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greggearhead
Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2004
Posts: 563
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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 Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2014 6:48 pm Post subject: New 1990 Vanagon Project |
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Well, I've owned a few and flipped a few, and after selling my Syncro daily/project that never got finished and built a Fox Wagon I really liked, I was jonesing too much for another van.
I picked up a 1990, Maroon with grey trim. Was a daily driver for the family, driven across to the Atlantic and back to Colorado, etc. for many years. It developed a rod knock.
I bought it, with an installed S&S header, and almost new All Terrain tires on factory alloys. New head gasket set included as well. Needs lots of cleaning, but overall solid.
Plan is to install a 'interim' 2.1 Wasserboxer and drive it. I've got a set of 17" Porsche twist alloys in 5x112 bolt pattern, H&R lowering springs to make it handle and look better. Later on, I would like to get a 3.0H6 and the Subie 5 speed swap, but that's down the line. A mild weekend camper type interior that is rugged and can serve as my daily truck hauling seats and wheels and stuff without worry.
I've already sold the center seat, pulled the center carpet, and sold the lights and grille (I'm very partial to the 7" round lights). Will then pull the body cladding and do the bedliner trick.
_________________
1972 Porsche 911E
1973 VW 412
1984 VW Doka
1991 Vanagon Syncro Westy
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 |
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greggearhead
Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2004
Posts: 563
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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luVWagn
Samba Member
Joined: February 21, 2008
Posts: 1340
Location: Snoqualmie (WA)
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| Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2014 11:21 pm Post subject: |
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| greggearhead wrote: |
Oh yeah - here's my Fox daily that's going away. Little go cart, really.
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That's a nifty little two-door wagon - I forgot they looked like that.
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'91 Syncro 16 Reimo Hightop Conversion, eTDI |
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greggearhead
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Joined: June 20, 2004
Posts: 563
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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kauboi
Samba Member
Joined: November 18, 2012
Posts: 31
Location: Long Beach, Ca
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| Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2014 2:18 pm Post subject: |
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awesome Fox!, just read the whole build thread, great work!
question, you mentioned Porsche wheels in 5X112, is that with adaptors or? |
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greggearhead
Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2004
Posts: 563
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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greggearhead
Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2004
Posts: 563
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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| Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2014 7:57 am Post subject: |
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The Syncro 2.1 I picked up from a local shop/buddy. Had some extras on it I didn't need, and since I'm taking the heads off, stripped it down.
Short while later:
One really stubborn and rounded off exhaust nut. There's always one, isn't there?
Threw it on the stand and started rough cleaning - scrapping, shop vaccing, etc. Next to really clean and then pull the heads, etc.
_________________
1972 Porsche 911E
1973 VW 412
1984 VW Doka
1991 Vanagon Syncro Westy
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 |
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insyncro
Banned
Joined: March 07, 2002
Posts: 15086
Location: New York
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| Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2014 8:54 am Post subject: |
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A twist socket will pull that exhaust nut in 2 seconds or score it with a dremel and knock it off with a cold chisel.
Enjoy the late model D series wiring and electronics in this rig.
The later vans run smoother IMHO once tuned. |
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greggearhead
Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2004
Posts: 563
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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| Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2014 12:53 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks! If you notice in the pic abov the nut pic, I already got it off. Some heat and good old vice grips with mild back and forth pressure prevailed.
I can't wait to drive it. Pulling it on the trailer (with the rod knock making me cringe) is all I've done so far.
Also have another intake plenum coming - gonna see how hard it will be to make it a little bigger and put on a slightly larger and more common throttle body.
_________________
1972 Porsche 911E
1973 VW 412
1984 VW Doka
1991 Vanagon Syncro Westy
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 |
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greggearhead
Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2004
Posts: 563
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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greggearhead
Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2004
Posts: 563
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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greggearhead
Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2004
Posts: 563
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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| Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2014 4:45 pm Post subject: |
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I've decided I am going to eliminate the water-to-oil cooler/heat exchanger. It just seems to warm up the oil faster in my I4 water cooleds, and doesn't really cool after that. I've got a couple oil coolers hanging around I could likely put in it's place. Funny how much effort goes into a 'filler' motor to drive me around until I find the right Subie H6
_________________
1972 Porsche 911E
1973 VW 412
1984 VW Doka
1991 Vanagon Syncro Westy
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 |
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greggearhead
Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2004
Posts: 563
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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greggearhead
Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2004
Posts: 563
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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greggearhead
Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2004
Posts: 563
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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| Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2014 6:07 pm Post subject: |
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Here are the 15x7 snow wheels:
Here are the 5x112 pattern 17x7.5 Porsche twist replicas - they are heavy.
Was messing around in the garage, and realized I have a bunch of left over Samco hose inventory from a Harley supercharger project. Lots. Fits, too, just needs trimming.
_________________
1972 Porsche 911E
1973 VW 412
1984 VW Doka
1991 Vanagon Syncro Westy
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 |
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greggearhead
Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2004
Posts: 563
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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| Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2014 7:07 am Post subject: |
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No pics, but heads are disassembled and getting tanked before valve job. Will do some simple bowl work and flash port cleanup, nothing major, as without a flowbench, I know it's easier to do harm than good.
_________________
1972 Porsche 911E
1973 VW 412
1984 VW Doka
1991 Vanagon Syncro Westy
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 |
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greggearhead
Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2004
Posts: 563
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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| Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 7:57 pm Post subject: |
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Well, at least there's some progress. I media blasted (lightly) the heads, and tanked them. There are cracks between the seats, but I am going to run them anyway. I also cleaned up the ports a little bit. I was surprised how bad the casting were, in terms of port vs. seat location, and how different one head was to the other, in terms of casting flash and seams, etc.
All I did was a cleanup job, really, to reduce the flash and smooth some of the seam and sharp transition stuff. I'll hope it gives me 3-5 hp. The valve job will likely be worth more!
Here's a pic showing the crack mentioned, and the surprising amount of valve shrouding on the exhaust valve seat in the combustion chamber. I used a dull round cutter ball with a slightly smaller valve on the seat (to protect the seat) to knock down the shrouding.
After a bit of grinding:
The intake ports from the manifold flange:
From the intake seat:
Exhaust port from the heater flange:
From the exhaust seat:
_________________
1972 Porsche 911E
1973 VW 412
1984 VW Doka
1991 Vanagon Syncro Westy
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 |
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greggearhead
Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2004
Posts: 563
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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| Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2014 7:37 pm Post subject: |
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Pictures - not very *good* ones, but at least you get an idea on the valves. I cut the seats to 45 deg, cut the valves to 45 deg, then lapped them in. After lapping them in, I cut the 30 and 60 deg cuts on the valves. Wasn't a lot of room around the lap, especially for the 30 deg top cut on the intake valve, amounted to more of just taking the edge off, but hopefully it pays off. Tomorrow I'll put the other angles on the seats.
_________________
1972 Porsche 911E
1973 VW 412
1984 VW Doka
1991 Vanagon Syncro Westy
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 |
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greggearhead
Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2004
Posts: 563
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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| Posted: Sun May 31, 2015 2:25 pm Post subject: |
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Way too long between updates, but at least something to update.
The engine is assembled and ready to go in, unfortunately will be with the stock plenum and throttle body, as I don't have enough time, and don't want to spend too much time on a filler motor before the 3.0 H6 goes in.
Pulled all the cladding and bumpers off, ordered tinted gallon kit of the medium Grey monstaliner, zeroing in on some suspension and wheels.
I need some help finding BBS LM Replica wheels in 18x8 and 18x9 (or 9.5). I found them in the UK in 5x112, but not here in the USA - anyone have any ideas?
_________________
1972 Porsche 911E
1973 VW 412
1984 VW Doka
1991 Vanagon Syncro Westy
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 |
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greggearhead
Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2004
Posts: 563
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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| Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2015 4:05 pm Post subject: |
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Springs I've been hoarding for a while, finally a chance to use:
I think I've settled on these BBS LM Replicas in 18x8 and 18x8.5. Thinking I will get 225/45r18 and 245/45r18 tires, but not decided yet.
_________________
1972 Porsche 911E
1973 VW 412
1984 VW Doka
1991 Vanagon Syncro Westy
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 |
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