Tim k’s 1967 EJ20 powered Volkswagen build

[Timk]

Some repairs under the bonnet. 

[Timk]

As you can see, that front quarter panel is a patchwork quilt- we were nearing Covid lockdown and I was using what I had/ could make! I managed to get the big hole filled in with a donor section from another beetle, and wasn’t fussed with it being made from so many pieces as it’s not getting painted shiny. Whole underside and front/ rear clip will be getting sand blasted and epoxy primed to keep the rusty away anyway! I don’t have any photos after here for some reason, it got parked to the corner from here on! 
 

 

here’s some other photos that got missed out earlier too. 
 

and to finish up, all the junk that was cut out !

[Timk]

Fast forward to today,

18-1-2025 and dragged it out from The container it’s been stored in for a while.. its gotten surface rusty from sitting around as before that, it was sitting in the back of a workshop/warehouse up high In Petone (near salty air)

 

nothing a sandblast isn’t going to fix on all the repaired areas, and the whole underside once all repaired!  

 

Big thanks to Greg and Nate helping pull it out, (Greg’s got an sr20 bluebird build going) 

Give it a look and follow! 

 

 

[Timk]

So, back track a little to a few weeks back

 

With a Kid on the way very soon I wanted to have something in the garage after just “finishing” *off my Nissan- (*certifying, it’s far from done)

quick run down…

Nissan terrano,

Patrol y60 diffs 

Radius arm front 

steel wide body 

Qd32 turbo big pump turbo etc etc etc - doesn’t qualify for an oldschool build thread as 1992! Couple quick photos anyway…

[Timk]

So a few weeks ago, I located a Subaru complete conversion setup ex a beetle from chch, which then made its way to Hawke’s bay, to where it got taken out in favour for an aircooled motor. 

I don’t have any aircooled motors anymore, and for something to make 120hp I’d be in 5k easy for something with good power, so always toyed with the Subaru idea. 
 

This is by no means an overnight build. I can see if stalling on and off for some time. Just want something to tick away in the garage and have plenty of steel work to finish off on this one. 
 

So dragged home today, got Subaru in the hole and hung some panels. Lots of surface rust on the bare steel from 5 years ago- I’ll be blasting and colour matching those areas once all done ! The radiator up front came with the motor. It’s a biggggg radiator. I’ll see if I can use it and have a fan sucking through and shroud up under the spare wheel area for are flow then the same out the back. Talk to certifier  and see if I can modify the fuel tank surround and delete as much of the inner panels in the front to get some airflow out. 
 

 

if you’ve got this far, leave a comment! Keen to see if people think I’m wasting my time with this car that should never have been saved and now becoming a little nostalgic 😅

 

Tim 

[Timk]

Started on LH door tonight as figured I might start on some easy stuff again ease back into it.,

nothing much to show here, unbolted, investigated a rusty bottom, and flogged hinges. Soaked hinges in penetrant, I’ll use some heat and an air chisel to blow them out in next few days  as I’ve found that’s the best method. 
 

bottom, inner gets replaced Upto the “door panel line “ where it steps in, the replacement panel is juuuuuuunk for that pressing being wrong plus dimentions are wrong, but I plan to use the very bottom Of  new inner only. 
 

 

treasures outside is just probably 20x20mm up the door and along the bottom edge with a curve shrunk into it job done 

 

will get sand on Saturday, and get the blaster in there to delete some nasty surface rust. 

[Timk]

Couple hours this evening on door again (Saturday) 

 

Sand blasted the inner skin inside, plus outer skin- after cutting out what seemed questionable 

 

 

then made the call to cut 40mm of the outer skin off, aftermarket external skin usual rubbish quality but will work with it. 

[Timk]

Started to mess with new inner repro skin too. 
 

soaking the hinge pins with ROST off 

they are flogged out so will do usual and knock pins out and drill things out and machine up new pins. 
 

 

But the exiting part was briefly this morning- 

 

Searched high and low for 16” barndoor/ split window beetle (pre 54) rims. Found a pair a couple years back but then the hard part has been to find a correct size 16x5-6” barrel to replace the 3.5” factory ones. 
 

Found some 16” povo pack KUN hilux ones, perfect step size inside. Offset will be confirmed once I’ve got things setup underneath, but the hard part is worked out now ! 16” wide 5 wheels is a cool wee mod that only those who know will notice. 
 

Oh and also, found my door card set I found a few years back. Looking for seats as I have nothing. These will scrub up nice 😊

[Timk]

Little update as had a couple hours spare tonight after dinner 😃

 

started on my short sump. 

5mm thick flange made, borrowed a sump from a local dude for tracing 

 

them didn’t have a transfer punch at hand so in the lathe with a poor unsuspecting pin punch 😀Then cleaned up and 2mm 50mm upstand folded up and tacked in place. 
 

I’ll bolt this flange to a big chunk of plate for final welding to try minimize warping, then a quick skim in the mill after is what I’ve done in the past. 
 

my plan is to make similar to this sump, wing it out wide and short/ low profile. Will be a super short pickup tube.. baffle it inside etc to stop slopping too much not that it’s a race car 😃

 

oh and probably make it from something more resilient than mild steel too. 

 

The good thing about the internet is you can find examples of builds done before but usually it’s off the shelf bits developed for these. I’m not hugely interested in buying if I can make it myself 😁

 

oh and spoke with certifier on Friday about my plans up front for radiator. He’s given me the all clear for chopping structure out and mounting fuel tank up higher etc . I know it seems like I’m jumping around on various areas but in reality I just want it to get the motor and box in properly, (sump needs to be made for this) and beam etc in so car can be a roller. 
 

my target approach to the whole build will probably go as follows 

 

1.Sump made, fitted, engine and Gearbox  (transaxle) in temporary.

2. Set rear height to desired height, and then start to work out how much I’ll be raising motor and transaxle. 
 

3. cut away rear seat area, (rust in this area anyway) and raise floor, sheet metal ready for transaxle raise (likely 1.5”)

4, raise motor and box decided amount, confirm offset for the 16s and blaze them up 

4. Beam in (front suspention) 

5. Decide how much to narrow up the front beam, likely 3” and get that underway.

6. set ride height all around and tyre size etc 

7. front clip work, lots of repair needed but can get away with cutting heaps out for radiator shrouding and things, lift fuel tank for tierod clearance, build some tube structure in the front for taking abuse from the road and to replace the cut out sheet metal. 
 

8. flat pans, and “coolant line tunnel “ which will be a folded section in passengers floor for the 32mm rad hardlines.

 

 

if you’ve read this far, thanks 😆

definately planning to “dry build” it and do all the body chopping and mods and then I’ll likely finish the rust repair at the end of it all. Thats the easy stuff. 
 

Cheers. Tim  

[Timk]

Update- 

 

Found a very cool “1960 only “ interior 

 

here’s a couple photos, a description to follow 😀

[Timk]

Sooooo been a minute since jumped on here ! For good reason of course..

 

19th Feb our firstborn (daughter) was born so that’s been a busy time! But I’m determined to not let this project die like many do!

 

That “1960 only” interior, in previous post actually eventuated into the whole 1960 body shell ending up at mine..

 

 

its got a heap of rust cuts that I need, windscreen bottom, wiper panel area etc where bonnet meets.. 

bonnet is solid as, I’ll chop the sections I need and graft into mine..

back seat area, it’s a lot better than mine and I’ll be raising mine anyway with a plan I have In mind..

headliner is very cool and can be used in my car eventually..

all the chrome trims, door handles, switches, unique VW only bolts, I can use on mine as I’ve used/ misplaced over the years ! 

rear vent area, mines really scabby where it meets the parcel tray/ back seat area so perfect donor cuts

And the windows, they have the chrome trims which I’d like to run in this 67. 

 

Photos below 

 

 

oh and this turned up for some repairs for a mate, it’s just getting a pillars, inner wheel arches, some sections above bonnet/ wiper area for this round of work 🙃

 

anyway, I’ll try update again soon! Tim