I'm kind of surprised at the number of pink butt splices I see.
I think the idea is that the novice builder would be more comfortable with those splices. I'll be honest, I am WAY more comfortable soldering than using those connectors. That's just my opinion, of course. Others can argue the relative merits.
I'll keep looking at it but the issue I have is front to back. With the three bolts on each side finger tight, the vertical tabs on the front are a good inch back from the strut tower. Its not obvious that more cutting is the answer but I'll keep looking. Thanks!
Clint, great progress! Love the blog entry, and the water pipe tunnel work. Man, if I ever get to build another G3F, I'm definitely looking for a white donor...makes it easy to see what you're doing down there.
My windshield frame vertical front tab worked out on the passenger side perfect, but there was about a 1/4"-3/8" space on the driver side between the tab and the strut tower wall. I used washers under it to make a solid connection. If there's an inch of space on yours, I don't have much advice for ya!
Mark's planning a roadtrip with the G3F mule this coming weekend. Should be some good feedback after that.
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/
I talked with Mark and he told me to just smack the tabs with a hammer until I get them close, use spacers or not even use them at all. It's really the three bolts on each side that are doing all the work and the alignment. Good to know!
I had a good amount of space there first time I tried to fit the windshield. If the windshield was built correctly it HAS to fit, your car is not different from all the others. One more thing to think about - if you shim it you may have trouble getting the hard top to fit right because your windshield angle is not exactly right.
You, too, JP - if you shimmed your windshield it probably is not on straight!
Look it all over closely and break out the 4 1/2" grinder again! :-)
Look it all over closely and break out the 4 1/2" grinder again! :-)
So I followed your advice and got one side to fit as it should. The other side still does not but I'm not convinced its my cutting. When I make measurements, they are coming out different on each side. I didn't get to spend much time on it this evening but I'm wondering if there isn't an issue with the windscreen.
I'll report back in the next few days when (if?) if I figure it out.
So I followed your advice and got one side to fit as it should. The other side still does not but I'm not convinced its my cutting. When I make measurements, they are coming out different on each side. I didn't get to spend much time on it this evening but I'm wondering if there isn't an issue with the windscreen.
I'll report back in the next few days when (if?) if I figure it out.
These windshield subframes are one of the most difficult parts of the G3F to install. I do believe that your frame is straight though, because we weld the windshield subframe to pieces that are actually bolted to a cut apart MKIV chassis. We also test fit most of the windshield frames.
That said, there is always the slight possibility that it is the wrong shape.
__________________
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.
That said, there is always the slight possibility that it is the wrong shape.
I was actually thinking more along the lines of shipping damage. (Long story but I didn't actually see it delivered and some parts were bent.) Your FB pic this morning should help as well. Since I got the one side to slide all the way forward, I'll keep fussing and, worse case, follow Marks suggestion of just smacking it with a hammer.
By the way, thank you for checking in on us over here. It's good to see a Smyth representative every now and then. Have a great quarter at school.
Turns out I'm an idiot. My cuts were all good and the frame was fine but it just wouldn't slide forward on the passenger side even with some 'persuation'. Once I lifted that side up and out, I could drop it back in at the correct position. Must be such a tight fit that it wouldn't slide like the other side did. Drilled a hole in the shock tower for the bottom tabs and was able to use the bolt to pull it all in tight.
Good to go!
A side note, that is one BEEFY frame. As John showed in one of his pics, it will support an adult hanging from the top. I won't have to remind folks not to pull themselves out of the car by the windsheild.
Awesome! I'm glad it finally dropped in! You're not an idiot, Mark and I need to come up with better instructions for getting that tough guy installed.
The front frame is usually a two person job around here. It's pretty easy to pinch/cut a finger when they go in if your assistant gets a little too enthusiastic!
I believe that one future revision will actually provide a bolt-on piece going from the top of the windshield frame to the rear frame, providing a race-car like stiffness and some protection for roll-over.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RedJoker
Turns out I'm an idiot. My cuts were all good and the frame was fine but it just wouldn't slide forward on the passenger side even with some 'persuation'. Once I lifted that side up and out, I could drop it back in at the correct position. Must be such a tight fit that it wouldn't slide like the other side did. Drilled a hole in the shock tower for the bottom tabs and was able to use the bolt to pull it all in tight.
Good to go!
A side note, that is one BEEFY frame. As John showed in one of his pics, it will support an adult hanging from the top. I won't have to remind folks not to pull themselves out of the car by the windsheild.
__________________
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.
An update on the fuel gauge circuit: It didn't work. Turns out the signal from the gauge pod wasn't quite what I expect it to be. New parts are on the way so I hope I can built a better circuit this weekend.
Clint - tell me about the circuit you're designing. I'm in embedded controls so I can probably follow along :-)
It just converts the 0-90 ohm resistance of the new fuel sender to a 50-300 ohm resistance that the gauge is expecting. Since this is going to be my daily driver, I want the gauge to work!
I couldn't agree more, gotta have a gas gauge. The offset is easy, how are you implementing the scaling?
First of all, I'm using a cheap microcontroller to read the new sending unit. That's the easy part. Figuring out what to do next is the hard part.
My first attempt was controlling a darlington array that turned on and off various resistors in parallel to get ~32 resistance steps. My mistake was that I expected the voltage coming from the gauge to be much higher than it is. At only a few tenths of a volt, it couldn't overcome the transistors. My next attempt is that, since the voltage is so low, the current might be down in the range that a digital pot can handle.
If none of that ends up working, I can always just fall back to throwing a resistor in line to get the offset but without the scaling.
Unfortunately, I started this project after my car was disassembled so I couldn't do the measurements until now.
That's funny - I almost added to the previous post - "If I was doing it I'd probably do it with a micro and a digital pot, but that seems like hitting a fly with a sledgehammer :-)" but I got distracted and just hit send.
I used the AD5162 in a Corvette throttle pedal project - range isn't quite right for this but there are other similar parts.
I used the AD5162 in a Corvette throttle pedal project - range isn't quite right for this but there are other similar parts.
MSOP packages are fun to prototype with :-)
Actually, if you put both 10k pots in parallel, you can control them separately to get at least 32 steps in the range that we need for this. Plus, the current gets split so we get closer to the range they can operate at without smoking. I figure having 32 "positions" in my fuel gauge is plenty good enough.
I believe the VW sender is 50 Ohms at full and 350 empty (RCI is 90 full and 0 empty). I was thinking about either reversing the RCI resistance unit and adding discrete resistors to match the gauge, or replacing the RCI resistance unit with the original one from my VW sender.
I'll have them apart on the bench later this week...
I believe the VW sender is 50 Ohms at full and 350 empty (RCI is 90 full and 0 empty). I was thinking about either reversing the RCI resistance unit and adding discrete resistors to match the gauge, or replacing the RCI resistance unit with the original one from my VW sender.
I'll have them apart on the bench later this week...
Yup, we're on the same page. I haven't come up with a simple way to use the stock sender but hopefully you can.
Dual 10k. As a quick test, I just had them cycle the 32 steps from 50 to 300 ohms and the gauge swept up and down nicely. The damping circuit is in the gauge so we don't have to worry about that part. I'll etch a board and tidy it all up for installation.
Dual 10k. As a quick test, I just had them cycle the 32 steps from 50 to 300 ohms and the gauge swept up and down nicely. The damping circuit is in the gauge so we don't have to worry about that part. I'll etch a board and tidy it all up for installation.
Rock on!
__________________
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.
urgh... so close to a first start attempt. I was looking at my to-do before I make my first start attempt and the list is really pretty short.
* I have to do something with the power steering pump hoses to loop them back on themselves.
* Plug some vacuum lines that are no longer being used.
* Tidy a bit of wiring in the front.
* Add coolant
Then I can turn the key and trouble-shoot all the reasons why it won't start.
urgh... so close to a first start attempt. I was looking at my to-do before I make my first start attempt and the list is really pretty short.
* I have to do something with the power steering pump hoses to loop them back on themselves.
* Plug some vacuum lines that are no longer being used.
* Tidy a bit of wiring in the front.
* Add coolant
Then I can turn the key and trouble-shoot all the reasons why it won't start.
Mark is with his mother before she goes in for a minor surgery today, so I can't get ahold of him. Looking at our G3F I see that there is no such loop installed, we have been driving it with no loop/fluid!! (stranger still it feels fine) I don't know how this came to be, but I'm fixing the problem immediately. I will post up the parts on McMaster when I know for sure what fits. I will make sure that we send out steering rack loop kits for our beta customers as soon as we know what works. (The parts are probably in a box around here somewhere...)
-Mike
EDIT: Also, I found a link to what the finished loop *should* look like (on a MKII VW)
__________________
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; 02-04-2013 at 03:47 PM..
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(stranger still it feels fine) I don't know how this came to be, but I'm fixing the problem immediately. I will post up the parts on McMaster when I know for sure what fits. I will make sure that we send out steering rack loop kits for our beta customers as soon as we know what works. (The parts are probably in a box around here somewhere...)
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