1964 Bug... New Project

[Salvo]

Hello Everyone!
My name is Steve and I am new to the site! I just found out about it from over at "The Samba", a fellow was telling someone about getting "armchair engine builder" advice there and if they wanted "advice" they might want to look here...Well, Being that I am new to the VW scene and am building my '64 for Street/Strip fun I figured that maybe I better come over and have a look! 
 
I just wanted to say "Hi!" and post a few pics of the car as I got it... I am in the middle of stripping the car now and getting ready to do some pan work, I am going to replace the pan halves and whatever else comes up... 
 
 Formerly being into the musclecar scene and used to V-8's... I have a real sweet spot for "lumpy" cams and compression... At this moment I am not sure if I am going to go for a turbo motor or maybe a nice "Hot Street" motor with nitrous, like Hot VW's 2332cc engine that they did a series on back a couple of years ago...
 
Here are a couple of pics for now...





 
I welcome any ideas and hints/tips... Especially on Rollbar/cage installation! 

[Wünderwolff]

I like the car, doesn't need much more than the hot engine. Maybe just a bit of cleaning up like the bumper over riders at the front, perhaps keep the blades, perhaps go to T-bars. Love the louvres, so keep those.

And yes, there's a lot of Bench Racers here 

[wolfswest]

yes,
this car sure has some potential, if it was mine I would ad buggy bars, loose the mirror for a talbot berlin model, work out the stance a little more, dual quiet packs and you got yourself a very nice looker!

Welcome,

Dem

[71CALRIPPER]

Who sells buggy bars these days guys?

[Salvo]

Well, I went to change the fan housing out the other day and noticed the cooling fins were "caked" with grudge and were not getting proper cooling so I made the decision to yank the motor and dig right into the project... In taking out the interior I came across the fact that the pans are going to have to be replaced, there are a few small rust holes and I am to picky to just "repair" them so I am in the process of stripping the whole car and getting into my "Pan Off" earlier than anticipated! Thought I would post a couple of pics for you to check out...
 
I do have a question that I am wondering about... Is it possible to "move" or relocate the shifter housing farther back on the chassis spine and shorten the shift rod inside the spine without running into problems operating the shifter?  I would like to bring mine back a little bit... I wanted to keep a "straight" shifter handle versus one that is angled back... Just a personal preference...
 
Here is where the stuff was all caked in... This pic is AFTER I had tried to clean out the sludge and there was still plenty down inside the fins, so out the engine came...

 
Cheesy, scratched up firewall has to go!

 
 Looks like someone had replaced the wiring harness before...


 Getting it stripped down...


 
The pans as I found them underneath the sound deadener pads...



 
'Til next time...
 

[Nico86]

Welcome to the Lounge, I like the car 

[speedwell]

yep me too  it's very 80's style  <-64 boy with 4 bolts wheels and the louvers are right on that car

[Bryan67]

Those floors don`t look bad at all in the pictures. They could probably be cleaned up. And yes, you can move the shifter back. Just use on of those dune buggy shift rod adjusters at the end and either shorten the e brake handle or use a later model one that is shorter.

[Salvo]

At the risk of sounding like a "Dufus"....  Can I ask for a link or something to these "Dune Buggy shift adjusters? I am literally brand new to the VW scene...  Thanks!!!

[Zach Gomulka]

1968 and up has the shifter mounted about 3" back. You could relocate it to that position, and use a stock 68+ shift rod. Measure twice...

[Bryan67]

Zach`s right also. But here`s a link for you. Just about everybody sells these and they work pretty well.

http://cbperformance.com/catalog.asp?ProductID=656

[Fritter]

I dig your car!  I have a '64 Sunroof also, one year only car, you know....small windows and metal sunroof. 

[Salvo]

Thanks for the tips on the shift rod guys! I will look into both of those ideas... I was out continuing my disassembly of the car and what I had earlier thought was the original color "Blue" showing thru in the rear area actually ended up being an old repair that was performed at some point in it's history... Seemed like for the most part, the repair was well done although I have found that the lower part of the heater channel is rusted out on the piece that was installed... So much for 'cleaning the area up" and welding in a rollbar... First I'm gonna have to replace the heater channel...    I guess I'll change out the pans first and then tackle the channel... Any suggestions or idea's on which to do first? 
 
Kinda hard to see, but I am pointing at the welds...
 




 
Looks like the "original" color was what I found under the windshield molding...
 


 
I pulled the doors off today and actually cleaned up the outside area where the repair was made... Looking to see where the spot welds were located... It seems like it should be an fairly easy repair once I get going... I'll order the parts tomorrow...
 
'Til next time!
 

[Salvo]

Got my floorpans ordered, they should arrive wednsday... The heater channel was out of stock. I was able to finally get the body separated from the pan and onto the cradle. Work is progressing nicely!
 
Anybody have any links to a good article on converting a swingaxle to IRS? Thanks!
 
A couple of pics to peruse...
 
Another shot of the previous body repair after getting it stripped away...

 
You can see the rusted out heater channel...
 

[Fritter]

That repair looks well done in the pics. I still don't see a rusted out heater channel?

[Salvo]

How's this for rotted...?
 


 
Can anybody offer or explain how I can remove the rear "arms" that the torsion springs are splined to? It sure seems like there is a LOT of tension on them and I really don't want to get hurt taken the rear suspension apart!

[Fritter]

There is a tool that compresses the spring plate you can buy. Can also put the car on jackstands then jack up under the springplate. After you compress you then need to tap the plate out past the stop then gently let tension off, then take plates off.

That rust doesn't look too bad...could be patched.

[Speed-Randy]

go to home depot, get a 10-12" turn-buckle. bolt to upper shock mount and spring plate. tighten turn-buckle, spring plate rises. stick prybar between plate and torsion housing. loosen turn-buckle and tension and springplate is now off its "perch". no beating, no stress, and most important, NO INJURIES

[Salvo]

Thanks! I did just that and it worked great!  Got the pan stripped down and pressure washed yesterday and today I got the pans cut out!
 





 
 
Now to get the sandblaster out and get the "spine" stripped...
 
'Til next time! 
 

[Salvo]

I used almost 100lbs of media to get to this point(although it doesn't look like it)... I have a few "hard" spots of undercoating that I need to scrape off and then I'll hit it again with the ol' blaster...
 

[Salvo]

Ok, I finished welding the new pan halves in today... And that leaves me with a couple of questions... First, Do I have to add/weld in the little bit of metal tab that was on my original pan that I believe held the gas pedal? Don't the later year bugs have a built in mount on their pedal assemblies? I would like to use one that is "built in" or maybe even an aftermarket pedal assembly if anyone can recommend one???  Thanks for chiming in!
 


 
Anyone got any info on "raising" the transmission to lower the car?

[Fritter]

I removed the tab on my 64's pan and installed a roller pedal. The stock gas pedal is loosey goosey.

[Salvo]

Anyone know where a vendor or salvage yard might be located that I could source an "Oval" roof clip from???

[fredy66]

are you making a "oval "  from a 64 sunroof 

you be better of finding a a oval body
your car you do as you want

[fredy66]

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=942574


http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1056832

[Zach Gomulka]

So are you also going to change the windshield? It's smaller, too, you know.  The dash? The deckild? Front fenders? Hood? Tail lights? Etc, etc, etc. A 64 sunroof is a bitchin ride in its own right. If you want an oval, get one.

[Salvo]

Ok, Here is the scoop...
When I got the car and went to get the title transfered into my name we found out that the "year" of the car didn't match the pan numbers so I had to have the DMV do an inspection to check and make sure the car was legit and not stolen or anything... That all turned out fine. Now because the "public vin tag", as the officer at the DMV stated, was missing from the spare tire well up front the state of Arizona was going to have top issue me a new vin tag with the numbers that match the pan... Long story short, The car was titled as a '68 and is really a '64... Don't ask how that happened because I don't know, either does Grandpa, whom I received the car from. The new vin tag was placed on the "B" pillar of the car...
Now, since any "collectible" status of the car is gone... My plans for restoring/ street/strip action for the car have changed a bit and I am kinda leaning towards the "Hot Rod" scheme and building something like this...
 


 
This is why I was looking for an oval top section... I haven't made strict plans to chop yet just contemplating and pricing things out a little...

[Fritter]

Sorry to hear about the vin issues. You probably will get comments on this board that the first pics of the car you posted is how it should stay....this is more of a traditional cal look site.

[Zach Gomulka]

Exactly. You've got a solid, and desireable, '64 sunroof there. If you want an oval volksrod, start with a basketcase of an oval. Please don't ruin this perfectly good 64

The pan is 64 and earlier, the body is a 64 for sure, who knows why it's titled as a 68, and who cares!

[Nico86]

I agree, if you want to go with a volksrod sell this sweet 64 and get a cheaper body+pan.