# VW Cabriolet Project for the wifey **URL:** \ **Category:** Builds\ **Created:** [November 5, 2007, 10:46am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vw-cabriolet-project-for-the-wifey/38206 "2007-11-05T10:46:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 17
**Author:** ![juicedz4](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/juicedz4/32/5051_2.png) [@juicedz4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/juicedz4)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2015, 6:18am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vw-cabriolet-project-for-the-wifey/38206/321 "2015-04-15T06:18:04Z")
Had an hour last night so I started working on the short shifter. Yes, I realize this looks like the long shifter, but its not. So far so good, just need to drill a few holes and it should be set. ![http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14891-1/20150415_001401.jpg](http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14891-1/20150415_001401.jpg) ![http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14894-1/20150415_005938.jpg](http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14894-1/20150415_005938.jpg) Compared to stock ![http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14897-1/20150415_010113.jpg](http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14897-1/20150415_010113.jpg) Dan ---
**Author:** ![juicedz4](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/juicedz4/32/5051_2.png) [@juicedz4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/juicedz4)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2015, 8:32am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vw-cabriolet-project-for-the-wifey/38206/322 "2015-04-17T08:32:31Z")
Finished up the shifter bracket; holes drilled and I re-welded and smoothed out the shaft/bracket joint. Also a sneak peak of the new linkages Im starting. ![http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14900-1/20150416_223224.jpg](http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14900-1/20150416_223224.jpg) Routed the fuel lines. The soft lines will connect to hard lines just above floor level near the firewall. I will probably nutsert the body for the hold downs vs just the screws I was using for the mockup. ![http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14903-1/20150416_230730.jpg](http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14903-1/20150416_230730.jpg) ![http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14906-1/20150416_230809.jpg](http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14906-1/20150416_230809.jpg) Welded -8 fittings to the oil cooler adapter and got the lines made. ![http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14909-1/20150416_230912.jpg](http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14909-1/20150416_230912.jpg) ![http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14912-2/20150416_235726.jpg](http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14912-2/20150416_235726.jpg) Dan ---
**Author:** ![ubengineering](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/ubengineering/32/5171_2.png) [@ubengineering](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ubengineering)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2015, 10:12am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vw-cabriolet-project-for-the-wifey/38206/323 "2015-04-17T10:12:41Z")
Always look forward to your updates. ---
**Author:** ![lorge1989](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/lorge1989/32/6153_2.png) [@lorge1989](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/lorge1989)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2015, 11:49am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vw-cabriolet-project-for-the-wifey/38206/324 "2015-04-17T11:49:06Z")
Looking great! What type of management are you using? I might have missed it. ---
**Author:** ![juicedz4](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/juicedz4/32/5051_2.png) [@juicedz4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/juicedz4)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2015, 6:34pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vw-cabriolet-project-for-the-wifey/38206/325 "2015-04-17T18:34:43Z")
> [@lorge1989](#): > > Looking great! What type of management are you using? I might have missed it. Megasquirt. Dan ---
**Author:** ![juicedz4](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/juicedz4/32/5051_2.png) [@juicedz4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/juicedz4)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 6:58am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vw-cabriolet-project-for-the-wifey/38206/326 "2015-04-24T06:58:05Z")
Finally got a start on the strut tower brace. I didnt like anything prefabed so why not make my own. I machined the vertical pieces at the ends out of 7/8" bar stock. The bottom side is tapped so I can bolt it in from the bottom vs using hollow tubing and bolts on top. Naturally I had to press the studs out of the strut bearings. The tubes are 3/4" mild steel that I put a slight bend in with a friends tubing roller and notched with my pos HF notcher. Im planning on making a dimple die’d sheet steel web to go between the two tubes. Likely get to that sunday night. ![http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14960-1/20150424_002232.jpg](http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14960-1/20150424_002232.jpg) ![http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14963-1/20150424_013216.jpg](http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14963-1/20150424_013216.jpg) ![http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14966-2/20150424_013245.jpg](http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14966-2/20150424_013245.jpg) ![http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14969-1/20150424_013833.jpg](http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14969-1/20150424_013833.jpg) ![http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14972-1/20150424_013851.jpg](http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14972-1/20150424_013851.jpg) Also started on a shift weight and got all the parts in for the upgraded shift linkages. Dan ---
**Author:** ![cougarspeed](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/cougarspeed/32/7468_2.png) [@cougarspeed](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/cougarspeed)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 7:31am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vw-cabriolet-project-for-the-wifey/38206/327 "2015-04-24T07:31:34Z")
Bend is a nice touch. How is the HF notcher? ---
**Author:** ![juicedz4](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/juicedz4/32/5051_2.png) [@juicedz4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/juicedz4)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 7:47am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vw-cabriolet-project-for-the-wifey/38206/328 "2015-04-24T07:47:54Z")
> [@cougarspeed](#): > > Bend is a nice touch. How is the HF notcher? The bend was also necessary to clear the charge pipe, but it also happens to look nicer. It “works” but its a pile of shit. However, Ive definitely gotten my $50 or whatever out of it. I would DEF NOT use it if I was going to build a cage. Dan ---
**Author:** ![focusinprogress](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/focusinprogress/32/7227_2.png) [@focusinprogress](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/focusinprogress)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 11:03am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vw-cabriolet-project-for-the-wifey/38206/329 "2015-04-24T11:03:14Z")
FWIW, I bought the eastwood notcher and have been pretty happy with it. the hole saws that came with it haven’t held up the best…cut maybe 12-15 notches and they are missing 3 or 4 teeth each saw (.120 wall tube)…but I just went to HD and got some dewalt hole saws to replace the worn out ones and I assume they should hold up much better. ---
**Author:** ![maxwell](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/maxwell/32/6524_2.png) [@maxwell](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/maxwell)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 12:52pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vw-cabriolet-project-for-the-wifey/38206/330 "2015-04-24T12:52:07Z")
When you guys are drilling do you lube the tip or go in dry? ---
**Author:** ![juicedz4](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/juicedz4/32/5051_2.png) [@juicedz4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/juicedz4)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 7:40pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vw-cabriolet-project-for-the-wifey/38206/331 "2015-04-24T19:40:02Z")
> [@maxwell](#): > > When you guys are drilling do you lube the tip or go in dry? Always lube the tip, always. I like Tap Magic myself. Dan ---
**Author:** ![Spam16v](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/spam16v/32/5287_2.png) [@Spam16v](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Spam16v)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2015, 10:07am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vw-cabriolet-project-for-the-wifey/38206/332 "2015-04-25T10:07:15Z")
Tap Magic FTW ---
**Author:** ![juicedz4](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/juicedz4/32/5051_2.png) [@juicedz4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/juicedz4)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2015, 6:35am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vw-cabriolet-project-for-the-wifey/38206/333 "2015-04-27T06:35:25Z")
Made a bit more progress on the strut bar. Got the sheet metal cut out, drilled, dimpled, and welded in. What a total pain that was. I had to move a pile of clamps 26 times, once for each weld. Took almost 2 hours. I just need to finish weld the mounting ends on tomorrow night then I can take it for coating. ![http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14990-1/20150426_232655.jpg](http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14990-1/20150426_232655.jpg) ![http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14987-2/20150426_232641.jpg](http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14987-2/20150426_232641.jpg) ![http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14993-1/20150427_012919.jpg](http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14993-1/20150427_012919.jpg) Also finished up the new shift linkage rods including a shift weight that I made on the lathe at work. Ive seen some people just use threaded rod, but I think it looks stupid, so I bought and threaded some 8mm rod instead. The ball ends are 13mm to mate with the OEM ball mounts. Obviously I need to add two for the shift weight rod as it just used bushings in holes originally. ![http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14975-1/20150424_153319.jpg](http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14975-1/20150424_153319.jpg) ![http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14978-1/20150424_203859.jpg](http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14978-1/20150424_203859.jpg) ![http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14981-1/20150424_200158.jpg](http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14981-1/20150424_200158.jpg) ![http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14984-1/20150424_202101.jpg](http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/14984-1/20150424_202101.jpg) I think thats just about all the fab I need to do before I can start stripping the whole car down to finish any welding and start stripping undercoating etc. Dan ---
**Author:** ![cougarspeed](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/cougarspeed/32/7468_2.png) [@cougarspeed](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/cougarspeed)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2015, 7:14am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vw-cabriolet-project-for-the-wifey/38206/334 "2015-04-27T07:14:43Z")
You are nuts in the best way possible. :tup: ---
**Author:** ![juicedz4](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/juicedz4/32/5051_2.png) [@juicedz4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/juicedz4)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2015, 7:36am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vw-cabriolet-project-for-the-wifey/38206/335 "2015-04-27T07:36:22Z")
> [@cougarspeed](#): > > You are nuts in the best way possible. :tup: haha thanks. :tup: Dan ---
**Author:** ![checko](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/checko/32/5422_2.png) [@checko](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/checko)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2015, 8:14am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vw-cabriolet-project-for-the-wifey/38206/336 "2015-04-27T08:14:26Z")
So good! ---
**Author:** ![juicedz4](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/juicedz4/32/5051_2.png) [@juicedz4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/juicedz4)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 6:34am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vw-cabriolet-project-for-the-wifey/38206/337 "2015-05-06T06:34:49Z")
> [@checko](#): > > So good! Thanks! Last thrusday I decided I was close enough to pull the motor and trans back out. Also removed the doors. Probably get back to the engine bay work in a week. ![http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/15032-1/20150501_000943.jpg](http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/15032-1/20150501_000943.jpg) I dropped the strut tower brace off for powder monday. Accidentally ruined the radiator cover trying to shear 1/8" off the edge (forgot about the damn feet on the shear that holds the metal). Anyway thought Id try my hand at forming a radius bend at the corner of it vs having it square. Not bad for a first attempt. Rev 2 will feature this. ![http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/15026-1/20150429_011143.jpg](http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/15026-1/20150429_011143.jpg) Bronze bushings showed up monday. Had to turn the larger ones down a little on the lathe to fit in the selector bracket. Just need to come up with a couple spacers. So now the whole shifter mechanism is rubber bushing / grommet free. ![http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/15041-2/20150505_150414.jpg](http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/15041-2/20150505_150414.jpg) ![http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/15044-1/20150505_185306.jpg](http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/15044-1/20150505_185306.jpg) ![http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/15047-1/20150505_185322.jpg](http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/15047-1/20150505_185322.jpg) Got tired of having a whole car spread out on various benches, the floor etc so I whipped up this rolling rack last night. I just happen to have 12 2x4s, 2 sheets of plywood and a spare set of casters off my one HF tool box laying around. SO much better. (Yes, I really need to organize my scrap metal ) ![http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/15035-1/20150505_231740.jpg](http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/15035-1/20150505_231740.jpg) ![http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/15038-1/20150505_235806.jpg](http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/15038-1/20150505_235806.jpg) Dan ---
**Author:** ![Jeller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bc8723/32.png) [@Jeller](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Jeller)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 7:46am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vw-cabriolet-project-for-the-wifey/38206/338 "2015-05-06T07:46:44Z")
I just have to ask, do you work on this till wee hours of the morning or something? I know you work, so when the hell do you have time to do all this stuff? No kids? Keep up the great work man :tup: ---
**Author:** ![juicedz4](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/juicedz4/32/5051_2.png) [@juicedz4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/juicedz4)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 7:53am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vw-cabriolet-project-for-the-wifey/38206/339 "2015-05-06T07:53:48Z")
> [@Jeller](#): > > I just have to ask, do you work on this till wee hours of the morning or something? I know you work, so when the hell do you have time to do all this stuff? No kids? > > Keep up the great work man :tup: I have one busy 10yr old daughter. Typically I work sunday, tues and thrusday nights from 9:30pm-1am (sometimes 1:30). Tuesdays I get a couple extra hours (6-8) while my daughter is at Irish dance. If we arent super busy on the weekend Ill try to put in a couple hours here or there. Basically I never just sit down and relax, Im basically going wide open any time Im awake and vertical. Dan ---
**Author:** ![juicedz4](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/juicedz4/32/5051_2.png) [@juicedz4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/juicedz4)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2015, 9:52am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vw-cabriolet-project-for-the-wifey/38206/340 "2015-05-08T09:52:44Z")
Got the strut tower brace back from powder. Its a textured, flat, red. ![http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/15050-2/20150507_182147.jpg](http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/15050-2/20150507_182147.jpg) ![http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/15053-2/20150507_182221.jpg](http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/15053-2/20150507_182221.jpg) ![http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/15056-2/20150507_182732.jpg](http://www.clubhousecustoms.com/gallery2/d/15056-2/20150507_182732.jpg) Dan [Previous page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vw-cabriolet-project-for-the-wifey/38206.md?page=16) [Next page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/vw-cabriolet-project-for-the-wifey/38206.md?page=18)