Bugzilla - Mid Engine Madness

[Bugzilla]

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

[andrewb70]

Hey!

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

Andrew

[Bugzilla]

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.

[wfo guy]

This has got to be a gas! Hope you have plenty of pics.

[Kenova]

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

[Bugzilla]

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.

[Bugzilla]

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

[T_Raven]

Sweet project

[nathankershaw]

Nice!

[neongreen]

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.

[Bugzilla]

- - - 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.

[neongreen]

- - - 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.

[Bugzilla]

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.

[lunatic_magnet]

that car looks great! nice work! you should be over on volksrods.com

[Bugzilla]

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.

[Bugzilla]

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...

[Tincup]

Awesome build, I love the engine choice, should be a blast to drive...

[cbpldc]

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

[Streetbu]

Looks like a great project and should be a blast to drive!

[LERM]

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.