My 1975 late looker (late bugs can be just as cool)

[fat65]

Looks great!

[Bewitched666]

Late looker can look cool indeed

[darkmatter]

Enjoyable build - not too much fuss, relevant and well executed details - thanks!
time to get back to the garage

[andy198712]

Loving the paint! very envious! !!

[jackyt]

Loving the stance on this, it looks just right 

[JoeHurley1892]

Its been a while, as i have been collecting lots of bits for the new engine.

However finally had time to fit my new 1.2kg fibreglass rear valence.

The old valence was completely rotten and it pissed me off every time i saw it.

In addition the new valence is removable as well which should make getting the engine out bit easier.

Rotten!!!

IMG_2877 by Joe Hurley, on Flickr


Flatted the new one back.

20160420_133808 by Joe Hurley, on Flickr


Now with its fresh paint

20160420_145136 by Joe Hurley, on Flickr


Shiny

20160429_195413 by Joe Hurley, on Flickr


Finally got the old valence of. What a pig of a job that was.

IMG_2893 by Joe Hurley, on Flickr


I noticed the engine was leaning on one side, which i thought was bit odd.

So I looked at the gearbox mounts.... and sure enough one was knackered.

Engine out time it is then, lets test how much quicker I can get the engine out without a valence.

35mins later... its out.

20160521_102008 by Joe Hurley, on Flickr

[JoeHurley1892]

As you can see the bottom right (in picture) has started to perish.

Being a late bug they use different mounts. So the new heavy duty grey wouldn't fit on the existing cradle.... I guess I will have to uprate that as well. The new cradle is bit more beefier haha.

20160521_102143 by Joe Hurley, on Flickr


All bolted back up

20160521_110748 by Joe Hurley, on Flickr


Engine back in and now sitting level, also fitted the new stainless manifold as the old one was blowing.

20160522_101701 by Joe Hurley, on Flickr

[JoeHurley1892]

So the time has come to finally see what this engine can do. So took it to North Weald Test and Tune.

It was very very busy, however managed to get 2 runs in. The best run I got was 22.83. I little bit disappointed as I wanted close to 20 Seconds.

However people who know North Weald know it isn't the smoothest of strips, the damp ground and headwind hitting the car on the way up also didn't help. So there is a possibility that the car was probably going a couple of seconds slower then what it can actually do.

Maybe advancing the timing bit and removing the fan belt may give it a little more as oomph . So I reckon there is a 20 second time in this engine.

On the plus side both times I was leaving the lights quicker then the other cars. First being a a 250hp Focus ST and the 2nd time a 500hp Pontiac hehe.


20160710_122021 by Joe Hurley, on Flickr


The only things I did to prepare for this is I took the air filters off, bolted the stinger on and removed the passenger seat.

20160710_122045 by Joe Hurley, on Flickr

[JoeHurley1892]

Wow!!! Its been nearly 2 years since I updated this.

In September 2016 I decided to take it of the road for a winter to do 'SOME" rust repairs and a few upgrades.

Well the rust repairs and upgrades ended up nearly being a full restoration on the car,


Fast forward to May 2018 and it is finally ready to get back on the road.


Here is what I have been up to in the past 1 and half years.

[JoeHurley1892]

Rust Repairs

Using the car daily had taken its toll on the car and i knew it needed some repairs doing, however I didn't realise the extend of what needed doing.

I started with a small patch on the floorpan and while I was sealing it up I noticed that the bottom of the heater channel looked abit soft. A little prod and scrape and I basically there wasn't one left.

20170121_124232 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr


I removed the running boards and found even more!!!

20170122_181556 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr


So i cleaned it up to see what i was tackling and what size repair panel i was going to need!!!

20170122_181854 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

20170218_165554 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr


All cut out, luckily the inside of the channel was still solid

20170208_172052 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr


More metal removed

20170218_172551 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr


Test fitting panel

20170226_173804 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr


Fresh metal in, more grinding to go

20170304_132938 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr


Thats better

20170304_132903 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

[JoeHurley1892]

Windscreen scuttle needed attention to

20170212_175430 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

20170212_175450 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

20170212_175507 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr


Looking healthier

20170215_192131 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

[JoeHurley1892]

In primer, good colour match

20170225_153003 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr


Fresh 

20170306_190204 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr


Front Valence needed attention too

20170225_172738 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr



Wings will polish up to match.

20170317_211003 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

[JoeHurley1892]

Rear End

I always wanted to paint the tacky anodised blue air scoop things and get rid of some of the rust but to do this I had to take engine out.

However I didn't stop there and ended up doing a lot more to the engine bay. Whoops

This is how tired it was looking. As you can see one of the engine trays feel out.

20170129_174517 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr


Then I got hold of a grinder and got carried away.

I enlarged the engine bay so it is easier to fit a twin carbed engine in the bay, but  I  still wanted to keep it reasonably stock looking on the outside. That was as much as i dare cut that the deckled still had something to sit on.

20170204_140939 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr


This car is now only going to be used in good weather, so I cut the vents out and to give me more clearance.

20170203_214257 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr


My bumper mounts were rotten so was going to replace them, then thought the the rest of the inner arch was rough, so It all kind of got removed lol.

20170205_180236 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

20170205_180211 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

[JoeHurley1892]

Ready for paint,

20170220_173053 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr


In that excellent peppermint shade of primer

20170225_172749 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

20170225_153032 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr


Its all Miami blue again!!!!

20170306_190039 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

20170318_182908 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

20170317_210950 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

[JoeHurley1892]

Now thats it solid again, time for some upgrades.......

[JoeHurley1892]

I started with the interior by removing the remaining carpet and any sound deadening left.

20170328_213722 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

20170330_182404 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr


Looks much fresher

20170402_133321 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr


I then enlarged the fuel line to 8mm and ran kunifer piping from front to back.

20170402_133326 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr


I fitting a bigger union in the tank to.

20170326_174300 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

[JoeHurley1892]

I uprated the pump to a holley blue for future bigger engines
20170409_152945 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr


Race battery was then fitted. Abit of a size difference hahaha.

20170422_154118 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr


My Slough Swapmeet bargain find Steering wheel was next

20170417_124507 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

[JoeHurley1892]

Just as I thought I was done with buying stuff,

I was at a show, talking to my dad and was like "A roll cage would really finish the inside of the car." And he was like "abit like the one I'm leaning on lol"

So that was quickly bought. Thanks megabug

I know its only a bolt in cage but megabug told me that this was the cage used for the bugstuff at the Volksworld Show before they went to health and safety and now have erecting tent competition instead wwwooooooow

(For you non uk folk, the bugstuff was an event to see how many people that could get in a beetle in one go)

So this cage must be pretty strong.


So this needed painting miami blue of course

20170704_132948 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr


Now the battle was to get it in, Many ratchet straps and hands were needed, but It went in. I made spacers and used strong grade bolts to hold it in place.

20170709_153125 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

20170709_153115 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

Its in, now to mock the seats in place.

20170805_184514 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

20170805_184455 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr


Interior finally back together

20180318_172124 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

[JoeHurley1892]

Front end needed some tic

20170106_192119 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

20170317_215204 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr


Braided Brake lines going on
20170407_174747 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr


Linelock

20170409_152840 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

Does this look correct, as It doesn't seem to engage at the moment?

20180203_161328 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

[JoeHurley1892]

Due to my new wheels having bad offset a 5" Narrowed beam is needed.

20180121_154725 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr


I do like stickers like this lol

20170415_153137 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr


Weld Racing Prostars 4.5j with Michelin xzx tyres

20170521_152737 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr


I currently do not have the rears as Im struggling to find a 6j pair in europe, so for the time being Im running chevy pattern early wolfrace slot mags until I can afford to buy some pro stars from the states.


Before and after Polishing

20180401_190900 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

20180401_190925 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr


Shiny 

20180415_165311 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr


With some 205x70 rubber

20180429_102349 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

[JoeHurley1892]

Fitted a midpoint and uprated to bus bump stops,

20170326_150440 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

20170326_110843 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

[JoeHurley1892]

Engine

I started with fitting the breather box, with the extra clearance that can be tucked right up high.

20170402_130123 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

20170402_130150 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

[JoeHurley1892]

I was intending to build a 2276 turbo however, it was getting expensive and my bedroom is already full of car parts, so for the time being I am going to build a stroker engine with parts I have lying about. But first what crank shall i use hahah  

20180401_111442 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

[JoeHurley1892]

I  have a HOT 1600 which had 60bhp at the wheels in bits so I thought I would reuse most of the parts but add a 74mm crank I also had lying about in it. This will make it a 1699cc

20180407_171658 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

20180407_173153 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr


Time to start this engine

20180812_110955 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr


But first better make the exhaust neighbour friendly lol

20180812_111005 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr


And its in 

20180824_171656 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

20180824_171706 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

[JoeHurley1892]

Due to those monster trumpets i was having decklid clearance issues. I didn't want the standard deckled stands off as they don't look right on a late bug.

So I thought I would create my own and have it quick release as well.

I can't put hood pins on the side of the engine bay as I have cut them out to much for the breather box. So I have made them this way I can still run a standard decklid if that ever crossed my mind lol.

20180824_171639 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

20180824_210950 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

Stands them off just enough without people reminding me my deckled is open all the time

20180825_202333 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

20180825_202325 by Hurley Photography, on Flickr

[richie]

Looks good Joe   Did you get to drive it with new engine much yet?

cheers Richie

[VWGlassee]

Wow, great progress!
She looks new

[Andrew]

Fantastic work, a real inspiration.

[Addie/DVK]

Looks great! Some big improvements you made! Good work

[andy198712]

lush!!

i like what you did with the back seat area, sort of like what i want to do.

what's the pros and cons with the new bump stops?