• Hello Guest, welcome to the initial stages of our new platform!
    You can find some additional information about where we are in the process of migrating the board and setting up our new software here

    Thank you for being a part of our community!

Kyle242GT's 1959 5.044

kyle242gt

Still has a Volvo
Joined
Sep 16, 2003
Location
Santa Rosa, CA
Edit -
Disk brake swap on page 3
V8 swap begins on page 5
Floors, frame, rust work on page 8
It falls off the lift on page 10
Header construction on page 12
Fenders and rear apron get some love on page 16
Hood gets installed on page 21
Door swap, primer, spikes, and chalkboardery on page 23
Back to original steering on page 25
Radiator Redux on page 26
Done got killed on page 27

Bought this 12/31/10, after my wife gave me an opening to buy a :oops: 6th car (again).
http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=224292&highlight

Found it in Cool Ca, talked the seller down from 2600 to 2600. :e-shrug: Well, the heart wants what it wants. Rebuilt engine, freshened brakes, partial 12V swap, beat suspension, a little bondo, a little rust, but ... hey ... gotta have it.

After beating ourselves to death trying to start it in 25F weather, it ran great, drove it all over the place before getting AAA to tow it home from Placerville (111 miles). Felt bad for the tow driver, what with it being New Year's Eve and all. :finger: Tipped him a few bucks and a couple of homebrews.

http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=225429&highlight=b16+redblock

attachment.php


And that was that! Proud new owner of the oldest car I've ever had. :party:
 
Last edited:
First day I tinkered with it I dug into the carbs - out of balance, chokes sticky and out of adjustment, all manner of futtbuckery. :grrr: I swear, people act like SUs are black magic. Sheesh people, it's not like it's kjet or anything. :rofl:

No pics, but I did manage to bleed pretty good in the process... haha.

Car starts and runs and idles and man does it ever scoot along. I'm in love.
 
Woohoo! Good for the post count, right?

Over the weekend, I put seatbelts in. Wife gave me the stinkeye constantly, even just moving it around the <strike>parking lot</strike> driveway.

Went to a JY with Harry (turborg) and yanked a bunch of parts, like a door, grille, clutch control, 12V blower and wiper assembly, as well as seatbelts.

Funny thing - the seatbelts were from the car parked right next to it - 84 VW Cabriolet. We walked all over that yard looking for a suitable donor, and it was right next to us. :cool:
 

Attachments

  • DSC06978.JPG
    DSC06978.JPG
    124.6 KB · Views: 2,402
  • DSC06979.JPG
    DSC06979.JPG
    101.5 KB · Views: 2,391
  • DSC06980.JPG
    DSC06980.JPG
    112.1 KB · Views: 2,385
Rust isn't bad, just a thin spot in the driver's floor. Buttcheek and rear valence are solid, as are suspension and framerails.

The ugly grille was getting to me, but I scored a near-mint replacement cheap cheap cheap! And while chasing down wiring gremlins :grrr: had to pull the grille and headlight rings off... so voila! Oklahoma Chrome, I believe it's called? Always liked the black grille treatment too.

Also found a TB sticker in my wife's pile of random paperwork.... whatcha think?

Whitewalls would be cool, but I'm leaning toward 205/50 DZ101's :oogle: and have a buddy (possibly) giving me a set of wires.
3nc3kd3la5T05Z65X3b255549c67fe64211f0.jpg


Spider knob is a leftover from my 67 VW T3. An actual factual spider encased in a sphere of plasticky goodness. :drool:
 

Attachments

  • DSC06975.JPG
    DSC06975.JPG
    116.1 KB · Views: 2,378
  • DSC06976.JPG
    DSC06976.JPG
    56.3 KB · Views: 2,367
  • DSC06977.JPG
    DSC06977.JPG
    88.7 KB · Views: 2,369
  • DSC06981.jpg
    DSC06981.jpg
    156.1 KB · Views: 2,364
  • DSC06982.JPG
    DSC06982.JPG
    112.7 KB · Views: 2,354
Need more pictures of pushrod goodness.

Very cool project, and damn you for being able to find what anyone from Ohio would call a "completely rust free" 544.

Any plans to make more power with the B16, or eventually go larger with the much better B18/20? Rolling did a small article on a 544 that was in a stock land speed racer class back in the early 60s, it was pretty awesome to hear how robust that motor was back then, and how competitive it still is now.
 
I need to put retractables on the front of mine, I have the old gray 'lobster claw' latch belts in the front. I did put retractable shoulder belts in the back, from a 244 sedan.
 
Holy hell!! That car is awesome!

Treat it like a true VW person. Slam it to the ground on fat white walls and roll it like a savage.

Seriously, that car could be amazing. Whatever you do, don't ditch the freaky upholstery! And let me know if you're ever selling it!
 
Need more pictures of pushrod goodness.
:doh: yeah, completely forgot engine pics. Here's one the seller sent:

Any plans to make more power with the B16, or eventually go larger with the much better B18/20?
The B16 is rebuilt, as are the carbs, and it runs really well. I don't need/want a powerhouse (got other cars that are too fast for polite company already), just something to bomb around town in. Everyone keeps pushing me to a B20, but if I go big, it'll be after doing the suspension and cosmetics.

12v swap as in converting from 6 volt to 12 volt.... or converting to a b30?
volt; they swapped headlights, alternator, and that's about it... found all manner of goofy shens in the wiring, including a dash bulb that was wired straight to the alternator. :roll: Probably to energize the alternator (in which case it should have a diode), but it's charging fine without it, who knows. I was just trying to get headlights and taillights so I can start driving it :boink:

Holy hell!! That car is awesome!

Treat it like a true VW person. Slam it to the ground on fat white walls and roll it like a savage.

Seriously, that car could be amazing. Whatever you do, don't ditch the freaky upholstery! And let me know if you're ever selling it!
Thanks for all the kind words. Kinda over the VW scene for now, leaning toward vintage road race styling. But in my darker hours I think it'd make a badass <strike>volks</strike>volvrod.

That spider shift knob didn't happen to come from a particular sky-blue '67 T3 fastback, did it?

Sweet 544!
Yes indeedy it did. The PO of the T3 emailed me asking if he could pretty pretty pretty please buy it from me. :neener: hell no!

Hell of a score Kyle! :nod: I'm sure you'll do this justice.
Heading in to busy season now, so work will likely taper off (working 12hr weekdays and 8hr Saturdays, Sundays to recuperate and see the kids) until spring. Something cool will come up though.

Now! :rant: Which one of you rat bastards gave this one star? :grrr:
 
Now! :rant: Which one of you rat bastards gave this one star? :grrr:
It's a tough crowd to please here apparently. You know, anything less than 16 valves of fury with a turbo big enough to suck children off the sidewalk and MS to control the action is lame to kids these days. I think they don't like your plans of a B16 powered boulevard bomber. I think they want you to build the next Hunchback. :lol:


(seriously though, I don't get it)
 
Back
Top