400 HP VW Single Cab Street Rod Build

maschinenbau wrote: Sweet radiator setup! Can't wait to see both mounted up. Are there any corrosion/chemistry issues with hot coolant running through the exhaust tubing? I image the aluminized coating is only on the OD. I keep going back and forth between front vs bed mounted radiator in the Rice Rod. Your builds are equally inspiring and informative. I really appreciate you sharing with us and hope to see you and the other crazy trucks at the Challenge!

Thanks! As far as the corrosion/chemistry issue, I do not know for sure. The inside of the tubing is coated as well. I can say that I was using a section of it already and the coolant still looks new a year later. Something I will have to learn the hard way perhaps. 

Did they warranty it??

BenM, Awesome build...have you heard of the Lone Star Rod & Kustom Roundup outside of Austin Tx. in April...yes its' a bit of a drive , but this ride would be a major hit....Jesse James(Monster Garage,Austin Speed shop)has been known to show up. Just read all this and was wondering, do the side grills still reside behind the PS scoop?

Jeez, it takes me half a freaking day to swap a sway bar, and this dude is over here building cars from scratch.

759NRNG wrote: BenM, Awesome build...have you heard of the Lone Star Rod & Kustom Roundup outside of Austin Tx. in April...yes its' a bit of a drive , but this ride would be a major hit....Jesse James(Monster Garage,Austin Speed shop)has been known to show up. Just read all this and was wondering, do the side grills still reside behind the PS scoop?

Thanks! Love Austin! No, the grills are no longer on the truck, but I did hold on to them for other projects

jfryjfry wrote: Did they warranty it??

Bit of a long story. I basically built the truck around this transmission so 11 of the 12 months of warranty expired before I ever drove it. The transmission was well out of warranty at the time of failure but had actually only seen 12 months of use before it started acting up and only one more month before total failure. Hughes agreed to send a truck to pick it up and emailed me to say that it would cost me little to nothing for the repairs. After they received the transmission and saw that the output splines were twisted

They asked me for the details of the vehicle. I sent them numerous build photos and specs..weight, horsepower etc. They responded that they felt the truck was too heavy for this dragster transmission (3020 lbs) and that my large rear tires were providing too much traction for their 650 hp rated transmission (my engine 400 hp). They wanted to upgrade the trans in many ways so that it would hold up without issue. I told them that I was not interested in spending more money on it and too please put it in a box and send it back to me. They countered with warrantying the trans rebuild to original specs, if I would pay for shipping both ways, but that they felt that this version of the trans was not suited for my application. I mentioned that I could install it in my V8 Daihatsu HiJet as it weighs 1800 lbs and has skinny tires and agreed to pay shipping. My intention with the VW was to reconfigure the truck for a 4L80e, but after a conversation with FTI Performance in Florida, I was assured that their 1100hp Powerglide would be more than adequate. The FTI trans is in the truck and nearly back on the road. The big three day Caffeine and Octane event is coming up soon on Jekyll Island with Velocity Channel so I am hard at work finishing it up! Hughes did not have to warranty the trans at all and as something is better than nothing, I am not complaining. Project Videos

You made it onto another youtube video you pop up at 1:26!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/PvgUhAt1BEU

Wow, truly honored by the article and the comments on the home page today Grassroots home page

Ben, can you tell me about the three wheeler on the left, street legal, project? I've been jumping through hoops to get one on the road.

Thanks, Dan

914Driver wrote: Ben, can you tell me about the three wheeler on the left, street legal, project? I've been jumping through hoops to get one on the road. Thanks, Dan

Sure, it is a Cushman Truckster. I added Samurai doors to it and a roof. It is classified as a Motorcycle and has numerous factory safety stickers to that effect along with an elaborate sticker with the vin and all of the details of the vehicle. In my state, which has a helmet law, this is exempt due to being enclosed with a seat belt. To the best of my knowledge, the 3 three wheelers are all road legal with a few variations from state to state. I believe that a few states mandate handlebars instead of a steering wheel, Cushmans were available both ways. They tend to rust a lot and they came with the engine mounted under the seat. To avoid the heat and noise, I moved the engine to the back and updated it. I documented the build and it is here:

Truckster Build Videos

I hope this answers your question, but if not, I am happy to be more specific

Thanks! A few have come up for sale with bad engines, bad tranny etc. unfortunately New York doesn't recognize them as vehicles. Jump a few hoops, write a few checks and maybe we can help.

Your build inspires, and here I am sitting on a KZ 650 with no paper.

Thanks again, Dan

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Video Link

I am having no success in posting a photo with the new format. I have searched the site for information, with no luck. Can someone clue me in? Thanks!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/MnPFt48oyMU

In reply to Ben_Modified :

You still heading to Crusin' the Coast, and if so, what are you bringing?

SkinnyG said:

Thanks, I have the video part down, just can't seem to post a photo. I am using flickr. Any ideas?

Pete Gossett said:

In reply to Ben_Modified :

You still heading to Crusin' the Coast, and if so, what are you bringing? 

I am on the fence. I did not bother registering this year after I saw the crazy long line last year. If I go, it will just be to cruise around and check things out. I would be taking the VW Single Cab again. Are you going?

Ah.  You ~did~ ask about a photo - my bad.

Can you post the direct link to the photo here?

Ben_Modified said:

Pete Gossett said:

In reply to Ben_Modified :

You still heading to Crusin' the Coast, and if so, what are you bringing? 

I am on the fence. I did not bother registering this year after I saw the crazy long line last year. If I go, it will just be to cruise around and check things out. I would be taking the VW Single Cab again. Are you going?

I live here so I'll be around. Thinking about registering just so I can take the Vette to one of the autocross days to test & tune, but if the registration line is that long I may not bother. 

20170923_100309_resized by Ben Modified, on Flickr

Pick the "Share" arrow in the bottom right of your image screen.

Pick BBCode.

Highlight copy and paste in the URL window in this forum.

Yes - When I've updated my build threads, I've merely highlighted the html code, and pasted it right in, but only on this forum.

Now it's all changed, and I'm still figuring it out.

Heading out early tomorrow in the VW to catch the autocross in gainesville!

Norbert (2 of 8) by Ben Modified, on Flickr" />