Shaping 550 Fenders...

I’m excited for the release/unveiling party. 

I asked @chines1to make a custom tonneau for the car. I sent him a number of photographs of original 550s in which the tonneau got near the single plexi windscreen.

Given that my car is not the same size as a BECK, there were no pre-made tonneau covers that were anywhere near an original. So what did Carey do? He first made his own mold and then created this piece.  Unreal. 

I was just thinking over the weekend that we haven't seen an update from you on this 550.  Thanks for sharing.  I always love seeing the progress.

WOW!

@chines1. Nice work !

DANG!! 

Mold? That looks like aluminum. Very nice.

Dude.

Super cool Euro symmetric lenses with new Hella headlight rings were installed -- we have new SMD LED lights behind that work in low and high beam settings. 

I think Carey will be making a new floating floor next. I am using black rubber for the floor; the original cars actually had vinyl! My oil lines and throttle cable will run underneath it, just as they did in the original car. 

Hopefully more pictures to come soon --- almost there!

Anand

I'm in love with that car, Anand.  The color is amazing.

Oil lines? You're running the front-mount cooler? Meaning you've got a dry sump setup?

@edsnova - I didn’t dry sump this motor, but an external oil cooler is being used, as I have a Carrera shroud on my type 1. I believe Carey is installing a Setrab in the nose. I’ll post pics when it is done!

Anand

I'd love to know what oil pump you've got. I was going to do something similar and bought a 30mm pump to get the oil to the nose, but ultimately abandoned the idea, mainly because I had too much other stuff to do and mucking about with the internals of a known-good Raby engine seemed like folly to this less-than-long-experienced amateur VW mechanic. 

Keen to learn about your setup so I can learn if my theories match with guys who know what they're actually doing.

You know... that's too bad, @edsnova. 

As I go through my day, I think about stuff I read here. I thought your idea of using a 30 mm pump and an Accusump, with a cooler in the nose was 100% doable. I would've loved to have seen it in operation.

Whispers: Ed, it really needs a dry sump.....

@arajani Have you thought of doing the whole front in Xpel film?  You can easily remove the lights and do the whole front.  A lot less of a pain on road rash.

@IaM-Ray: yes. A friend of mine owns a PPF shop in my town. I had ppf on both my F430 and 458 italia and loved it. He’s agreed to do my 550 when it arrives. I’m doing my 912 next week (24000 original miles, so trying to preserve it, albeit a daily driver now!)

Nice car .... the wonders of living in a yearly warm climate   It's funny all your fun cars seem to be P related rather than Red  Hard not to come back to german engineering. 

IaM-Ray posted:

@arajani Have you thought of doing the whole front in Xpel film?  You can easily remove the lights and do the whole front.  A lot less of a pain on road rash.

Road rash is a badge of honor for some of us......

@DannyP ...Good on ya, my friend. I am just WAY too OCD...

I’m with you, Anand.  I’ve never lived anywhere that does as much damage to the paint on the front of a car as here.  My DD is almost 8 years old and I’m on clear bra #3, not to mention windshield #5.

Pedals installed, floating floor is done. 

Lane Anderson posted:

I’m with you, Anand.  I’ve never lived anywhere that does as much damage to the paint on the front of a car as here.  My DD is almost 8 years old and I’m on clear bra #3, not to mention windshield #5.

Cross your heart Lane? 

It lifts and separates!

If nature didn't, Xpel will.

Time for an update?

Yes

edsnova posted:

Time for an update?

I think @edsnova is just as impatient as I am. The eagerness I have for progress updates from @edsnova and @arajani closely matches the eagerness I held when seeing what universities I was accepted. 

I guess it goes without saying, I am a huge fan of both your builds. 

Thanks Kevin! @chines1 is working his magic. He’s been pretty busy with Speedster stuff, so I think things have been moving a bit slower.

The crank trigger will get wired next, followed by re installation of the exhaust and belly pan. The upholstery guys are standing by to do the firewall, and then the deck lids and doors get installed! 

Arjani (& @chines1) I asked because I returned to your thread to look at/learn from the underpan design. My engine did not come with sled tins and I'm trying to determine how to make those and integrate them with a (proposed) rear belly pan. 

Basically trying to figure the best way to port the hot air from the heads & oil cooler into/around the even hotter air wafting off the exhaust pipes & keep it from floating back up under the clam under all circumstances. 

Is there a photo of your engine/cylinders from underneath?

What is the function of a floating floor?

I think they call it a raft.  

Todd M posted:

What is the function of a floating floor?

It gives you a flat surface as opposed to the exposed tubes and wiring that normally runs through the tunnel.

@Todd M -- the oil lines from the front cooler, clutch cable and throttle cable all run underneath the floating floor. 

@edsnova -- I don't have such a photo, but I'm sure Carey does. Here are the best shots I have...

@arajani - Looking at your photos, I am thinking that the blue sheet is the real floor pan, and the black mat is the floating floor?

Super-helpful, Arjani, thanks!

I spoke to Carey -- he should be back on the car next week. Hopefully we will be able to see some videos of it driving by July. 

I'll keep you all updated!

Anand

Anand,

May have to show it off at "Tour d'Vino-2019"; if we proceed that direction.

Tour d'Vino-2019 Love that title. 

@@Ryan can make a t shirt  out of that title and different color of Speedster’s as flavor of wine 🍷👍😂