Cylinders and camshaft

 

So we can watch the mechanics of the engine work, most of the main parts are moulded in clear plastic. 

Just like a real VW engine, the cylinders bolt (OK, screw) on to the side of the crank case. They are also handed, the cooling fins sticking out the sides more on one side then the other. You can't actually fit them the wrong way around, so not to worry. 

All those cooling fins are essential on the real engine, but will, I fear, obscure the view into the model. However, so far this is nicely taking it's design cues from the real thing. 

The camshaft is a metal rod with four lobes slide over it. The rod is D-shaped so you can't go too far wrong, as long as you pay attention to the drawings in the instructions. I spent a while trying to figure out where I'd gone wrong before reaslising one lobe was fitted back to front. That would really ruin the timing!