I agree that it's nice to see some positive chatter on here!
I have not done much on the build manual just yet, but this is definitely the week where "steamrolling" will occur.
Here's a little of what I've been up to this past month:
I have designed patterns for the aluminum pieces that fill in the fenders.
I've reshaped/fit the aluminum pieces that cover the back seat so that they fit more easily and so that the firewall seals against our freshly reshaped engine cover.
Rob and I found a good location to mount the evap canister for the VR6/1.8T. It easily fits between the rear subframe and the body.
I have become one of the many Malone dealer tuners, allowing me to work with Malone to tune my own cars and the G3F with the same loader. I'm not here to advertise, but if you're a G3F enthusiast or builder and you happen to stop by Smyth Performance or my shop in Flint, Mi... then I would be happy to help make sure your car is in order and give you a bargain price on a tune. I've never been in this to make money, I just genuinely enjoy helping out the TDI community.
I have a set of R520 nozzles installed in bodies and ready to test on the G3F. We are just waiting for days without rain to come up with baseline performance figures before we move on to more powerful components.
I have figured out how to hook up all of the headlights and taillights permanently. (it's pretty easy and it's posted on FB, and I will add this to the manual soon)
There is news for folks who are trying to go fast on a bargain TDI build: HFLOX nozzles are a new manufacturer that are extremely cheap ($110 for .216 nozzles!) and of better quality than many nozzles that sell for $300+. According to an unbiased injector calibrator, they are on par with Bosch and Bosio for quality. Time will tell, but this is looking promising.
Mark discovered and I have installed camber adjusting brackets on a test rear subframe. The supplier of these brackets claims that he will no longer be making them, so it may be up to us to find a way of incorporating them into kits. If you haven't yet noticed, the rear camber will be a little on the aggressive side without the adjustment plates. I have a good pattern that will help you guys install these plates at the correct (perpendicular) angle, so that when you are adjusting camber you are not simultaneously adjusting caster.
I will be working on dismantling my personal car and turning it into a G3F while writing the manual and setting up our new plasma cutting table in the next few weeks. I work long hours because I am still somewhat inexperienced, yet determined. Wish me luck!
Don't hesitate to call or text me looking for advice or updates: (810) 394-5040
-Mike Gallant
Last edited by manual_tranny; 08-20-2012 at 12:53 PM..
Good on ya, Mike! I'll be back into my G3F build this weekend, I hope, and will needle you with questions all I can. My windshield frame arrived safely last week. Thanks for the update and encouragement.
Smyth G3F Beta-build: 1999.5 Jetta TDI donor, Malone Stage 2 Tune and injectors. Love my Roadster; the G3F will be my daily driver. Build details here:http://www.g3f-jlphil.blogspot.com/
Just a quick update, Mark and Mike did some tuning work on the tdi mule and posted a video today. I then asked Mark for some performance numbers and he said the 90 HP, 12s 0-60 time of the stock jetta dropped to about 7s for the tuned, 130 HP G3F. He felt the improved tune took about 2s off the 0-60 time. (Which means a stock 90HP G3F would be about 9s.) All of these are seat of the pants numbers, of course, but it at least gives you an idea of the ball park.
Based on my previous calcs, I'm hoping my 240-250 HP 1.8t will be near 5s for 0-60 making it a quick little daily driver.
I, too, received my windshield frame last week. Unfortunately, I also had a minor surgery that didn't go as planned. Not a big deal, it just kept me from being in the garage as much as I'd hoped. I should be able to spend some time this weekend.
A few Ohio beta builders were able to make the trip to Michigan to see the mule this weekend so I wanted to give you my impressions. First off, I think this will end up being a fantastic kit car and I'm really excited to be a part of it. However, it was great for us to see where the car actually is in the development cycle to 'recalibrate' our expectations.
The car was rougher than we expected but not in a bad way. There were a lot of little things that need addressed but I didn't see anything that was insurmountable. (Engine cover, windows, AC, fitment, etc... Check my blog as I have a lot of pictures.)
It's important that we keep this kind of stuff in mind as we go forward with this project. This isn't Factory Five with engineers on staff and many years of building very similar cars. Doing the design work, there is Mike Gallant three months on, three months off as he's going to school and Mark, who went through a massive project to sell his half of FFR. (If I missed anyone, I appologize.) Mike has never done a project like this and Mark has never done something with this platform. That results in a pretty steep learning curve in addition to the regular hiccups. The other betas that I went with have never built a car before. It was a great reminder to them that they are betas, they are not getting a complete, snap together car.
Anyway, watching the other folks at tdi fest look at the car, there is quite a bit of interest. Just like with FFR cars, there are probably far more people that are interested than will probably pay their entry fee, but that's OK.
Seeing the car has re-engerized me a bit and I came home and finished the fuel system that I've been fussing with, on and off, for a few months.
It was well worth the 7 hrs of driving and we even squeezed in a few hours at the Henry Ford museum.
Great to hear that you are re-energized about the project. I enjoyed looking through your pictures, and I share your reserved comments about the state of the mule. Did anyone get a minute of seat time? I assume it is running.
Separately, the Ford Museum is great. When I was stuck living up in Ann Arbor for work, that was something of a regular stop for me, along with the occasional weekend stroll around Fair Lane. Good use of your time!
Cheers, John
__________________
FFR1004105RD - world's first twin-turbo BMW V12-powered FFR Roadster
2011 Dodge 2500 Cummins 6.7L - biodiesel-fueled daily driver JHETTO: 2001 VW Jetta TDI, intended as G3F donor, FOR SALE
A few Ohio beta builders were able to make the trip to Michigan to see the mule this weekend so I wanted to give you my impressions. First off, I think this will end up being a fantastic kit car and I'm really excited to be a part of it. However, it was great for us to see where the car actually is in the development cycle to 'recalibrate' our expectations.
The car was rougher than we expected but not in a bad way. There were a lot of little things that need addressed but I didn't see anything that was insurmountable. (Engine cover, windows, AC, fitment, etc... Check my blog as I have a lot of pictures.)
It's important that we keep this kind of stuff in mind as we go forward with this project. This isn't Factory Five with engineers on staff and many years of building very similar cars. Doing the design work, there is Mike Gallant three months on, three months off as he's going to school and Mark, who went through a massive project to sell his half of FFR. (If I missed anyone, I appologize.) Mike has never done a project like this and Mark has never done something with this platform. That results in a pretty steep learning curve in addition to the regular hiccups. The other betas that I went with have never built a car before. It was a great reminder to them that they are betas, they are not getting a complete, snap together car.
You're right, it's not a 'snap-together' car, but it's getting closer to that every day. Betas get a discount because they are willing to be patient with us as we refine each piece and massage the molds into total symmetry.
Today we finally found a phone app which will allow us to put together my car as we write the manual. Finding a program that would allow captions, audio/video recordings, etc. to be documented in one place and uploaded as we need was critical because we can't spend too much time on my build while customers are waiting for their parts. We're also busy communicating with customers, setting up the plasma table, figuring out our el-cheapo VR6 turbo kit (difficult but worth it to our customers in the long run), and sometimes we even have lives/family of our own after 5pm/8pm.
The great thing about having guys like Mark and I on this project is that we both have a track record of succeeding in whatever we put our minds to. While this is our first MKIV VW kit car, it is not our first rodeo. It's just our first rodeo where the bull has been given a shot of adrenaline. While you are right that this is the first VW platform kit-car for us, it is not entirely correct to say that we are not familiar with the platform. In fact, if you put a bucket of nuts and bolts from a MKIV in front of us, we could identify every one within a few minutes without a reference. I've got an awful lot of TDI repair under my belt at this point, too.
The design challenges ahead of us are a result of the incredibly unique challenge that is turning a MKIV into an attractive sports car while using as many parts from the MKIV (including the unibody and doors, of course!) as possible. To add value to the MKIV by making it an attractive sports car is unknown territory; only a few of us in the world truly understand what it takes. Sure, we could have had a more finished product out by now, but it would have involved a lot of compromises to appearance and/or profitability. We have a lot of important goals to juggle as we create each and every production part.
Mark and I routinely discuss the "green" aspect of this build and it seems like practically nobody is "getting it" except for us. Even if the green story is dead on arrival, it is still a passion of ours and we're still going out of our way to make sure there isn't some bit of the original car that would be useful to the Smyth car when cut/heated/etc. People will catch on some day.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RedJoker
Anyway, watching the other folks at tdi fest look at the car, there is quite a bit of interest. Just like with FFR cars, there are probably far more people that are interested than will probably pay their entry fee, but that's OK.
Seeing the car has re-engerized me a bit and I came home and finished the fuel system that I've been fussing with, on and off, for a few months.
It was well worth the 7 hrs of driving and we even squeezed in a few hours at the Henry Ford museum.
It was SO cool to finally be meeting you guys/gals. I can't wait until you've got your aluminum parts and body mounted!
All the Best!!
Mike
Last edited by manual_tranny; 09-10-2012 at 09:19 PM..
I think Mike understands but I want to be sure everyone everyone else does too. Mike and Mark have a lot of experience with this stuff. What I meant by saying this was a new platform was that, with factory five, most of the cars are based on the same platform so many of the sub-systems are simply reused from the previous models. The 33 uses many of the exact same parts as the roadster and coupe, just things like that. Mike and Mark don't have a previous model kit that they can do 'just like last time'.
That's all I meant and I hope no one took it as disrespect.
I think Mike understands but I want to be sure everyone everyone else does too. Mike and Mark have a lot of experience with this stuff. What I meant by saying this was a new platform was that, with factory five, most of the cars are based on the same platform so many of the sub-systems are simply reused from the previous models. The 33 uses many of the exact same parts as the roadster and coupe, just things like that. Mike and Mark don't have a previous model kit that they can do 'just like last time'.
That's all I meant and I hope no one took it as disrespect.
Oh! I'm sorry but I did misunderstand you earlier. I certainly didn't feel disrespected, sorry if my post came off as defensive! I am not aware of how most of the Factory Five cars are built.
__________________
2013 Smyth Performance G3F - Under Construction!
2014 Smyth Performance Pickup Truck
I try not to own vehicles with less than 200K miles.
The first time I was pulled over I was driving a Peugeot Turbo Diesel. I was 9 years old, and it was 1991.
Last edited by manual_tranny; 09-11-2012 at 12:05 AM..
Thanks Jeff, remember the sound of that engine? I couldn't have wanted a better donor car, or imagined a better guy to buy it from! We have to get together as soon as body parts start showing up!
Smyth G3F Beta-build: 1999.5 Jetta TDI donor, Malone Stage 2 Tune and injectors. Love my Roadster; the G3F will be my daily driver. Build details here:http://www.g3f-jlphil.blogspot.com/
Video coming tonight I hope, after some minor shift mechanism repair. My 1999.5 shift cable differs from the later iterations, and the factory end bushing popped out of the cable end where it joins the Smyth Performance shift rod at the tray. I'm shooting for an easy fix with a large washer. Also gotta access the reverse gear, which I think is an adjustment issue. Otherwise, I'll use leg power to push her backwards when necessary. Thanks for being as excited as me!
PS: Lynn just told me an exhaust package arrived at home from Wareham...will try to get home early!
Smyth G3F Beta-build: 1999.5 Jetta TDI donor, Malone Stage 2 Tune and injectors. Love my Roadster; the G3F will be my daily driver. Build details here:http://www.g3f-jlphil.blogspot.com/
Last edited by John Phillips; 09-20-2012 at 02:46 PM..
I'm so glad that your starting problem was as simple as needing a new starter... and I can't wait to see some doughnut videos.
A few weeks ago, I spent about 5 minutes driving around our parking lot like a total hooligan, (nobody was filming but a photographer from a local magazine was taking pictures). Before I knew it, there were a lot of people stepping out of their offices to watch me. I decided that I didn't need to draw a crowd (or blue-suited baby sitters) so I put the car back in the garage.
Suffice it to say: the brake switch mod that allows you to use both gas and brake at the same time is truly effective when it comes to driving like a nut. I can't wait to see some doughnuts from outside the car. =)
__________________
2013 Smyth Performance G3F - Under Construction!
2014 Smyth Performance Pickup Truck
I try not to own vehicles with less than 200K miles.
The first time I was pulled over I was driving a Peugeot Turbo Diesel. I was 9 years old, and it was 1991.
Shifter cable repair, then more neighborhood dirt road driving tonight. Shifter not right yet, I can't get the gears I want consistently, and have not yet been able to access reverse! (I just get out and push it backwards to do a 3 point turn). I have a theory about the shift situation I'll talk with Mark and Mike about tomorrow.
Drive report from SHORT drives at relatively low speeds on rough broken-pavement & dirt roads: This thing is FUN! Plenty of power with my Malone stage 2 tune and the mild mods I made when building the car. Car is VERY light, I can't imagine anyone wanting power steering at all. Rear seems well planted, but all I've done so far is burning dirt, not a fair surface to assess much. Stock seat is NOT an option, you sit way too high. But, it's adequate for test driving. I installed a door so I wouldn't fall out...no belts yet. I can watch the front struts working because the strut tower caps flex and move a bit. I bet I've left something un-torqued up there. Brakes are great, ABS seemed to work but not sure because of the gravel surface. This thing is just a blast. I will try to hoon it up a bit first chance I get and report better details.
Mark called on my cell phone while Lynn was using it to video a run I made on our road. Great to talk with the inventor while playing with his toys! Received my NEW EXHAUST today, really nicely made I think, will try to get it installed soon...but I'm really having fun with my cobbled straight pipe, I sound like an angry tea kettle!
I posted a couple of videos at the Picasa G3F Build album, at this link see what you think.
Smyth G3F Beta-build: 1999.5 Jetta TDI donor, Malone Stage 2 Tune and injectors. Love my Roadster; the G3F will be my daily driver. Build details here:http://www.g3f-jlphil.blogspot.com/
Last edited by John Phillips; 09-22-2012 at 02:25 AM..
__________________
2013 Smyth Performance G3F - Under Construction!
2014 Smyth Performance Pickup Truck
I try not to own vehicles with less than 200K miles.
The first time I was pulled over I was driving a Peugeot Turbo Diesel. I was 9 years old, and it was 1991.
As you may have noticed in the video, the wiper likes to go down a little before it goes up and across the windshield. I fixed that this morning.
These instructions assume that you've already made the physical modifications to the wiper. I don't have a how-to for this yet but it is pretty straightforward... Just cut off one half of the assembly and switch the linkage around. Here's a before/after shot of the wiper linkage bracket to help you guys catch up:
Now, plug in the assembly and turn the wiper to intermittent. When the motor stops, turn off the key and check the position of the linkage. Take a thin marker and mark off the 'stop' location on the linkage:
Second, remove the 13mm nut holding the motor stud/spline to the linkage. You might want to mark the 'stop' position of the spline relative to the motor, but I got away without marking it. In the following picture you will see the stud/spline and a removed circlip. Don't remove the circlip like I did... it can stay where it is.
Now pry the linkage off the spline using screwdrivers/hammer/gear puller. This took me several minutes to do because it is attached firmly to the spline and because I didn't have model airplane sized gear puller. :P
When you re-install the linkage, you will want the rotating arm to be parallel with the reciprocating arm, like this:
To mount the motor, you will need a dremel (or equivalent) and approx. 4" hose clamp and a section of tough rubber. I bought a black rubber bungee cord and cut it to length, this is the ideal material to protect and absorb vibration of the wiper motor.
Use the dremel to cut a slit in the metal shelf under the subframe.
You might need to find someone with small/dexterous hands to wiggle the rubber into place...
I re-purposed a K-frame bolt as a spacer and installed a steel strap that pulls towards what used to be the coolant expansion tank mounting point. The combination of mounts is surprisingly sturdy.
__________________
2013 Smyth Performance G3F - Under Construction!
2014 Smyth Performance Pickup Truck
I try not to own vehicles with less than 200K miles.
The first time I was pulled over I was driving a Peugeot Turbo Diesel. I was 9 years old, and it was 1991.
Last edited by manual_tranny; 09-25-2012 at 03:05 PM..
Smyth G3F Beta-build: 1999.5 Jetta TDI donor, Malone Stage 2 Tune and injectors. Love my Roadster; the G3F will be my daily driver. Build details here:http://www.g3f-jlphil.blogspot.com/
Hose clamps and bungee cords? Really? I honestly think you guys can do better for a wiper mount than that, and I think your customers should expect better.
As always, my comments on this project are now (and have always been) worth only what they cost you -- and for the record, my wiper solution on the FFR was "none."
Cheers, John
__________________
FFR1004105RD - world's first twin-turbo BMW V12-powered FFR Roadster
2011 Dodge 2500 Cummins 6.7L - biodiesel-fueled daily driver JHETTO: 2001 VW Jetta TDI, intended as G3F donor, FOR SALE
John Phillips: I'm always glad to share wins whenever I can!
If you drill the holes correctly in the metal strap, the wiper mount turns into a brick house! Just make sure that when you go to bolt it down that it pulls hard enough (but not so hard that you risk breaking the cast aluminum) and you're all set.
If any customers have problems with our design, WE WANT TO HEAR YOU! We will happily change our build/design for folks who have parts in their hands and dedication to the project. You folks are beta builders because you are awesome human beings. We love talking to all of you, you have provided invaluable information that helped us start-up this incredible new business. I am very proud of you all for your dedication and patience!
__________________
2013 Smyth Performance G3F - Under Construction!
2014 Smyth Performance Pickup Truck
I try not to own vehicles with less than 200K miles.
The first time I was pulled over I was driving a Peugeot Turbo Diesel. I was 9 years old, and it was 1991.
If any customers have problems with our design, WE WANT TO HEAR YOU! We will happily change our build/design for folks who have parts in their hands and dedication to the project.
Can't help think that was a little bit of a pointed comment, but I don't take it too personally -- just as you shouldn't take my criticism of the wiper motor mount personally. Don't want my input? Fine. You just need to wait for a current customer to tell you that hose clamps and bungee cords are fully worthy of the stigma which the term "kit car" has earned. A mock-up is one thing, but if that is what you plan to ship...yikes.
Seriously, as I said above, you can do better and paying customers deserve better, independent of how that information reaches you. Also, if paying-customer-only input is your approach to R&D, what was all that wasted time listening to project-ruining groupthink from the Facebook tire-kickers? I'd have to look back at my checkbook to see how long Smyth Performance had my deposit and even my full payment while there was no product, so I take mild umbrage at being blown off as a non-customer. I was one of the very first to send money; sadly, I was also one of the first customers lost when Mark became more enamored with his Facebooking and Twittering than with building a car or finishing a project.
Reality check: in three years, more cash-down donor-owning beta builders have left the doors of your shop than kits -- probably by an order of magnitude.
Believe it or not, I have tried (and even continue to try) very hard to be positive about this thing, for good John Phillips' sake if nothing else, even when I'm no longer involved 3+ years after making the fourth post on this record-setting thread. The company culture, the constant distractions of yesterday's technology, and now even the product conspire to make it a lot of effort. I keep hoping my interest and enthusiasm will be magically reignited, even to the point that I still have a bloody Jetta sitting around waiting...two years after I was promised kit delivery.
My TDI donor is now for sale if anyone wants a great deal. It's in running condition in Alabama. Will start a separate thread when I get around to it, or PM me if you are interested -- moving it is a fairly low priority to me at this point in time. A sale of that donor combined with the car I'm picking up in Scottsdale tomorrow, and I'll fully edit my .sig for you guys shortly.
Cheers, John
__________________
FFR1004105RD - world's first twin-turbo BMW V12-powered FFR Roadster
2011 Dodge 2500 Cummins 6.7L - biodiesel-fueled daily driver JHETTO: 2001 VW Jetta TDI, intended as G3F donor, FOR SALE
__________________
2013 Smyth Performance G3F - Under Construction!
2014 Smyth Performance Pickup Truck
I try not to own vehicles with less than 200K miles.
The first time I was pulled over I was driving a Peugeot Turbo Diesel. I was 9 years old, and it was 1991.
Last edited by manual_tranny; 10-16-2012 at 09:19 PM..
Reason: Insulted other member
Yes, it was a pointed comment. Please do not be confused. I want you to take my comments personally. You missed the boat on the Smyth Performance philosophy. We're built, not bought.
We're not building kits for people who want them to be fabricated from emptied wallets. We're building kits for people who want to be able to build a cool sports car without losing their wives and their houses in the process. We're building cars for people who actually DRIVE their donor cars because they like tuning and driving old VWs. You have made it clear dozens of times that you're not a member of that club.
The wiper mount is one of many brilliant parts of the car. It's a steel strap, a hose clamp, a few nuts and bolts, and a piece of rubber, and it works bloody great! I know that this design is making you cringe. SUCCESS!! You're not our target audience! You never were!
This is not a sterile and emotionless CAD modeled car. This is an old-fashioned hand built masterpiece by Mark Smith and the fans who understood his mission. You may have been a fan once, but that ended when you turned against us so vehemently. Your narcissism is has worn on us, and we will therefore ignore you.
Lets assume that every part of the wiper mount hardware breaks at the same time. We can simply pull over to the nearest Home Depot, Lowe's, Walmart, Autozone, etc. and buy all of the pieces for a replacement wiper mount for less than $15. There will be money left over for lunch. If you don't understand why that is a win for us, you have failed to comprehend the philosophy behind the build. We are trying to reward our customers by showing them how they can actually afford to build and maintain these cars. We're not trying to punish them with high prices and overpriced/over-engineered junk!!
Not a good post from someone trying to represent the company An attack on another usually ends with you looking bad, and you have a lot more to lose than they do. In this information age you have to remember that what you post is there for everybody to read.
__________________
As I always tell my boss,\"I can do anything with enough time and money.\"
I agree D2W, lets hope its passion making him do it rather than frustration.
While I read the G3F threads I try to remember that it's a development project as much as a build, if I don't I can't help but think of YouTube videos from kitcarinc, if y'all's body doesn't fit snug y'all use a saur or a hammer and y'all take a bit more off.
These guys have more money to burn and bigger balls than I do to take on that plan.
Remember, one man may use a $15 rubber bungie, another will make a billet bracket.
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