Popular Post CarolsHusband Posted August 5, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted August 5, 2017 I bought a Beetle. I had a '66 when I was 16 and I thought I'd got over it but when a mate offered me this messed up but solid beauty for a good price I heard myself say " Yeah, I'll have it". It's a 1200 '62 with later panels, a six point cage, Empi seats, the worst smooth-job ever and terrible paint. Pics. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post CarolsHusband Posted August 5, 2017 Author Popular Post Share Posted August 5, 2017 The plan is to chop the ends off it and make a simple Baja Bug. It's something I've always wanted to do but have never found a solid but lashed up car before. I'm not a fan off cutting up good old cars but I'm also not a fan of rusty Beetles. This is what I'll be aiming for, pretty sure it's going to be a bug eye. Aye Before I do that, I'm going to drop it, put a big motor in it, put some paint on and run around like that for a while. I've given it a service, taken the door bars and front half of the cage out coz I'm 50 and falling out of a car at the local Supermarket with your foot stuck under the seat is not big or clever. It's a piece of junk, it rattles crashes over bumps, lets the rain in and is as slow as fuck and doesn't really stop but i'm hooked. Update when my mate finds me the 2" drop spindles and 7" rims for the rear. Hang loose Bro or something. 26 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post CarolsHusband Posted August 9, 2017 Author Popular Post Share Posted August 9, 2017 Project update non-update /no pics. Went pick up 7" steels and check out hot 1641, big cam, twin down draft carbs motor. Beetle rod type thing that has the rims on was still on top of my mates office, needs fork-lifting off. Motor was under a pile of crap, same pile of crap that the forklift was under. Tomorrow apparently. *sigh* Two part plan. Part one..... Big steels on, rear arches flared to clear. Fit 1641 motor if it's not fucked. Flat back questionable paint so it looks even more shit. Cruise around like it's 1960's California. Part two..... Tall tyres, bugeye Baja kit, body lift, ridiculous paint job involving metalflake, lace curtains and mucho masking tape. Cruise round like it's 1970's California. Win at Beetles. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post CarolsHusband Posted August 10, 2017 Author Popular Post Share Posted August 10, 2017 I'll just leave these here... 21 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post CarolsHusband Posted August 17, 2017 Author Popular Post Share Posted August 17, 2017 Got a few things sorted. Gear lever lock-out was all spiffed to fuck so you could hit reverse instead of second, not much fun on the way down the gears. Adjusted with hammer/drift. Fine now. It's been a bit crashy over holes in the road, I thought it was just a Beetle thing.Turns out the rear body mount bolts were loose. One needed a bit of a nip, the other had backed off about 1/2 an inch. These 2 things sorted have made the car totally different to drive. Also tried the rims on for size, they're 8" and they are going to look mint. Going to have to do 2 & 1/2 inch flares which is fine. Anyway, pics. Loose bolts/chrome shocks aye Phone shot Nice..... 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarolsHusband Posted October 19, 2017 Author Share Posted October 19, 2017 Useless two monthly update..... Been using it most days, dunno how many miles I've put on it coz the speedo's broken. That also makes passing speed cameras and police cars a bit of a laugh. No tickets yet. It's been fine though. A bit noisy and slow but it always puts a smile on my face and hasn't let me down.. Chicks dig it, most blokes hate it and give me filthy looks. Probably because their chicks dig it.... Adjusted brakes and pedal as the travel was starting to make my foot shade the throttle pedal and so made life exciting in slowing traffic. My mate is still promising to pull the 1641 motor out of storage. I'm doing some work for him so will hold him to ransom in a minute.Not going to put the big rims on until the new motor is in, not sure it'll move with only 40 hp. I've started flatting the paint. Ether going to go full on 70's lace work panels or just blow it over in white and get some mod top vinyl for the roof and interior. Gonna get the rims chromed and paint the drums red because I can. Pics mod top aye Before I took the stickers off I drove to Sicily I may have made that last bit up... 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post CarolsHusband Posted June 12, 2018 Author Popular Post Share Posted June 12, 2018 Bit of an update, and actually some stuff happening. The bug's been my daily since I got it. It survived a British winter, leaked like a sieve, and never quite got hot enough to pump any warm air inside but it fired every time and got through all the ice and all but the worst of the snow. I've come to realise that however much of a lashed up piece of crap it is, there's no way I'm going to chop the ends off it. Sooo..... All the wheels are off and I'm fitting new tyres in the morning. 125's on the front, 195's on the rear. While it's off the ground I'm equaling out the rear end (2" difference) and putting the 2" drop spindles on the front. I've also been trying to decide what colour it's going to be. I found some light green that was ok and painted a wing but I've now found a pot of creamy white in the garage, painted the other wing and I think it looks fucken ace Gonna stick with it before the bug starts looking even more like a clown car All this doesn't mean I've given up on the Baja thing, I think I've managed to find a crash damaged car that'll be just the ticket. Picking up some all terrains for the 8" rims tomorrow too. /but that may have to be a whole other fred. // more pics tomorrow 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post CarolsHusband Posted August 18, 2018 Author Popular Post Share Posted August 18, 2018 Finally got a bit of paint on it, started on the roof today. Striping/lace/flake to follow in the week when I get the chance. Defo not going to Baja it now, not only because I'm about to crack into the HiLux but also my stepson is about to start driving and stock beetles are about the cheapest thing to insure when you're 17. Sticking with the 1200 too, but still gonna drop the front. And maybe put the 8" rims on the back. Pics 25 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post CarolsHusband Posted August 27, 2018 Author Popular Post Share Posted August 27, 2018 Ok, so not even slightly Baja anymore, but still a bug. 2" drop spindles fitted this morning, hopefully paint on Friday. Found all sorts of bad practice on the front suspension, all mended and safe now. pics 19 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post CarolsHusband Posted September 27, 2018 Author Popular Post Share Posted September 27, 2018 No work that can't wait till tomorrow, sun's out, 20 degrees, not a breeze. Perfect day for a bit of slap-dash beetle roof painting. * If any of you do this sort of thing for a living, it'd probably be best if you look away now.... Needs a load of clear & a good polish but you get the idea. And that was my rattlecan flake n lace Thursday. 40 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarolsHusband Posted October 22, 2018 Author Share Posted October 22, 2018 Monthly not much really post, just a shameless thread bump. Roof paint has started a few conversations, received many "hang loose" signs from my fellow Dubbers and caused a few heads to shake and brows to furrow.. Winter's on the way. For us, anyway. Reconnected the heater tubes to the heater channels this time so maybe my toes will be warm this time. Going to pull starter off as it's getting a bit sluggish, could be engine earth but I haven't found one yet. That might explain it then. Also, found some mudflaps on a dusty shelf at my mates garage. He said "Have 'em". He didn't need to tell me twice. /pics 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post CarolsHusband Posted November 18, 2018 Author Popular Post Share Posted November 18, 2018 Monthly update thing... New starter fitted, much better now. Heating is now too hot which is brilliant, thank gawd for quarter-lights. Spent most of today insulating, paneling and carpeting where the back seat should be. Looks ok but more importantly much quieter and I can put stuff back there now. /useless pic for thread Also, as mentioned elsewhere, I bought a buggy. It's been sat in a barn for years but it's mostly there. Or most of the buggy parts anyhow. /pics here coz not really worth starting a thread yet. 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post CarolsHusband Posted April 12, 2020 Author Popular Post Share Posted April 12, 2020 18 month update, air-cooled fans.... Since I got the Hako on the road and the Hilux out of the shit, the poor lil' Bug hasn't had much of a look in. Despite my attachment to the old crate I've spent most of today discovering that it really is well beyond any reasonable restoration. It's not hopeless but the amount of rot & fibreglass along with the fact that it seems to have a bit of a twist front to rear means its fate is sealed as the donor for the beach buggy. Guess I'll just hang the roof on the workshop wall & scrap the rest. However..... Before that day comes there is every possibility that it (along with the other two cars) are going on a 230 mile road trip to New Shuzz Towers (if it doesn't all fall through thanks to stupid virus). So I've checked it through, given it an engine service and a road test and have certified it not entirely likely to break down on the way, hopefully. I also (finally) fitted my Empi mudflaps which took a ridiculous amount of time but I've got nothing better to do ! Gloomy, end of the day pic for Fred /Hang loose, etc 20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post CarolsHusband Posted December 19, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted December 19, 2021 Baja Bug it is ! Gonna do it. Beach buggy can wait/ get forgotten about. Got a couple of prices for bugeye kits here, just waiting to hear back from Chirco in 'Murica before I take the plunge. Messed about this arvo, going to put the stock spindles back on & then decide about ride height. Will be some sort of green in the end, but I'll save the roof. Best part of the car though I say it myself. Found this charming repair, not worried about butchering the car anymore ! 16 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post CarolsHusband Posted December 27, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted December 27, 2021 Well. 'Murca didn't get back to me so I went with a UK sourced kit. Bugeye, stock-ish wing width & an engine cover with no air intake hump type thing. Should be here in a month. Gonna be simple 60's looking, not some thinly veiled, rear engined, tube framed Trophy Truck Anyhoo, afternoon in the shed. Sayonara shakotan... Wings off Swapped spindles back to stock. Standard right, dropped left. *edit* Just realised pic is upside down, I s'pose. That or I rolled it on the Baja 1000. Gained about 5 inches with the old rear tyres swapped to front. Will aim for a bit more profile to get it level. No suspension lift though. Surprisingly solid underneath, I'll tidy it all up & do the interior next. Gold roll cage, fur headlining and hopefully sort out the "filled" dash. 22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post CarolsHusband Posted January 13, 2022 Author Popular Post Share Posted January 13, 2022 Got an hour on it this evening. Interior is now on the exterior and cage is ready for a bit of a clean up & some paint. Gold flake is looking favourite. Haven't heard from the fibreglass bloke yet. That is my update, sue me. 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post CarolsHusband Posted February 17, 2022 Author Popular Post Share Posted February 17, 2022 Kit all paid for & with the courier. Found that the bug's had a terrible front end repair as well as the cut n shut rear. Grinder's the best thing for it TBH. All panels off. I've got a Mountney steering wheel that was in my first bug 40 years ago,I knew it would come in handy. Going through the box of beach buggy bits I found a spare Mountney hub & horn-push. That made me happy. All a bit filthy.... An hour later, all a bit shiny ! Now where's my goddam panels ? 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post CarolsHusband Posted March 2, 2022 Author Popular Post Share Posted March 2, 2022 YELLOW CAR ! / not doing it yellow, it's just the gel coat tub they had open. Seems like a pretty good fit, bonnet has a bit of spare on the leading edge but that'll help with fettling. Happy about arch width/ clearance. Should be good. 20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.