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4397's Zetec conversion update

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tedtaylor:
is it me or is that last picture, showing the hub bearing housing BEAT, HAMMERED, BUGGERED UP?    Why does it look so rough like it's been through the war?

dakazman:
Keep going Andy . Great work. I know how hard it is for o find time for our projects. Being semi-retired I have a hard time to accomplish much at times. So my hair is off to you .
Dakazman

andy harwood:
Skywalker;
I'm using standard VW Beetle stub axles and axles. The NG3 that I purchased from Banks, I got his CVJ flanges installed. They use the 100mm CVJ. The VW Beetle use the 94mm CVJ. I bought some VW Bus stub axles, but the slightly larger diameter CVJ seemed to interfere with the upper link placement. I'm attempting to use the bell housing for the upper link inboard mounting points. I have those mounts mocked up. I have not settled on which VW hubs to use, as there some different ones that will work. Seems the VW hubs are in 2 different lengths. The VW spacers are used, with a bit of trimming the length.
There is one write up on the yahoo group using the VW parts. I think his name is trimandan, or close. His conversion is what I'm basically following.  Richard Mann had bought some VW bits and was experimenting to see what fits what. I think he has not been active here in a while?
tedtaylor;
Yes, the hub housing is a bit tired. Seems the TCS was in a bit of a accident before I owned it. It appears maybe a chain was wrapped around it? May have been how it was loaded after the toss up. I do have another set though.
Dakazman;
Thank you! I've followed your build and the quality of it - great stuff!!  As far as time for projects,  I got the Europa as a retirement project. Since retirement, we've spent most of our time bouncing between Vietnam and Thailand, finally getting our Thai retirement visas last fall. So probably will be  awhile before we return to the US.

Skywalker:
Hi Andy,
Thanks for your prompt response, particularly as you are travelling! Your information confirms my thoughts regarding the VW stub axles as the only real alternate to the original Hillman parts now that old BMW bits are virtually unobtainable.  I got my NG3 on e-bay, from a guy who was hoping to build a GT40 kit car and only paid $50 for it and so I looked to follow Richard Mann's lead in fabricating the output flanges. My output shafts are about 10 mm longer than the original 4-speed and I have the old Renault CV joints, so if using these to build the 100mm flanges, it would reduce the overall drive shaft length slightly, however Richard's BMW stub axles are rather longer than the Beetle ones and so I'm hoping to have enough room for the Alfa CV drive shafts.  It is all in the planning stage at present due to winter here and health factors but the assistance of other pioneers like yourself make it somewhat easier.  I have contacted Richard but, like yourself, life has somewhat reduced his Lotus availability!  Know the feeling, been there, got the tee-shirt!
By the way, the Skywalker nom-de-plume comes from my homebuilt aeroplane registered G-LUKE, it is a Rutan Long-ez and I've spent a lot of time and effort getting it back into the air but at 22years old it still looks like something from Star Wars! 
Thanks again, Ron Pearson

andy harwood:
I don't do much TV here, and since I can't get into my shop, I get my mechanical Lotus entertainment vicariously here with coffee, or in the evenings.
 It seems with juggling the CVJs sizes, and there is a bit of room to play with the stub axle spacers, you may be able to make everything fit.
I think I remember that RoddyMac fabricated his output shaft CVJ flanges, and documented it here.

Following is Trimandaran's yahoo group write up, or most of it. Maybe it will be of some help. Photos are in the 2474R album.

VW axles are a great alternative. I just uploaded 2 pics of my new VW axles
into the 2474R album. The axles to use come from 68-79 VW IRS Bugs. I bought
mine from a local pull it yourself JY for $11 each. If anybody else pulls a set,
make sure to get all the VW spacers as well, they are far superior to the Lotus
spacers. Many of the sand rail shops sell chromoly bullet proof new axles on
line. However, these chromoly axles will have flanges to use VW bus or Porsche
930 CV joints which are stronger than bug CVs and able to operate a greater
angles. Our cars are not dune buggys with huge suspension travel, so I will be
installing stock VW CV axles shortly. The VW Bug axles are 30mm so they go right
into stock lotus bearings. The VW axles are dimensionally very similar to Lotus
so there is very little hassle with installation. Leave the first VW spacer on
the axle. This will be the spacer next to the CV flange, the one that the VW
seal rode on. Next, use the small Lotus spacer, the one about .382" thick. The
new axle then goes into the inner wheel bearing, through long spacer, and
emerges through the outer wheel bearing. Next, use the medium sized VW spacer,
it measures about .632" thick. This system will put the CV flange in about the
right spot, and more importantly, it will put the inside of the wheel flange
just where it needs to be (.009" more outboard than where the Lotus wheel hub
set). The wheel hub now goes on followed by the VW axle nut which is torqued to
230-250 ft pounds. Between the wheel bearings, I used the VW spacer which is
German quality and VERY hard. My upright bearing carriers showed some wear as I
expect they all do. To adjust for this wear, do the following: install the inner
wheel bearing in the carrier and make sure it is all the way home. Then use the
depth measurement rod of a digital caliper to measure inside the carrier from
the inner bearing inner race to the ridge where the outer bearing seats. Take 4
measurements at 90 degrees. The longest of these 4 measurements is the length
that you want the spacer between the bearings to be. I have TC/TCS carriers, so
the stock Lotus spacer was 2.125" long. My adjusted spacer needed to be shorter,
but I don't remember the length (maybe .020-.050" shorter). The VW spacer is
about .100" longer than Lotus. Wearing mechanics gloves, I held the spacer up
against the face of a new grinding wheel in a 4 1/2" angle grinder. The spacer
was constantly spun in an attempt to keep the face square. Grind only one end
and measure with calipers each time you need to cool the spacer with water. With
care, I was able to keep the run out in the ground edge to about .005". When I
got close to size, I chucked it up in my lathe and finished to size. Even
without the lathe, I think I could have finished it square with selective
grinding and using an oil stone. Anyway, the results are spectacular, zero play
in the new axles/bearings and resistance free as the axles are spun by hand. If
there is a fly in the ointment with this VW axle conversion, it is with the
wheel hubs. In the bug, the brake drum and hub are one unit. In my donor car, a
PO had bought undrilled drums and had a 4 x 100 bolt pattern drilled using 7/16"
20 threads. This is just the pattern I want to end up with, so I bought the
drums/hubs and cut the drum off. The OUTER face of the new wheel hub was then
machined to Lotus thickness, leaving a step for the Lotus brake drum to center
on. All other steps on the new hub were cleaned up to use for centering wheels.
About 1/4" needs to be removed from the outermost face of the VW wheel hub where
the axle nut rides so that the cotter pin hole will be exposed. An alternative
Wheel hub is the VW type 3 which had rear disc brakes and a separate hub. These
hubs can be bought on line from MOFOCO for $48 each. They will need similar
machining to use in a Europa.

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