Date: Sun, 20 Mar 2005 10:58:28 -0800
Reply-To: David Marshall <mailinglist@FASTFORWARD.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David Marshall <mailinglist@FASTFORWARD.CA>
Subject: Body lift for Syncro Vanagon?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Volks,
I now have a Golf Country in my yard! Really neat vehicle, Syncro drive
train, front bull bar, rally lights, rear mounted swing away spare tire.
What makes it really neat is the way the Steyr lifted the vehicle.
Basically it is a regular Golf Syncro with a tubular frame made up that
bolts on to where the original suspension parts mounted to and the
suspension bolts to the tube frame. Ground clearance isn't much more but
the amount of fender clearance is significantly more. The engine /
transmission sits lower in the vehicle and it is bolted to the tube frame as
well. Overall, more show that go, but it does look cool and certainly gets
more comments than my TriStar.
http://www.fastforward.ca/gallery/0305GolfCountry.jpg
When I get some more pictures with the vehicle up on the hoist, it will be
posting them at http://www.syncro.ca
What I am thinking is the possibility of a body lift for the Syncro Vanagon
like they did with the country. At this point Syncro Vanagons are limited
to about a 31" tall tire if you go with modified rear trailing arms. The
areas that are tight are around the wheel wells / battery trays and again
the trailing arm. So, if someone was to make a 5cm / 2" body lift there
would certainly be a lot more room for larger tires up front, say 33" - the
rear would need even longer trailing arms but with lifting the body this
type of mod should be "easy". From what I can see, up front, it would be a
5cm spacer between the sub frame and the body. The rear with the engine and
transmission would be about the same - spacers between the engine carrier
and transmission mounts. The area where the trailing arms bolt to would be
a little more tricky... other than that there would be some steering
linkage modification (more the rack down 2") and shifter linkage
modification but...
Crazy idea I know... anything else I am missing? I want to eventually built
a Syncro Vanagon with at least 50cm of ground clearance at the lowest point.
Not this year, but one of these years! :-)
David Marshall
Fast Forward Automotive Inc.
4356 Quesnel-Hixon Road
Quesnel BC Canada V2J 6Z3
Internet: www.fastforward.ca Email: sales@fastforward.ca
Phone: (250) 992 7775 FAX: (250) 992 1160
- Vanagon Engine Conversions and Accessories
- Vanagon, Transporter and Iltis Sales and Importation
- Electrical harness fabrication and customization
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