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CHEROKEE ART
PRINTS FOR SALE
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This is a portrait of my dear friend John Taylor. John was CFO of a company I worked for, and I value him for his wisdom, wit and tolerance. I wish him all the ... MORE
This simple print depicts my daughter (age 7 at the time) with her hero, Pooh-Bear. The print measures 20x20 inches and is pen-and-ink on Foamcore board. It is ... MORE
This Cherokee 2002 art piece is an exquisitely detailed 20x27 inch original. It was the first print of 2002, and required an enormous amount of time due ... MOREPrint available: $12.99
View ALL artwork
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Kharma II (K2)
the Connie Series
& Abbey:
The VW projects home page
Home of the two most popular VW Rabbits on the Internet!
VW Rabbit: "Abbey" (Photos)
1976 VW Beetle (Photos)
1971 VW Super Beetle (Photos)
- 1971 Super Beetle (Bodywork)
- 1971 Super Beetle (Interior)
- 1971 Super Beetle (Motor) Coming Soon!
- 1971 Super Beetle (Electrical)
DIARY OF AN ENGINE REBUILD/OVERHAUL:
CLOSING IN:
Here, the engine is nearly rebuilt. The head had to be installed twice, as I first torqued the head bolts to
appx. 125 instead of 54 foot-pounds. This necessitated yet another new head gasket and ten new
cylinder head bolts. Special thanks to Ken at Triangle Imports (Bremerton) who did his best to come up
with parts for me. And Westbay of Port Orchard - Karl and Rick are the two to ask for!
QUIET MOMENT: At the end of a less-than-perfect - but productive - day.
As I'm waiting for parts from Westbay (Port Orchard) for the fuel injector inserts, I pause to notice how
closely this car is beginning to resemble her sister, Abbey. And I find relief in realizing that it took me only
half as long to rebuild this entire engine as it did to do my first clutch job ... less than one
year ago. To live is to learn and to learn is to live, but to live and not learn is to learn how not to live.
Kharma II is nearly ready to rumble!
DIARY OF AN ENGINE REBUILD/OVERHAUL:
CRANK EXPOSED:
And no, I'm not talking about the "Prozac Queen" in my past. This is my first
look at the naked crank and rod bearing assemblies. As dirty as the head was, the
oil pan was surprisingly clean - though old gasket material and one
valve seal spring clogged the intake to the oil pump. No wonder that damn oil light stayed on
all the time. Go figger!
WHY IS IT ALWAYS THE THIRD?: Here are the pistons, lined up 1 to 4. When I gently tapped
piston 3 out of the cylinder, the middle piston ring split into about 20 pieces and they fell like
hard rain over the engine compartment. That explains quite a bit. The pistons themselves - fortunately - appear
to be in good shape.
At this point, Aug. 8, 2001, much of the work has been done to this
1.7 VW Rabbit convertible engine. The head was pulled, pressure tested and rebuilt
with new valves, guides and seals. There was considerable blow-by between all four cylinders,
but particularly 3 and 4. The head gasket was also compromised at one side, explaining the foam in the
radiator and the impenetrable cloud of white smoke that poured from the
exhaust when I first purchased this vehicle.
After noticing valves burned on cylinders no. 3 and 4, I
investigated further. Piston 3 wobbled side to side in the cylinder with enough movement
to produce noise as it was rocked in the cylinder. Piston 4 was the same, but not quite so bad.
I knew then that the pistons would have to come out and new rings would have
to be installed.
Got tips, photos of an engine rebuild, photos of a cool Rabbit, a
unique story to tell, or advice for the amateur VW mechanic/enthusiast?
Submit them here
and I'll consider publishing them to this web site!
This site is dedicated to those who eat, sleep and breathe VW Rabbits. To those who go to work with grease under their nails, and in the contours of every fingerprint. To those who no longer own a pair of jeans that are not contaminated with oil. And, primarily, to those
who work tirelessly to keep the Rabbits alive - most of whom have no mechanical training or experience, but know the value of an afternoon, a good beer, and a service manual. To those who keep the Rabbit alive ... this is for you.
Please feel free to submit photos of your Rabbit, with a written article that may help someone already deep into a restoration project or engine/transmission/clutch rebuild/overhaul.
- USS Ambassador: NCC-1017 "Abbey"
 Yeah (sheesh) - my original Rabbit project car. This project was begin in May, 1998 and concluded for good Aug. 7, 2001 - when
the vehicle was purchased through E-bay.
- "Kharma II"
 Can you believe you can buy a 1983 yellow VW Rabbit convertible in this rebuildable shape for $400? This project began November, 2000.
This is the car you may have read about here as the engine was overhauled and
rebuilt.
- VW Rabbits and parts clubs:
Who to talk to, where to get parts, how to keep your Rabbit
alive. No, the answers are not here. But this forum and message board may eventually give birth to
all this, and possibly more.
Jim
Linda
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What would you like to see on a dedicated VW page?
Please consider sending mechanical and parts tips and hints, photo diaries of
VW air or water-cooled mechanical/electrical/bodywork projects, or pictures of your really
cool car!
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