Another belgian late looker

[volkskris]

Here is my first car! I got it from my parents on the 30 of June. they bought it six months ago without telling me
I already stripped the interior and body, removed the speedometer cable, electricity of the motor, etc.
I just need to remove the bolts that keep the body on the chassis.

[volkskris]

And here are some influences for this car

[Peter]

Cool
Should become very nice!

[volkskris]

Cool
Should become very nice!

Sure!
but I'm really doubting about the rear lights. keeping the elephant feet or putting earlier lights on.
my fenders and lights are in good condition, that's what makes it so hard.

[Diederick/DVK]

put on earlier lights if you can and possibly fill the "ears" behind the quarter windows.
should come out nice with inspiration like that

[Wünderwolff]

Even though I'm not too much of a fan of the big Elephant feet rear lights, I'm even less of a fan of aging a car.

Mind you I do like to cut my cars up, I love that custom touch. But the biggest faux-pas most of us have ever made (car-wise  ) is to have made it look older than it really is. Just ask Dem/Wolfwest, one of the nicest lookers in the WW and still he would have gone late if he was to do it again.

So keep the Big lights. Do weld up the ears (but keep the half moon crescent). The first white car is a great example of how it could look.

[volkskris]

Even though I'm not too much of a fan of the big Elephant feet rear lights, I'm even less of a fan of aging a car.

Mind you I do like to cut my cars up, I love that custom touch. But the biggest faux-pas most of us have ever made (car-wise  ) is to have made it look older than it really is. Just ask Dem/Wolfwest, one of the nicest lookers in the WW and still he would have gone late if he was to do it again.

So keep the Big lights. Do weld up the ears (but keep the half moon crescent). The first white car is a great example of how it could look.

I actually meant converting to the "churchwindow" rearlights as on the blue car above, the rest (hoods, headlights) will stay the same.
and I think the ears will be fillled, I only doubt how. completely remove them is very complex, while just welding a plate in place of the vents is much easier.

[Diederick/DVK]

exactly, i don't think just changing the elephants to churchwindows is a biggie.

[Zach Gomulka]

exactly, i don't think just changing the elephants to churchwindows is a biggie.

I agree. It's easily reversable, as well.

[kev d]

You've picked some cool cars for inspiration
I'd have to say ditch the elephants foot lights though
Cheers,
Kev

[wolfswest]

churchwindows would suit the car very well and that's okay to do in my opinion.  There are cars that are exactly like the look you want, only built in another year, so no problem there...
Please do not remove the ears, it will be a lot of work, it will not be original and before you know it you end up like me.  take this advice from an older man  don't do it.  I've painted my ears and I think I've created a nice look... nice result and simple to do.

Dem

[volkskris]

Today the body and pan were split. The body was welded to the pan at the left jackstand. Luckily that was the only place.

[volkskris]

exactly, i don't think just changing the elephants to churchwindows is a biggie.

I agree. It's easily reversable, as well.

But it's the costs aspect. I'm on a very limited budget . I think I'll keep them for now, I can change them later on.

[Diederick/DVK]

that's perfectly acceptable. go with the looks of the white thai car then

[Nico86]

Nice project ! Keep the elephant lights, I love the white bug on your previous post. 

[volkskris]

Yesterday and the day before I worked on removing the electricity out of the body. Removing the electricity from the engine and rear light was very difficult, but finally I got it out.
I also removed the rear hinges, and the glovebox with front lock.

[volkskris]

 

[volkskris]

The body rests now on a frame, and I bare-metalled some areas with rust.
Today I'm going to remove the crap from the inner wings.

[volkskris]

Finally a new update after 3 weeks
I bought a 1969 shell today, which is much better than what I have now. It still needs a bit welding in some places, but it's much less work than the mexican shell.
I stripped the pan too, just needs cleaning up the underside.

[volkskris]

Does somebody know how to safely remove the springplates and get them back on?

[beetletom]

does somebody know how to safely remove the springplates an d geet them back on?

yep, undo the 4 15mm bolts
remove the outer rubber bush
mark 2 or 3 lines on the springplate and torsion bar
then get 2 lever bars, to remove the springplate off of the torsion bar, and try not to pull out the bar itself

[Speed-Randy]

better yet, after removing the hardware, use a turnbuckle from the holes at the back of the springplate to the shock tower and this way you dont break your fingers or your tools. MUCH SAFER AND EASIER THAN PRYBARS

[volkskris]

Thanks all for the replies, I'll see what I'll use.

[volkskris]

So I picked up the new body today . It still needs work, but it's a lot better than what I had.

[volkskris]

 

[Diederick/DVK]

happy birthday!
any progress on the project?

[volkskris]

happy birthday!
any progress on the project?

Thank you!
Well, not a lot. I removed most off the filler from the left side behind the door, at some places there was like 1 cm of it
there was some more cleaningwork, and that's all I (and my dad) did. I'm in the last, busy, year of secondary school so progress wont go as fast
I'll keep you posted when their is an update.

[volkskris]

Today I picked up a rustfree engine lid (without vent holes) for 25 euros. That saves me the useless work to a rusty one.

[volkskris]

Went for 2 rustfree doors today. They came with all the window crap, and a talbot mirror. The chrome around the windows is already black, a thing i won't have to do now

[volkskris]

Dusting off this thread for an update...
I got a new pan, which suffered from some transportation damage, but was perfect otherwise.
The damage is already repaired by a friend of my father. It's perfectly straight now.
The body I bought will not be used, but cut up. The reason it won't be used is because the doors don't fit.
I'll use some parts for my old body, and sell the other good parts.
Pics will come later...
Kristof