Das Li'l Beast

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Das Li'l Beast

Postby admin » 12 Sun Jan, 2014 12:19 pm

(admin note: posting this for Bruce Carlile, enjoy)

About eight years ago, I started with an authenticated Myers Manx body and had a tubular frame built, equipped with a swing axle. I later traded the frame in as a down payment to have a new better frame built. This frame had many upgrades including a custom torsion set up with 3 x 3 IRS trailing arms. If this was to become my dream or retirement car, I really wanted it be outstanding. I guess every VW owner/builder learns along the way. There seems to be a desire to build a better car each time one approaches the new project.

As I collected new parts I decided to take a paint and body course at the local San Jacinto Junior College. The body or tub was so ugly with all the various colors and primers; we named the project “The Little Beast”. Later we decided to rename the car, “Das Li’l Beast”, after our miniature German Schnauzer, Bella.

I later lost the original tub, in a stupid trailer accident, right before we were about to shoot the PPG base coat. I saved my pennies for several months and decided to contact Winnie Myers in Valley Center, CA. I ordered a new Myers Manx tub (in primer), called the “Kick Out-Traditional”. I worried for weeks that it might not fit into the completed frame. As luck had it, the tub fit perfectly. The full press was back on for a second semester at the local Junior College. I was blessed to have the instructor, Jake Stahl and his student assistant, Johnny Boy take such and interest in the project. I suppose they liked the determination I possessed steaming from my sales and marketing background in the oil/gas business. My Dad (retired Lieutenant Colonel) who is still alive and well at 87 years young always had a lot of saying that have stuck with me my entire life, such as; “If you can’t do it right son, don’t do it at all”. “You can do most anything if you put your mind to it” and lastly, “there is no such thing as can’t”!

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I selected the color scheme of charcoal grey metallic for the frame and custom trailer. The car is put together with all polished stainless steel hex head bolts, & nylon lock nuts. I filled in the tub sides with smooth fiber glassed in panels with a solid PPG Turquoise color to stand out against the frame work. The selection for Turquoise came from my High School memories graduating in Tombstone, Arizona, located near Fort Huachuca. I grew up learning the art of silver smithing and lapidary from my Dad and Uncle Cecil. Both brothers served in the U.S. Army in Korea, Vietnam and retired in the Southwest as Lt. Colonels. My Uncle Cecil became a master jewelry craftsman specializing in Turquoise jewelry. Surely, you see the connection. I was hoping to complete the car to take my favorite, Uncle Cecil for a Desert ride, before his passing in 2012. Surely if he saw the VW Dune buggy, we would have gone rock collecting again. I suspect he would have added a large Turquoise stone with a sterling silver bezel on the horn button for the steering wheel or something.

The technical specifications are attached on a separate data sheet along with mention of several key folks who helped with the success of the project.

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Das Lil’l Beast - VW SPECIFICATIONS
ENGINE: 1915 cc (120HP), VW type I, AS41 super stock aluminum case, & powder coated
BUILDER: Paul Neanover, Owner - Fountain of Youth VW in Dickenson, TX
DESIGNER: David Saucier, President - Bay Area VW Club

• Bore-94mm cylinders-CIMA with a 47 mm radius.
• Original German main, connecting rods (balanced within .1 gram) & cam bearings.
• Engle 120 cam
• HD oil pump (32mm)
• Steve Tim’s Stage Two heads, ported/polished.
• Stainless steel push rod tubes, Stainless steel valve covers.
• Full breather system with Stainless steel hose & anodized aluminum fittings.
• .009 distributor, Bosch coil, Crane Cam XR 700 electronic module/ignition.
• Stock (lightweight) flywheel, 8 dowelled.
• Kennedy Stage I pressure plate.
• Compression ratio set @ 7.12 to 1 for longer durability.
• Weber 44 single carb with electric fuel pump & stainless steel fuel lines.
• Scat tin, powder coated with remote 1 quart oil cooler.
• Wider cooling fan welded and balanced.


TRANSMISSION: 1968 VW type I, heavy cast case, “pro-sand”.
BUILDER: Udo Johnson, owner/builder of racing transaxles.
• Ring & pinion 4:12 1st gear (380) and 2nd (206) gears.
• Welded 3rd gear (148) and welded 4th gear (108) for good freeway cruising.

FRAME:
• Custom steel tube frame with custom torsion bar.
• Rear 3x3 IRS trailing arms, Warrior wide front beam & hex head stainless steel bolts/entire frame..
• Ford five lug pattern with disc brakes all around.
• Oversized Porsche 930
• axles.

BODY: 2013 Myers Manx- New Kickout/Traditional Body (in primer)
• PPG turquoise painted myself at the San Jacinto-South Junior College
• Two base coats (PPG Deltron 2000), Three coats of clear (Concept DCU 2021)

ACCESORIES:
• Texas Burl Mesquite dashboard, Auto Meter gauges with GPS satellite speedometer.
• American Racing “Custom Shop” –Torq Thrust II, wheels (front 16’ x 8’, rear 17’ x 10’.
• Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac Radial tires (front LT 225/75R16, rear LT 265/70R17).
• “Beard buggy seats with full custom surrey top, upholstery, logo embroidery.
• VW LED rear lights by Technostalgia.
• XRC 3.0 winch.
• Dual rear Bilstein aluminum shocks.

SOUND SYSTEM:
• Apple I-POD, Marine grade, “KICKER” speakers (10’ woofer, 6.5’ midranges), 200 watt dual amps.
Thanks,
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Re: Das Li'l Beast

Postby Bill K » 12 Sun Jan, 2014 12:25 pm

WOW 8-) That is one fine ride you've got there. Now the question is: When will we have the pleasure of seeing it in the flesh?
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Re: Das Li'l Beast

Postby BrianB » 12 Sun Jan, 2014 9:13 pm

It was at the classic unfinished/un-drivable and sitting on the trailer where it still won an award :shock: . It was also at the monument show. Beautiful buggy. Sure wish I had the coin to have one built like that.
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Re: Das Li'l Beast

Postby Aquabuggy » 12 Sun Jan, 2014 9:53 pm

Very nice buggy :!:
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