Project 56..

[kev d]

Managed to make a decent bit of progress & almost at the rolling chassis stage, still missing a few little odds n ends though
I bought a new pedal assy & throttle pedal kit but the actuating lever for the throttle cable isn't included & not listed to buy so I'm on the lookout for one of those.
Also found a problem with the new front beam, the top RH torsion arm has play on the inner end & it looks like the bush is either missing or fitted too far in that'll need investigating!

At the back I've trial fitted the gearbox & tacked in the CSP torque bar kit, also fitted brackets for the brake hoses as I'd forgotten about those when I converted it to IRS..
All plumbed in now though

I've got the rear brakes left to do, hopefully that'll be straight forward but I bought the arms without any brakes at all so no doubt theres going to be some fiddly bits to find..

One thing I did get was a LED tail light conversion from chip.birks@gmail.com, he does various conversions for most years, I got orange flashers included in my set & they look really well made
He's well priced & a nice guy to deal with, well worth a look at his advert on the samba

[nicolas]

nice shifter. i had a look at them as well at EBI and i am intrigued by them.

[Pas]

Good work Kev.

[BossHogg76]

Looking good Kev, take it you're back at the moment, If you're down Dundee way, let me know, Project '67 should be back in my garage next week if you want a peek.

[kev d]

Looking good Kev, take it you're back at the moment, If you're down Dundee way, let me know, Project '67 should be back in my garage next week if you want a peek.

I'll take you up on that
I should be about for 2 weeks or so, when suits you?
Cheers!

[kev d]

nice shifter. i had a look at them as well at EBI and i am intrigued by them.

Hi Nicolas, how's things?
I got it the volksworld show, it's pricey but a really nice piece of kit

[BossHogg76]

Looking good Kev, take it you're back at the moment, If you're down Dundee way, let me know, Project '67 should be back in my garage next week if you want a peek.

I'll take you up on that
I should be about for 2 weeks or so, when suits you?
Cheers!

Just waiting on truck availability will drop you a pm, when it's sorted

[kev d]

Thats the pan pretty much done now, couple of odds & sods to do but pretty much there
Also get the correct rear calipers, anyone need a pair of good '88 calipers...

I'll get onto the body next, very little rust repairs needed but I'd really like to drop in a ragtop clip if anyone has one spare...

[fahrvergnugen]

Almost there dude

[kev d]

Time to start on the body & its turned out to be every bit as good I I thought

I stripped off what little was left on it including the doors etc, starting on the RH rear 1/4 there were some holes to weld up from when a previous owner removed the rear apron.
There was a hole in the closing panel at the end of the heating channel & a couple of small holes where the wing bolts up, these were cut out & some new steel let in.
While the MIG was fired up I thought it would be rude not welding up the trim holes, its going to be a 'looker after all...

Moving to the front 1/4 things were much the same, a couple of small repairs to the bolt flange & weld up the aerial & trim holes.
There's some minor damage to the front apron & spare wheel well, the apron came out fine but I'm going to fit a new wheel well as its stretched & a bit thin in spots.

The LH side is almost exactly the same story, the only difference being some minor damage to the rear bumper mount. I've removed it so I can repair the inner wing properly & after a bit of attention with the hammer & dolly it'll go back on
I've also removed the mountings from the inner rear wings to the shock tower as they need moving slightly to fit on the later pan.

Next stage is to sort out the removable rear apron & fit the wings then get it off for blasting

[kev d]

More

[Rocket Ron]

nice to see you getting rid of that nasty trim 

[kev d]

More

[kev d]

More

[kev d]

nice to see you getting rid of that nasty trim 

I'm not into resto cal's mate...

[Russell]

nice to see you getting rid of that nasty trim 

I'm not into resto cal's mate...

Mmmmm not sure I agree with you, check the CAPainter thread

I think it's the way forward.....

[benlawrence]

make sure you check this area of the panel for fit and clearance around the truss bar, i had to enlarge the hole on mine but im using a different bar.

Nothing worse than having to cut bits out of a freshly painted car.

[Rocket Ron]

nice to see you getting rid of that nasty trim  

I'm not into resto cal's mate...

Mmmmm not sure I agree with you, check the CAPainter thread

I think it's the way forward.....

Look out Kev, I think Russell's turning chromeosexual   lol

[kev d]

nice to see you getting rid of that nasty trim  

I'm not into resto cal's mate...

Mmmmm not sure I agree with you, check the CAPainter thread


I think it's the way forward.....

Look out Kev, I think Russell's turning chromeosexual   lol

Lol!

[kev d]

make sure you check this area of the panel for fit and clearance around the truss bar, i had to enlarge the hole on mine but im using a different bar.

Nothing worse than having to cut bits out of a freshly painted car.

Thanks for the heads up!

[JS]

Love what you did to the trim holes Kev! 

[kev d]

Love what you did to the trim holes Kev! 

The cash saved on new trim & chrome polish is going towards a motor..

[kev d]

Well with all the boring rust repairs complete & the removable rear apron pretty much done I've been welding up some holes in the dash & bulkhead thats not needed.
 Because I'm using an aftermarket hot rod type wiring loom none of the switch holes will be used, I'm not smoothing off the radio blank or speaker grill etc, just the switches.
I've dropped the body onto a rolling late 'pan I have so its mobile because I'm hoping to get it blasted fairly soon then start prepping for paint.
Also want to get the steering column sorted out as I'm using a mix of early & late parts to get the wheel exactly where I want it.
I've got a set of late bug seats I'll chop up so the bases fit the stock 'pan runners but at the moment I've got a set of mk1 gti seats or porsche to choose from.
A few other little odds n sods done but thats the main stuff

[kev d]

2 jobs to be done while the body's on the 'roller' chassis was the front seats & steering column.
I'm using a fairly deep dish woodrim I got as an anniversary gift a couple of years ago, the boss was for a later car but that was going to put it too far out for my liking anyway.
What I've ended up doing was use a late type 3 inner column & the oval outer column with about 150mm cut off the bottom to clear the crumple section.
The t3 shaft is about 70mm shorter than the original and put the wheel where I wanted it but needs a bearing to support it at the top. I took the bearing out of the t3 housing & the O.D. is only a fraction smaller than the flared top part of the oval column, I crimped housing slightly & fitted the bearing with loc-tite & the original circlip grips the inside a treat

Next was the seat mounts.
I had 1 old 924 seat & a pair of mk1 gti seats to choose from but went with the porsche, always wanted porsche seats in a bug
Whatever seat was being used was going to have to fit onto the stock late mountings so I started off cutting a late bug seat cut down to just its base & tried fitting the new seat on top... no chance! far too high.
Next try I made a frame from 1" x 2.5mm box tubing that bolts to the porsche runners & blocked it into position on the 'pan.
What I've ended up with uses a section from the bug seat 'slide' to fit the front mounting on the 'pan & the 'claws' from the original seat runners on new rear legs.
Tried it all in & it feels fine
Now I just need a matching pair
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[BossHogg76]

Fair cracking into that Kev 

[kev d]

Got to do as much as I can when I've got the chance
Got side tracked with work the other week, take it you're away again?
Cheers

[BossHogg76]

yes mate back at it. Wiring loom is waiting for me, on the hunt for a head light switch and hopefully I'll have it fired up next time I'm home .

[kev d]

Another job knocked off the list this morning
I wasn't sure what my options were for for the wiper motor with converting it to 12V so dug out the original assembly & the unit from the late bug I broke last year.
They both worked ok on the bench so I tried the 12V motor in the 56's frame & marked the holes for the motor. The drive is thicker on the late motor so I needed to open up the frame where it comes through & bored out the linkage where it fits onto the crank.
Connected up some power & it works fine
Just need to strip, clean, paint & grease & it'll be good to go

[kev d]

Decided to get the back seat sorted out now the fronts are done
It didnt come with seats but I had a late one knocking about I decided to use.
First I narrowed the mounting bar 50mm, then I stripped the seat base & took the same anount out of the centre.
All good so far

The backrest is ok width wise but I raised it up sightly & moved it back about 50mm to give a bit more legroom. I modified the hinges to pick up on the factory mountings & made sure it tilted forward ok. With that done I just need to make a latch to hold it & its finished

Between shortening the column & modifying the back seat I reckon I've made the most of the room available, with the front seat set where I want it for driving I can still sit in the back with enough room for my legs

And it might be blasted monday..

[Lids]

Between shortening the column & modifying the back seat I reckon I've made the most of the room available, with the front seat set where I want it for driving I can still sit in the back with enough room for my legs

I have sat in the back of a stock beetle, no leg room problems, you must be all legs and no torso!