What are your winter upgrade plans?

[Singerdude]

New Steering wheel
New T-Handle shifter
New wheels
New tires
New drums
New 2110 engine
New clutch
New oil filter/cooler
New Prostreet w/freeway flier transmission
New 1 5/8 exhaust

What fit without hassle? The steering wheel and the shifter.

Rear drums were fine, but in front the wheels stick out 3 inches so I'm waiting on blank drums to get rid of the adapters. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=625250

I ordered the wrong tranny type (my bad)
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=626784

And today UPS delivered me a special present: a cracked Steve Tim's stage 2 head on my ship-it-right-back 2110 (Their bad, so much so...)
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=626980

Oil cooler and filter miss half the fittings (no thread on that )

interesting season. Time to learn all that buddhist zen stuff...


On a positive note: Clonebug, that was wicked run on your 1679 turbo, you've got a sweet setup.

[neohic]

[prkid424]

-E-brake install
-Roll Cage
-Body off and go through entire pan and drivetrain
-replace all the seals on engine (1200cc)
-Make wiring diagram
-Fix Odometer
-New front seats with sliders
-Storage compartment under rear seat and in side pod

[wythac]

Was that stuff you did last winter or are you already looking at what will be on next winter's list?

In either case, I applaud your ambition!

[clonebug]

[prkid424]

[wythac]

After seeing cwat's thread I thought I'd bump this one back to the top of the list.

When the cold weather comes, wherever you are, it can be great time to take time for maintenance, repairs, improvements, changes and whatever else floats your boat.

The lack of deadline pressure: No "I gotta get it back on the road by next weekend for the trip to the beach/mtns/car show"itis can give way to license more invasive repairs that disable the car...so what if it's not running by Friday! Or even Friday a month (or two!) from now.

I've got my engine out...re torque, reseal. Found the source of a pesky rattle (pushrod rubbing on tube under load). Cleaned carbon off the heads and pistons.

After the car is running again (February at the rate I'm going) I have some tool attachment points to fabricate for a shovel, fuel cans and a jack, a roof rack to install. Should be wrapped up by the time I feel like freezing my cojones off on my first trip to the beach in the spring.

What are you other Northern Hemisphere folks working on this winter?

[stevemariott]

Very slow but steady progress for me, but still progress. Nothing complete enough to put in my own thread yet.

Since October 2015, I have:

- Replaced short axles with long axles
- New brakes all around, including drums (Type 3 on rear), master and wheel cylinders, shoes, and lines
- Disassembled / reassembled frozen front suspension
- Gathered tons of parts, including a new fuel tank, new wiring harness, engine tins, '68 speedo, early column, and an early steering wheel.

Still have tons of do though.

Recently I cut a small portion out of a new Scat doghouse fan shroud and fabbed a filler piece so the whole thing would clear the body. Had a welder buddy put it all together, and it turned out great. I also modified the shroud to accept flaps so I can run a thermostat. Mock-up pic in primer:

Clearanced and cut up my brand new fuel tank, and my welder buddy is putting it all together as I write this.

Pulled the longblock apart for inspection recently and will be making a couple of changes.

Otherwise, it sits. Tons and tons to do, but hoping to have it going this summer (right).

_________________
1963 Manx copy
1968 Bus

[wythac]

Hard to tell on my smartphone, is the top of the shroud tapered to the rear (facing) side?

I had to modify my shroud to accept the flappers too. Took half a day of careful measuring and drilling. I guess I can understand why the aftermarket tin folks dont bother to cut those holes, with so few folks using the stock t-stat hardware.

I bought a new pulley today..my old aluminum one is fine but wasn't stamped with timing marks. New one from CB Performance has a sand seal and timing marks cut into the rim.

All good winter sports.

[clonebug]

I'm going to update the second of my WI solenoids to get rid of the last elcheapo solenoid and put the good stainless one in.

Hoping to have time to figure out an intercooler again.......wishful thinking more than likely.

Mine is stripped down with the engine out and the heads off.
Have a little issue with the intake valves leaking.

Since I put 8500 miles on it this past summer I want to go through it and check everything .
When I looked at everything with the body off I found one nut had come off holding a relay in place and one bolt on the shroud was loose.

I do have a Front disc brake kit coming with Chevy/Porsche wheel pattern.
I'll pick up another set of Weld Draglites for the front so all wheels will match.
I also have all the parts to redo another front beam with adjusters, kingpins and linkpins which I hope to install.

If this cold weather would go away I could go out in the garage and get something done.....
_________________

[joescoolcustoms]

If my health holds up, I may make several trips this year. Import Nationals at Carlisle PA, about 1500 miles total. Trip to Manx In The Middle in Saint Louis, about 1700 miles total. Trip to Moab Utah, about 3800 miles total. Manx At The Glen, about 1800 miles total. Manx On The Banx, about 1800 miles total. And a few "Local" shows for around 2000 miles total. And a good 2000 miles driving it for work.

I need to do some rear suspension maintenance. I have almost 43,000 miles on the buggy since completion on June 21, 2014. The last time I had it out last week, the rear suspension was squeaking. Also, the D-side torsion bar has taken a little more set than the P-side. The D-side adjustable spring plate is adjusted all the way up and the P-side is all the way down.

So, I will pull it all apart, re-grease the Urethane bushings with Prothane Grease, re-index the D-side torsion bar and have another go at it this Spring.

With all the use, the zippers on my soft surround are pretty worn and the P-side is giving some troubles. The windows are pretty scratched up and from experience, sunscreen lotion stains them. So, I may make a new soft surround for it.

Happy New Year!

_________________
Bad News Racing 2018 NORRA 1000 3rd in Class
Best Day Ever Racing 2022 NORRA 1000 2nd in Class and first All Female team to complete the race

Everyone is gifted. Some just do not open the package.

Looks like it was painted with a live chicken,polished with a brick and buffed with a pine cone

[stevemariott]

[SmogDog]

If I am dreaming big, I would say that I would love to get mine running this winter. Southern California winters being what they are, (short, generally) and given that I have been working, on and off, on this project for nearly five years, I would be ecstatic if I had a roller by spring. With the Curt Leduc swap meet coming this weekend, maybe I will find the +1 rear arms that will make that dream a reality. Actually, these pics are a few months old. There has been some progress since these were taken. I have never been much of a build thread guy. But looking around this site has got me thinking. Maybe I should document this thing. At least then I would have dates on the posts, so I could see how long it has been since I made progress. On second thought........................

[heywebonya]

Great winter projects are completed:

1. Added adjusters to the front beam, which included disassembling beam, cleaning, regreasing, etc.

2. Wired in new "working" turn signals

3. Cleaned up wiring

4. Started on a smart phone holder


Next, clean up some old Jakman rims and get bigger tires for front.
_________________
If I knew what I was doing; I wouldn't be building a buggy!

[wythac]

Finished my engine work last weekend. Going to start on fabrication projects now. Winter projects might need some of Spring to get done.

[oprn]

Building a mild type 4 engine this winter to replace a tired 1600 type 1. Fixing trans oil leaks and wiring issues too. Hope to have it on the road by May.

[wythac]

SmogDog; I tell myself all the time "you aren't driving this one to work on Monday"...Nice cage work. Look forward to seeing your build and encourage you to start a build thread. Few offroad builds posted here.

oprn; Nice looking car.


Off to the shop. Time to warm up the woodstove and the welder.

[joescoolcustoms]

For my buggy, I need to install new zippers in my soft surround. And since the "glass" is pretty scratched, replace the glass too. (43,000 miles on various trips have taken it's toll). On the rear hatch, I need to replace the bottom seal.

That is pretty much it for my buggy. But I do want to complete my B&N Viper buggy and have it ready for sale in May.

In the interim, I have been inventorying my parts and figuring out what will go on which buggies, (wheels, seats, colors, transaxles, steering columns and so forth). I have started a spreadsheet with title numbers for each chassis that will match each buggy and their respective parts for the build. And then selling the left over parts, and I have already sold 2 bodies/chassis, a couple wheel sets and various other parts.

I have 7 total left to build. 1 will be lowered. 1 will be lifted, a lot. 2 Manxs will be more original stylish. 2 will have a 1 inch body lift and be basic buggies. And the Tow'd will be race prepped with 4 wheel coil over and stretched suspension. All will be flaked.

Then I am done.
_________________
Bad News Racing 2018 NORRA 1000 3rd in Class
Best Day Ever Racing 2022 NORRA 1000 2nd in Class and first All Female team to complete the race

Everyone is gifted. Some just do not open the package.

Looks like it was painted with a live chicken,polished with a brick and buffed with a pine cone