A Bluestar from Germany...

[SyncroGhia]

I have grabbed a new exhaust system for the S8 engine.

I can't remember if I said that I already had an exhaust system to try and use That one came from a Vauxhall VXR8 but the rear silencers are simply huge and I can't get them under the van.

The new exhaust system is from a 2007 B7 RS4 and was an ebay bargain for just £75.00 and it has black tips (which will match the Bluestar trim) as it's from a very tricked out RS4 that had all of the trim in black.

It's complete with the sports exhaust valves so I can choose when to be noisy

I've been looking for some silencers that would fit under the van, be quiet enough to be drivable every day but flow enough for around 380bhp.

As the B7 RS4 is a normally aspirated V8 (newer design than mine) with 414bhp so should cope with mine.

Collecting it was interesting...

The idea will be to have the silencers in front of each wheel and the tailpipe just coming out in front of each rear wheel.

I'll use the small centre cross-over silencer too. It's got a helpful shape to go around the propshaft

MG
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T3 Syncro 16 S6 Westfalia Limey SOLD
T3 Syncro 6x6 SOLD
T3 RS6 Bluestar
T3 Tristar Syncro 16 SOLD
T3 Tristar Syncro RHD SOLD

[SyncroGhia]

Everything is on hold for a little while as our son made his appearance on Sunday morning

A whole new adventure has started (and that's just getting through each night!) and it's wonderful.

To anyone who hasn't done this yet... do it!!!

MG
_________________
T3 Syncro 16 S6 Westfalia Limey SOLD
T3 Syncro 6x6 SOLD
T3 RS6 Bluestar
T3 Tristar Syncro 16 SOLD
T3 Tristar Syncro RHD SOLD

[luVWagn]

[SyncroGhia]

[SyncroGhia]

Small update.

As the van is tucked away in hibernation, I can at least buy some choice components when they appear

I plan to use the Phaeton W12 rear calipers for the hhandbrake along with the matching 335mm brake discs and Porsche 996 front calipers.

None of this will bolt together but these brackets will make it a lot easier!

MG
_________________
T3 Syncro 16 S6 Westfalia Limey SOLD
T3 Syncro 6x6 SOLD
T3 RS6 Bluestar
T3 Tristar Syncro 16 SOLD
T3 Tristar Syncro RHD SOLD

[air-ride]

[SyncroGhia]

Thanks Sean.

I wish that I had had a chance to do some work on the van.

I have some ideas as to how to use some of the Porsche suspension on the van but until I try it, I've no idea if it'll actually work. As such, I don't want to put it on the board just yet. This won't happen until after the van has been driving around for a while so it won't be any time soon. Sorry.

I'm in the process of moving all of my tools into my new garage (at the new house) so that I can get back to working on the Bluestar.

The next thing to do is clean out the modified fuel rail and refit it to the engine and check the engine lid clearance and make a final decision as to whether to modify the engine lid or lower the engine just a little more to get it underneath.

As the engine is already very low, I'm not sure which it will be yet.

I have been considering the suspension options for this van.

My initial starting point is to have a -55mm H&R Cup Kit and see how that fairs with the extra weight of the V8 and Porsche gearbox. I expect that the result will be that the back end sits too low and that the springs won't be strong enough, meaning that when I do accelerate... the back end will just sit on the floor! Not great.

Add to that the fact that the van has the capability of carrying 7 people plus a lot of luggage and with an already low van... with a very heavy engine/gearbox... I'm either going to have to run very strong springs (giving a very stiff ride) or look at air suspension which can self level.

MG
_________________
T3 Syncro 16 S6 Westfalia Limey SOLD
T3 Syncro 6x6 SOLD
T3 RS6 Bluestar
T3 Tristar Syncro 16 SOLD
T3 Tristar Syncro RHD SOLD

[air-ride]

Very cool! Hope you can find some time...I'll be watching.

I have a 87 tintop that I just started redoing to make into a "hotrod" wannabe Porsche Vanagon. Gonna put in a svx motor with a reversed suby tranny, and just ordered the R&P from Subagears.

It came with an air ride that the p.o. had installed, although not entirely happy with it and hope to modify a bit. Right now I am settting up Boxster brakes. Hope to start a build thread as I get a little further along...it's a slow process.

Cheers,
Sean

[greenraVR6]

awesome thread!! Looking forward to more progress
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'88 vanagon*****'91 gti 1.8t*****'04 r32*****'11 suburban z71

[SyncroGhia]

Thanks guys

What's wrong with the air-ride on your van Air Ride? I'm interested as to what you have fitted... any photos etc? Too hard? Too soft? Not enough control?

MG
_________________
T3 Syncro 16 S6 Westfalia Limey SOLD
T3 Syncro 6x6 SOLD
T3 RS6 Bluestar
T3 Tristar Syncro 16 SOLD
T3 Tristar Syncro RHD SOLD

[240Gordy]

[air-ride]

The front system was an airspring/shock combo that didn't have much travel. It was a harsh ride and would bottom out easily if I hit a bump. I switched it out with Slam Specialties SS6 bags that I mounted in more of a trial than permanent fit to see if it would work.

The problem is that the PO had cut the top shock mounts off the upper spring perches and welded angle bar sections on top with thru holes to mount the eyelet style airbag shocks. He actually cut the outer part off one of the spring perches which severely compromised the strength.

I made some metal top mounts with (2) 1" thick delrin spacers that bolt into the top of the bags. The bottom I mounted a metal plate with 1-1/2" tube that extends into lower control arm with thru holes that bolt up into lower shock location. For the shocks I mounted Koni's with a bracket on top to the van body and another on the bottom to the lower control arm. I don't like how the shock is attached and am brainstorming other options. Member drftsub did a thread a while back on an airride setup and I am hoping he updates soon on how he mounted his front shocks.

I haven't driven it much yet but my initial test drive gave a much better ride than before. I will try to post pics in a new thread soon.

The rear works great, simple metal plate welded onto control arm spaced up ~1/4" to attach threaded rod at bottom of bag.

[SyncroGhia]

I look forward to your thread and photos.

For the moment, the Bluestar S8 is under cover. If I use Limey at all this winter, I'll swap the dehumidifier into the Bluestar.

MG
_________________
T3 Syncro 16 S6 Westfalia Limey SOLD
T3 Syncro 6x6 SOLD
T3 RS6 Bluestar
T3 Tristar Syncro 16 SOLD
T3 Tristar Syncro RHD SOLD

[panel]

Just read all this........what a great looking ride and conversion!
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My '65-Subaru EJ20 Turbo conversion

[SyncroGhia]

In the words of Tog Gear... ' Some work was done...'!!

I grabbed a couple of hours today to get the modified fuel rail cleaned up, injectors mounted back into it and refitted it to the engine.

I'm not 100% happy about how it's gone back in with regard to the seating of the injectors but I'll find out the first time I prime the fuel system up if there are any issues.

With the fuel pressure regulator out of the way, the intake pipe, crankcase breather valve (sits above the rest of the breather system) and inlet manifold are in the way of the lid closing.

The intake pipe has been a real issue in my mind as it won't sit low enough for me to get the lid on and I can't really cut that much out of the lid and still have it usable.

I first tried turning the 90o hose from the throttle body with thoughts of the pipe moving to the other side but then realised that the inlet and outlet diameters are different. So that went back as it was.

Then I realised that the intake pipe could be swapped end to end and it suddenly slotted into position

The pipe now sits down far enough that with a little trimming on the lid, it sits underneath and the air flow meter connects up easily and out of the way (y)

Inlet manifold!

I'm not about to move the inlet manifold so I got handy with the hole saw and electric hacksaw.

Oh... it's not exactly straight

The manifold actually sits underneath the highest point of the lid so I can fit a plate (aluminium/steel) over the top and it won't touch.

Onto the crankcase breather valve.

The valve sits onto a short piece of rubber hose and then directly onto a metal pipe that bolts onto the inlet manifold.

A cut here

Fitted into position.

With the standard rubber hose it sits too low

So a slightly longer hose and it sits lower than it did but high enough to still be the highest point of the system.

It's amazing how long the little bits take but it's getting there slowly.

I was in two minds as to whether to lift the lid, add enough to the lid to create space or just cut the hole and plate over the top.

Now that I've seen that this is possible, I'm happy to keep things at this level and I'll look into keeping the wiring/ECU down out of the way too.

MG
_________________
T3 Syncro 16 S6 Westfalia Limey SOLD
T3 Syncro 6x6 SOLD
T3 RS6 Bluestar
T3 Tristar Syncro 16 SOLD
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[otiswesty]

It looks like you have cut a fiberglass deck lid. If you have an early Vanagon metal lid, you can hammer it so there is a bulge in the center. No cutting.
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1978 Sage Green P22 Westfalia
1989 T3 Syncro Single cab

Just a regular guy

[SyncroGhia]

[SyncroGhia]

I wish that I had more time to get on with this project! Ho-hum.

Small updates:

I've bought some more spacers to get the spacing just right on the rear wheels so that they clear the arms/springs etc but I can just still open the rear sliding door. Long term, I need to carry out the sliding door mod to make it easier though.

A find on ebay is a set of Leather/Alcantara seats from an S8 which are almost a perfect match for the Bluestart interior.

I'd like to use the rear seat as well as the fronts as it's heated and has electrically controlled lumbar support and headrests but I think that that would pretty much rule out using the bed...

The other thing that I did recently was to check that the engine was ok. I.e. I put a bar on the crank to spin it over. Engines have a nasty tendency to seize up if they're left. Thankfully it wasn't seized but I gave myself a bit of a scare when turning it more than just a few degress. The engine would turn 1/2 turn and then stop.

I pulled the covers off, pulled the coil packs off and then the plugs. It made no difference

Then I realised that the engine was physically moving when I was trying to to turn it. Usually this means that the gearbox is in gear and it's working against the vehicle... but there are no driveshafts attached! I suddenly remembered that I haven't yet left clearance for the propshaft flange on the gearbox mount. The triangular flange was hitting the mount and that was my problem.

Knocking it into neutral and the engine span easily

I took the opportunity to poor a little oil down the bores and put the plugs back in. Atleast I know that it won't seize up now just sitting there.

I must get on with the gear shift cables but as I'm starting from scratch, it's hard to know where to start...

MG
_________________
T3 Syncro 16 S6 Westfalia Limey SOLD
T3 Syncro 6x6 SOLD
T3 RS6 Bluestar
T3 Tristar Syncro 16 SOLD
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[adyjoad]

The problem with the shifter is obviously because your lever needs to be so long, you need extra length under the pivot point too. I couldn't find anything to suit so replicated the porsche shifter (chunkily) but just made everything below the pivot double length and that worked. Also if you're set on using porsche cables then you could just use the rear ones onto the box and join them to 2 rods running over the tank to the shifter as its a straight path. If you can get them quite high you may even get away with clearing the prop when it's 4wd.

[SyncroGhia]