With both of the VW Bug’s initial 3SGTE frame members bolted to the main rails, I have squared them up with three boards cut to the same length. I am now in the planning stage for the second frame members which will back up these two. The rear engine cradle has to be very strong to handle the power of the Toyota 3SGTE engine.
I have now drilled out and bolted on the VW Bug rear frame members. Both frame pieces have been bolted on with grade 8 hardware and are backed up with .25 inch plates which fit inside the main frame rails. The frame will be beefed up with another plate in order to handle the power from the Toyota MR2 3SGTE motor.
The VW Bug main frame members which go on either side of the Toyota 3SGTE motor have been bent and fit to the main frame as well as the rear cross-member. They fit snugly to the top of the rear cross-member.
After clamping my masonite template to the .25 inch steel plates, I cut out the VW Bug frame pieces with the plasma cutter. One of the frame plates has a taller tab portion to accommodate the passenger side motor mount from the Toyota MR2 3SGTE engine. I will put a slight bend in these plates to match the angle of the main frame rails.
Using the VW Bug foam frame templates I constructed a masonite template to use as a guide for the plasma torch. I made this template .125 inches smaller that the actual foam template because of the plasma cutter’s tip. The template insures that I have an accurate cut on the framing steel which will go around the Toyota MR2 3SGTE motor.
Once the main frame rails are in place, I can now start building the VW Bug rear engine frame plates. I have constructed templates out of .25 inch foam board to determine their locations.
After creating the torsion bar mounts on the end of the VW Bug frame rails, I bolted up the Toyota MR2 torsion bars. I have also clamped the frame rails on the plywood template to be positioned between the front and rear suspension.
Now that I know where the VW Bug main frame rails will be, I am creating the MR2 rear torque bar mounts in the end of the rail tubing.
Creation of the VW Bug frame starts with determination of where and how the frame member will be positioned around the engine. I have very limited space around the Toyota MR2 3SGTE motor. My plan is to create a plate type frame that travels straight through the rear of the vehicle. I started with some small boards glued together to determine the lower profile of the plate so I can trace that profile on to a piece of foam board.
This video shows where the VW Bug main frame rails will terminate at the Toyota MR2 anti-torsion bars attached to the lower rear control arms.