On my old gearbox, I had problems with 2nd and 3rd... well, "disappearing" under acceleration. That was the 5-speed. So, I put a 6-speed in and have had great luck with it.Super1303 wrote:You know, I have a 2003 GTI and I always had a problem with third gear since it was new.
Not every time but it would grind once in a while, only third. Especially if your running it on the aggressive side.
Rabbit Farmer's various VW Projects
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Rabbit Farmer
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Re: Rabbit Farmer's various VW Projects
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Chief Geek
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Re: Rabbit Farmer's various VW Projects
How the hell am I supposed to keep up with Julie if she's driving the 400 hp Golf?
;)
Paul
;)
Paul
"Christina", New #13/#55x, '90 Miata: In progress
"Keiko", Old #13x/#55x, '96 Miata: R.I.P.
Daily Driver: '11 Mazda2 (small cars... some men have nothing to compensate for)
"Keiko", Old #13x/#55x, '96 Miata: R.I.P.
Daily Driver: '11 Mazda2 (small cars... some men have nothing to compensate for)
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Rabbit Farmer
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Re: Rabbit Farmer's various VW Projects
Drive faster.Chief Geek wrote:How the hell am I supposed to keep up with Julie if she's driving the 400 hp Golf?
Paul
(it is only 350cHP)Go Fast VW & Audi parts at FastAddiction.com
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Rabbit Farmer
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Re: Rabbit Farmer's various VW Projects
New twist to this year.... I actually started earlier than normal, it just ended up taking a lot longer than expected... and I am still not done!
First, go grab a drink and a bag of popcorn... enjoy.
Before I put the car away for the winter, I brought it down to Ralph's Foreign Auto in Colchester, Vermont. Ralph has been racing for years (earlier in my post I included a picture of his BMW CSL... sweet!). I wanted Ralph to take a look inside the engine to make sure everything looked good... it did! Check.... put the car away and start planning for the 2014 season.
In February, the Golf ended up at Joey's (http://www.KalesCustom.com located on Prim Road in Colchester, Vermont...they are working on their website right now and moving 300 yards to a new shop).
The goal was to replace the aging and bent Shine Racing camber plates, so I picked up a set from Ground Control (universal camber plates).
The bent camber plates...
Cutting off the old plates....
And removing the suspension. Notice that the strut in the foreground is bent at the very top; time to order a new set of Bilstein struts. Good thing they are really, really, really inexpensive (not!).
After some discussion with Joey, we decided to go with to go with a set of Cusco camber plates.
Looking at the Shine Racing plates that were bent, it seemed they were not supported like a camber plate that is mounted underneath the strut tower.
The Ground Control camber plates will be used on the Scirocco.
Making the new strut towers....
The upper spring perches were a bit banged up because there was nothing to keep the spring within the perch when jacking it up (or if the car happened to take a jump at the hills). Because the spring would not always seat properly, the perch suffered.
Next, thinking about the suspension setup on my old Rabbit (use of a tender and main spring), I ordered a set of 3" 200# tender springs to bridge the gab between the main spring and the upper perch.
Order a new set of Bilstein struts....
Camber plates are done!
Naturally, plans change as you are trying to build something from scratch. The 3" tender springs were about an 1" too long. To get us ready for the first hillclimb of the season (Mt. Ascutney), we used a helper spring instead. To help suck up the bumps at the hillclimbs, I think I will revist the main spring again and might go with a shorter main to allow for the 200# tender (or some other rate)... some research is needed.
Another think I wanted was a way to tie down the car in the trailer without having to use a wheel. I was putting the straps through the wheels to hold it down in the trailer. Enter some new tie down spots on the car....
There is also a new tie down point in the front that mirrors the factory tie tow hook location.... now I have two mounting points on the front (stock tow hook plus new hook)
Some things left to do....
Cooling!!! The car is running hot with the FMIC in front of the radiator and the full belly skid plate. I have been researching options and talking with other people to see what they did to keep their engine running cooler.
I believe that I will go with a louver on the hood, misting system for the radiator and FMIC... plus a more efficient radiator that is waiting to be installed.
Currently, I have EBC Yellow (if memory serves) brake pads on the car; these are designed for the track because they take some time to heat up, but they work great when hot. With hillclimbs, you start out at 100% speed (cold tires and cold brakes) with no opportunity to warm things up for best performance.
To help with the brakes, I am going to install some pads that heat up a bit quicker. Additionally, I am trying a different compound in the rear to balance things out.
Tires.... bald last year and bald for the first hillclimb of this year (I almost wish I put the new tires on at Ascutney). Enter a set of Toyo R888, 235/40/17, that I tried the heat treated option this time.
Since we were a bit short for workers at the Mt. Ascutney hillclimb, I signed up to work a checkpoint when I wasn't driving. Managed to get a lot of photos... Photos on VermontRacing.com
The sticker came with the mirrors... thought it was funny, so it stayed.
Grab a seat in the time machine.....
My old towing rig (2001 F250 7.3 Powerstroke with open trailer)... loved the truck.
The 7.3 is actually a very desirable engine, but I needed a bit more power and gearing with the enclosed trailer. Honest, I did not try to color match the truck to the car, it was just what was left on the lot when I was looking for a truck.
So.... what is coming in the next unexciting update of this project?
* Photos and videos from the Mt. Ascutney hillclimb.
* Radiator install
* New brake pads
* Louvers for hood (?)
* Misting system for radiator and FMIC (?)
* Mount the new tires
It is already making me tired just thinking about all the stuff I have to do to get ready for the 2014 Mt. Washington hillclimb (http://www.climbtotheclouds.com).
Next event is the Mt. Okemo hillclimb!
First, go grab a drink and a bag of popcorn... enjoy.
Before I put the car away for the winter, I brought it down to Ralph's Foreign Auto in Colchester, Vermont. Ralph has been racing for years (earlier in my post I included a picture of his BMW CSL... sweet!). I wanted Ralph to take a look inside the engine to make sure everything looked good... it did! Check.... put the car away and start planning for the 2014 season.
In February, the Golf ended up at Joey's (http://www.KalesCustom.com located on Prim Road in Colchester, Vermont...they are working on their website right now and moving 300 yards to a new shop).
The goal was to replace the aging and bent Shine Racing camber plates, so I picked up a set from Ground Control (universal camber plates).
The bent camber plates...
Cutting off the old plates....
And removing the suspension. Notice that the strut in the foreground is bent at the very top; time to order a new set of Bilstein struts. Good thing they are really, really, really inexpensive (not!).
After some discussion with Joey, we decided to go with to go with a set of Cusco camber plates.
Looking at the Shine Racing plates that were bent, it seemed they were not supported like a camber plate that is mounted underneath the strut tower.
The Ground Control camber plates will be used on the Scirocco.
Making the new strut towers....
The upper spring perches were a bit banged up because there was nothing to keep the spring within the perch when jacking it up (or if the car happened to take a jump at the hills). Because the spring would not always seat properly, the perch suffered.
Next, thinking about the suspension setup on my old Rabbit (use of a tender and main spring), I ordered a set of 3" 200# tender springs to bridge the gab between the main spring and the upper perch.
Order a new set of Bilstein struts....
Camber plates are done!
Naturally, plans change as you are trying to build something from scratch. The 3" tender springs were about an 1" too long. To get us ready for the first hillclimb of the season (Mt. Ascutney), we used a helper spring instead. To help suck up the bumps at the hillclimbs, I think I will revist the main spring again and might go with a shorter main to allow for the 200# tender (or some other rate)... some research is needed.
Another think I wanted was a way to tie down the car in the trailer without having to use a wheel. I was putting the straps through the wheels to hold it down in the trailer. Enter some new tie down spots on the car....
There is also a new tie down point in the front that mirrors the factory tie tow hook location.... now I have two mounting points on the front (stock tow hook plus new hook)
Some things left to do....
Cooling!!! The car is running hot with the FMIC in front of the radiator and the full belly skid plate. I have been researching options and talking with other people to see what they did to keep their engine running cooler.
I believe that I will go with a louver on the hood, misting system for the radiator and FMIC... plus a more efficient radiator that is waiting to be installed.
Currently, I have EBC Yellow (if memory serves) brake pads on the car; these are designed for the track because they take some time to heat up, but they work great when hot. With hillclimbs, you start out at 100% speed (cold tires and cold brakes) with no opportunity to warm things up for best performance.
To help with the brakes, I am going to install some pads that heat up a bit quicker. Additionally, I am trying a different compound in the rear to balance things out.
Tires.... bald last year and bald for the first hillclimb of this year (I almost wish I put the new tires on at Ascutney). Enter a set of Toyo R888, 235/40/17, that I tried the heat treated option this time.
Since we were a bit short for workers at the Mt. Ascutney hillclimb, I signed up to work a checkpoint when I wasn't driving. Managed to get a lot of photos... Photos on VermontRacing.com
The sticker came with the mirrors... thought it was funny, so it stayed.
Grab a seat in the time machine.....
My old towing rig (2001 F250 7.3 Powerstroke with open trailer)... loved the truck.
The 7.3 is actually a very desirable engine, but I needed a bit more power and gearing with the enclosed trailer. Honest, I did not try to color match the truck to the car, it was just what was left on the lot when I was looking for a truck.
So.... what is coming in the next unexciting update of this project?
* Photos and videos from the Mt. Ascutney hillclimb.
* Radiator install
* New brake pads
* Louvers for hood (?)
* Misting system for radiator and FMIC (?)
* Mount the new tires
It is already making me tired just thinking about all the stuff I have to do to get ready for the 2014 Mt. Washington hillclimb (http://www.climbtotheclouds.com).
Next event is the Mt. Okemo hillclimb!
Go Fast VW & Audi parts at FastAddiction.com
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walterclark
- Posts: 1442
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Re: Rabbit Farmer's various VW Projects
The shine camber plates will bend when the strut bottoms out hard. That is also what bends strut tops. Ask me how I know...
Any chance you hung onto the old plates?
Any chance you hung onto the old plates?
The older I get the better I was.
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Rabbit Farmer
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Re: Rabbit Farmer's various VW Projects
Old plates are at Joey's in the metal bin. If you're interested in them, I can ask if he still has them
Go Fast VW & Audi parts at FastAddiction.com
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walterclark
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Re: Rabbit Farmer's various VW Projects
Please!
Sent from my Galaxy S4
Sent from my Galaxy S4
The older I get the better I was.
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Rabbit Farmer
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Re: Rabbit Farmer's various VW Projects
I sent him an email this morning to see if he still has them.
Go Fast VW & Audi parts at FastAddiction.com
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Rabbit Farmer
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Re: Rabbit Farmer's various VW Projects
Busy day... most of it researching and ordering parts.
Goal today was to get the car off the ground, remove the tires (prepare for brake install and possible tire change), and remove the front end/radiator.
Mission accomplished.
Naturally, today's accomplishments yielded a long list of parts to order (replace old parts, rusty screws, etc.).
When I was getting the car aligned, Ralph mentioned to me that the tire was really close to the spring. Okay, no problem, I will order some spacers. 4mm spacers on the way... is that enough? Unsure at the moment. Brainstorming other ideas.
The wheel is not touching... more of the camera angle than anything. It is close, though.
Back to the brainstorming session (weather man said it was a weak system that was moving slowly)....
Another shot of the main and helper spring.... I am looking at other spring options where I can use the 3" 200# tender plus a different main spring (shorter and less stiff... it is currently 500#).
Height of the springs (measuring tape is at the top of the helper spring) when at full droop (limited by sway bar).
With helper spring depressed (jack under the control arm)
Approximately what it would look like sitting on the ground.... The jack under the control arm is supporting the entire right side of the car with both the front and rear off the ground and the left side supported by jack stands.
Spring rate and length brainstorming will begin tomorrow. Oh, the back spring (I forget the rate at the moment) is an 8" spring at full droop.
Back to the front.....
Side by side comparison of stock vs Mishimoto radiator.
I do need to purchase some of the plastic/rubber retainers (holds the radiator in place on the two pegs on each side of the radiator), fan switch (I'm in there, it gets replaced!), upper and lower radiator hoses (again, I'm in there....), etc.
One thing of concern are the hard plastic connectors that mount directly on the radiator... the rubber hoses connect to the hard plastic connectors. They seem to wiggle around a bit on the new radiator; unsure if this will be an issue with making a good seal.
How it sits.... time to order some parts online and then hit VW in the morning.
Goal today was to get the car off the ground, remove the tires (prepare for brake install and possible tire change), and remove the front end/radiator.
Mission accomplished.
Naturally, today's accomplishments yielded a long list of parts to order (replace old parts, rusty screws, etc.).
When I was getting the car aligned, Ralph mentioned to me that the tire was really close to the spring. Okay, no problem, I will order some spacers. 4mm spacers on the way... is that enough? Unsure at the moment. Brainstorming other ideas.
The wheel is not touching... more of the camera angle than anything. It is close, though.
Back to the brainstorming session (weather man said it was a weak system that was moving slowly)....
Another shot of the main and helper spring.... I am looking at other spring options where I can use the 3" 200# tender plus a different main spring (shorter and less stiff... it is currently 500#).
Height of the springs (measuring tape is at the top of the helper spring) when at full droop (limited by sway bar).
With helper spring depressed (jack under the control arm)
Approximately what it would look like sitting on the ground.... The jack under the control arm is supporting the entire right side of the car with both the front and rear off the ground and the left side supported by jack stands.
Spring rate and length brainstorming will begin tomorrow. Oh, the back spring (I forget the rate at the moment) is an 8" spring at full droop.
Back to the front.....
Side by side comparison of stock vs Mishimoto radiator.
I do need to purchase some of the plastic/rubber retainers (holds the radiator in place on the two pegs on each side of the radiator), fan switch (I'm in there, it gets replaced!), upper and lower radiator hoses (again, I'm in there....), etc.
One thing of concern are the hard plastic connectors that mount directly on the radiator... the rubber hoses connect to the hard plastic connectors. They seem to wiggle around a bit on the new radiator; unsure if this will be an issue with making a good seal.
How it sits.... time to order some parts online and then hit VW in the morning.
Go Fast VW & Audi parts at FastAddiction.com
-
Rabbit Farmer
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Re: Rabbit Farmer's various VW Projects
Done ordering parts online.....
Just need a few more that require a visit to the local VW dealer.
Just need a few more that require a visit to the local VW dealer.
Go Fast VW & Audi parts at FastAddiction.com
