noR • 2000 • Tekno Blue • GLX

[noR]

Hey I'm off work today, I'll work on that mod list. There's just so much little stuff, and things that were done, and then undone... :P

In that shot they're stock 16" alloys from 2000; running 225/50R16 Yokohama EVS 100. They're pretty wide, really looks evil. I took the oem centercaps off and put on some centercaps for rave wheels. I kinda liked that flower/explosion/flare effect.


Thanks Dnyed, yeah I don't show off much. I figured w/the new forum I should make a phat thread on photos though. I try to keep things subtle (black caliper paint, custom tails, etc) rather than flashy.

mentalVdub: oh yeah, the handling seriously took a huge leap forward.

[yelojkt]

Originally Posted by noR

I've performed ALL the above upgrades myself, except for the Downpipe/Cat and resonator removal. I've changed my own timing belt, as well as performed the clutch install. 98% of all modifications were done in a drive way w/ramps, jacks, and jack stands.

I have had shops do various work/repairs: Clutch install #1 (g60/sachs vr6); remove & replace bent wheel hub; oil changes before 20K. I have not had any dents/dings fixed or repainted.

What I can't list there is the extreme care I take while performing maintenance and upgrades. I typically clean EVERYTHING thoroughly if it is removed from the beetle. I have scrubbed my subframe w/a toothbrush; I have cleaned brake bolts with solvents. Phrog has 127,209 miles as of this posting, and I'm hoping to break the 1/4 million mark.

I take him for road trips, I've raced him down the 1/4mi., and the 1/8mi. And I try to race him in SoloII (AutoX) events regularly. I have no 'extra' cars that run. If Phrog is down; I am down. We're tight like that. I make him work, work hard, and I make him stay working.

So yeah... this is Phrog; my daily racer.

You just became my favorite new buddy on the org. It is so cool I do the same with my New Beetle while doing maintenance(the toothbrush thing). I use simple green on almost everything I clean. What cleaner do you use? In the picture below all I have done is spray the wheelwell with simple green,I did not scrub any thing before taking the photo. Before spraying it I did not even realize that there was yellow paint showing in that area.

[VDUBYA]

Phrog's looking good! We need to get together. I've got an
idea for mounting a Boost guage in mine that I want to talk to you about...

[noR]

Haha, thanks Yelojkt. I tend to just use whatever's on hand. a big fan of foaming cleaners. I use alot of Armor All Tire foam; or gunk engine brite if it's hard to get clean. It's really a habit I just picked up. I don't want bolts getting siezed because of dirt or anything retarded like that. I'm not all that great at keeping Phrog shiney; but when I take him apart it all gets cleaned then. :P

VDUBYA,
We'll have to just make something happen I imagine. No more Solo II events out in Columbus; at least not any time soon. But I'm sure we can make somethin' happen.

[blaquea8]

wOw!!! everyting look GREAT!
Nice job on everything!

[Anaconda]

Lookin good yo!

[Toad]

Damn, those wheels with the green accent in the wheel wells are pretty sick! I love how that looks.

[skooby_girl]

Love Phrog!! Outstanding Ron!!

[herTDI]

that's a lot of burn in that picture! and it's awesome
and those wheels are incredible.

[retrorich]

noR: That's one phrog that deserves to be kissed.

[noR]

Hahaha. Right on; thanks Rich. He really is a prince.

Thanks Anaconda; I'm doin' what I can to make it work like I want.

herTDI; yeah... I'd hate to do that w/nice tires, but eh... they were going to be swapped the next day anyway. :P (I'm pretty sure a warped a rotor that day too)

[yelojkt]

Dude were you been.

[noR]

Workin' lots. Other than that... Took some new pics, added a luggage rack to phrog. Tryin' to find an oil leak, think I found it just gotta plug it somehow now, and tryin' to figure out how I warped rotors in less than a month w/no rain.

Had a side project that's had me up till 5:30 am a few days, and works' picked up the pace a bit. It's nuts.

[yelojkt]

I never thought I would say this to another guy but here goes...Nice rack dude. Were are you seeing oil at? I always have a little bit of oil on the outside of my pan on the back by the firewall. I just had my oil changed a few days ago and the tech said my oilpan gasket was leaking. But no oil spots on the garage floor so I'll try to leave it alone untill a cluthc install or something. Catch you later.

[noR]

Oilpan gasket, hey, I've got a tube of that stuff. VW OEM no less. I haven't messed w/it, but figured it'd be good to have. If you get close to thinkin' of doing it, let me know; I'll rush on ahead, and should probably have plenty left in the tube for 2nds. (It'd be 3rds actually, and this is assuming it hasn't dried out; shouldn't have though)

Haha, rack, I haven't even posted the shots here... well... I will next post.

The oil leak, I'll post that picture here.

I'm not 100% positive what it is, I'm PRETTY sure it ties in to the PCV(Positive Crankcase Ventilation) system somehow; Must be some NASTY gunk flowin' through that line, I'm thinkin' of filtration possibilities or elimination methods; but I don't wanna screw w/what some engineer did.

So yeah, on to the leak. This hose, you'll see the 4 little cracks in it. Under normal operation that hose is squeezed shut like a cheap straw. I guess years of heat and deformation have taken it's toll and it's just giving up now.

It's the hose below the 2 vac lines:

[noR]

Rack Shots.

Phrog's dirty so uh, yeah whatever. He was washed a couple weeks ago.

It's deffinately not sporty. So I dunno how permanent an addition this is. But it's functional. So that's a plus. And I really like how it looks alone, it's a neat part, it just doesn't seem to "fit" with what I envision in my head. For now it stays, I have no spoiler in the way and no reason to remove it. Maybe it'll grow on me.
But ... it's pretty retro; that's not really the direction I wanna go.

[noR]

Back to the oil issue for a sec:
This little leak caused my headliner to droop. Er, engine ... silencer, headliner, fire-retardant, stuff-thingy. I've now removed that.

At first I thought it was the vac line (the one w/the ziptie) that was causin' the problem (the one coated in sticky nasty thick oil); I guess I was blind at the time. I eventually wrapped a few things in papertowels and drove around for half an hour, trying to heat things, pressureize things, generally tear it up. That helped me zero in on the cause.

[noR]

Oil leak cured:

borrowed needle nose pliers from O'Reilly's.
borrowed straight-slot screwdrive from O'Reilly's
used my own knife to cut off excess hose.

$2.49 coolant hose #19026
$2.39 hose clamps #6203v (8mm-22mm)
= $5.22 total

The hose clamps had to be loosened just a bit before they'd fit, very snug, what I'd like to call "perfect" fit.

I didn't take photos yet, I'll get one shortly. Think I'll buy another coolant hose cause I cut just a smidge more off than I'd have liked.

I haven't inspected it while running yet.

Thanks yelojkt for a great solution.

[yelojkt]

Your welcome NoR.

[yelojkt]

Just saying hi Nor havn't talked in awhile. Anything new with your speedbuggy?