remove the nickel sized snap ring that holds in the gear / shell and you can see in the next picture the valve body is disassembled.






More to come as I finish tear down, have the case hot tanked, clean the hard parts, and reassemble.

[johnnyvee]

dude, you're a damn machine

[V8SuperBeetle]

Thanks. I'm learning as I go and work on it when I can.

[V8SuperBeetle]

My cage came in moments ago. I'm going to see if I can't get her tacked in this weekend. Any tips on notching the tubes? Not all of them cam with notches. Thanks.