AutoCraft 2783cc street engine in 61 Rag

[King_vw61]

Gear section assembled  and jigged

[King_vw61]

Tranny is finished and installed, might have to shorten the hockey stick, or run a late model shift rod. Dave will be coming over and doing that. Fuel line needs to be bent out of the clutch cable route. Does anyone have a late model original German Cupler?

[clonebug]

CB Performance has a Rhino coupler that is really tight with very little slop.
You could also upgrade to the adjustable end piece that makes shifter adjustments a breeze.
I can post pics and a link tonight when I get home.
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[Wreck]

I shortened the hockey stick and the nose cone to suit the stock shift rod . that way if you want to fit a standard box for what every reason it is one less thing to change back .

[King_vw61]

That’s what Dave wanted to do originally, that’s why there’s no seal on the nosecone yet, I went ahead and bought the CB performance rhino Coupler. Also bought the weld on late-model adjustable end For the shift rod. Bought a straight shift rod with no end on it. Dave will tig weld it once we know the length. Waiting for berg to have the shifter done.

[mcmscott]

I have a jig I made to shorten and re-dimple the hockey stick.
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There are no stupid questions, only stupid people,

68 Ghia
67 T-1
65 Notch
02 Mexican beetle
74 Thing
15 Long travel rail
07 Nomad
05 f-250

[King_vw61]

How much does a hockey stick get shortened? If I go with the adjustable end on the shift rod and leave the hockey stick how it is can I go from this bus tranny to a regular bug tranny? Will I have to alter the shift rod again? I think there’s about an inch of adjustment in the End that we are welding on.

[King_vw61]

Pulled out the 61 shift rod and put in a overlength straight rod, cut to length and waiting for the shifter to come so we can make our final welds on the Cupler, picked up the CB performance Cupler, so much nicer than the Empi.
Call tranny back out real quick to seal the nosecone and then installing later today, CVs and axles will be later this week.

[DerrickfromNC1]

In the Exhaust wrap tread you mentioned using a fiberglass apron. Is it the Creative Car Craft apron? Are you installing it to be removable and is the apron thick enough to remove and reinstall regularly without eventually cracking or possibly cracking due to vibration?

Any more pics of it installed?

[King_vw61]

It is the Creative Car Craft, I bought the thicker one and I had my body guy add a layer of exhaust wrap to the back of the apron, Burried it in resin. I don’t have any pictures since the car still at the paint shop, not planning on removing the apron.

[Dauz]

I have the same one. It's also removable. It's EXTREMELY thick and the reinforcement fiberglass along the back was so thick I had to grind some of it away in order for it to even fit properly.

[King_vw61]

Install the engine today, going to pull the carburetors off and set the body on the car once the paint is finished, adjusted the clutch stage two is definitely stiff, but with a longer arm on the tranny it seems to be OK

[HotStreetVw]

Looking good.

You say your going to set the body on with the engine installed? I’m assuming you have fitted the engine with the body on previously?
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4inBhore
50 Split - 2724cc NA. Haltech injected
62 Notchback - 2542cc Turbo WIP

[King_vw61]

I have fit it several times. Pulled body off with engine in. Carbs are the only issue and they will be off. The apron will also be off. Might start it once I get shifter and linkage finished. Paint is taking forever. Dropped off 6/22 and still 30 days out at least. Moving the firewall back 1.5 inches helps the clearance issues with body.

[HotStreetVw]

Ok. From my experience it is a PITA pulling a big engine like that with 910s. I l had to trim quite a bit to make it work.
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4inBhore
50 Split - 2724cc NA. Haltech injected
62 Notchback - 2542cc Turbo WIP

[King_vw61]

I Spent at least 4 days trimming and recreating the right side of the engine compartment. I can remove the engine with valve covers on. It is very tight. Not sure if the pictures show how I made room for those big Valve covers and the bus tranny off set one inch.

[mark tucker]

hmm.... so I might need to test fit in my 356 before finishing the car....thats nice to know!!!of coarse my engine should be kinda narrow, is yours wider?( long cylinders) I have high pin hight so...probably be shortening the cylinders on one motor(84 stroke) and possiably a thin shim for the 86 stroke motor witch will have the 5.6 rods. keep up the great work!!!!

[Wreck]

[HotStreetVw]

I’ve got a 84 stroke, 5.7 rods, with “C” pistons (pin in oil ring), still required a ton of trimming on my 50 (don’t worry it’s all replacement metal anyway). My valve covers might be a little deeper than a typical autocraft though.

[King_vw61]

Picked up my shift or from Berg yesterday, thanks Al

Going to finalize shiftrod length and have Dave tig weld the adjuster, he does not like it to be able to come loose. Just using the adjustable end to fine tune.

Since the engine was there old dragster engine and they both have helped so much with this project I wanted to give them props!! Couldn’t of thought of a better way