A bug of sorts 77's 69 beetle

[77magnum13hundy]

Not too long ago around Xmas I had heard that there was developing interest in my Auntys beetle and so in oldschool fashion I acquired another OS machine to add to my collection.

To fill in some blanks we need to go back to 2007, I had a brush with the law lost my license and moved to Surfers for a few months for a cool off period.During my time there I got the use of this thing to commute around I had 2 jobs over there one a part time job at a tyre shop and another washing dishes up in Sanctuary cove at a high end seafood restaurant. The Lil bug was great and I only had issues with fuel delivery when it got too hot. I'd push it over to the side of the road between surfers and Miami and wait a while for it to chill... once I got fed up with part time work I managed to get a fleet job with Baurepairs down in west burleigh. First day on the job being kiwi got the general hazing from the lads and they got it back in equal amounts, they all enjoyed commies and falcons as long as it had a v8, so here we are with the Lil herby puttin about with a raspy exhaust note. Couple weeks later one of the lads had car issues and broke down and was resorting to the bus. I offered a lift as it was on the way home. Needless to say he was reluctant. Oh well suit yourself. Next day I offered again and he decided ok sure. We cruised along and headed up the coast towards his stop. At one of the lights I was waiting to turn right and this guy was beside himself, next to us was a beach blonde in her own bug waving at us. I wasn't paying attention and so I finally had a look and she was alright to look at. I played it down, so the next day he gets to work telling the crew about the ordeal and the bug is now dubbed a pussy wagon. The crew then insisted we do a Roady to Byron Bay via nimbin. It was a great time had by all and a few yarns about nimbin could be told. Better to not sharn on about that too much... back to the main yarn. A few years later... and a few more to be exact

Since then it was exported to NZ about many years ago where it got parked in an old hanger and left to gather dust. I developed a curiosity about will it go and maybe putting it back into operation.

At xmas last year I headed down to drag it out and see if it was still in one piece.

Someone had wired fuel pump on backwards as I heard it bubbling into the tank so seemed like someone had borrowed the fp and then put it back.

Got a fresh battery and a while later it barked into life.

Dry rotted and coozed tyres were next on the list. 60 bux later we had a set of roadworthy treads the fronts were bad but they held out.

5 Hours later rolled into the 09 and parked her up. The was a mean mission.

It's been parked up for the last month just waiting for garage space to accommodate this so we can begin stripping and assessing in conjunction with the viva

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[77magnum13hundy]

 

 

[77magnum13hundy]

After umming an arring about what to do I finally decided it's time to get this out from under the covers and make a start... I needed help tho, and I called in a professional, not only does it get done properly I get to learn as well. I fashioned up an A frame removed the engine and fuel tank seats and drove it to its first stop. Not at all sketchy with unsprung weight towing and a bit of a issue towing where the wheels went left right left and the car was bouncing behind. I stopped then started and it settled.

[77magnum13hundy]

Once at the first stop it was time to assess and report on worthiness. Surprising it's relatively rust free, floor pans and pillars only need to be addressed in the bottom side, the shell only needing a bit of straightening as doors sunk and guards have defo had a prang due to the way things sat.

[77magnum13hundy]

These showed up before the weekend so got stuck in and finished my jigs for the replacement panel just so it goes back in the same spot then I roughly cut the manky floor out and proceeded to attack the spot welds that were every inch and a half... not a bad effort 

[77magnum13hundy]

Back to the shell and a few minor bits need welding up, this patch was created and installed. Also I got 2 x heater channels so the problem areas floors pillars and channels will be fresh steel. Here's my handy work this lil patch was about 1.5 to 2 hours worth.

 

 

[77magnum13hundy]

More work on the shell got the back up to the A pillars in epoxy and high build. Kinda stoked on this progress. 

[77magnum13hundy]

With the shell partially covered in primer it was time to attack the problem of the heater channels, those who know bugs can attest that these are always a place they rust, so found some scrap steel braced the inside and went for it.

A few places of patch work from previous attempts were exposed 

Quite a bit of rust in them channels hooo weee 

 

[77magnum13hundy]

Got back into it with the drivers side heater channel, we offered it up and managed to screw it into place few areas seen better days but was expecting that after the previous repairs weren't exactly done to a high standard. Regardless of the current state we plug on. I also need to replace the lower door hinge section of the pillar so we had to fit the door to make sure welding the bottom channel kept things square and that gaps were looking pretty. Also means that when we hack the lower hinge out that things are where they should be alignment wise. On top of that all the measuring done underneath wasn't the same as the new channel or the floor pans so new plan for that. Don't weld the floor pans in yet. Wait till shell is back bolt pans to it then fit the floor pans once the shell is sitting in place. I've come to the conclusion that trying to fit based on current references shit is out by a lot. My assumptions are new panels are identical measurements and after a few measurements that seemed to be the case. Another thing I expected was that panels wont fit as per original ones and that I'd need to adjust them accordingly.Back at home I hacked the passenger fp out. Here are some photos...

[77magnum13hundy]

On we Crack with the channel and the pillar... welded in the rear end and kept checking door was flush or where we put our reference point. Before the front pillar gets chopped out we welded the channel in place. It moved slightly once the pillar was removed but will be adjusted once the new piece is put in place... nothing fits or lines up so getting it near perfect which is better than factory in some instances is time consuming. I redid the side panel as it sunk and was another questionable patch. Ran a straight edge under door and could tell it was 10 mm too low and needed to come up to be flush. Ran a cut through and took a slight wedge out and massaged it up to be same as the passenger side. Here are the pics

[77magnum13hundy]

So the other side got the same treatment, during which the door was hung on the top hinge so that it wouldn't look silly before the channel was welded in place, we found that the door jams weren't far off but the tolerances were generous and once its in the place it can't go forward or backwards that much anyways. I was keen to get the shell out back home before last xmas and me going off to Nam. So I got my trusty steed and the trailer and I got it home.