[thummmper]

started this last june, 2010. had a subaru vanagon and wanted an american conversion--this engine was built in michigan

94 eagle vision donor ran well and floated down the hwy--I have searched EVERYWHERE for a similar conversion and havent found it yet--
next year I will take my data from this one and do the same treatment to a 90-97 toyota previa van for better aerodynamics.
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/vanagonlhs/
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/previalhs/?yguid=396279512

 

[MickM]

So what are you going to do with this one when you start the next one?

 

[thummmper]

parts runner until the previa is finished --then maybe sell it-- I'll have redone the interior by then too with a nice sound system

 

[thummmper]

I have finally scaled everything I need and have defined my engine room -bed/seat envelope design, soup to nuts! the engine central hatch only penetrates the seat by 1.5"

 

[thummmper]

the H frames are in for the engine lids and the bedseat support-- It's beginning to vanish!!

 

[MickM]

That is some beautiful work.

 

[thummmper]

the lid seal channels are in--the wire channels are next, then I can bring in the wires and mount the powerbox and tcm. I could get a new battery too.

backwelding the channels is done

 

[thummmper]

with the fair weather window this morning, i finished painting and assembling the engine house and some components.
this is the wire track that keeps the harnass high and away from the pulleys

this is the engine/trans plugs and the vapor and tuning valve solenoids

the charcoal can and pcm

next is the battery tray and then the wires lay in

 

[thummmper]

sorted out the vacuum lines and made a 90* bracket for the trans fluid dipstick-- it's paint is still drying-
decided that a recombination style battery, like optima brand is the head and shoulders best value in a battery, mainly because they
store up to 800 cc amps and 4 times the life in the same size battery case. and with the gel media, I could mount it upside down if needed.

 

[MickM]

sounds like you will be drivimg herb soon.

 

[thummmper]

wires are laid in. the powerbox/ tcm mount bracket is drying overnight. bolted down the batt tray-- I had to break the bulkhead plug apart to focus on the engine area harnass. the rest will work in next week, depending how familiar i get again with it.

 

[thummmper]

the wires laid in yesterday and I sort of started tying stuff up and surveying routing and possible shortening of things

 

[Marcos]

I find this picture so tempting, as in "I wonder what would happen if I just hooked up the battery now?"

 

[thummmper]

oh man, I still have too many loose ends!!! the wires that go left from under the powerbox in the last photo are for the guages forward, so they are taking a cloverleaf of sorts routing down under with the other cables north to the dash.
there is much cleaning and testing before that.

 

[thummmper]

got the drive flange adapters back today and they are sure nice-- jim shirley of shirley design in huntington beach, ca, 714-897-1641 and SB ent. next door did a great job machining and welding these together. They are super strong, mig welded on the outside and tig welded on the inside.

 

[thummmper]

beamer brake/930 conversion jig is 60% done now

 

[thummmper]

88 735i rear drum/discs for the van--tomorrow I make cutting templates to make it a more efficient endeavour.

 

[thummmper]

I am doing something nobody has commonly done before--cutting the hubs off vanagon trail arms and welding beamer hubs on with the same lug face location. I removed the lip on the sides of the arm and its almost ready to tack together.

that hole is for the E brake cable

 

[thummmper]

 

[MickM]

its looking good.