Mythbuster: continuing project thread of my 1303 '75

[Wally]

Originally Posted by evilC

Wally, the fit of the cage is awesome! As good as any I have seen anywhere including the factory race cars. I assume that the cage legs sit on reinforcing plates as it isn't quite clear in the photos. Also is there a cross brace at bottom dash level and if so is that point braced back to the A pillar?

Tnx, yeah, the front pillars sit on reinforced boxes. Those boxes are welded to the channels and the pillar is bolted to the boxes.
No, there isn't a brace under the dash with these bolt-in version. If you order the weld-in cage, there is is iirc and also braces to the top strut mounts. The weld-in involves leaving your car at Heigo, so that may be a little problamatic for most here
I did consider making the under dash bar myself, but that would involve some redirecting of certain drains to make that possible in a nice way. The harness bar I will weld in afterwards however.

I still can't get over how tight your front cage is to the A pillar - it's brilliant. Just don't break a windscreen!

Ah, yes, the windscreen was really my concern when welding the A-pillars up top there...fortunately, the laminated and green tinted windscreen survived

Tnx,
Wally

[Wally]

Originally Posted by verbeekb

Hey Walter,

Somewhere I saw you mounted polybronze bushing on your spring plates. Someone mentioned the lack of the knobs that are on the VW bushings, you replied that you were going to give it a try. I feel the same way, yet, I have new Porsche springplates with the stock vulcanized-on rubber bushings, everyone replaces them with the VW parts, but since mine are new I'd just like to use them the way they are and not bother with them.. have you had problems without the knobs?

Hi Brian,

I haven't driven the car yet, but there is a significant difference with what your asking/suggesting and what I am/will be running:

The original bugs inner torsion housing has not only the holes for the knobs of the bushings, but the whole outer diameter of this torsion housing where the bushing resides, is concave in shape!
The 944 inner torsion housing is plain, so a circular bushing fits perfectly.
Now, we want a plain, straight (rubber) bushing to fit the concave housing... Thats the reason it doesn't exactly fit. The knobs are just 4 parts where the bushing doesn't mate flush, but thats minor imo.

However, the 944 bushing does mate the VW torsing housing at one point exactly and thats the most inner part of the concave part of the housing.
So, the bushing sits at just half a cm snug and not the full 5 cm or about 2 inches (width of bushing approx.).
Now, with the hard poly-urethane outer rim of the poly-bronze bushing I use, this may just work (or not). I also filled up the rest of the space with a sort of hardening glue. With an already soft original rubber bushing, this is much more of a concern I would think.
The whole idea that you are using porsche parts for suspension upgrades, but are keeping the rubber bushings and now let one of the bushings carry on only its outer rim in the housing, is counterproductive regarding thinking about suspension upgrades imho.

So, in conclusion, I think a black urethane VW IRS inner bushing would be a good upgrade from the stock rubber. The red urethane usually squeecks too much for my taste and the black may not squeeck or less. I have bought (very cheap, Topline) a set already if the inner polybronze doesn't work, but the set is too nice not to try it out at least

Hope it made sense; difficult to describe from here...

[michael86]

Your car is definitly ready for elevens this year.:-)

Tiki

[Wally]

Originally Posted by michael86

Your car is definitly ready for elevens this year.:-)

Tiki

Thanks Michael!

Now the question is: Is yours??

[evilC]

Originally Posted by Wally

Hi Brian,

.............. I think a black urethane VW IRS inner bushing would be a good upgrade from the stock rubber. The red urethane usually squeecks too much for my taste and the black may not squeeck or less. ..............

The squeaking of the urethane bushes is down to the formulation. The common bushes from Bugpack etc are formulated for hot Californian use in that the amount of the self lubricating silicone fluid that leeches from the urethane is noticeably less in cold climates. If the squeak is a problem then the use of 'local' urethane bush suppliers ought to solve the problem.

Clive

[michael86]

Originally Posted by Wally

Thanks Michael!

Now the question is: Is yours??

I have good hopes

Michael

[Wally]

As some of you mentioned, there isn't a 'harness bar' with this set-up, nor can it be ordered, so made my own. Also adapted some of the interior parts and placed them back:

[Wally]

And to show what the extra bars are for:

[owdlvr]

Nice! That's the ticket.

I assume you haven't installed that harness 100% yet, just for photos?

-Dave

[Wally]

Originally Posted by owdlvr

Nice! That's the ticket.

I assume you haven't installed that harness 100% yet, just for photos?

-Dave

I know this is a trick question right?

What can be done better?, pls spill it out already

[owdlvr]

Your harnesses aren't "finished up" around the harness bar. The end of the harness strap needs to wrap back over and into the clip. This "locks" the strap and ensures they cannot come loose.

From my rally car:


If you were to leave your harnesses as you currently have them, in an accident the strap can slide out of the clip and you'll lose the shoulder belts (not good!). You need to follow the instructions on page 24 and 25: http://www.schrothracing.com/sdocs/2...structions.pdf I wouldn't worry about the wrap instruction on page 27, it's difficult to do and the style on pg 25/25 is perfectly fine if you have the clips close to the bar like you do.

Looking at your harness I think you may need to go back to Schroth and/or the shop you bought them to get harnesses that have longer shoulder straps. It's a pretty common request, so I don't think you'll find them difficult to get.

Can you take some photos of your lapbelt mounting? Might as well tell you if they're safe at the same time

-Dave

[Wally]

Good points! Yeah, they are actually a little too short for my liking as well.
The red ones are bought second hand on ebay, but look like new. I may probably better install the black 3" ones as they are long enough (a little too long actually).
The red ones are 6-point ones also. I have the bottom part as well, but no point installing that one as the seat hasn't got a hole for it..
Tnx!

[Humble]

Dave nailed it before I could but yeah you should re-do the shoulder straps if you can. Also, I prefer a submarine strap (5 or 6 point harness) mainly because they help keep the waist belt from riding up. If you switch to a 3" belt you may want to get belt pads if you have wide shoulders. I'm 24" across at the shoulders and my 3" belts really wear on my traps.

[TSAF]

Wally are those Recaros SR?

[Wally]

Yes, I believe so, but its only one, it was cheap back then and it will be replaced sometime in the future by a lighter bucket seat.