Dare to be different...

[454bug]

The paddles will work in this way...

1st under (Transmission) (2.48:1 Ratio)

1st over (Gear Vendors) (1.93:1 Ratio)

2nd under (Transmission) (1.48:1 Ratio)

2nd over (Gear Vendors) (1.15:1 Ratio)

3rd under (Transmission) (1.00:1 Ratio)

3rd over (Gear Vendors) (.78:1 Ratio)

The good thing is that I have already upgraded the transmission with heavy-duty clutches and a full manual valve-body... Therefore, when I say, "shift", it WILL shift...

TOO COOL!!!



In addition, I would not trust one of the GM OD transmissions with a consistent dose of 785 ft-lbs of torque... You can't find anything more "bullet-proof" than the Turbo 400 and the Gear Vendors Under/Overdrive...


When you compare this to a GM 4-speed overdrive transmission like a 4L65 or a 4L80 there are only 3 gears to 1.00:1... With this setup there will be FIVE gears to 1.00:1!!!

TALK ABOUT KEEPING THE CAR IN IT'S TORQUE-RANGE!!!

[454bug]

Here is the new motor I am building for the car... A Scott Shafiroff 582 cubic inch Big Block Chevy motor. It will have CNC-ported 335cc AFR aluminum heads. It will have a solid roller cam setup with Jesel Sportsman shaft rockers. Since I am aiming for a weight distribution (50% front, 50% rear) I have decided to spend the extra money for an aluminum block as well. I will trading up from 650hp (old motor) to 850hp with this new motor!! At the same time shaving roughly 170# off the front of the car.

It's truly amazing to me that a Big Block Chevy with a single plane intake, a dominator carb, and an air filter will still fit under the stock Bug hood WITHOUT a hood scoop... The ultimate sleeper!!! (Until you crank it up...)

[454bug]

This is the upgraded rear end setup I am going with. This example is Chris Alston Chassiswork's setup. We are putting together most everything ourselves but the design is pretty much the same...



I am using Steeda billet aluminum lower control arms, homemade bars up top, QA1 double-adjustable aluminum coilover shocks, and a 3/4" splined sway bar.

Here are the lower bars I am using. We decided to go with the heim joints at the rear end connection and urethane bushings at the frame to minimize rear end noise into the car...

[454bug]

The old setup weighed a total of 3,000# with a full tank of gas (17 gallons). The weight savings goals are as follows:

AREA OF PROPOSED WEIGHT SAVINGS (pounds)
Engine-----200 (80# - Heads, 120# - Engine Block)
Radiator----25 (Aluminum 2-core)
Brakes------30 (Wilwood 4-wheel disc vs. 4-wheel drums)
Front End--175 (Art Morrison IFS vs. '57 Chevy gearbox, leaf springs, SOLID dropped axle, etc.)
Rear Setup--85 ("Super Stock" cut 7-leaf springs, heavy brackets, etc.)
Seats-------20 (Removal of Bench seat and replace with two lightweight racing seats)
__________________________________________________ _______________________________
SUBTOTAL-535 POUNDS

Weight
Added------35 pounds-Additional roll cage and torsional bracing upgrades
__________________________________________________ ____

TOTAL-----500 POUNDS-TARGETED WEIGHT SAVINGS

[454bug]

With the old setup weighing 3,000# that would get the car to 2,500#.

Add my weight (200#) to the car weight and the total should roughly be around 2,700#.

2,700# and 850 hp...

It should be interesting...

[454bug]

With a goal of a 51%/49% weight distribution that would mean 1,400# on the front tires and 1,350# on the rear tires... We did some preliminary scaling the other day and it looks like we will be right at that. It really helps that the motor is mounted far enough back to allow for this distribution. The front of the motor is behind the front axle/crossmember. We'll move a few things around in the final mock up to fine tune the distribution (battery, fuel pump/filters, etc.).

[va72mlibu]

This is a very cool build. I'd love to see some video of this thing in action!!!

[454bug]

As soon as I get a number of the upgrades installed I will get some videos together...

I need to get into the 21st century and finally purchase a digital video camera. I have an old analog tape camera... I have old videos at the drag strip and at the dyno facility but I would have to figure out how to convert them to digital...

[454bug]

No Problem Raceway is about one hour away from my house. They have a 1.8 mile road course that encompasses their drag strip. They have an "Open Track Day" once per month. I'll make sure I get video of our track days.

[454bug]

I can't wait to see the faces of the Corvette, Viper, Mustang, and Porsche guy's when the bug blows by them...

They MIGHT get me in the corners but I'll wup 'em in the straights!!!

[454bug]

We are spending time right now working on roll center, scrub radius, caster, camber, ackerman, anti-dive, forward bite issues, rear-steer, sway bar sizing, spring rates, wheel back-spacings, etc... making sure everything is dialed in as much as possible, the first time, while welding in these one-off installations.

[454bug]

Here are some "before" pictures of the interior...





and the "after" picture...



I built the dash extension and console out of aluminum. This picture was taken during the construction. The top area is now covered in the simulated leather like the rest of the dash and console.

[gearheads78]

insane project..keep us posted

[Memphis]

Wow awesome stuff, its going to be a nightmare on the track :D

[454bug]

This is my new Ron Davis radiator. It is a double-pass setup with two 1" tubes.



It is replacing my old school 5-core brass radiator... Much lighter construction as well as holding less water (weight) WITHOUT any loss in cooling performance!

[Chevrolaine]

Wow, what an incredibly FUN looking car you've got there!

[Nessumsar]

This is the coolest bug I have seen in a long time! This is one way to make an entrance.

[Bobby Schulz]

Nice bug! BTW you will love a motor from Scott...the short/normal deck of the 582 should really help with the fit under that bug trunk;)

[454bug]

Thanks a lot! I have read and heard nothing but good things about the motors from Scott Shafiroff. The only change I am making to my engine over his normal setup are the heads. I had researched the heads a lot prior to purchasing them and every time the AFR CNC-ported heads seemed to out shine the Dart Pro-1 CNC-ported heads that he uses (I am sure I would find others to disagree with me on this...). Therefore, I purchased my top end elsewhere and buying Scott's short block with their wildest solid roller cam setup, their "Saturday Night Special"). I have seen a number of these combinations making 840-850hp.

Since I wanted to go with a naturally aspirated engine on pump gas (barely) I obviously needed as many cubic inches as possible (no substitute, right?). The problem I had was hood clearance with the tall deck block. Therefore, the 582 cu.in. is pretty much as big as I could go and still fit under the hood with my Super Victor intake and a 1" HVH Supersucker Carb Spacer...

[Paul_J]

Nice to see another VW guy not following the heard!