Chronicles of Alan: Cars and Pain (featuring @awgbibb as author)
My Dad was an Electrical Engineer , I was the eldest of 6 kids, 3 boys then 3 Girls ( Well Planned)
He was really good at everything he tackled and I was his assistant on many Car rebuilds from about 12 years old. We had a really well equipped workshop in Florida , West of Johannesburg.
I mainly rode motorcycles and eventually bought a Volkswagen Beetle 1200 1961 Model with a wrecked Motor for R200.00.
Rebuilt it, soon got tired of its performance.
Bought a 1300, ported it Built my own inlet manifold for a Double Choke Weber and designed my own 4 into 1 exhaust system. It went a bit better and a lot more economical.
Saved for 1600 Barrels and pistons and a Roller Bearing Crankshaft. Meanwhile I lightened a Kombi Flywheel ( on our lathe) and had it balanced.
When I had bought all the goodies, I ported the Heads myself, put it all together, and ran the motor in on the way to Cape Town with my Fiance (more on her in another story).
I nearly drove her mad stopping every half hour to check oil and that all was well!
By Beaufort West , I considered it to be run in and started putting my foot down a bit, went flying past the First Jaguar XJ6 I ever saw, stopped at the next town for gas, He pulled up behind me and asked " What the hell is in that thing?, I was doing 90MPH and you flew past me" Lifted the engine cover after telling him it was standard and he saw 1300 on the fan cover.
Walked off shaking his head.
This turned out to be the fastest 1600 VW anybody had seen ( was quicker than the Porsche's at that time which were also 1600cc)
Had a Guy with Bleached Blond Hair driving an Aston Martin pull up next to me with an Aston Martin(Red) at a robot wanting to race me, seriously?
Obviously he beat me, I was so annoyed
I bought another Beetle Body, same colour paint job ( unique to me) and built a Modified Manual Chrysler V8 into the front of it, made my own custom Chassis underneath it ( not a quick task) this was a major job.
Meanwhile I had given my youngest Brother Mike, the hot 1600 motor and built a 2 litre Ford V4 into the back of that one.
Had 10 days leave coming to finish the V8 project and was a front passenger in a car on the way back from College in Olifantsfontein ( married for 3 months)
Heading towards Midrand ,as we were passing a truck ,(horse and trailer) he suddenly swung right , we were doing 80mph The car went partially under the truck, roof smashed down to back of the seat level.
I would say ,I owe my life to the fact that I was doing Karate and instinctively blocked as the roof crushed in , I must have done this really hard, as I ended up in the Drivers seat , with the door smashed open , and the driver in the road , virtually unhurt.
My lower left arm was caught in the crumpled roof ,I think I ripped the arm out from where it was caught tore flesh , skin and some muscle.
When I reflect on it now ,I was the cause of a lot of my Parents visits to various hospitals!
They brought my Wife , Chris ( Beautiful Girl) to see me, she nearly fainted , Hospital Staff kept coming to sniff at my arm ( I gather checking for Gangrene) this pretty much wrecked my leave , Operations,several skin grafts ( very painful ,those days) lots of physio, and healing.
Meanwhile ,RED Aston Martin had rolled it and killed himself on Ontdekkers Road , Krugersdorp , so no urgency. Swopped the Project for a Jaguar 3.4 Mk 1.
More on that Later
Lekker man!
Thank you, Motor revved to 7200 revs, unbelievable in those days!
Hi @awgbibb
I am sure you will like this photo. The type 3 in the front is mine. My grandfather bought it new in 1968. I also added a big-bore kit, unfortunately no roller bearing crank. I am a total air cooled VW nut. The photo was taken in Pretoria, note all the beetles. (My grandfather only had two cars in his entire, the first one an Anglia and then the VW. After the Anglia he said he will never drive a Ford again) I must say I would not mind an old Anglia or big V8 Ford myself. Go look at my intro, I also have some old BMW bikes @rynow
My Son had a Fastback like this with the Lancia Flat Four in it , went rather well, Friend of mine fitted a modified Rover V8 in the back of the Station Wagon version , Very Quick!
Please add more stories , i had mine to , i'm a freak about cars . Back in a days my father , me and my younger brother had done some nasty engine swaps and tune ins . I have learned first lessons on BMW 1980 323i E21 . Car was bought on auction from police in Germany , it was used as a interceptor on autobahn. Man that was a car , in line six , 140 ish HP stock , K injection ... After few weeks work on car was pullin over 220 km/h with ease . It was in my family for years . Later we purchased 328i ( E30 ) , me and my bro made engine swap from 540i in to it. We were first in Bavaria to crack drive shaft in half .
Keep on
I had a 2002 TI for a while ,loved it , friend of mine put the 535iM motor and box plus the diff in one as well. My first ride in a 540i was remarkable , amazing ride and no slouch in performance!
Man i love those silky in line sixers from BMW , simply amazing . That sound of spark plugs igniting fuel tik tik tik tik tik tik .... haha , nowadays you can't hear shit . In that time we used to hang out with 5 cyls from Audi , and later we discovered 5 cyls from Volvo . Man that is A engine . I loved also V6 turbos from Alfa Romeo , short stroke ( shorter piston rod , faster up-rev ) . Hell i can do this all day long hehe.
I currently Drive an Alfa Sportwagon V6 , Replaced the Motor with the 3 litre ( tuned of course). Lovely Bose Sound System in it , but often don't use it as the engine note sounds so good!
Very heavy on fuel and usual Electronics bugs, Will post more, Thank You.
Since you drive Alfa i will post something special just for you , i got something in garage . You will love it .
Big Family!
Yes, and strangely am back staying in the House where we grew up in! My eldest Son purchased it when My Dad mover to the USA
That's a lovely rust bucket. You need to put a blow dryer on that bitch and never get beat by a single Aston Martin again.
My Daughter runs a Scirocco 2 litre. These Blow Dryer's really go!