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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ thread to capture pix as I install the Mendeola S4
Posted by: byndbad914 Jan 4 2009, 12:42 AM
so this forum was down when I started all of the install but wanted to take some time to catch everyone up on this site since a fair amount of folks asked me to post progress... keep in mind the trans is installed inverted with a custom Chevy bellhousing but the S4 comes standard upright with the Porsche bellhousing.
it would be nice if this forum allowed more than one pic per post as it takes a long time to upload progress pix one at a time 
Started off with installing the Kennedy Stage 2 dual 8" disk clutch - good for 550 ft-lbs of torque (at sea level racing I make 438 ft-lbs so should be plenty).
The flywheel is 10" diameter overall and the custom pilot bearing installed in the Chevy crank
Posted by: byndbad914 Jan 4 2009, 12:42 AM
disks and intermediate plate
Posted by: byndbad914 Jan 4 2009, 12:44 AM
installed PP. the new clutch assy is overall smaller diam than the 930 assembly was and is about 22 lbs v. 30 lbs for the higher spring rate 930 single disk clutch assembly.
Posted by: byndbad914 Jan 4 2009, 12:46 AM
the TO bearing installed in the Mendy with a new clutch fork I had to swap out - they accidentally installed the stock S4 fork and the inverted setup required a 180deg opposite fork - Dwight at Mendeola next day aired this one to me so I could get the ball rolling which was solid cust service.
Posted by: byndbad914 Jan 4 2009, 12:47 AM
the clutch arm and return spring installed - notice the built in slave cylinder bracket
Posted by: byndbad914 Jan 4 2009, 12:49 AM
the shim piece that had to be custom fabbed for the early Chevy. The bellhousing is for an LS series engine and the early setup requires this shim to get input shaft spacing correct and clutch stuff aligned properly.
so you LS guys wouldn't need this shim at all.
Posted by: byndbad914 Jan 4 2009, 12:51 AM
installed. stabbing the beotch took about an hour of fighting (anyone who has stabbed a trans knows what a PITA that can be - sometimes is just goes and sometimes it doesn't).
I was sitting on the ground behind the car getting ready to call a friend to swing over for help and out of nowhere *kathunk* and it just fell together!! I jumped up pushing on the back so it wouldn't fall back and got a couple bolts in it ASAP 
Posted by: byndbad914 Jan 4 2009, 12:54 AM
the starter is back on the left side down at 7 o'clock. With an inverted 930 it is on the opposite side at 5, stock is upper left at 10.
Posted by: byndbad914 Jan 4 2009, 12:56 AM
so with the extra shim in place I have a bit more axle angle - you can see the notches I had in the original frame for extra boot clearance but no problem now since switching over to high angle off-road tapered 930 boots after I had a couple stock 930 boots tear.
Posted by: byndbad914 Jan 4 2009, 12:57 AM
I used the original breather tube location to put clear hose to easily check fluid fill level in the trans. Then I fabbed up a bracket to mount the trans at the rear support.
Posted by: byndbad914 Jan 4 2009, 12:59 AM
I used high grade hardware torque rather high at 50 ft-lbs to get a lot of joint stiffness with the spacers so I wouldn't get bolt bending. I needed spacers so there would be slop somewhere in the system when time comes to remove stuff again.
Posted by: byndbad914 Jan 4 2009, 01:01 AM
lightweighted the simple shifter that Dwight included in my purchase - it seems to work rather slick, just used some rather thick steel to make the housing so I felt compelled to try lightening something for once 
The trans BTW was 175 lbs!!! v. 130-ish for the 930 and probably double the 901.
Posted by: byndbad914 Jan 4 2009, 01:05 AM
my friend Ken swung by tonight with his TIG welder and welded the bracket in place, welded the shifter to the plate I made to mount it, and welded up some new brackets I made for the oil coolers. I will snap shots tomorrow as I put all of that back together. Just waiting on shift cables at this point - I ordered last Monday but due to holiday shutdowns and such I don't think they will even ship until this Monday.
I might get it back together enough to run tomorrow and blast around the block in 1st gear tho' if it doesn't snow too bad tonight (it is wanting to snow all evening and we have a slight blanket right now). Snow, ice and slicks don't mix too well, especially coupled to a 50mph 1st gear and 400 ft-lbs of torque hahahaha.
Posted by: plymouth37 Jan 4 2009, 05:26 AM
Glad you got everything together, that tranny is wicked!
Nice job, I can't wait to check it out.
Dana.
Posted by: atomix8 Jan 4 2009, 07:11 AM
Looks like that should hold your SBC torque together nicely!
At the very back of the transmission where your chassis is cut, was that done to accomodate the Mendola only? Or did you need that space for the 930 also? Either way, great looking tranny!
Posted by: byndbad914 Jan 4 2009, 05:13 PM
Dana - thanks man, obviously my buddy was able to weld in the couple items I needed, I know you are moving so didn't need to bother you.
atomix8 - yes the bar needed to be cut to accommodate the Mendeola BUT that said, the Mendeola's overall length and the 930's overall length are nearly identical. The difference is the 930 housing isn't near as bulky and doesn't extend as far back as the Mendy, but the shift rod out of the transaxle, engaged in gear at full length, is only about 1/2" shorter than this.
If you had an LS engine they would be essentially identical since the spacer I ran is 0.400" thick.
Now the fun part, I blasted it around the block in first gear today... DAMN I forget how much fun this thing is to drive. Fricken go-cart with plenty of right pedal The clutch actuates almost instantly so I can adjust the pedal to maybe an inch or so of throw! That is NICE and the pedal pressure is very light. The new disks are nowhere near broken in but I can say they don't grab excessively and I was in fact able to slip it a bit to get out of the garage and the big dip at the end of the driveway. Neighbors probably think I am nuts to see a car running around with no rear end bodywork and just a bunch of engine and trans hanging out there
the new oil cooler mounts and the rear mount welded into place. It was a real treat for Ken to lean over and TIG nearly upside down on the rear mount.
Posted by: byndbad914 Jan 4 2009, 05:14 PM
a heat shield I finally fit to the car to to protect the coolers from the transaxle radiation
Posted by: byndbad914 Jan 4 2009, 05:15 PM
all back together and ready to run
Posted by: byndbad914 Jan 4 2009, 05:16 PM
fluid gets foamy just idling!
Posted by: byndbad914 Jan 12 2009, 10:49 PM
finished up the install for the most part tonight - just need to get a couple shift knobs and weld mount stud to the shifter that match them.
made some brackets yesterday for the cables and buttoned everything up tonight.
forward control bracket and cable installed, reverse looks the same, just opposite side of trans
Posted by: byndbad914 Jan 12 2009, 10:50 PM
shifter assy installed, I sat in the car like a dork and yanked gears 
gonna shift fast!
Posted by: byndbad914 Jan 12 2009, 10:52 PM
ready to blast around the neighborhood - hopefully this weekend I can get a chance if the weather gets better.
Posted by: Phoenix 914-6GT Jan 12 2009, 10:56 PM
That looks very nice. 
Wish I could feel how it shifts 
Posted by: byndbad914 Jan 12 2009, 11:09 PM
Linda says it shifts LIKE BUTTA!
Posted by: LarryR Jan 12 2009, 11:10 PM
That is uber sweet. I am afraid a trans like that is more than my whole budget!
Posted by: byndbad914 Jan 13 2009, 11:23 AM
ugh, I know, don't remind me This is proof that I am insane by the simplest of definitions 
'Course I intend to use this trans over and over in project after project and then die with it hahahahaha 
Posted by: byndbad914 Jan 13 2009, 06:26 PM
Drove it around the block a few minutes ago...
my thoughts????
JEEBUS CREEBUS does this thing shift fast 
I looked just like this but much faster 
shifting in one plane and the back end fishtailing.
we should change the smiley to :timsbadassmofoS4: hahahahaha but with some smoke behind it cuz in the cold I blew the tires off all the way into 3rd even short shifting.
I talked to Dwight earlier before going out and he reminded me to just palm and smack the shifter and not hold it at all - just bang the shifter and let it settle itself back. I accidentally one time left my hand on it (I am a hand-rest-on-the-shifter kinda guy) and it didn't like it. So that was the first shift to 2nd... after that I just smacked it forward and back and everything was fine.
Reverse doesn't like to be selected - the lockout is fighting me a little, but Dwight said that just needs to loosen up a bit and getting the box to temp and running it a good track day will loosen and seat everything and it should be good to go.
Thing rocks.
Posted by: iamchappy Jan 13 2009, 08:14 PM
Oh my, what fun. I dont think your a dork.....
Posted by: So.Cal.914 Jan 13 2009, 08:33 PM
Dude, it should have tit's.
Posted by: McMark Jan 13 2009, 09:12 PM
That is awesome and beautiful. 
BTW, this forum has allowed multiple images per post for years now.
Posted by: ChrisNPDrider Jan 13 2009, 09:20 PM
When I finally get the $$$ to build a Baja 914 I will use one of these on a MassIVe 250HP TIV. Inspiring to see your dream a reality. Keep up the good work 
Posted by: byndbad914 Jan 13 2009, 09:35 PM
thanks guys!
Mark - you are right, I wasn't clear - it is an image size issue, I could post more than one pic per post but I would have to shrink them a fair amount - or maybe I am missing something? Nonetheless, the limit of image size per post is what limits me to one per post... is there a way to open the limits up more to allow a few more decent size photos so folks and click and see details in a nice sized image?
It was pretty warm today so mostly slushy and the car is covered in crap from blasting around the neighborhood. It is supposed to flurry here and there the next 2 days, start warming up and be in the 50s this weekend, so maybe Sunday I will trailer the car out east of Denver 30-40 miles, unload the car and blast around the back highways to break the trans and clutch in. See how it shapes up for weather.
Posted by: andys Jan 13 2009, 10:03 PM
Shifter karts (having sequential MC transmissions) call them "bump shifters" for exactly the same reason Dwight mentions.
Andys
Posted by: McMark Jan 14 2009, 12:34 AM
Using slightly more compression and limiting the image size to 800x600 will cut your file size by 5x. Your copy of the attached image was 250k. Mine is 50k. The board software limits the image to 800 anyway (unless people click for the bigger version), so for most users the extra large image isn't necessary.
Attached image(s)
Posted by: byndbad914 Jan 14 2009, 01:31 AM
gotcha Mark... I wonder how many people click on pix 
I tend to click for larger images cuz I like to see details but I tend to be a bit anal so maybe I am wrong in assuming others tend to do that. You might be right about just setting the images at 800...
Posted by: byndbad914 Jan 18 2009, 09:41 PM
Took the car out east and kept my eyes open and slowed down whenever I saw a car approaching... didn't see any troopers so ran it up a few times. 6K 4th gear here and there (around 120-ish) but the cross winds are SO BAD out here I didn't want to push it any more, with the wing it would move the car around a fair amount at 120.
Ken hadn't seen the new race track so we drove all the way out to it (I unloaded about 18 miles from the track) and if the winds are gonna be anything like they were today that is going to suck. I am gonna have to check the almanac for Byers and see what the wind speeds are like in Mar - Oct! It is like a REALLY BAD day at WSIR for those that now what that is like.
Car shifts so fast, man that is nice. We pulled onto a hwy out there, got to the edge of town where the speed goes up to 65 and I smacked thru 3 gears and Ken just started laughing
Posted by: charliew Jan 19 2009, 11:21 AM
Really neat tranny. Can you do away with the cv spacers if you get longer axles? That looks like a place for loose cv bolts to me. The rear tranny mount with the spacers will take a lot of twisting motion I would think. When the wheels loose traction from side to side the tranny will try to rotate it seems, maybe not. Where the spacers butt against the alum. tranny I would use some washers or the spacers will eat into the alum housing. I think you will end up putting the plate against the tranny and making the plate removable. Until reverse loostens up you might need to get the car moving a little to get it in reverse kinda like rocking a bike to change gears at a stop.
This could be just bs. I'm really just jealous. Keep the wheels down.
Posted by: byndbad914 Jan 19 2009, 01:08 PM
I intend to get floating axles from Sway Away - I had waited on new axles as I have intended to upgrade to a Mendeola for awhile now and made the spacers to get by with the 930 trans. In due time.
The rear bracket will see little load I suspect - the chassis is so rigid, the engine is hard mounted to the chassis, etc. The car has essentially no flex to be honest - it is rigid as Hell. What little flex it might see shouldn't hurt anything. Additionally I used a lot of torque on the bolts to get high joint stiffness and everything is pretty smooth at the interfaces so I doubt anything chews into each other.
Reverse is getting better as well - they suggested I just run it and break everything in and yesterday helped a lot.
Posted by: Aaron Cox Jan 19 2009, 05:50 PM
Your car is insane......
Sick tranny. Neighbor had one in a sandrail, way good box
Posted by: byndbad914 Jan 19 2009, 08:12 PM
thanks dude - good to see you around! Hope school is going well.
My friend got a small amount of video on his cell phone but it is a weird mp4 format and so far neither of us can get sound from the vid, and he has captured sound before. Unfortunately, maybe no good vid. Watching it tho' I don't think he got any of the shifting either so maybe doesn't matter (I think the car is so violent on accel it is hard to get vid anyway as a passenger )
A shot of the first law that was possibly broken - right near where I was unloading the car was a 25mph zone
and a shot of the new track
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