Awd 71 VW fastback project

It's time I started a thread for this thing now that progress is actually occurring. I'm building a tube chassis, AWD Hoonicorn/gymkhana inspired 71 Volkswagen Fastback I've dubbed OutlaVw/DTJ-22 to become better at welding and fabrication and to have a fun thrashing car when the project is done. I had been back and forth on my goal over the 3 years I've owned it until I picked up a 70 fastback that is complete to use for a restoration project. I'm going to try to keep this thread organized in a speedhunter like way.

Type 3 VW history:
Type 3's were Volkswagens attempt to expand their lineup of air-cooled, rear engine cars beyond the successfully Type 1 Beetle and Type 2 Bus but were short lived with the first Mk1 Rabbits, Jettas and other water-cooled CIS vws that came out around the same time for emissions in the 70's. Type 3's were built in 3 variants; Fastback was the porschesqe model, Squareback the station wagon and notchback the sedan. Offshoots were made such as the Type 34 (Karmann Ghia) and the 411

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Chassis:

· Tube chassis and FIA spec roll cage

· 71 Volkswagen Fastback body

· Built to accommodate GC and GD subframes

Suspension and Brakes:

· BC coilovers (possibly an aircup setup)

· Tubular control arms, trailing arms and subframes

· HD or Poly bushings throughout

· Modified OEM knuckles for 1" drop front and back

· 07 WRX 4/2 pot brakes with additional 2 pots linked to Kyostar Hydro handbrake

Wheels:

· 15" BBS RS 046 (5x114.3) widened to 7" from 6.5

· Tires undecided

Drive terrain:

· Starting with EJ22 with 5-speed (99 Outback sport)

· Later to upgrade to built EJ20/25 or EJ33 (not sure if it would fit length wise)

Electronics:

· ISP West digital vintage speedometer

· Boat gauge mount headless Bluetooth receiver/amp

· LED halo headlights around spun aluminum 7" blanks

· Projector headlights in a Le Mans style flush bumper (wasn't sure how to describe this one)

· Custom LED tail lights

Exhaust:

· Custom stainless 2.5"-3" oval exhaust (oval) for clearance

· Fake peashooter exhaust tip (1.75" or smaller)

· Custom single port EJ22 unequal length header

Interior:

· Fixed back racing seats (recaro, momo, etc.)

· Custom door cards, seat covers, headliner and squareweave German carpet

· 911-esq lower dashboard extension

· OEM dash pad with custom matching cover (alcantra or something)

· OEM+ as possible inside

· Cupholders

· (to be released) Tactico "The Viceroy" steering wheel

Exterior:

· Either

o Jägermeister 934 livery (with Jägermeister green accents)

o Metal fleck Onyx black (with bronze gold accents)

o Metal Fleck Aspen White (with bronze gold accents)

· ACM.SE Fiberglass wide body fenders, Hood and Trunk lid

· Custom 934 Jägermeister air dam (we'll see if it even looks okay)

Other:

· Fully furnished and functioning trunk

· I want it to be comfortable enough to daily drive to work in the Twin Cities but still throw it around.


I planned this project way outside of my comfort zone to force me to learn and practice fabrication at a higher level. Estimated target for completion is 6 years from now (approximately around the time my wife and I plan to build our new home) first three images are of the day it arrived at my house 3 years ago and the last 3 images are a combination of what It might look like when it's done.

 

We'll be watching for updates over the years. LOL. Your words, not mine.

 

I have a 1 month old and a full time system engineering job. Time is scarce but I'm thinking it will be rolling by the end of the year.

I prefer the fastback stock look with a little bit of the jager 934 wide look with livery. Picture is of the ACM fiberglass rear fender I have on order and the aluminum blanks for custom headlights i'm building to be able to put the jager logo on like the 934

 

vape pen, flat brimmed monster energy hat and tight pants if you wanted to be the bell of the ball at either a Subaru or VW meat.

 

You're missing the supreme gear requirement

 

I said the bell of the ball, not the queen bee.

Josh, you'll always be the star in my eyes even without the mystical vape cloud, exotic flat hat, or dick outlining tight pants.

 

I've been there. My 1974 BMW is 10 years in the making. Still no finished paint job. Doubt it ever will be. Finally just upgrade all the brakes last season. Looks like you got a great project.

 

Pretty sure I've had my GC8 for a decade now and haven't done anything other than move it from garage to garage in at least 8.

 

Do you have experience in building a chassis, cage?

 

I use to help my dad weld rock crawler cages for our rigs in the past. I'm a bit rusty not working in that field but plan to slice up a 5 ft piece of old DOM into 3-6" slices and practice different joints and unions until the test pieces look sufficient for structural welds. I also used to weld stainless and inconel when i was in manufacturing.

 

That's a good start for sure. I have plans for bender arms if you need, uses JD2 dies with an air/hydro ram.
The first full tube rockcrawler I built was VW influenced

 

Sure, the dies are easy enough to find, i'll just have to find the hardened pins

 

Fleet Farm has them with coated handles, crude pic but here's my bender

 

That's pretty similar to the one we made back in the early 2000s.

 

The front and rear subframe ended up being way too crusty. Engine and trans are still "good" but i'm contemplating whether it would be cheaper to source a 02-07 wrx at this point with subframes going for around $150+.

 

Fabricate them.... Haha! I thought you were building a tube chassis.

 

https://thefabricatorseries.com
In case you want to learn to do it all yourself

 

Nah those huge holes in the frame Should buff right out lol

Super cool build!

 

After a lot of measuring I decided that the GC AWD system probably won't work for this body as it puts the engine out way too forward to keep the CV joints marginally within reason. I ended up swapping the fastback onto a spare squareback pan and tossing a toast VW 4-speed, Kennedy engineering adapter and one of the EJ22's into the engine bay for mocking up an engine hanger for now. I'll revisit the full tube chassis when steel prices come back down someday and maybe switch to a FR layout or a different AWD system like a vw r32 or suzuki sx4.

Swedish rally fenders has been a ****show, vendor has been ghosting people across the board and suddenly after opening a paypal case months after their last reply they sent me an email that the order was not ready like their website showed but just starting production now (last day of the paypal case). Was quoted 15 days they will be ready to ship (again automated email) so hopefully they are not just delaying refunding my money.

 

Working on getting some updates into this thread. Over the last few months my wife and I have been working on paying off our debt so we can have a little more free time from work to spend together and with our new son.

Green car on the left is the project and the yellow/grey car on the right was cut up for patch panels for me and a buddy's Fastbacks. I have also been consolidating parts piles and getting things together so I can send it to Vescio's customs for bodywork and paint.

Parts acquired:
5x130 disc brake rotors for OEM front discs
5x130 disc conversion for drum rears
Full Limebug bolt on air ride (there really wasn't any quality non-air ride lowering kits for type 3s)

D90 porsche wheels
reman door panel mdf

this year:
sorting the manual trans pan with the brakes and air ride
maybe bodywork/paint
auto trans rebuild so i can keep driving it this summer.

 

Photo dump from today. Once the air setup arrives i will be test fitting the porsche wheels for adjustment and shipping her off for bodywork and paint.

 

Added to the project car collection today.

 

Hizzah I'm back! Couldn't get my password to reset for months but it finally worked today woot!

Neat to see the progress since I last signed in lol. What's next in the build plan?

 

70 fastback once the air ride arrives, i will be setting up the suspension and sending it off for body/pan restoration.

Dune buggy i'll be sanding down the body to get a bill of materials together for fiberglass repair and start piecing together the pan and drive terrain

 

Started sanding the body today only to postpone body work for the year to focus on getting some larger house projects done this year so we can upsize to a new home next year or next.

My buddy gave me a great idea for "in-the-mean-time" paint. Just needs a little bit of sulfur yellow accents

 

Full bolt on air ride, mando stickers and this weekend tires for the d90s.

 

I'll bump this one more time before the lights are out. No progress since last picture, company throughly dicked the threads in a shock tower, missing parts, etc. She's sitting until winter now...

 

Ah hoping the forum's possible survival has turned your luck around?

 

It hasn't gotten worse but I've had zero time to work on anything with work, family and trying to wrap up some semi urgent house projects. Garage is heated now and dune buggy has enclosed shelter so higher probably of winter progress now.

 

Sad state of the union

 

You trying to turn this into a contest? Haha.