Project Slowly Underway: Berrien 295

[vanapplebomb]

I thought about it, but it wouldn't gain me anything worth the time. Stock 1.8 heads can support a good bit more power than this. Maybe it will be worth doing when I make it into a 1911cc, hotter cam, and dual HPMX carbs next time she comes appart.


Just needs some 7/16" fuel hose to make the connection from the central idle circuit to the crossover tube, and have accessories installed...alternator, air cleaner elbows, plug wires, etc...

[vanapplebomb]

Got all the plumbing for the crossover and balance tubes hooked up. Just need to source a felt seal and retainer for the flywheel to pilot shaft, then the clutch will be ready to bolt up.

[vanapplebomb]

Super nice day, thought I would work outside today on the buggy. I borrowed an extra pair of hands from my fiancé to help turn a few wrenches. We test fitted the front suspension and steering. Bolted up the front beam so I could tack weld on the beam clamps. Same with the steering box clamp. Also sat a chair on the frame, set a comfortable steering wheel depth, and trimmed the steering shaft to length. No pictures today, out of daylight. I will try and take some next weekend.

[MadMike]

Have the GF slap in that motor
3 years to build a buggy
Gee the Brochure said it's a 'Weekend project'

[vanapplebomb]

Haha, yeah, this is the first summer I have been around to work on it. Finally making progress this past month has been nice. With the nice whether and longer daylight I hope to be outside more often to work on it.

[vanapplebomb]

Stopped at the bike shop and picked up a junk punctured inner tube from a snow/sand bike (fat tires). I cut it into a couple sections with a straight edge and razor to make air cleaner elbow seals. Original factory ones are old, hardened with age, and have lost all elasticity. No stretch, no seal. These inner tube sections fit nice and tight like they would have originally been from the factory. Trick is to stretch them over the elbows, roll the ends back, slip the elbows on, then unroll the seals over the slip joint.

[vanapplebomb]

Dave Brown Racing Engines came through with the felt pilot bearing seal. Clutch disk and pressure plate going on tonight!

[vanapplebomb]

New 210mm F&S clutch disk and remanufactured Luk pressure plate bolted up.

[MadMike]

sprung center disc's are for Grannies ,,,, crap that's what I have in the bug

but it's a 4-puck with a sprung center
Dirk so is the motor ready to install? yet

[vanapplebomb]

Pretty much ready. might be getting a late vanagon transmission, make some mounts, and bolt her in. I plan on having her help my hook everything up.

I got about $60 into this exhaust set up I cobbled together from various bits and pieces. Made from cut down factory heater boxes, 1/2in primary 4->1 collector, a 1-3/4in quiet pack exhaust tube bend, small triangle exhaust flange, and a swivel stinger. Just got to pop a couple dings out of the primary tubing, media blast the raw steel parts and nasty secondary tube, then get it coated high temp black. Chrome stinger is actually in good shape so I will leave that alone. I got a baffle welded to a supertrapp spark arrester that goes in the end of the stinger as well.

[MadMike]

Zoom zoom ,Me likey
gonna have her running before the snow flys???

[vanapplebomb]

You bet. It isn't far off.

[vanapplebomb]

Lined up a 1990 Vanagon mid shift transmission/starter for a fair price. I will be heading down to Indiana either this comming weekend or the following to pull it. I think it will have the 4.83:1 ring and pinion. Not quite as desirable as the 4.86, but still beefy. This one should have the updated 3/4 slider hub. Might even have the factory four spider gear diff as well. Not exactly sure which transmissions came with which diffs, but we will find out.

[MadMike]

Can't wait to see u open that can of worms ,,,,,transmissions are fun,,,,,,

[vanapplebomb]

Haha, yeah, should be interesting. I got a guy in town who does euro transmission work. I will probably pass it off to him and see what he thinks about the syncros and bearings...R&P, and what not. I'm hoping for the best, but you will never know until it gets opened up. Could have a host of issues. I will let him handle all the internal guts since I don't have the tools or knowledge to deal with that stuff. Someday I would love to learn, but for now it makes the most sense for someone else to deal with it. Replacing seals and stuff is something easy I can do to save a few bucks, but heck, if he has it appart, may as well have him do that too.