2.0 KCC 356 Speedster - www.356speedster.co.za

[flatfourfan]

So a quick update before some serious changes.

After doing the sums on what's still needed for my type 4, I was looking at about another R15 000 at least on what I've already paid which is about that amount as well. Armand was kind enough to cut me a deal on parts bought and money owing and we call it a day. Sarel W bought all the gear and it shall remain at Armands house where he will probably continue with the work.

The plans you ask? Watercooled.....2.0 NA VW. Not boxer........normal upright 4 cylinder fuel injected.

Disadvantages:
1) Well it's no aircooled motor and popping the hood will not be as impressive as what was planned for it in the first place.
2) There is a lot of work to get everything where it's supposed to go, I want the radiator in the back, fans, oil cooler and battery.
3) The watercooled motor hangs low, so we are going to have to do the gearbox lift at the same time, I need to gain about 50mm.

Advantages:
1) I have a working 2.0 motor from a written off polo going in, that cost me R3500 and it has less than 50 000km on the clock, with the adapter plate, stock management I'm still south of R10 000
2) The only person that I honestly trust to work on my type 4 was Armand, and the fact that it's a round trip of about 600kms, going watercooled puts at least 25 people within 20minutes from my house that can do anything serious to it.
3) 125bhp and 172nm torque on a stock motor before doing anything to it.
4) Fuel consumption of anywhere between 10 and 15km/litre. This obviously is down to gearing, which will mean a visit to Bugger.
5) Cheap parts - A service kit can be had for a few hundred and the motor is simple enough for anyone to work on. Plus I can get the parts 5 minutes from my house at Goldwagen.
6) This is being built to drive, not to go to shows. As my life priorities have changed over the last few years, so is what I wanted out of the car. With married life, 2 kids, playing in a band and have more hobbies than a toy store owner, I want to be able to just wipe her down, climb in and then go for a looooong cruise without thinking if I forgot to set something or tinker on something else?

Stay tuned.

[beetlefanatic]

Why don't you investigate letting the motor lie on it's side like in the factory 1.8 kombis? Could be easier than raising the gearbox.

[flatfourfan]

No real brainer as I need the back of the speedster down by about 2 inches as it's still too high.....it's an afternoons work, this way I kill 2 birds with 1 stone.

[splitfan]

Good luck with the work Gary , I agree with you 100% on all the "pro's and cons"

[flatfourfan]

Finally an update worth mentioning. Went to Willem today to test fit the dummy engine so that we can be sure that the gilo adapter as well as the fact that the engine clears the lid with the intake on. Loads of space back there when the lower sections that fit an aircooled motor are removed.

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Man it's a great fit. Loads of space to mount an interesting exhaust as well as the radiator out back and the air intake section. Willem said that he's going to help me fab a killer intake and duct section for the radiator as well as the air intake.

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The best part............the sump sits actually higher than the gearbox, so I don't think that I have anything to worry about in that department., this way I can dump the back of the speedster another 150mm and get the arse down.

By the way, even with the throttle body on, the engine lid fits 100%. Next update will be the exhaust that's going on as well as the plumbing and mounts for the radiator.

Vasbyt min dae.

[calooker]

Air filter coul be a problem

[flatfourfan]

The picture is a bit misleading.......But we're going to cut off the mounting point for the throttle body and close it up and then turn it onto the back side and then run the intake ductwork through the back against the fire wall.

[flatfourfan]

This gives a netter idea about how much space I actually have between the intake manifold and the engine lid, because the lid is curved I actually have a little over 75mm.

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This gives an idea of even the engine lid brackets clear the engine intake manifold.

[Blitzkrieg]

What motor is that? Longblock or shortblock?

[flatfourfan]

short block..............

[Blitzkrieg]

Cool, parts are dirt cheap. I priced overhaul parts for a 1.8, everything came to just under R2k for quality parts

[flatfourfan]

Yup, another part of my reasons to do it.

Most expensive part of the build will be the civic radiator/ cowling and fan. Super small, will allow for mounting it almost anywhere and it's dual core, so effectively I get double the cooling.

I did however choose the worst time of the year to do the build. Everywhere is closed.

[buggyfan]

Finally an update worth mentioning. Went to Willem today to test fit the dummy engine so that we can be sure that the gilo adapter as well as the fact that the engine clears the lid with the intake on. Loads of space back there when the lower sections that fit an aircooled motor are removed.







Vasbyt min dae.

did you get the adaptor plate from Steve???

[flatfourfan]

Nope, his kit seemed to be a bit mis-matched, so I didn't want to take a chance. plus his kit is set up for the 2.0 clutch kit which is way more expensive than the 1.8. My kit is on order from GILO and I can pick it up in Jan, this is a 1.8 loaner adapter and bare block from a friend to do the fab on the radiator and exhaust.

[flatfourfan]

So a big update will be happening tomorro. Exhaust finally goes in. After trying to find someone to do a 3 silencer system in very tight confines, the guys that finally said that they could do it, were 5 minutes from my house.

Van Der Graff in Hermanstad. Total price for this very short, very intricate set-up - R1400, the car will be there for the day. This weekend is radiator mount mock, I was looking for the smallest possible method of cooling so that the radiator can be out back. Answer......92-00 Honda Civic VTEC dual core radiator. This full alimimium radiator allows about 30% better cooling that a stock civic radiator, yet it's 1/2 the size of normal car radiators. I'be used loads of aftermarket honda stuff over the years on my hondas and love the compact size and quality.

There are loads of knock offs on the market, but I was able to to get a genuine mishimoto at a local supplier that's been on a car for less than a month. This is a R3000 radiator that cost me a 3rd of that. There's a reason that a large jetta single core radiator from goldwagen is only R230. This gives you an idea of how small this thing is.





Total size is 50mm thick, (yeah she's beefy), 58cm long, (no problemo) and best of all, 37cm wide. So this will allow me to mount this radiator opposite the engine with a standard Honda Civic cooling fan and shroud. Then it's a visit to willem to construct the intake ducts as well as the shroud that will cover the whole front of the intake mount, leaving a hole for the radiator. The radiator will actually be mounted facing forwards slightly to take advantage of the cool air coming under the wheel well. Once these are done, I can do the expansion tank and air-intake box (stock VW polo with cold air induction)

Then it's water pipe mock up, which should take me about 20 minutes as I plan on using stock VW units with some hard lines mounted to the chassis rails. Then it's running my Honda Civic fuel hard lines. these are nice as they have all the mountings on as well as mounting clips and brackets, so it'll look neat. They are ali pieces and have insulation around them and can still be bent if need be. I paid R40 for both the main and the return, the main has the banjo fitting so I'll be able to use the small Honda Civic fuel filter, then I'll have to have a honda-to-VW pipe made up to work the rest of the way.