Mid Engine 1.6TD powered single seater commuter with pics.

[914turboford]

Check out the progress I made over the weekend on my 1.6TD powered single seater commuter over the weekend.
http://engineconversions.org/showthread.php?p=133#post133

[zukgod1]

That thing looks bad ass!!

[flapjack]

nice
 

[thedeezel]

Is that thing going to be street legal in CA?

Could be a cool off road buggy if not.

Either way, looks good to me, like the dune buggy I built in high school using a RUPP 340 snowmobile engine.

[RabbitJockey]

is it also getting a 914 body?

[914turboford]

Is that thing going to be street legal in CA?

Could be a cool off road buggy if not.

Either way, looks good to me, like the dune buggy I built in high school using a RUPP 340 snowmobile engine.

The plan is for it to be street legal. I plan to register it as a 1985 Jetta, which many of the parts came from. The Jetta was a 1.6TD so no smog check required. I'll install the cluster and the portion of the dash with the VIN tag and the VIN tag from the door jamb and maybe the firewall stamping. I've also considered narrowing the Jetta hood, putting on the front fenders and doors and narrowing the windshield, adding a small flatbed over the engine and coming up with a narrow body Mk2 Caddy thingamabobber. Obviously that could get real dorky lookin' in a hurry so I'm not sure yet. But one way or the other I plan to be commuting 80 miles a day to work in it. Hope to get 55+ mpg (dreaming?). If I can find a source for free ATF maybe run a 50/50 mix of that. Then I can keep driving long after the coming apocalypse and be the last one to have to eat my dog when gas/diesel cost $20/gallon.

[thedeezel]

This thread got me thinking, I have always loved the idea of having a street legal sandrail, and they use a vw air cooled transaxle, could one be adapted to run a diesel?  It would be ultralight weight, and I wouldn't think it would be all that hard to make the diesel mount into a sandrail frame.

[RabbitJockey]

running alot of atf is bad for the pumps

[914turboford]

This thread got me thinking, I have always loved the idea of having a street legal sandrail, and they use a vw air cooled transaxle, could one be adapted to run a diesel?  It would be ultralight weight, and I wouldn't think it would be all that hard to make the diesel mount into a sandrail frame.

Yes, you definitely can bolt one to an air cooled transaxle. You need a diesel bellhousing from a Vanagon. You can use the entire Vanagon trans or bolt that bellhousing to a 70 something Bus tranny. Or, you could go mid engine and use a Fox or Audi trans.

[shegel]

This thread got me thinking, I have always loved the idea of having a street legal sandrail, and they use a vw air cooled transaxle, could one be adapted to run a diesel?  It would be ultralight weight, and I wouldn't think it would be all that hard to make the diesel mount into a sandrail frame.

Yes, you definitely can bolt one to an air cooled transaxle. You need a diesel bellhousing from a Vanagon. You can use the entire Vanagon trans or bolt that bellhousing to a 70 something Bus tranny. Or, you could go mid engine and use a Fox or Audi trans.

dont forget about the adapters from kennedy engineering. they make an 8v vw adapter for the transaxle too

[lews9146]

Kennedy doesnt make an adapter for the VW diesels, I know I checked.
I'm installing a 1.9td into my Mazda rx7 and Kennedy was the first place I called. However, if enoguh people were to call him I think he might add it to his list of products

A diesel powered sand rail would be sweet and might even pull the front wheels during hard lanuches:)

914ford, any updates to that beast?

lewis