My story: Ruud's VW Fridolin type 147.

Hello I'm Ruud Janssen from Holland.
I'm 36 years old and for a living I work as a troubleshooter

For over 10 years I'm building Vdubs. And all with the support of my wife and 2 kids. Without that no man can do his thing.

4 Years ago I bought this Fridolin. My other project was a '78 Golf 1 GTI who I still cherish.

My history

In 1993 I build a '82 Golf 1 GTI 16V: then the virus hit me.
I bought a '78 car but it was rubbish so I bought another one.
Drove the car for 2 years but then I decided it was time for a change.
Many modifications were made. A VR6 engine and the color was changed from blue to gold.
Then the big awakening came: the VIN number not the correct one and the car was banned form the road because it was not road legal. Nowadays it still runs on the circuit of Zandvoort in the free competition during the summer evenings. Despite of this 5 months after it was banned I had an other car ready. It had the same color but this car had a 20V Turbo engine who came originally from an Audi TT. In 2004 it got another paintjob which changed the color and in the progress it got some other modifications.






The Fridolin story

sneak preview

A friend wanted a Fridolin desperately. Me on the look-out for him on the Internet. That's how we found this Fridolin. We went and took a look but it was to much of a project for the guy. But hey, I love a challenge. I can weld and consider myself handy... so I bought the car.



After 7 days the car was towed to my garage so we could take a very good look how bad or good the car was. The Fridolin was dismantled so we could see and inspect every little piece and corner of the car. The chassis of the car wasn't very original and it looked that they had tried to channel the body onto and over the frame. Challenge was there: from day one I knew I had to get a big engine and some over the top big wheels. Kinda Hot Rod look.

First tried to fit a set of 18inch Audi A8 rims and measured if it was possible to shoehorn a Golf engine into the Frido.

Decision was made: Audi TT 20V Turbo engine. Gearbox from a T3 bus 5 speed and the suspension set up would be more high tech too. Narrowed front beam and in the back modified 1303 trailing arms. Body had to get the channel treatment: this time the right one so it would fit. Meantime set of discbrakes of race car measurements: front 390 x 37 mm and in the back 360 x 24 mm. This was a point of no return: had to get some big wheels.






I drilled all the weldings till the nose came off because it needed some major restructure welding and stuff. Front was a no-go so I had to learn myself some sheet metal fabrication skills. To much heat and the panels become bubbly so in the meantime I decided it was time that the hood had to lose the bulb for the VW ornament. One thing lead to the other... From the front I could use the license plate holder part and the pieces for the indicators.

In the meantime I bought a 20V Turbo engine and a T3 gearbox. That wasn't like Lego so I borrowed a adapter plate which makes the engine and the gearbox fit together. I had a big aluminum plate and took over the measurements and drilled the whole plate out of the aluminum.



For the rear wheel suspension we were looking for a better solution.
From a Audi TT quarto we have tried to fit it, on the chassis.





The adapter plate was for an aircooled bell housing and the gearbox was already overhauled. But in a way that the gearbox had died... Doubts and sleepless nights because of the useless gearbox. What to do now?

Finally we decided that we should continue like this for the time being. The engine and the gearbox were put together so we could take some measurements. First impression: it was a tight fit but it would work. And for the icing on the cake there had to be 20 inch wheels... so I ordered a set of those in the USA. It took 2 months to get them to Holland but at last the Torque Trust 2 wheels arrived. All four are 8 x 20 offset zero. Rubbers are 225 / 30 / 20.

The original wheel bearings wouldn't hold the wheels for sure. So on the look out for a better solution. Audi RS4 became the donor so I ordered those bearings. I did some welding and flexing and then the improved 1303 trailing arms saw the living daylights. Rear axle was narrowed in the progress because it was much needed. The PCD became 5 x 112 for the big wheels.

The king pins are from an Audi A8 where they did their job in the rear. Luckily enough they are 5 x 112 PCD. Adjusted a little so it could be fitted into the outer bearings. The discbrakes were used so I re-assembled them for a big machining job. Flat works better. Wheels were test-fitted and it works!!

Sandblasted and painted parts








a lot of new parts.

I started on the side walls.
I will show how I started.






On the car




Right panel has been finished.

The third rear suspention, is from a audi a6,
and this is the best solution for my w12 fridolin.




[img]

The front suspention is realy comming to gether.