Rotor Fatty Build Thread! *LOT OF PICS*

[SlammedBUG]

OK guys, bare with me. Im passing most of my cardomain stuff to here as well, so you can all see what going on. I hope you guys enjoy my build as much as I do. Ill post up as many pics as i can!

Here we go...

Well, with the Mach 1 sold, I bought myself a 1972 Super Beetle. I went from american muscle...a 351C to a 1600cc Dual Port. Haha what a change. But I have to admit I love it. It needs some TLC but nothing too major. Wiring and ride height is the biggest problems. The thing hits every nick and crack on the road. It gets annoying and I cant enjoy the car, Oh and I have a limited time to drive the car because it has a busted generator. It also need interior work. But it is pretty spunky and has no rust.

Well, I was looking for a nice car that caught my attention for $3000 or less. All I found were typical Mustangs, which I didn't want, and Junk cars. I expanded my boundaries and this baby caught my attention immediately. I got her for $2500 up in Orlando. I rented a car, and took a road trip with my brother to go get the car. I drove her 250+ miles non stop. She gave up on my right at the exit of the expressway in a gas station. The battery was so drained, it couldn't power the electric fuel pump. So I bought a used battery for $30 and drove her the extra 5 miles to get home. Its a tough engine no doubt. It made it home fine, with an untuned, non-rebuilt carb which was making my car turn off on every stop, It has fouled plugs because the air/fuel mix was off, Old Plug Wires, Busted cap and rotor, off time, Completely destroyed points, a whole strut assembly ( which I later learned) was loose form the beginning of the trip, rubbing tires, and it was a hell of a blast! I loved it. I have to give that car props for holding up. German VW's are magic.

Its funny how my girlfriend despises the car, because it has no a/c, no seatbels, its loud, it rickety, its a scraper, it gets hot, its a giant go kart, and because its a beetle......Funny thing is how I love the fact that its all of the above.
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THE ROTOR FATTY BUILD THREAD!
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4931486#4931486

[SlammedBUG]

After Market Stuff:

Its dropped very low. It has Drop Struts, rear Gas-a-just shocks (Pretty much shot), All chrome removed, bucket seats, 34PICT-3 Carb, Longtube Header exhaust, A/M Steering wheel, Custom Dash (body color), Western Wheel Turbines, BFGoodrich Touring T/A Tires, Lowered Bumpers, Cali/Euro Look, Relocated Tail lights, Pop Out Rear Windows, 1 piece door windows, .009 Mechanical Adv. Dist, New Point Set, NGK Plugs, Bosch Wires, Rebuilt Carb, 3/4" sway bar & Red Urethane Bushings (Sway Bar, Shifter Linkage). Solid Transaxle mount, Urethane Shifter coupling, rear adjustable coilover shocks from JCWhiney,


If you have any questions, Please ask away. Ill also provide reviews for whatever you guys need that I have.
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THE ROTOR FATTY BUILD THREAD!
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4931486#4931486

[SlammedBUG]

Few Updates from the time I bought it til now.

I replaced fuel pump, I replaced points, along with the generator, voltage regulator, carb, etc etc. Lifted the front a tad, turned out to be too much. Im planning on getting the adjustable struts. But the car does turn amazing. But aside that, I did alot of it for no reason. I went to change the oil and realized there was GAS in it. DUN DUN DUUUNNNNNN. That's when I came up with idea.
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THE ROTOR FATTY BUILD THREAD!
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4931486#4931486

[SlammedBUG]

The Swap

So I had this idea. I was going to build my VW motor. Decided to chase down classifieds, but nothing worthwhile. It was going to be about $5000 to be able to have a decent running motor. Soooo, I decided to go for a 12a Rotary. I know some wont agree, I understand. But its so much cheaper, its new for me, and hell, I was gonna pay for the 110hp motor about 300-450 bucks!! I found one up by West Palm Beach with a street port, racing beat holley intake maifold, and seems pretty good. all for $350. What a deal!

As of now, my bug is engineless. I pulled out the old motor. Now I need a few things here and there that Ill be updating as I go.

NOW.....PICCTTUURREESSSS
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THE ROTOR FATTY BUILD THREAD!
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4931486#4931486

[SlammedBUG]

Up in Orlando

In My driveway

Western Wheels

Old Motor

Header Muffler

Down the FL Turnpike at 80mph

Rear Coilovers

Solid Tranny Mounts

Dropping the motor

The New Motor

Photoshoot in my yard

There you go. Ill be updating regularly as a go along.
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THE ROTOR FATTY BUILD THREAD!
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4931486#4931486

[PatterBon]

Sweet, I'm about to do this with a bug and have no clue what to do! I'll be watching this thread!
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PNW Dub Folk & Kitsap dub Folk (KdF)
Austin Aircoolers VW Gang
2020 Ford F-150
1973 Standard Beetle
1969 Cessna 172K Airplane
US Army CH-47 Chinook Helicopter Repairer November 2013 - July 2024

[Joel]

What are you doing radiator wise?
Theres a few rota bugs getting around aus, I even had one myself but they're very fussy with the cooling system and nearly all of them have problems, you gotta have a big radiator and with good air flow too.
that might be a bit tricky as your bumper is covering the apron intake grille.

Let me know if you need any ideas for rad mounting, mines proven itself for over a year now through aussie summers that got upto 110f last year
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Quick little bug, you got a Porsche motor in that?
1974 Germanlook 1303 2.5 Suba-Beetle

[SlammedBUG]

Well, the radiator and cooling system might not be the most convenient fro many, but Im removing the back seats, grabbing a custom aluminum 3 core radiator that measures 11"x31" which is the same dimension as a Jeep Comanche's radiator. It will be placed on the last panel in the back. That area measures 12"x33" so itll be a nice snug fit. Ill grab a couple of 10" fans blowing down thru the radiator and out the car.

As for the hoses, Im thinking of either cutting the holes or routing then to where the heater garbage is normally connected through. I just have to gut all those heater things.
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THE ROTOR FATTY BUILD THREAD!
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4931486#4931486

[SlammedBUG]

[Jerry Hundley]

[SlammedBUG]

to be honest, Im gonna have the windows open at all times. air will flow in there.
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THE ROTOR FATTY BUILD THREAD!
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4931486#4931486

[Joel]

I really dont want to seem like Im pissing on your parade but before you cut your bug up theres a bit of reading on aussieveedubbers, VWKD and shoptalk, all 3 of them have threads with people who have tried rear mount radiators and found they dont work and had to move them to the front.

You can add all the ducting in the world but the mainproblem is you end up speed limited by the cooling fans.
Most people find that over 50mph electric fans just cant cope with the heat output from the engine

You will notice all factory cars that have rear or mid mounted engines always still have the rad at the front, its only way you can get ample air through the rad at speed
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Quick little bug, you got a Porsche motor in that?
1974 Germanlook 1303 2.5 Suba-Beetle

[SlammedBUG]

hm, you do have a point. That was my plans as of now, but thats what research is for. To prove you wrong or right. but I just refuse to open up and holes on my hood.

HOLES = BAD

Any suggestions? and thats also alotttttttt of piping to the back. And 2 fans, at 2000 cfm with a 3 core aluminum radiator isnt enough to cool it in the back seat???
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THE ROTOR FATTY BUILD THREAD!
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4931486#4931486

[beetlenut]

Interesting thread. I'm doing something similar with my bumpers, but not as radical. The rear bumper on your car looks like a front bumper. The front bumper IMO looks like ass, as it sits too low and sticks out too far. Are the ends of it turned down, or is it just the picture? I'm planning on pulling my bumpers in close to the body, so will have to clear the front and rear deck lid openings, but that's as low as I'll go with them. I'd spend a far amount of time researching the radiator placement, before you go to all the trouble of cutting and wrenching only to find out you're limited on air flow. Looking forward to the updates!

[SlammedBUG]

I found an awesome link. I think Im going to do the same as this guy did. Seems fairly easy.

http://home.tiscali.nl/~gmolhoek/alfa/radiator/index.htm

And the bumper was loose in the last pics. I kinda like the bumper. But either way, the little grill is bent up from something beyond my knowledge. So the bumper stays on till i fix that.
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THE ROTOR FATTY BUILD THREAD!
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4931486#4931486

[Nepenthe88]

Nice! I'm keeping an eye on things here, cause-- as i just mentioned over on "red w/stripes" I might get myself a rotary engine tomorrow??? And kinda want to know what's involved
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[Inane Cathode]

[brycastillo]

[SlammedBUG]

Yeah, I get you. I appreciate all the feedback. I am going to get the front disc brakes from CB this paycheck, and the front adj. struts.

But according to the link I posted, If you have the radiator with the duct from the bottom of the car, into a closed box with the fan and radiator in it, Ill just route an "exhaust" tube back out the back somewhere. Should be just like a front mount rad. He even had simulated airflow on the link.
_________________
THE ROTOR FATTY BUILD THREAD!
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4931486#4931486

[SlammedBUG]