How a VW Fox Wagon sucked me back in...a build thread.

[redone17]

This build thread has been a long time coming. When I first got the Wagon - I had no intention of it being worthy of it’s own thread (the car itself as well as re-kindling my obsession with VW)...Luckily I have complied a bunch of photos since I got it (though I lost some due some nitwit at the Apple Store Genius Bar) - but here it goes...

I had an ~89 Fox in High School (1997) for about 2 months. PO hid some serious problems from an inexperienced teen that I was - and it had to be junked before I ever got to really enjoy it. I don’t remember much - but I still have a key: (image to come)

Then I got a ‘74 Super Beetle and that was my car for the next few years...sold it in 2000.

I didn’t have a car again until last summer when I decided it was time to get something that would be dependable and can haul (backyard stuff, camping, road trips, 4 of us and a dog to visit family on LI often, etc). Zipcar doubled their fees since I started using it - so I started looking for a dependable used Wagon. I don’t even think I knew the Fox came in a Wagon body style - until I saw it and knew I needed to have one. Sure I should have searched around a bit - and knowing how much needed to go into this one before it was drivable (I got it looked over by a local VW mechanic) - and the PO was asking more than it was worth. I could only get him down so much - but something was telling me this was the one...and whatever that something was - it was right. It is not perfect - but a trooper nonetheless. It has been treating me really well so far and I am learning a bunch working on it and being part of this community.

Here’s the basic rundown. I bought it from this guy in NJ who is in the Marines - and from Brazil - he bought it from the original owner 3 months before selling it to me (his wife put the kibosh on his project). he had plans to do all this work on it - mentioned putting carbs and all these other Brazilian spec mods that I was clueless to at the time - I should have kept his info, because he probably had some in to get parts shipped up here - but anyway - he wasn’t so personable.

Original owner was this old man from Nassau County, Long Island, NY - that really took care of this Wagon and the records show it. Receipts and handwritten documentation of oil changes, etc. It shows road trips to Florida and Arizona.

The Carfax on it was clean - besides some strange stuff with the odometer - which I figured out once I looked through the paperwork. The Wagon was given to me with 48,XXX miles on the clock - looking through the receipts I found where the information was not consistent. At around 22,239 - he had the speedometer replaced - which equals me getting the car with around 78,XXX miles. It seems it was sitting around for a while before he bought it. Dry rotted tires, hoses, etc. and rodent made a home in the dash - that's all cleaned out now. The hand written oil changes records stopped in the late 90s - inspections up until June of 2010.

Purchased on 8/12/2011 this is how she looked when I got her:




Found some pictures on my girl's phone from when I brought it home from the DMV - with a full tank - leaking all over my street



First and foremost it needed a gas tank. There were pinholes in the top half. The gas gauge didn’t work either. After looking for a sending unit for a couple of weeks to no avail - I dropped it off at a mechanic (GT Precision in Massapequa, NY) suggested by someone on the Vortex. They helped me get it so it was drivable and pass inspection. Unfortunately - living in Brooklyn, I didn’t have the space to keep it off the road and learn to do some of these things myself - but I quickly learned that I would have saved a lot of money if I had researched the parts and tackled a few things myself. That’s when I got a Bentley and started doing my homework.

General Fixes and Upgrades 9/3/2011:
valve cover gasket
timing belt and tension
alternator belt
distributor cap, rotor and spark plugs (Bosch)
gas tank - new Spectra Part #SPIVW1
fuel filter (Bosch)
front rotors
rear shocks (CofRAP)
oil change/filter
air filter
new lock cylinders and 3 keys to match ignition
wiper blades

Passed inspection on 9/2/2011 and it’s driven great since. And this is when the disease hit again.

What went from needing a car to save money in the long run instead of renting cars and for more freedom became an obsession. I started spending all of my free time researching and ingesting what a Fox is and it’s capabilities.

It needed hatch struts - so I ordered a OEM replacement from a dealer in San Diego through vwpartsdepartment.com and put them in right away.

[redone17]

Part 2.

I ride my bike daily - so the first thing it needed on a practical level was a roof rack - then I realized it needed it on an aesthetic level too! The Wagon (and all Foxes IMO) are not complete without a roof rack!

Thule Roof Rack:
LB50 Bars
300 Feet




I found a used Techtonics Tuning Stainless Cat-Back Exhaust with Manifold and Downpipe being sold just outside of Phildelphia a few days before we had plans to visit family and friends down there. $80 later and I brought it home and purchased all the gaskets, bolts, studs, O2 sensor, etc I needed for this upgrade. I also bought a new Catalytic Converter from Techtonic Tuning (environmental reasons more than anything) - as well as all their clamp kit with all the hanger hooks welded to them.

First I sanded and ceramic paint coated the entire Exhaust System:















I used VHT:


I would have done a few things different if I had a 2nd go at it - but I learned a lot!

-----

Around this time I started looking into replacing all the hoses and flushing out the coolant system to replace with G12. A few of the hoses were dry rotted and I wanted to have a timestamp on when this car got a makeover.

Coolant System (10/29/2011):
G12 - Pentosin Pentofrost ++ (G12++)
All new hoses
Temperature Sender Switch; For Gauge - Bosch OEM
Coolant Temperature Sensor - Bosch OEM
Thermostat; 80 Degree C and seal - Wahler OEM

--------------------------------

The car’s 80s aftermarket stereo no longer worked - so I got a decent system for $160 shipped.

4x 4" Kenwood KFC-1062S - 3-way 120 watt
Sony CDXGT550UI Head Unit

My dad and I spent an afternoon installing the system along with a few other things. This is one set of pictures I am pissed that I lost in the “Genius” Bar mishap...I took time to Peel n Seal all the sheet metal behind the rear panels and under the rear seat. I also covered the rear Wagon area under the carpet. It made a noticable difference already. I plan to do the inside of the doors and rear walls as well.

I picked up a Tach Cluster and ordered form LEDs from SuperBrightLEDs.com - I practiced breaking the plastic bonding on an extra cluster - and once I figured it out - I pulled the green diffuse out of the Tach Cluster. I replaced it with a lightly scratched up clear piece of plastic.

Tach Cluster & Stereo Installed:


Small Interior Upgrades:
door lock knobs - used
hatch struts - new OEM
Rear View Mirror - Junkyard (newer looking)
Spare Wheel Cover - Junkyard (cleaner and all the seams are intact)
Dino Steering Wheel - needs some love, but it’s night a day difference in handling and comfort from stock:



----------

I loved the smoked lights look - and was determined to get rid of all the amber lights (and eventually red side markers too). So, I placed an order with Zarrir at BrazilShopping.com for

Smoked Corners:



I also picked up smoked blinker covers from Memo Imports:


Started making the front end look really nice...

[redone17]

Part 3.

We got news that my girlfriend’'s High School she works for would be moving to a part of Brooklyn that would require her to travel for 1.5-2 hours by public transportation - so I had my eyes peeled - and within a week found an ‘89 Coupe in absurdly good condition with just as absurd a price tag. After one test drive I knew I had to make this happen. After dropping more than I should have on the Wagon at this point - this seemed to even things out. Some people started to think I had lost it at this point - not having a car for nearly 12 years and then having two all of a sudden - but it felt like the right thing to do - and it sure was.

And then there were two:



I couldn’t stand the plastic hubcaps anymore - So, I picked up a set of pretty clean Tarantulas with Nexen tires with 90% tread left:





Winter is coming (or so I had hoped)! Time for the Thule Snowboard Carriers:


The shifter needed bushings BAD - getting into reverse was always a pain - and it was generally sloppy. I had gotten in touch with Felipe from iMohr and ordered a short shifter and a 4 Speed Bushing Kit. I also ordered a set of Extra Wide Side Trim for a 91-92 Voyage - they will go on after paint.



iMohr Parts:


New bushings and wooden shift knob (Redline MTL gear oil too):



Wheels and Tires:
Summer
Yokohama S.drive 195/50R15 - Purchased from Discount Tire Direct on 2/3/2012 - Mounted 3/10/2012
Konig Feather - 15X6.5 4x100 ET40 w/ 57.7>73.1mm Hub Rings
McGard Wheel Locks: 28175



Winter
OEM Snowflakes (have a clean set waiting for me to pick up in CT)
Not sure what tires yet...



At this point I dove deep into researching upgrading the suspension - I started buying parts here and there - but wouldn’t get them installed until March. I also start gathering parts for a complete brake system overhaul including Scirocco 10.1” Girling 54 Calipers - also not installed yet. I just lined up an MK3 brake booster already modded for the Fox that will come with the upgraded Master Cylinder...this will happen soon.

Vogtland Sport Lowering Springs :


Suspension (installed 4/7/2012):
Front Strut Insert: KYB - GR-2/Excel-G - 365008
Front Strut Mounts: KYB: SM5024 - else OEM - ZBA-412-351
Rear Struts: KYB - GR-2/Excel-G - 343191
Rear Strut Mounting - KYB - SM-5376
Rear Spring Isolator - upper spring seat for MK2
Rear Lower Spring Seat - (x2): KYB - SM5558
Strut Boot Front: KYSB101 (bumpers cut ~1” section)
Strut Boot Rear: KYSB115 (bumpers cut ~1” section)
Front Strut slotted nut/bushing (x2): 811 412 365
Springs: Vogtland Sports - MK2 1985-1992 - 2.4” 60mm - 956656
Ball Joints: OCAP - (L) 307 407 365 2 and (R) 307 407 366 2
MK1 Rear Strut Covers

Future Plans:
Tie Rods Assembly: (not installed yet): (L) 307 419 801 1 and (R) 307 419 802 10
AutoTech Rear Beam Sway Bar (not installed yet)
AutoTech 22mm Front Sway Bar - I need a solution to replace the outer bushings that are NLA
iMohr or other comparable Front Strut Tower Bar

Disclaimer: I wish that I can claim that I installed this setup - but I can't. Living in Brooklyn and not having the space and the right tools for the job - I needed to get someone else with way more experience and a professional garage to handle this. His name is Mike and he works at an Audi dealership (and had been working on VW/Audi since 1985). On the side he does work out of his incredible garage. He's in Eastern Long Island - if anyone wants his contact info - he is extremely reasonable and a real nice guy.

-----------------------------

Intake/Fuel System Upgrade (2/24/2012):
Digifant II Throttle Body from 1993 Fox
K&N Air Filter: 33-2002
Deleted Pre-Heater Hose (10/29/2011 during Exhaust Upgrade)
Deleted Cool Air Intake Hose and connection w/ flapper to airbox
Cold Start Valve: Bosch OEM 0.280.170.423 - lightly used/like new
Cleaned throttle plate
New vacuum hoses where needed
Idle, Timing, Mixture Adjusted
Fuel Injectors - all 4 new - Bosch 0 437 502 045 (3/17/2012)

This is where I FINALLY started to see the impact of all the work that had been going into the Wagon. Saw increase in mileage as well as the performance and added pickup throughout all gears.

[redone17]

Part 4.

ripemdry introduced to me his buddy at Axiom Auto Body in West Babylon on Long Island, NY - so I started to learn about body work and plan to tackle as much of this project as I can handle. Carl will take care of all the professional stuff at this point - when it comes to paint or major patch work - but I am learning a lot - though I haven’t been in a couple of months - here are some initial results:


Adhesive Removal:

24 year old adhesive was caked on pretty hard (first I cut all the small aluminum rivets out with wire cutters):




I used a heat gun and a sharp straight razor to get off what I could:




Then with a bit of lacquer remover and elbow grease:



Antenna Removal:















Temporary primer until the entire car get sanded down and painted (looks pretty clean IMO):


------------------

I had some free time at the shop - so I cleaned the engine bay:
Before:

After:


--------------------

New Wiper Arms:




-------------------

Side Marker Delete (more on this to come - I need to organize photos):

[redone17]

Part 5.


Front End:
I worked on installed the Brazilian front end over a course a few days. First step to making this set up work is removing the upper and lower horizontal pieces of trim off of the stock US grill (unfortunately I didn’t get a shot of stock before I started cutting them off - but here is what it looks like after a little plastic surgery:



I wanted to paint all these pieces one color - so I got some Rustoleum Primer/Paint Combo made for Plastics. I took the Gol trim and lightly sanded it down with a scouring pad so that the paint would adhere to it. I did the same to the grill. I then cleaned up both with some wax/grease remover and painted them with a few nice even coats.







Starting to look more and more like a Parati!!!:


----

Just after this I took the Wagon on it's first extended road trip - to Montreal from Brooklyn. It had been upstate NY, Philly and DC - but had done no more than 500 mile round trips. We visited Alain and went to see Radiohead! (sadly no pics of the Wagon in that beautiful city - it was pretty much parked the whole time outside the apartment we stayed in and we biked all over the city)

Packed and ready to go the night before:


At Litchfield Bug-In '12 w/ my Dad's 2008 Rabbit 2.5 (The Fox and the Hare):


------

Back home I continued progress on the front end...

Fog Lights:

Installing the Fog Lights was a pretty big project - now that I have done it once - I could probably do it again in half the time - but I guess that’s how it goes.

First unbolt all 6 bolts holding your bumper to the frame and slide it off:


I brought it indoors where I planned on working on it (AC is your friend in 96 degree weather). You have to cut off the one set of tow hooks - the ones furthest to the side of the car (if you have only this pair - then you will end up being tow hookless up front):



My first cut was not enough - you live you learn - make sure you cut ABOVE the bumper rebar:






In the middle of cutting they tow hooks off - I had to pull the skin off - it made it easier to maneuver the Dremel - probably better just using a sawzall - which I would advise you to take off the skin before you even start cutting.

You will have to cut out the section of grill for the lights to sit in - you will cut this - and then sand down a bit more to get it to fit right - I feel like I can sand even more - and get them to sit in just a bit deeper. I may do that once I have the bumper off for paint.





Oh yeah! before you pull the skin off - mark the rebar/metal bumper where you will be drilling two holes for the mounting bolts to go in. I used ¼” wide galvanized - not sure the length - and I probably went too long, but they can always be cut. I drilled the holes straight through the bend in the lip.



Once you have your holes drilled in your bumper for the bolts - you can put the bumper skin back on. You would slide the fogs on to make sure they are fitting right - take them off an add 4-5 nuts onto the bolt. I used loctite once I had it all figured out - these bolts will act as spacers.

I didn’t like the way the fogs sat at first:




So I took them back off and bent those long bolts down a bit - I had to take the spacer bolts back a centimeter or so - bend the bolts with a hammer and then tighten them down...installed the lights back and they fit more flush in the grill:




Almost complete Brazilian Front End!


I still need to come up with a solution for the seam between the top ad bottom grill pieces - I have a strip of aluminum I plan on bending into shape and paint, but haven’t gotten to it.

Lighting:
Smoked Rear Taillights: Imola Acrilico - Made in Brazil
Smoked Corner Parking Lenses:
Smoked Turning Signal Lenses: A1 Cabriolet Bumper Part # A1CA-1004
Voyage Headlight Lamps: RCD - made in Brazil
Headlights: Hella H4 Bulbs: Xenon +50 - http://www.rallylights.com/detail.aspx?ID=267
Fog Lights Brazil; RCD - made in Brazil
Fog Lights: H3 Bulbs: Narva H3 - Xenon +50 - http://www.rallylights.com/detail.aspx?ID=5137

Electrical Upgrades:
Fog Light Switch: 307.941.535.3 (not installed yet)
Alternator - 90 amp - OEM from 1993 Coupe
Wiring Harness for Headlights and Fog Lights - w/ relays - custom built from Susquehanna Rally Lights

[doppelfaust]

Finally!

Thanks for all the pointers on the fogs, this should help my install immensely. I really like the progression on your car, I can't wait to see the future.

[redone17]

Thanks Steve! Yeah - it's really nice to have this all in one place. I am really psyched on how it's turning out!

[redone17]

FUTURE PLANS:

Picked up parts for the PSA swap:

Lightened Stock Flywheel: 13.5 lbs


Spent some time cleaning the PSA on a day that I wish I was installing it (for some reason I never shot a before pic):




Brake/Wheel/Hub Parts list:
bearing kit (front) - Timken SET39
bearings kit (rear) - Timken Inner: SET1/Outer: SET8/Seals: 1174S
front hubs -
caliper guide pin: OEM
caliper bolts - ordered from Dealer on 2/2 OEM #: N-900-689-02 (x4)
drum shoes - Febi Drum Shoes
drums: black oxide coated
drum hardware - Made in USA
wheel cylinders - F A G Made in Germany (x2)
vented rotors - Meyle - 256mmX20mm - 10.1 inches OEM #: 321-615-301D
front pads - Mintex Red Box MDB1570 - else: OEM #: 357-698-151A
parking brake cable - Made in Italy
Autotech stainless hydraulic brake lines - 4 line set- 10-611-205K
MK3 Brake Booster
Upgraded Master Cylinder

Interior:
Audi 4k front seats (or some other tan/brown velour)
Re-upholster the rear Wagon pleather area - haven't decided on fabric yet
VDO gauges (just need to start accumulating rest of the senders)

Body/Exterior Upgrades:
Door handles (MK2) & seals
Window Seals
Hatch Seal
Door Seals
Window Seals
Gol Wide Side Molding
Sunroof?

Saveiro Front Vent Windows and Seals - I plan to install with “new” doors I got ready to be sanded and primered



Engine Upgrade (When:?)
Corrado G60 (MK2) Counterflow Big Valve Cylinder Head: Ported & Polished - needs some work
AutoTech 270 Hydrolift Cam
Neuspeed Adjustable Cam Sprocket
Lightened Intermediate Shaft
Windage Tray Oil Pan Gasket

[doppelfaust]

Jealous of the wing windows.

[voxwagen88]

Passed inspection on 9/2/2011 and it’s driven great since. And this is when the disease hit again.

What went from needing a car to save money in the long run instead of renting cars and for more freedom became an obsession.

Wow. It took you about 10 months to get done most of what took me 10 years.
And my fog lights and fat trim are still in storage.
You've got it bad. And that is good.
Good stuff.

Tell me about the S-drives. How do you like them? How do they compare to other tires?

[alaincopter]

Nice to see your build thread Chris!! Congrats, the Wagon is looking awesome excited for the future of it!

[insanebuslady]

Wow man, inspiring to see what can be done without so much as a driveway. The sidewalk is my shop as well, but I'm a lot further behind than you

Really really jealous of the vent windows..

[novws]

I've followed your posts almost from the beginning. Great work, Chris! It's nice to see it all chronicled here in one place.

[dacolino]

Hey that looks like my interior! Haha, Chris looking good man, glad you enjoy the wheel. Look like you also made it up through storm king as well. Pretty neat overlook of the hudson right? Car is coming along well, good luck with it

[redone17]

thanks for all the kind words guys! I sure have gone nipple deep in VW once again - it's interesting getting back into it being a little older and wiser from my teenage VW years - though I missed out on a lot. I have a LOT to learn. I am not nearly half as mechanically savvy as I'd like to be - but the Fox is a nice car to learn on

Regan - as for the S.drives - I don't have much to compare to. Besides the dry-rot crap that was on there when I got the car - I only had the Nexens on for a few months - and those are pretty generic. The S.drives feel fantastic - they handle well in wet conditions, they are a nice quiet ride and handle turns and breaking well - they never chirp on gear changes which is more than I can say about the Nexens...for $350 a set (w/chrome valve stems and warranty) - I am a happy FOXer. I like the way they look too! They are a bit soft - so, we'll see how long they last. I don't drive that much - coming in at like 10k during the first year.

I recently (June 14-17) took it on a 1000 Mile Trip up to Canada and it loved the ride. In fact - I think it has been running better than ever since that haul.

Chicago/Wisconsin with all stops in between it's next big trip!

[ripemdry]

Looks good makes me miss the wagon big time.

[JGWarner]

I like where this is going.

needz deezul tho...

[redone17]

Started the PSA swap. Many thanks to ziddey for his insight, tools and hard work. We are about halfway through the process. A couple of snags along the way, but more on that later.

Transmission Upgrade
PSA 5-Speed Transmission from a 1993 Coupe (THANKS 5-7-0!)
Lightened Stock Flywheel: 13.5 lbs
Clutch/Pressure Plate: NOS/OEM
Throwout Bearing - OEM
Throwout Bearing Guide Sleeve - OEM/Porsche
Flywheel Bolt - Febi
Redline MTL: 70W80 GL-4
Shifter Lower Support Rod: iMohr
Shifter Short Throw: iMohr
Techtonics Tuning - front snub mount
Engine/Trans Mounts: 034 MotorSport - Track Density (2 engine, 1 trans)

----------

Backup Parts:
Pilot Bearing - F A G
Selector Shaft Seal - Victor Reinz
Main Shaft Oil Seal - Elring Klinger

-----------

We opted for the full Brazilian experience and waited for the 100 degree Brooklyn weather. Wouldn't be a day of hard work without 3rd degree burns from the street



My awesome neighbor (thanks Paul) not only gave us a hand throughout the day (and provided power for the 3 gal compressor ziddey bought in preparation of this project - he also brought over a cooler filled with limeade, lemonade, waters and most importantly beer and ice! (greasy hands = no pic #1)

Removing the dual downpipe proved to be a pain in the arse - as expected. We had to drop the entire exhaust so that we could get the air gun on the bolts at the cat. We also had to remove the O2 sensor to maneuver the downpipe out. Once that was done every other step of the transmission removal went smoothly...



CV bolts were a breeze, bell housing bolts were easier to get at then expected, mount just needed a little breaker bar action, and once we took out the 3 little shield bolts - it pretty much dropped right out.



So, old flywheel, clutch and pressure plate are out - Ready to put the PSA in?!?! NOT SO FAST! We started checking out the PSA and making some obvious comparisons...at first glance we noticed the lack of a spring on the clutch release shaft. After a quick lifeline call to alaincopter (thanks Alain!) to confirm that yes, the 5 speed SHOULD have one - and a quick glance through the Bentley proved that post 1991 Foxes had this spring closer to the petal. Yay! This should be fun. But FIRST - a BEER and RIBS break! (greasy hands = no pic #2 - this time BBQ sauce) - I dry rubbed the night before - my roommate braised them in beer and whiskey for a while, smoked them for 2 hours and charred them on the grill - HIT THE SPOT!

It wasn't actually all that bad - obviously removing and reloading the spring was the hardest part. The arm itself on the PSA was definitely tampered with - there were big globs of weld that didn't look trustworthy - so I decided to make a bit of a hybrid of the two. As well as the arm, I took all the minor parts from the PW that the PSA was missing - throwout guide collar and lock washers, the plastic guide sleeve/bushing that holds the arm in place had seen better days - and the one on the PW was like new. Also grabbed the boot at the end of the tranny that covers the seal (which was also like-new) and the front mount brace.

All set up and ready to go in (just needs a bit of MoS2):


To be continued...

[Beetle.freak]

Dam nice progress ! I'd love to snag a set of those wing windows myself....what/what year did they come off of ?

[alaincopter]

Love how the swap is going, keep up the good work man! Your wagon deserves it and you'll love your road trips with it even more Looking forward to your driving impressions!

[89fox_^]

yea samething here i actually had the tranny down in less than an hour with out taking out the exhuast then i got stuck on the pilot bearing yea then i decided to take the downpipe off to put the tranny back on pain in the a$$ indeed i was actually suprised on how easy the tranny comes down,good luck bro

[redone17]

Prep for Part 2 of PSA swap w/ iMohr parts:

I started getting a few things done indoors in anticipation of finishing the swap tomorrow.

First I Dremel'd the off the ball from the linkage plate and gave it a grind on both sides until it was nice and flat/even.





Then I drilled a 1/4" hole that ended up needing a 5/16" bore to fit the iMohr bolt.


Regan/voxwagen88 mentioned the bolt being just too short and he's right - it just barely doesn't reach the lock ring. He suggested a 35mm which is about 1.38" - I plan to go get a 1.5" bolt that will suffice.


It seems from others experience I need the rod bolted to the bottom of the plate - I guess I have to play with it once I'm under the car.

iMohr short shifter itself needs the hole to be drilled a bit bigger (23/64") to fit the tube - otherwise there is too much play without it:


(have to drill/finish this part in the morning - people are sleeping)

So, I started cleaning up the flywheel with a scouring pad:







Until next time...

[redone17]

Let me start Part 2 off by saying: SCREW the 4 speed PW. What a waste of metal! Instantly more fun to drive with the PSA.

Secondly, many many thanks to ziddey and his willingness to help me with this swap. Without him I would have probably dropped it off with Mike - but this is one thing I really wanted to get my hands dirty with. It was such a great experience - I learned a TON - and most importantly: the rewards and satisfaction in saying "I did that" are priceless. So, thanks again ziddey for this experience - your hard work and guidance made this possible.

Lightened flywheel, and new Sachs clutch/pressure plate installed:


Using the clutch alignment tool is so helpful! Afterwards we were kicking ourselves for not observing top center on the flywheel and making a noticeable mark on it. There was some weight taken off where the numbers are usually visible - hoping some daylight will help us find it next time.

034 Motorsport mount and throwout bearing installed - all lubed up with MoS2 and ready to go!



Not many pictures to post of the mating and final steps of this process - here is what a Wagon looks like with a PSA:


Haha.

First test drive and we need to adjust the linkage slightly, first is a little tough to get into - since the car was already off the jacks and it was getting dark - we opted to adjust the shifter housing loosening the two bolts and sliding it to the right a bit. I plan to get under there again - but more importantly we needed a beer.

I was afraid the 034 Motorsport engine mounts and Techtonics Tuning front snub were going to rattle my teeth more than I would liked it, but I was wrong! WHAT a great feel. I look forward to really getting to cruise around a bit, but on first impression I already felt a difference in shifting and even taking turns...more on this later

The iMohr lower support rod added and nice stiffness and accuracy that I am already loving. I meant to take a picture of it - but will have to next time I have the car lifted - but there is NO way the arm would bolt on UNDER the linkage plate like suggested in QuantumSyncro's DIY thread as well as voxwagen88's post in the Shifter Bushing Madness thread. I have it bolted in above the plate just like its pictured on iMohr's site (it DID need a slightly (1/4" more did it - of in metric it was said to get 35mm) longer bolt than provided, which I thank voxwagen88 for the advice):



OH - how can I forget? This also wouldn't have been possible without our trusty cobblestone brick and wood block (which cracked in half) - all jacked up Brooklyn style:

[ziddey]

OH - how can I forget? This also wouldn't have been possible without our trusty cobblestone brick and wood block (which cracked in half) - all jacked up Brooklyn style:

[alaincopter]

Congrats to you and ziddey! After tackling a project this big, there's really not much on a Fox you can't do yourself brooklin style jack gave me a good smile!

Looking forward to hearing more driving impressions, especially on the lighter flywheel - can you tell how much faster it revs up in neutral?

[redone17]

I lost plates and lock nuts from both bike carriers due to the new mounts

Thanks Alain! I'm really excited about where this is going. The engine revs up nicely all around - all gears have significant pickup increases. I must say the longer arm on the clutch release made a HUGE difference. So smooth and easy and engages with little effort.

I want to drive all of the time right now.

[denver_fox]

Chris, your really learning some crazy ish now! Very impressed!

[voxwagen88]

Let me start Part 2 off by saying: SCREW the 4 speed PW. What a waste of metal! Instantly more fun to drive with the PSA.

HaHaHA.

I was afraid the 034 Motorsport engine mounts and Techtonics Tuning front snub were going to rattle my teeth more than I would liked it, but I was wrong! WHAT a great feel.

Glad you were not steered wrong on those.

Smooth, easy, accurate shifting.

What a reward for your efforts.

[redone17]

I took the PSA Wagon on it's first trip yesterday. We did a 200 mile trip to Eastern PA to go tubing and have a 400+ mile trip planned for this weekend up to Cooperstown. I am exponentially more excited to drive with the PSA. So much fun!

Just to keep this all in one place - I started this thread asking about the idle screw and some issues I have been having with it. I have some homework to do.

The Street Peep scoped out the Wagon! He posted his pics on Saturday. He goes around taking photos of old/obscure cars/trucks and leaves a business card saying "You've Been Peeped" with his site on it. Great concept. I feel honored!

[redone17]

After consistant recommendations I put in a Mahle (OC47) oil filter along with 20w50 for the first time. Seems happy so far.

I was running 15w40 for the last year - seemed to love it over the Bentley and original mechanic recommended 10w30 - but figured a long summer drive could use the higher viscosity this time around. Preparing for a 3k mile road trip.

[redone17]

Last night we got home from the Wagon's longest trip so far. 2,745 miles without a hitch. Such a great vacation.

So rewarding being able to take a 24 yr old car out on the road - especially compared to the state this car was in a year ago. Got a lot of looks of course! Only saw 1 early Rabbit the whole time and it was on the last day in Detroit.

I hit 10k miles in the last year (almost to the day) on our way to Ohio.

This is my favorite pic during the trip - in front of our cabin in Interlochen, MI (was supposed to rain this night, so we opted for a cabin instead of tent - but of course it was a perfectly clear night)


The Wagon has a history of long road trips. The PO's notes claim he drove to Florida a few times and it even made it out to Arizona once or twice! I plan to keep it happy and trek it around the country some more.

This trip:
Brooklyn > LI NY (drop off our dog with my folks) > Roxbury, NY > Allegany State Park camp > Ohio 2 night camp and Cedar Point Roller Coasters > Chicago for a long weekend of amazing biking, beer and food (incl a trip to Three Floyds in Munster, IL) > Founders for lunch > Cabin in Interlochen, MI > Sleeping Bear Dunes 2 night camp, biking, hiking and swimming > 2 nights in Detroit > Brooklyn

--

Next: Brake upgrade

[1993vw fox]

Sounds like a great trip. Glad the wagon was pleased to take the trip.

[kerensky]

One of the guys in the Scirocco forum hit all 48 contiguous states a couple of summers ago. He actually had a map of the country painted on the hood and filled them in as he traveled. It was epic.

[alaincopter]

Awesome trip man, would love to see more pics if you have them! What a reliable Wagon. All your hard work with preventive maintenance and new parts sure is paying off. I'll be doing a trip with my Fox soon and hope it performs this good also

[QuantumSyncro]

Wagon looks great, you've done a great job on it.

Steve