These pages are now a blog

Posted on March 15, 2011 by wrm

I’ve decided to move my Puma section to a blog. I’ll backdate the stuff that was here before as blog entries.

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Technical stuff

Posted on January 13, 2008 by wrm

Some technical notes on:

  • The best engine for a Puma
  • Type IV pulley timing marks
  • Mating a Type IV engine to a Type I gearbox
  • Oil temperature sender
  • Dipstick tube
  • Building a “freeway flyer” gearbox
  • Building a large fast Type IV engine
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The big rebuild

Posted on March 11, 2002 by wrm

So I’m starting to rebuild the Puma.

[Not-so-good picture of Puma rear lights]

The early Pumas used VW/Audi taillights, the part number on my righthand taillight is 105945241. One of our list members, Armand Botha, tells me that these are the same lights as fitted to Brazilian Type III VWs.

I’m planning to fit Hyundai taillights, if I can get them.

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Armand Botha on building a large Type IV engine

Posted on March 8, 2002 by wrm

Armand Botha proposed the following for a not-too expensive big engine.

Use a 411 block. The cylinder holes need to be enlarged, for the rest the block is standard. The fuel injection block is the best choice since it has a windage tray. (Note from Wouter: my FI block had none).

Make sleeves from old Deutz (Industrial or Samil) sleeves, which are readily available at about R10 each. (Note from Wouter: A Samil is a South African Military vehicle, and readily available is in SA, of course). The sleeves are 100mm and can be bored to 101mm after which they are discarded — we bore them to 101.6 mm to take Chev pistons. The sleeves must also be shortened to about half their original size. This can be an expensive exercise if you don’t know someone with a lathe.

The Chev pistons need to be cut to take circlips, the aluminium pin buttons do NOT work. The heads also need to be cut to take the new sleeves, and the fins need slight modification too. The holes for the studs (wrm: I assume in the cylinders) are almost right and can be doctored with a file.

Using a 1700/1800 crank, displacement is 2140cc, and with the 2L crank you get 2300cc. I find that the smaller engine revs better, up to 7000+ rpm, but of course the bigger engine makes more power.

Use Nissan valves (big and cheap), 2.8 Skyline inlet and 2.4 Tracker exhaust. This does wonders for the breathing. Use 2L hydraulic valve springs, they can take the punch.

Send your camshaft to Ritchie Jute in Johannesburg and get him to cut the profile VW13, send him the lifters too for rebuilding. This cam profile gives about 280 degrees which is not too temperamental.

The rest of the engine is standard.

My fastback got 6000rpm in fourth (4.125 diff) using two 36 webers from an alfa and the electronic distributor from a 1900 wasserboxer.

You won’t believe the performance of this engine.

(freely translated from Afrikaans by wrm)

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Factory built 2078cc Puma engines

Posted on March 8, 2002 by wrm

Armand Botha sent me the following information:

“On South African Pumas there was an option of a Puma engine of 2078ccs.

I own some blueprints dating from 1972/73 which detail a 78.4mm stroke crankshaft. I also have details on conrod modification, casing and crankcase modification. There are also details on bigger valves and port modifications (exhaust). I deduced from conversations that the cylinders were 92mm and valves were 40mm intake and 35.5mm exhaust. The port modifications follows Bill Fishers book ‘How to hotrod Volkswagens’.

The other interesting blueprint details the addition of a dry sump kit and remote oil cooler. The cooler was mounted under the left front bumper with the oil lines going through the tunnel. The oil tank was mounted opposite the battery in the lefthand side of the engine compartment.

The carburettors were Solex 40mm (similar to Kadrons except aluminium manifolds with puma stamp and different links and air filters.

I could not ascertain whether a different cam grind was used although it was possible.

The distributor was a fully mechanical unit (Bosch 010).

The engine sheetmetal was also painted hammer finish silver and a badge was fitted to the fan housing (yellow with puma badge and ‘PUMA MOTOR’ written underneath).

This engine was reportedly very potent and at least 2 examples left the factory.”

If you have a picture of one of these engines please send me a copy…

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The story of my Puma (#129)

Posted on September 21, 2000 by wrm

I wanted a Puma ever since I got my driver’s licence. At that time (1986) I was under the
impression that the Puma was a kit car, so I mailed Mr. Wijker asking about buying a
Puma in kit form. I got a very nice letter back, pricing a kit at R 3 200. At that stage a
complete car sold for R 15 600.

Fortunately (for me, but unfortunately for my dream of having a Puma) I was given a car by a relative. A second-hand Citroen GS1220, but that’s another story. I drove the Citroen until I had the money to buy my own car, which was… a second-hand Puma. (never should have got rid of the Citroen, damn, those were nice cars)

[Puma VIN plate (175K)]

I first thought my Puma was built in 1971, but when I removed the VIN plate and cleaned it, I could see that it reads

MODEL:			1974
ENGINE No.		134259
PRODUCTION No.		129


[Puma dealer plate (32K)]

I bought the Puma in February 1994 for R 10 000. By then the original upright engine had been replaced by a fairly tired Type III flat engine. I bought a totalled Variant, and rebuilt the Type IV engine completely. I paid ~R2500 for new pistons, bearings, valves, and seals, and the machining of the case, barrels and heads ran to another ~R2500.

When I swapped the engines I replaced the wiring from the engine bay to the dash. (people who use 15 amp mains wire for 12V feeds should be shot) After driving around with wires all over the floor and hanging out under the dashboard I finally decided to fix it. That was somewhere around March 1997.

I rewired the dashboard — this is a bigger job than it looks — but I still have to rewire the front lights and indicators. (Did I mention my incipient shipfitters disease?)

I parked the Puma in February 1998, the gearbox was jumping out of first and the brakes were, erm, interesting, to say the least.

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