dixon_cass's sand rail build

[dixon_cass]

well i guess i will just start a build thread. i just agreed to trade my 74 bug for a 77 ford pinto drag car. its a terribly ugly POS but supposed to be a good hopped up 2.3 liter. im going to convert the rail over and do the pito beans swap. i go next sunday to pick up the car. it has msd ignition, after market carb and intake, and all kinds of other stuff done to it.

this is all going to go on the my sand rail

currently -

dual port 1600

empi carb 32/36f

009 dizzy

equalizer pully

external oil filter and cooler

poly intake boots

this is SUNNY

she donated the motor im currently using. she is getting traded for the drag car. im keeping the motor but giving the guy first dibs on it when i decide to sell it.


all you guys that have a pinto or 2.3 motor chime in and let me know what you think of the conversion.
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My build thread:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5224965#5224965

IRS, Kingpin, 2 seat, hot rod pinto powered sand rail.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=882925383&ref=ts

[thext94]

Sounds like a cool setup, keep us updated on the swap. I'm sure everyone will like to hear details of the swap too in case we're considering it. Good luck!

[dixon_cass]

i had this buggy down to bare frame last summer for paint and such and was going to jump right in and do the 2.3 ford swap. then i decided i was going to do the ecotec swap because of weight savings. i am excited about the thougth of no ecm to pay for ($500) im not crazy about the weight of the ford motot......but i cant beat the deal. parts are somewhat cheaper, that is the header is anyway.


the rail is down right now. im putting chromoly spacers in the trailing arms and converting to sealed bearings. my cheap brazillian bearings failed within the first 100 miles.

FYI the bearings im converting to are

NATIONAL WHEEL END COMPONENTS #206-FF

parts guy said they are heavy duty bearings and should last a long time in the rail. i cannot confirm this yet. i will know in a couple weeks when i run them for awhile.

i located a 091 gear box on the powerlink system at the junk yard. so when i blow up my first sedan tranny im going to put in a 091.
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My build thread:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5224965#5224965

IRS, Kingpin, 2 seat, hot rod pinto powered sand rail.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=882925383&ref=ts

[58Dub]

let us know on the sealed bearings....thanks
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58 Beetle (now just a pile of parts in the corner)
60 Beetle (2221 turbo under construction)
70 Beetle Baja project

[redrum71]

Looks good, it that your yellow bug I saw on craigslist?
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72 FAT chick
71 baywindow -
67 Baja

[dixon_cass]

[veeweeman]

You will really like the torque advantage of the pinto engine over the stock 1600VW...You also gain the advantage of moving both the exhaust and intake higher up so treading deeper water just got more fun...I like your buggy a lot and really like what you did with the wheels...to take advantage of all the new found torque make sure you use nothing lighter then a stage 2 clutch(1700lb) with the cush lock disk.

VeeWee

[dixon_cass]

ya i figured i would have to run a hi pro clutch. i think kennedy makes a decent one. im going to try and find a used adapter kid to put in it. there is one on the classifieds but i dont have the green right now.
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My build thread:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5224965#5224965

IRS, Kingpin, 2 seat, hot rod pinto powered sand rail.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=882925383&ref=ts

[dixon_cass]

i got my chromoly spacers today. they are BUGPACK brand. the question i have is where the two outside ones go. one pair has a tapered edge on the inside and the other set has a tapered edge on the outside. can somone help me in with this? i dont want it to go together wrong.


on a side note, i got the old bug loaded on the trailer and ready to go trade for the 2.3 car
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My build thread:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5224965#5224965

IRS, Kingpin, 2 seat, hot rod pinto powered sand rail.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=882925383&ref=ts

[dixon_cass]

i did a search and found the answer-


Aussiebug wrote- (in another thread)

Check the two ring spacers. each has one chamfered edge. The one with the inner edge chamfered goes nearer the gearbox and the one with the outer chamfer goes on the outer side, and both chamfers MUST face the gearbox. Get that wrong and the stack of ring spacer, bearing, tube spacer, bearing, ring spacer and brake drum wont be the right length - there is no adjustement on this length, everything is held in place by the axle nut.






i looked at my spacers i have now and none of them have the chamfered edges. my new cromoly ones do. i wonder if this is why my bearings failed so fast. if all goes well i will have time to get the rail back in running order again this weekend. its been down for a couple weeks now. im headed to topeka tonight to pick up the pinto i will post pics of the sealed bearings and such as i put it together
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My build thread:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5224965#5224965

IRS, Kingpin, 2 seat, hot rod pinto powered sand rail.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=882925383&ref=ts

[bajabugnut]

Can't wait, don't let this one hit the back burner...

[dixon_cass]

well here is the old pinto that is donating my motor. the 4 barrel needs to be taken off. it runs good but the back 2 barrels dont have the linkage hooked up. i ran it quite a bit today. i did a good warm compression test and it has 160 on all 4 holes thats great!!! most motors i test at the junk yard dont peak 150. i have never had one with all 4 holes the same either. they always varied some. it has msd ignition with a msd blaster coil. i have no specs on the motor but the way it runs its pretty hot. it will light them up when you hit second gear my type one tranny is not going to last long well any way here she is

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My build thread:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5224965#5224965

IRS, Kingpin, 2 seat, hot rod pinto powered sand rail.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=882925383&ref=ts

[dixon_cass]

UPDATE:

motor is out and on a stand in the shop. i knew it had a msd ignition box but when i pulled the motor i found out it also has a billet msd distributer. i took the valve cover off to find it has a roller cam and roller rocker arms. i have not figured out which cam it is yet. next thing on my agenda is to get a carb found for it in the junk yard. and get it rebuilt. im going to take the intake off and clean the block up real good and give it a fresh coat of paint.


ALSO: sealed bearings are holding up great! i have beat the rail pretty hard every chance i get. still nice and quiet and no play in them.
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My build thread:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5224965#5224965

IRS, Kingpin, 2 seat, hot rod pinto powered sand rail.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=882925383&ref=ts

[dixon_cass]

well im still in parts accumulation mode. i have found a holley 350 carb in the junk yard. i ordered a rebuild kit for it today. the lower intake on this motor is a fuel injected one. which is good. from what i read its the best flowing intake you can have. it has a 4 barrel adapter on it now. i picked up this adapter that converts it back to a 2 barrel.

i sold the valve cover on ebay to generate some funds and got a stock one off of 89 mustang to put back on it. i took the stamped #'s offf the cam to find out its a Ford motorsports .420 lift roller cam with roller rocker arms and dubble valve springs.

im going to use the stock pinto radiator. its a good size. im going to get some universal electric fans off of ebay to mount on it.

here is a some pics of the lower intake. it has already been ported. im goint to give it a good cleaning

here is the carb im going to rebuild

good ol MSD dizzy

here is an angle from the side. im going to have to modify my rear cage because the motor is going to stick out from the bars by 2 inches. im going to make my motor mounts come down from the bars up top and angle down to the motor. im going to cut off the rubber part and weld plates on the bars to bolt on there. that way its solid mounted.

here is a pic of my finished dash (that is until i have to add a water temp gauge) i will make a new one when i change motors.

i also mounted that rear light and a bumper sticker from the junk yard i work at.

i might be getting the adapter plate real soon to if all goes well. im taking it to little sahara dunes for mermorial day weekend. im leaving it with the vw motor till after that. i want to see how it does with no paddles and a little motor before i tear it back apart.
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My build thread:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5224965#5224965

IRS, Kingpin, 2 seat, hot rod pinto powered sand rail.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=882925383&ref=ts

[dixon_cass]

well i found a good deal on some paddles so i got them bought today! i will paint these extra wheels to match the other wheels on the buggy. they came on jeep wheels so i put them on my spare 4 lug wheels.

i completely rebuilt a holley 350 to run on it. its a FI lower intake that is ported. i cleaned it up in the bead blaster and mounted the carb.

over all cost for carb setup is $45. carb was just a core from the junkyard. full rebuild kit was 25 and adapter was 20.
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My build thread:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5224965#5224965

IRS, Kingpin, 2 seat, hot rod pinto powered sand rail.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=882925383&ref=ts

[dixon_cass]

went to the dunes this weekend! i have had the project on hold till after this dune trip so i would have somthing to ride while down. everything went relativly well except for stripping the splines on my cheap empi pitman arm. ended up just welding it on the box to get by. also chased problems all weekend with the throttle sticking. i just had to carry a can of carb cleaner and jump out and spray off the linkage (i dont recomend doing this with a hot motor) other than that i was happy with its performance until i wanted to go up a big face. it would make it but you had to rape it to the gills.

so anyway i had a buyer ligned up for when i got back. he came and looked at it today and heard it run. i got $750 for it, belts tight- everything but the clutch pack. he gave me $400 to hold on to it till tomorrow. so i took it out and have it in the shop

here is the only pic i took all weekend (due to me being under the influence and not thinking about the pictures ) this is just our camp site

right now motor is ready to put in,other than putting a rear facing header on it. adapter plate will be on its way as soon as i get the other 350 for the motor
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My build thread:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5224965#5224965

IRS, Kingpin, 2 seat, hot rod pinto powered sand rail.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=882925383&ref=ts

[dixon_cass]

http://www.esslingeracing.com/merchant2/merchant.m...ry_Code=VW



ordered this adapter kit yeserday

should have motor hung in the next 2 weeks, then i have to fab up some motor mounts and radiator mounts
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My build thread:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5224965#5224965

IRS, Kingpin, 2 seat, hot rod pinto powered sand rail.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=882925383&ref=ts

[Mr. Unpopular]

That valve cover should bring a decent amount of money for your project if you don't care about fancy. Motorsport quit making that a few years ago. Post it up on www.turboford.org, those guys love them.
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"In any racing engine, the nearer you are to it disintegrating, the better it's performance will be"
-Keith Duckworth, creator of the Ford/Cosworth DFV

[thesatelliteguy]

i remember reading about bolting a Volvo 16 valve head onto the pinto motor. It bumped the power up to like 160 with no other modifications. That might be something you would want to look at when your ready to upgrade for more power.
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Toyotas are so bumpy it makes me sick, literally.

My build Page http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=383878

[dixon_cass]