TheSamba.com :: View topic

Tue Sep 05, 2006 10:19 pm

Hi,

Below, I have pics of my sand rail. I bought it used and did some work to it. But I don't know much about VWs or sandrails. What type of engine is it. Tranny? Front beam?

How has it been modified already from what you can see?

I added the engine cage and painted the rail (rustoleum safety red)

Can you recommend any inexpensive mods? I am a novice welder, with access to a machine shop.

Thx,

Rob

Tue Sep 05, 2006 11:17 pm

with my limited knowledge of vw i would say you have a swing axle and a ball joint

Wed Sep 06, 2006 12:21 pm

along with a dualport motor that is leaking oil badly...

Wed Sep 06, 2006 12:38 pm

alot of the fluid in the pic is from when i had the motor and oil lines disconnected. The carb was leaking gas too before I tightened the bolts.

I haven't had time to clean up the motor and address any leaks. I'm sure it leaks oil, but I don't think its as bad as it looks in the pics.

Thanks for the feedback,

Rob

Wed Sep 06, 2006 12:40 pm

Shoot! It's not leaking....it's simply marking it's new territory! :lol:

Wed Sep 06, 2006 1:46 pm

That is the largest carb spacer I have ever seen on a progressive carb!!!

Wed Sep 06, 2006 3:18 pm

Looks like a solidly built rail, far from the ugliest I've seen but wouldn't enter it an any beauty contests just yet either! There doesen't seem to be a "bowden tube" on your clutch cable, does it shift at all? I'd be supprised if it does so smothly without one! Also having that oil cooler in front of the opening of your fan shroud is a great idea if you want to BURN UP THE ENIGINE!! the cylinders & heads depend on air to cool them, trying to do that with HOT air from the oil cooler is just plane stupid!!!

Wed Sep 06, 2006 3:19 pm

i've never seen anybody use residential gas line for oil line...

Thu Sep 07, 2006 10:45 am

Sounds like the checklist so far:
1) Relocate oil cooler
2) Change the residential oil lines to vehicular braided lines.

Hope you got a good deal. It looks like a great start to some desert fun!!! :D

Thu Sep 07, 2006 11:41 am

...and deal with that carb spacer. I'd worry about maintianing the suspension of your fuel/air mix with such a long spacer. Don't understand it's purpose.

Thu Sep 07, 2006 1:03 pm

Is that a Jerry can in front?

Strange looking shifter....I've never seen one like that. Does that ball pull up for the reverse lockout?

Thu Sep 07, 2006 1:07 pm

ammo can on front

Thu Sep 07, 2006 1:31 pm

Might consider upper supports for the engine cage. Looks like the old ones were chopped off.

Thu Sep 07, 2006 1:32 pm

takotruckin wrote: ammo can on front
Doh!!! That's what I meant... :lol:

Mon Sep 11, 2006 12:38 am

OK I relocated the oil cooler high up, above the gas tank. I

'm not familiar with a bowden tube. When I step on the clutch the cable tensions and the lever goes down. What does the bowden tube do?

I think the spacer is so long to raise the carb above the shroud so that the shroud won't interfere with the trottle cable. What size spacer should I use and how do I run the trottle cable to the carb?

Why can't I leave the gas lines?

I'm running out of money to spend on this thing. I can't even afford a trailer to tow it to the dunes. Where I'm shore more sh!t on it will brake and need replacing.

Keep the comments comming so I don't get stuck out there.

Thanks guys,

Rob

Mon Sep 11, 2006 12:40 am

I thought that was a VW stock shifter. It has foam onit that might be throwing you off.

Mon Sep 11, 2006 1:08 am

I think the problem with the oil lines is because that stuff is very thin, and not meant to deal with vibration. If that's really all that's there, it's GOT to go. Well, it will sooner or later. :)
It's not just slipped over rubber lines to look cool, is it?

Mon Sep 11, 2006 2:42 am

ORDreamer wrote:
I think the spacer is so long to raise the carb above the shroud so that the shroud won't interfere with the trottle cable. What size spacer should I use and how do I run the trottle cable to the carb?

Rob

drill a hole through the cooling tin. i used a piece of brake line to run the cable through. just take off the shroud look to see if there is a factory oil cooler. in side BEFORE DRILLING. make the straightest line for the cable to go through to the carb, and drill away. when its done run a brake line (straight peice) the flare should keep it from pulling through the tin. and there you go throttle cable tunnel.

Mon Sep 11, 2006 6:47 am

subybaja: The oil lines are not slipped over rubber ones. I'll replace them. Do you have any suggestions where I can get the right oil lines?

tuff_puff: Good idea with the trottle tunnel!

Should I remove that spacer and just bolt the carb directly to the manifold?

Also, yesterday I noticed the front beam had movement left to right. I see that there is a nut and allen bolt. Is that used to adjust the beam so that it has less play in it? If so, how do I adjust it?

Mon Sep 11, 2006 8:06 am

tuff_puff wrote: drill a hole through the cooling tin. i used a piece of brake line to run the cable through. just take off the shroud look to see if there is a factory oil cooler. in side BEFORE DRILLING. make the straightest line for the cable to go through to the carb, and drill away. when its done run a brake line (straight peice) the flare should keep it from pulling through the tin. and there you go throttle cable tunnel.

Good idea. I'm guessing you would have to flare both ends, to prevent the line from pulling through the tin in either direction.

Where do you live? I would assume that you will have to trailer it to the dunes anyhow, unless it's street legal, then you can flat tow it.