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    1. #1
      Join Date
      Feb 2016
      Location
      SoCal
      Posts
      475

      Bugzilla - Mid Engine Madness

      Thanks to Photobucket, they screwed up mostly all threads. I have gone through mine and done a temporary fix. Once the pictures stop working again, I will do a permanent fix.

      Well looks like it is time to post up about my project. This has been a 3 year long project so far but should be finished up in a few months. My main goal for the car is to be drive-able on the street and shine on the track. This is not going to be a show car. More like a dedicated track car that looks decent. I myself have never built a car from the ground up, so this is a first for me. I have restored many older cars, done LS swaps, built many engines, and done minor fab work. I am not a professional welder and do not have many fab specific tools like a bender and notcher. All the work was done in my garage by me, with the exception of tube bending.

      Details

      - 1970 Bug body (the only VW part left on the car)
      - Wide fiberglass fenders (6 inches wider in the rear, 5 inches in the front)
      - Independent suspension on all 4 corners
      - Using Miata spindles front and rear
      - Double adjustable coilovers
      - Full square tube frame
      - Getrag F23 trans (5 speed)
      - Supercharged Chevy Ecotec powered (estimating 400hp)
      - Big brakes and sticky tires

      In the beginning with a bone stock Bug





      Removed pretty much everything



      Added in the new frame. I lost all pictures of building the frame and installing it, so this is all you get





      Engine and trans about to go in



      Engine and trans went in through the door



      All boxed in



      How it is now



      And it runs!

      https://youtu.be/v0590RpY-ro
      1970 VW Bug - Just your average mid engine Bug
      Track toy - 06 Evo - E85 and lots of boost
      Newest track toy - 2021 Supra


    2. #2
      Join Date
      Apr 2001
      Location
      The City of Fountains
      Posts
      15,971
      Country Flag: United States
      Hey!

      Glad you made it over here from ls1tech (I am Project Gattago over there....)

      Andrew
      1970 GTO Version 3.0
      1967 Cougar build
      GM High-Tech Performance feature
      My YouTube Channel Please Subscribe!
      Instagram @projectgattago
      Dr. EFI
      I deliver what EFI promises.
      Remote Holley EFI tuning.
      Please get in touch if I can be of service.

      "You were the gun, your voice was the trigger, your bravery was the barrel, your eyes were the bullets." ~ Her

    3. #3
      Join Date
      Feb 2016
      Location
      SoCal
      Posts
      475
      Andrew - Glad to see you on here too (especially as a Mod). I have noticed there are quite a few LS1 Tech members on here. Figured my build is better suited here then LS1 Tech anyways.
      1970 VW Bug - Just your average mid engine Bug
      Track toy - 06 Evo - E85 and lots of boost
      Newest track toy - 2021 Supra

    4. #4
      Join Date
      Sep 2013
      Location
      sw Kansas
      Posts
      1,640
      Country Flag: United States
      This has got to be a gas! Hope you have plenty of pics.

    5. #5
      Join Date
      Aug 2004
      Location
      Ontario, Canada
      Posts
      2,313
      Country Flag: Canada
      My son has a Cobalt SS with a similar engine. It's still stock so if yours is modded then you are going to have a lot of fun.

      Ken
      If there is a hard way to do something, I'll find it!
      My other car is a Vega.

    6. #6
      Join Date
      Feb 2016
      Location
      SoCal
      Posts
      475
      Kenova - yes mine is a bit modded. There are not many stock parts on the engine anymore. I think the crank and rockers are the only stock things left in it. Hoping I am under guesstimating at 400hp. We will see when I dyno it.
      1970 VW Bug - Just your average mid engine Bug
      Track toy - 06 Evo - E85 and lots of boost
      Newest track toy - 2021 Supra

    7. #7
      Join Date
      Feb 2016
      Location
      SoCal
      Posts
      475
      Wfo guy - plenty of pictures. More then needed to be shared. I have another complete build thread on another forum which is many pages long with way too many pictures. It's only the good stuff shown from here on out
      1970 VW Bug - Just your average mid engine Bug
      Track toy - 06 Evo - E85 and lots of boost
      Newest track toy - 2021 Supra

    8. #8
      Join Date
      Feb 2006
      Location
      Idaho Falls, Id
      Posts
      1,342
      Sweet project
      Traven

    9. #9
      Join Date
      Dec 2011
      Location
      Los Angeles
      Posts
      105
      Country Flag: United States
      Nice!

    10. #10
      Join Date
      May 2013
      Location
      SE Michigan
      Posts
      149
      Country Flag: United States
      Fantastic work! I'm excited to see more of it. Are you going to add any sound deadening?

      I once built an Ecotec turbo for a formula car. The turbo was a bit oversized and laggy, but wow, what an engine.

      - - - Updated - - -

      Fantastic work! I'm excited to see more of it. Are you going to add any sound deadening?

      I once built an Ecotec turbo for a formula car. The turbo was a bit oversized and laggy, but wow, what an engine.

    11. #11
      Join Date
      Feb 2016
      Location
      SoCal
      Posts
      475
      - - - Updated - - -

      Thanks for the comments guys!

      Neongreen - Sound deadening is all over the car. Its pretty much on every panel and the panels that don't have it yet will get it later. I know its still going to be loud inside due to the engine hatch. It is half carbon fiber and half lexan. Neither of those materials help with heat and sound.

      As for the engine, I was originally going to go with a turbo. But due to the whole lag thing, I went with the supercharger. This is going to be a true track car and I am sure the lag would have caused all sorts of traction issues coming out of a turn. I wont make as much power with the supercharger but the smooth output will make up for it. Either way, I should end up around a 5 lbs per HP which will make for a fun ride.
      1970 VW Bug - Just your average mid engine Bug
      Track toy - 06 Evo - E85 and lots of boost
      Newest track toy - 2021 Supra

    12. #12
      Join Date
      May 2013
      Location
      SE Michigan
      Posts
      149
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by Bugzilla View Post
      - - - Updated - - -

      Thanks for the comments guys!

      Neongreen - Sound deadening is all over the car. Its pretty much on every panel and the panels that don't have it yet will get it later. I know its still going to be loud inside due to the engine hatch. It is half carbon fiber and half lexan. Neither of those materials help with heat and sound.

      As for the engine, I was originally going to go with a turbo. But due to the whole lag thing, I went with the supercharger. This is going to be a true track car and I am sure the lag would have caused all sorts of traction issues coming out of a turn. I wont make as much power with the supercharger but the smooth output will make up for it. Either way, I should end up around a 5 lbs per HP which will make for a fun ride.

      Are you just using dynamat type stuff? If so, that will definitely help with the resonance of flat panels, which you have a lot of. If you haven't already, you should look into using some Mass Loaded Vinyl. It will actually block the noise, where dynamat will only dampen vibrations.

      https://www.sounddeadenershowdown.co...aded-vinyl-mlv

      read the "function tab" for more info.

    13. #13
      Join Date
      Feb 2016
      Location
      SoCal
      Posts
      475
      I am using Cool It Thermo Tec for insulation. It is 70 mil thick and supposed to work for both noise and heat. I am sure there is better stuff out there, but for the price I couldn't pass it up. Again, this is more of a race car then street car so I am fine with noise, just trying to keep some heat out. And like you said, it does a great job for the resonance. The panels that aren't coated yet buzz like crazy when the car gets revved up but the ones that are coated stay nice and quiet. I am sure my motor and trans mounts don't help at all either considering they are almost solid.
      1970 VW Bug - Just your average mid engine Bug
      Track toy - 06 Evo - E85 and lots of boost
      Newest track toy - 2021 Supra

    14. #14
      Join Date
      Jan 2009
      Posts
      45
      that car looks great! nice work! you should be over on volksrods.com

    15. #15
      Join Date
      Feb 2016
      Location
      SoCal
      Posts
      475
      Lunatic - I am over on Volksrods. The people over there don't seem to like what I have done to the Bug. Most of them are all about the Rat Rod style or building a Bug for as cheap as they can while keeping it stock. It like most people have 10 Bugs on there property and will take the good parts off 9 of them and put them in to 1.
      1970 VW Bug - Just your average mid engine Bug
      Track toy - 06 Evo - E85 and lots of boost
      Newest track toy - 2021 Supra

    16. #16
      Join Date
      Feb 2016
      Location
      SoCal
      Posts
      475
      Finally an update! It has been a while. Long story short, the brakes are on.





      We take this





      Add these





      Add this too





      Ends up looking like this





      Did the rear as well





      Just a little bigger then stock...
      1970 VW Bug - Just your average mid engine Bug
      Track toy - 06 Evo - E85 and lots of boost
      Newest track toy - 2021 Supra

    17. #17
      Join Date
      Nov 2010
      Location
      Ma.
      Posts
      583
      Country Flag: United States
      Awesome build, I love the engine choice, should be a blast to drive...

    18. #18
      Join Date
      Sep 2015
      Location
      SW KS
      Posts
      162
      Country Flag: United States
      I recall a few years ago downloading a handbook from GM about how to build a 1500 HP ecotec. While you won't need all that power it was an interesting read.

      As a current 74 SB owner, I approve of this thread! Great work! Can't wait to see more!

      Chris

    19. #19
      Join Date
      Feb 2012
      Location
      Central NY
      Posts
      240
      Country Flag: United States
      Looks like a great project and should be a blast to drive!

    20. #20
      Join Date
      Apr 2015
      Location
      SoCal
      Posts
      165
      Country Flag: United States
      I'm currently in remission from my VW addiction... (I've got a box of vw parts... but I haven't' opened it for a awhile...)

      ...course', its only a matter of time.

      Killer car. I stared at my last bug and for a good long while considering a mid engine ecotec.... but I never considered the miata suspension. Too cool.
      CAM-T Autocross Fox Mustang
      LX mustang autocross on the "cheap"...
      1953 PickEmUp
      1953 Chev Pickemup

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