My Syncro Project Begins

[greggearhead]

Alright!! Good news. I picked up a complete, running SVX for a very good price (I'm pretty cheap too), so that process will start later in the week. At least one hurdle is done - now to buy the parts I will need for the conversion.
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1972 Porsche 911E Hot Rod (3.4 Turbo)
1973 VW 412
1979 Audi Fox GTI
2002 Eurovan

Period Lights, VW & Porsche wheels and Recaro/Scheel Seats for sale

https://www.facebook.com/greggearhead

http://greggearhead.com/soco-swap---september-vw-swap-meet.html

[insyncro]

[insyncro]

[greggearhead]

Thanks, but its not a drip, its a pour, and its a 2 1/2 hour trip home, over 2 mountain passes. Through the middle of nowhere, kinda, so not where I want to break down. I'll shoot back with the truck and trailer and tow her home, and start prepping for the Subie.
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1972 Porsche 911E Hot Rod (3.4 Turbo)
1973 VW 412
1979 Audi Fox GTI
2002 Eurovan

Period Lights, VW & Porsche wheels and Recaro/Scheel Seats for sale

https://www.facebook.com/greggearhead

http://greggearhead.com/soco-swap---september-vw-swap-meet.html

[buspor63]

To control that drip, put a bottle of Subaru coolant conditioner in it. It just may buy some time till the engine swap.
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Imagine that, theres not an "h" in either Westfalia or Syncro?

[fairweather]

[greggearhead]

Well, took it on its longest outing yesterday. Drove the back way from Colorado Springs to Frisco, CO. Made it there fine - low on power for the high altitude climbs, but no worse than Toyotas with big tires I have owned. Did great, until I went to leave and noticed the big puddle of coolant under the drivers side cyl head.

At 200k, I kinda figured it would need heads or gaskets at some point, but figured I should be able to get 1000+miles out of it before locating a Subie engine to swap in. Ah well.

Anyone have an SVX or 2.5 car/ engine-harness-ecu to sell?
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1972 Porsche 911E Hot Rod (3.4 Turbo)
1973 VW 412
1979 Audi Fox GTI
2002 Eurovan

Period Lights, VW & Porsche wheels and Recaro/Scheel Seats for sale

https://www.facebook.com/greggearhead

http://greggearhead.com/soco-swap---september-vw-swap-meet.html

[greggearhead]

Thanks - it drives MUCH better with the new tires. Tracks and steers better, etc.

It actually carried more speed up a hill I've driven near the house a lot this morning, so maybe the exhaust really offset the loss in gearing with the larger tires!
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1972 Porsche 911E Hot Rod (3.4 Turbo)
1973 VW 412
1979 Audi Fox GTI
2002 Eurovan

Period Lights, VW & Porsche wheels and Recaro/Scheel Seats for sale

https://www.facebook.com/greggearhead

http://greggearhead.com/soco-swap---september-vw-swap-meet.html

[joetiger]

Looking good!
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Joe T.

'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'91 Wolfsburg Carat "Barchetta"
'02 Baja-ish Beetle "Bubbles"

"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron

"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond

Check out my book: Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present

www.josephtrussell.com
www.pigpensyncro.com

[greggearhead]

Well, the CLK wheels went on without a hitch (syncro, remember) with Loogy's nuts (thanks!) and drilling out the bolt holes to 9/16" and a touch more. Couldn't find a 37/64" bit, just was a little generous with the drilling.

Here's a pic comparing new and old:

Here's the original exhaust muffler bracket, cut apart for use with the oval muffler:

Here it is with the mount welded up. No, I am not a professional welder. But it should last til the SVX.

Here's the exhaust from the rear:

Here is the van wearing new shoes. No lift or anything yet!

Here's the bumper endcap with some new paint ratle-canned on. We'll see how long it lasts.

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1972 Porsche 911E Hot Rod (3.4 Turbo)
1973 VW 412
1979 Audi Fox GTI
2002 Eurovan

Period Lights, VW & Porsche wheels and Recaro/Scheel Seats for sale

https://www.facebook.com/greggearhead

http://greggearhead.com/soco-swap---september-vw-swap-meet.html

[insyncro]

[greggearhead]

Interesting to note - The factory steel wheels and 195/75r14 AT tires weighed 38lbs, and the 16" CLK wheels and 215/70R16 tires weighed 42lbs. 4lbs heavier, which really isn't bad at all for that large of an increase in rolling diameter. Fingers crossed the old 2.1 just hangs in there and plugs away til I find an SVX.
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1972 Porsche 911E Hot Rod (3.4 Turbo)
1973 VW 412
1979 Audi Fox GTI
2002 Eurovan

Period Lights, VW & Porsche wheels and Recaro/Scheel Seats for sale

https://www.facebook.com/greggearhead

http://greggearhead.com/soco-swap---september-vw-swap-meet.html

[greggearhead]

Well, exhaust sounds good. It's a Thrush Turbo muffler (not as good as a Dynomax Super Turpbo, but better than a 100% stock muffler and only cost $27) - it definitely sounds a little throaty when you open it up, but at idle and low rpms sounds almost stock.

Now for rear 'lift' spacers and to fix one of the exhaust donuts that's rattling
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1972 Porsche 911E Hot Rod (3.4 Turbo)
1973 VW 412
1979 Audi Fox GTI
2002 Eurovan

Period Lights, VW & Porsche wheels and Recaro/Scheel Seats for sale

https://www.facebook.com/greggearhead

http://greggearhead.com/soco-swap---september-vw-swap-meet.html

[greggearhead]

The stock muffler inlet had completely seperated from the muffler - rotating around inside the muffler, etc. Tailpipe was about to do the same thing.

Quickie mock up to make sure the big pieces would fit...

Welded up:

Hope it's not too loud!!
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1972 Porsche 911E Hot Rod (3.4 Turbo)
1973 VW 412
1979 Audi Fox GTI
2002 Eurovan

Period Lights, VW & Porsche wheels and Recaro/Scheel Seats for sale

https://www.facebook.com/greggearhead

http://greggearhead.com/soco-swap---september-vw-swap-meet.html

[greggearhead]

One of the benefits of living in Colorado (or anywhere you consider beautiful landscape) is that a drive can be made longer and more enjoyable, taking the long way round. Here's a few pics from my drive the other day to pick up wheels when I got my flat!

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1972 Porsche 911E Hot Rod (3.4 Turbo)
1973 VW 412
1979 Audi Fox GTI
2002 Eurovan

Period Lights, VW & Porsche wheels and Recaro/Scheel Seats for sale

https://www.facebook.com/greggearhead

http://greggearhead.com/soco-swap---september-vw-swap-meet.html

[SWbySWesty]

Looks like a fun start to build!
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1986 Westy - Billie Jean
A Westy with a Jeep heart (Pura Vida)
www.theadventurebrigade.blogspot.com - Latest update: Johnson Valley - Nov 22, 2011

[greggearhead]

Well, more good and bad news. The name for this Syncro might become S&S or sweet and sour, as it all seems to come good and bad together.

Drove the back way to Confer, CO to pick up the wheels this AM. Out early, before the sun was up, and had some great views and gorgeous scenery. Van was doing well, minus the exhaust rattle. I checked tire pressures yesterday, before my I25 trip at speed, so wasn't too worried, but it started steering sluggish right before reaching Conifer, and after stopping, I saw the left front tire half-flat!

Well, I was in front of a King Soopers, so ran in and got a can of fix-a-flat, and a mini-compressor, as I left mine at the shop when I threw some extra tools in this morning. (The spare tire was a different brand and slightly smaller dia. so I thought this was the best choice).

As a put on my work gloves and start shacking the can, a construction truck and trailer drives by, then swings a U-turn and pulls up. Gas-powered air comressor on the trailer! Guy jumps out and says, "let me help you!" He aired me up in seconds, and pointed me to the Big-O-Tire about 1/2 mile away, who FIXED IT FOR FREE. I picked up a screw, and it was in the outer shoulder. Guy behind the counter laughed when I told him I just got new tires yesterday, and the wheels in the back of the van were for those tires! Fixed it and wouldn't accept any money.

ANYWAY - got home, wheels look great, tires look great, but I think I will pass on powdercoating them to get them on in a hurry. Might be later today if the lugnuts show up! (Thanks Loogy!)

Also got this cutting board at Kmart. $11 - whatcha gonna do? I called a plastic fabrication and supply house 2 blocks away, and they said $36/sq ft for 1/2" so I said no. Silly.

_________________
1972 Porsche 911E Hot Rod (3.4 Turbo)
1973 VW 412
1979 Audi Fox GTI
2002 Eurovan

Period Lights, VW & Porsche wheels and Recaro/Scheel Seats for sale

https://www.facebook.com/greggearhead

http://greggearhead.com/soco-swap---september-vw-swap-meet.html

[greggearhead]

Good ideas on the speaker. Ah, never thought of it in terms of more useable real estate. The ECU mounting plate on the other side isn't even screwed down (damned PO's) so I can probably work something out. It should fit over there just as well, and free up the space on this side for tools/spares, etc. I won't have room for a propex right now, and we have a popup camper trailer I will actually tow with the Syncro when its all 4 of us (has a furnace and a fridge and a stove, etc etc).

On a good and slightly sour note - took it out for its first real interstate travel today - did great, was only about 60 miles total. On the big hills, the lack of power (6500-7500ft altitude) does cause some slowing. Does have some Syncro droan/vibes at speed, but not bad. Might eventually have a custom driveshaft made (done that a number of times with rock-crawling Toyotas). Ran good overall, and my first refuel netted 16.3mpg - not bad because I tend to use the whole rev range to grab the torque for the next gear - lots of steep hills here in Colorado!

On the sour note, I used a couple tack welds the other day to hold the muffler in place, as one of the retention straps was missing, and the other one was loose and bolt rusted. After picking up a couple cases of Micro Brew Beer from Bristol Brewery (Dock sale - Yeah!) pulling away, there seemed to be more exhaust rattle again and a bit of that pfft-pfft exhaust leak sound. The muffler has pretty much let go from around the tubing.

I'll turn it into a positive. Being that it will take just a bit to get the Subie motor and do the swap, I will remove the cat and muffler and replace it with a free-er flowing setup in the next week. Hopefully free up a few ponies while not getting too loud, and maybe throw in some 1.25 ratio rockers to get a couple more HP to offset the increased tire size. New tires arrived today!! =)
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1972 Porsche 911E Hot Rod (3.4 Turbo)
1973 VW 412
1979 Audi Fox GTI
2002 Eurovan

Period Lights, VW & Porsche wheels and Recaro/Scheel Seats for sale

https://www.facebook.com/greggearhead

http://greggearhead.com/soco-swap---september-vw-swap-meet.html

[presslab]

Very clean van, nice.

I put my speaker box in the same place, but I have a Propex under it. It depends on the speaker, but my sealed box is half the size of yours and still meets the volume requirements. It's so short that I cut a relief in the bottom of the box for the speaker magnet!

Another thing I have done with the hatch struts is to bend them outward slightly while the hatch is all the way up. Then the friction keeps them up just fine. Kinda ghetto but it works.

I need new tires soon; let us know how those General ones work out.
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1986 Vanagon Westfalia EJ25
1988 Subaru GL-10 EJ20G --- 2000 Honda XR650L
2010 Titus El Guapo --- 2011 On-One 456 Ti

[greggearhead]

Wow. Thanks for the time to reply with the info and links, and for the heater box offer. I just might take you up on it.

I've been buying and selling car parts and parting out cars to pay the bills, so I do get up to Denver and surrounding area failry often.
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1972 Porsche 911E Hot Rod (3.4 Turbo)
1973 VW 412
1979 Audi Fox GTI
2002 Eurovan

Period Lights, VW & Porsche wheels and Recaro/Scheel Seats for sale

https://www.facebook.com/greggearhead

http://greggearhead.com/soco-swap---september-vw-swap-meet.html