Turbo Mike's 952 Berrien Sand Rail

[Bugman114]

Hey Yall. Well, i just got this rail from bryce, and i can't wait to get it on the road . I'll let the pics do most of the talking:







Love the look of those rear tires. they are 31/10.5/15LT's









And before anyone starts asking if i'm selling the spindle wheels, they are both shot. One is missing about 6 inches of the lip of the rim (rusted away), and the other has a nickel sized rust hole:


............... lol, i was planning on running brakes up front anyhow








Next pics should be of my progress

[DiggerD]

Don't look too bad. Should be a pretty fun lil project.

I hope you are planning to refurb and keep the funky rear disc set up.

[DOODLE BUGG]

you going to turbo it to

[Bugman114]

I hope you are planning to refurb and keep the funky rear disc set up.

Oh yeah. I plan to buy a CNC pedal assembly, and redo the lines, as well as new calipers. the calipers only cost $15 with a metal piston (not that composite crap ). I might be able to re-use the type 3 rear hubs. i'll get new lines, new hardware (duh, lol), and new pads. the only thing i still have to look up are the rotors. still not 100% sure if they are also from a chrysler town and country, but we'll see. also, i have to replace one of the stub axles, because it looks like at some point, someone cross threaded the axle nut or it came off, or something, because the end of the axle is pounded and destroyed. bo big deal actually, as i just happen to have a spare one lying around, lol.

Up front i'll prolly just throw some drums on, with no brakes, and bolt up some wheels, since there is no weight up front, the whels would just lock up everytime i had hit the brakes .

And i'm not sure if i will turbo it or not . I really miss having a loud motor, but i do love the power of a turbo. I know for sure, that it won't have a turbo anytime soon, I'm just going to build a stock motor (with a loud ass exhaust, prolly a tri-mill) for it just to get it on the road, and maybe later on i'll slap a turbo on it.

[VW12step]

Sean has a pedal cluster for sale...he did have one a few weeks ago anyway...want me to see if he still has it?

[Bugman114]

haven't updated in a while. life gets busy, what can ya do.

Got the wheels, and rear disc brake stuff off, and plan to start replacing parts soon. i also got the tranny out. its up on jackstands now. i have discovered that i will have to re do the rear shock arrangement. the lower shock mounts (on the trailing arms), were basically the stock mount cut off, and welded very badly on the top of the trailing arm. but they were welded on, on a wierd angle, and also the top shock mount. the shock is bolted 90 degrees off, then where it should be, so when the suspension cycles, the shocks are pulled in the completely opposite direction then they should be. for example, instead of the shock pivoting on the bolt, it pulls side to side against the bolt. so i will have to redo the lower mounts all together, and just have to re drill the upper mount bolts, so they go side to side, instead of front to back.

I've figured out that the rear disc brake is made up of
-1980 chrysler town and country calipers and pads
-1984 porsche 944 rear rotors
-Type 3 rear drum brake hubs

I've already got a case for it, and its in pretty good shape. already got the cam bearings, but having a hard time finding the correct main, and rod bearings for it. But i'll prolly just get them from CIP1. I also need a good cam for it, but will prolly go with a w100 or equivalent (so if anyone has a good aftermarket cam lying around, PM me). the only cams i seem to find are huge drag cams, lol.

i plan to get straight cut gears, re-use the rods (but balence them first), equalizer pulley with sand seal, MAYBE a 74mm crank, stock bore, mildly ported stock heads, weber ICT carbs (only if the ones i have are any good, otherwise a stock 34 pict), breather box, one wire alt., and if i have the time/money a crank trigger megajolt ignition system with a ford taurus trigger wheel, ford escort coil pack, crank sensor, ignition module, and plug wires.

[Bugman114]

Well, i finally found someplace local, who has all the main, and rod bearings, at a pretty good price, and the good quality MAHLE....... WHERE I WORK, lol. I never thought to search and see if we can get them, lol. But while searching today, i discovered advance can get all the main, and rod bearings by mahle (and some other manufacturer, i can't remeber), in every size imaginable. I needed .020 case/ .020 crank/ std thrust and .030 rods. it was like $12 for the rod bearings, and $58 for the mains. That size mains seemed to be higher then the rest for some reason (just my luck, lol). but its cool since I get a 20% discount anyway, lol. Hopefully, pics of of the engine comming together are next.