New Years resolutions: Time for a clean up!

Well, the few people who know how my garage currently looks like will think: Yes, finally he will take care of the mess in his garage - but, sorry guys - I am talking about my Blog!
Since almost 2 years, more and more fine blogs are dying, as almost everybody moved to Facebook these days. Which is a format I personally do not like that much. However, I dumped a lot of links to Blogs which are inactive for up to 2 years - or even more.
But, there is a new entry as well: "The Lamley Group". A Blog about Hot Wheels, Matchbox, Tomica etc.! If you are a die cast car guy, check it out!

Wishing all my visitors a "Happy New Year 2015" - and I promise: The new year will see more Blog action again - simply because there will be some wrenching on the Volksback again!

See you in 2015! Maybe in Rosmalen next weekend?

IRS Hybrid subframe ready!

Yesterday was welding time! Finally, the subframe is ready to go!
left side from above:

and another shot of the left IRS bracket


right side from above:

 
left side from below:

right side from below:

The IRS brackets were spot welded on all corners first, to prevent warpage, then the long seams were done - most of them in one go! 
All welds have a very good penetration and will be left as they are. They look better then the welding that VW did in the days...

Once, again, without my buddy Ralf - who did professional welding for quite some time - the subframe would look really bad, I tried it again yesterday, but it takes a lot of practice to get such a result! Hats off to Ralf!

I will mock up the frame with the running gear to check drive shaft clearance to the frame horns.

The next steps will be a good cleaning + wire brushing and than a lick of gloss black paint!

Hybrid IRS-subframe: Let the work begin!

Today I finally started to work on the special subframe. I use a swing axle subframe and a set of original VW IRS brackets to create a Type 3 subframe which allows the use of an IRS gearbox and hardware in a pre 68 body - which doesn't have the sheet metal domes to mount the "mustache" bar in the engine compartment...


The swing axle subframe has to be cut open to make room for the IRS brackets, here is the first step: 
A rough cut to allow a fine, step by step grinding and fidling to make the brackets a tight fit.

 (Note the perfect, rust free surface inside of this 50 year old subframe!)

... much later: the bracket fits onto the frame. The jigs - which my buddy Ralf fabricated - help locating them in the perfect spot!

 This is it: both brackets are located and fixed with the jigs. The next step will be the welding!
A special "Thank you" to Ralf for allowing me to work in your clean, warm workshop!

Porsche 912: the black sheep

Another cool Petrolicious video:

a few random shots from the 2014 season

Here are a few highlights I've seen throughout the 2014 season:
Youngtimer Vestival Herten:

Budel 2014

Another cool gathering was Volkstyle in Weeze - a meeting which deserves more air-cooled presence, so let's go there in 2015!

Going through my picture archive, I found out I visited a lot of meetings and events, but only took a few pictures, next year I will try to change this again!