My Early age Dream
 

Hi guys (and Girls)
My early age dream happened some years ago. It was a scorching hot Weekend day, at the local Dragstrip.Guys were lining up their road registered drag cars on the line, doing one run after the other.
The car that caught my attention was a Dark blue Vw Beetle. It was nice and neat, with little 14” chrome trail dusters on. Nothing spectacular.

It lined up at the starting line. In the opposite lane, there was a Corvette Stingray, 454CU if I remember correctly Wine Red Coloured, quite far from stock, if one listened to the exhaust tone, and loudness.
I got a smile on my face, for some reason I knew before seeing it that the old American Muscle was not going to win that day, or at least not the run he was busy attempting.
The Christmas tree went from Red to Green,and they were off. Little beetle in front, having a hard time with the old shitty gear ratios. It was flying, the super loud exhaust defaning.As I predicted, and the Corvette didn’t win.
The beetle had a 12A Peripheral Port in it, complete with 48 IDA, and all the other goodies required.
There my dream began, to one drive a Rotary powered Beetle.
So my dear friends: I present to you, the progress on my 1974 Beetle.
Some background. I got the Beetle from a friend. His wife said that she wanted her car to park in the garage, and not the non-running beetle anymore.
It had stood under a tree for many a year, well, probably about 10 years to be more precise. The body was painted in 5 different colours, and there were loads off work.
Pic 1: The prep starts for painting. The rear bumper was fiber glassed onto the body, along with some stupid apron. As you can see it needed to be grinded off…..

Pic 2: The rear centre piece being fabricated from fiberglass, and various other materials.

Pic 3: Look Ma, a new coat of paint! (Actually several coats of paint)Why white?Well,it will be spending 90% of the time circuit racing, so it gets VERY hot with a helmet on, and no ventilation.

Pic 4: Some random pics of the shiny paintwork.

Pic5: Preparing the front end for the radiator.The idea is to make it looks as normal as possible, not obvious.

Pic 6: The 3 Core Ali Radiator is now in its place.

Pic7 : Interior is a mess, believe me!

Pica 8: after many hours of cleaning and so, I found a used rear seat in good condition. The base is from a 50`s Beetle, the Top from a newer one.

Pic 9: One of the new STP gauges in its place. Who cares how fast it’s going, anything above 35mph feels like you have a death wish in any case.

Pic 10: Imported 13B, showing the 11 pound flywheel, and all other useless grapelike Turbo, intercooler etc removed. It should run, but will it???

Pic 11: I do not have a frame strong enough to hoist the engine up, so I dropped the car to the ground, until I could almost push the engine in.

Pic12 : Happy days!!!! The little Wankel in its new home.
It has taken 18 months to get this far.Why? Well, I sometimes work terrible hours, I go out to much and also the shortage of money << this might be the main problem,haha.

I`ll update the thread as new things get added, there is still LOTS and LOTS to be done, but she will run.
Maybe not tomorrow, but she will run!

Karis

I`ll post the other pics when i get home.

Some more pics

Some more photos

pretty nice. I wouldn't mind doing that swap to a bug.

You're making progess! I'd like to build the engine for mine pretty soon. Just need to figure out the port size first.

wheelie!!!!

Thanks for the kind words.
Its going very slow,i would really like to finish it.

I wonder how quick it will be(if the tranny holds up!)??
Think it will surprise the people quite a bit,haha

*Edit*

Jeff:As i recall your going for a more low down grunt type engine right?

When i still had the Capella ,it had a Series4 13B turbo,with the turbo and so removed still with the low Comp Rotors (actually stock internally),with a 70`s 13B Hitachi on.I must say,it had a unbelievable amount of torque with the very small Turbo primary ports.Went like stink!It could really haul the lightish body of the Coupe.

karis

Great info! Thanks.

Any Time Jeff!

You are not alone... go to www.youtube.com Type in rotary beetle

my friend threw a wrx motor in his bug running low 11"s my other friend had a 12a motor in his just a street port ran mid low 12's

You on boost is going to be a disaster!!! but in a good way your going to go to the moon on that set up

Teddy : I wont be running Turbocharged.

I`am anti Turbo!
Will update the thread tonight with some more progress.
Karis

As promised,here is a update :

I worked on the interior again on Sat through the day,one of these days it will look like a car (looks better,don you think?)

Here are some photos of the header myself and 2 friends built.As you can see it is segment welded,as normal bend just wont do.
The collector is designed as well as everything inside by us.It was made using 42mm Mild steel pipe,a Mig welder and a cut off machine and loads of patience.

At the tail end of it,it expands to 3 " ,at the required angle.

Were proud of it,what do you guys think?

Karis

I like the segment welding. That's actually pretty cool! I did something similar for my 20B header when I shoehorned it into the GLC. It'll need some mods if I'm to fit it into the 1st gen. More segment welding! :D

I don't like the collector though. Since a 2 rotor engine only flows one port at one time, you can actually get away with 2" at the collector, or at the very biggest, 2¼". That 3" will slow exhaust gas velocity and hurt power. Especially low end.

When I do my baja header, it will have segment welded ( :D ) primaries and a 30 to 40 degree collector ending in 2" as the rest of the system and the silencers are all in 2". I know it will flow like a mutha through the entire rev range of the engine, and the low end will be fantastic. The silencers are a couple medium length Rotary Engineering glasspacks that haven't burned out in 15 years on a couple of REPUs, so I'm sure they'll live on the baja.

Just curious as to why you went with 3" at the collector? Just some FYI, the 4 rotor will collect from dual 2" secondaries to a single 3" because both 2" pipes will be flowing 100% as opposed to a 2 rotor that only flows each primary pipe 50% (that whole 180° rotor phasing thing).

Well, i had a hard time deciding what size collector to use.Your right on the collector size.The whole pipe is going to be 3",and then it will (slowly)expand at silencer to 4".It will be in the end used for a Bp or something similar.Will be sued on track days 95% of its life,so we are not too worried about the low down.
You know me by now,i just cant leave the port timing stock! :)If it aint brapping,then i aint listening!

Ive ran 3inch straight with no problems if there is a horse power loss it's a "NODE" not a significant noticable loss.

Looks good though can't wait to see what the car looks like in the end

R u running the header upside down and then wrapping it around the back end shooting it out the passanger side?

How about the cooling you running a front mount with an electric water pump and electric fans? Or running the radiator in between the back seat and the fire wall?

The header is directed to the front off the car,it will then turn 90deg,and pass over the gearbox,where it will turn again to meet the silencer.

I decided to do it like this,so that the header itself will not have any unwanted 90/180deg turns to hinder gas flow.Also,I need quite a bit of space for the huge round silencer to "try!" and get it quieter.

I`am running a 3 Core ali radiator in front,with twin electric fans.I will use the stock mazda waterpump.The pipes leading to the front,and the ducting for airflow direction to the radaitor still needs to be made,and will require so good use of the old brain.

karis

That sounds like a plan. I still need to figure out my exhaust. I cut a pipe at 15° yesterday to make a Y adaptor for the primaries. It creates a 30° flow angle like the Racing Beat unflanged collector assembly (but doesn't cost $78). Racing Beat suggests 30 to 40 degrees is fine. By the way I'm using RB thick wall .120" (1/8") pipe to prevent unwanted noise from transfering through the pipe.

Still debating the position for the RE glasspacks. Either both on the side or wrap around with one over the tranny and the other on the spark plug side of the engine kinda like yours.

Have fun and post some vids when it runs.

I will continue updating the thread every now and then.

Tomorrow will be the day off airflow testing.

I will simulate the airflow over the front of the car,by means of a 800cfm fan,a smoke machine,and a UV light.It will be necesarry to get the correct amount of air to the radiator

A Camera will do the filming,so that i can show you guys the experiment

The project is loads of fun,allthough it will probably kill me some day on the circuit!hahaha


Karis

That header looks crap man, probably built it in your back yard.

hehehe

And I bet who ever did the welding cant weld either........:rlaugh:

Nice one there Bud.

(For the rest of you guys, Oldschoolbaby is the Friend who did most of the work on the Branch ,and all of the Welding) :)

Karis

ol Skool bugs are really unique in that there so versatile...definitely a collector and enthusiasts ride

update :

Fuel injection has been put aside.

I will be returning to the old school way. Weber!

I will start building a manifold for 2xDCOE Lake Cities style next to the engine.

Karis

LOL!!!!!

That's not what you told me!!!

Time to update you're post!!!!!!!!!!!:rlaugh:

How's the turbo conversion coming????

Karis; you could be certified as a dangerous person!!!Just keep at least two wheels on the track and the greasy side down until you gan get it registered as an aircraft, Bob

How much would a new brake master cyl cost
 

I started renewing the brakes on my RX3 wagon, Rear brakes have not worked for a looong time and look like new, front brakes ,had the rotors turned, rebuilt calipers , but nothing would work. the master cyl was a mess, so I tore it down, and the front piston wont come out! so now to do something even if it isn't right to get it loose. When I get this done,the wheels go on. and it will be on its feet,the timeing is next ,thinking of useing an 85 dizzy, Can I just un belt the air pump and not use a vent pipe??? Karis has been keeping me up to date on his VW, I envy him his youth and if he would quit chasing girls he might have some money. Bob Holton.

Agreed!:)

I are not dangerous!haha
Girls are just a waste of time in anycase.

Yes dear friends :I have bowed down to the Evil Efi monster.Old school is cool for sure,but some sort of injection does sometimes make life easier!

sounds like your making more progress than me Bob?

Karis