'70 cal look project

[Gwar72]

Well where do I start. Been into VW's for the last 6 years and I have a always fancied doing a Cal Look project (sharing a unit with one beauty for 4 years) So a mate was selling a 1970 1300 beetle which was in my price range and look like the perfect starting block.









So I knew that I had some welding to do (heater channels) but after stripping her apart I knew that the was more to be done. So the decision was made to do it once and do it properly (well as properly as I could manage myself) 


So started to strip down the interior so I could get to see more of the body and floor...

Passengers (Left) side foot well









A post



Heater channel toast..!! 








So I could see that it would be a full heater channel panel needed so I started to brace it up before going any further..!! 

Door off which was a swine @#*...!! Had to use an impact screw driver to loosen and then to drill out lower inner A post screw as that was rusted in..





These picture were taken over the last few months and more to follow (playing catch up on loading) so more to follow if you want..!!?? 













 

[vwhelmot]

Keep going. What's the overall look going to be? Big or small motor?

[Gwar72]

Original motor tidied up and back in but looking to build a bigger motor along they way, all depends on time scale, money of build..!!??  

This is the Beauty Unit that has inspired me.  

[AngelzDD]

I hope you return to the original 1970 style !

[Neil Davies]

Good choice on inspiration! As you've probably noticed, we're not embarrassed by late models here, in fact quite the opposite! I'd go back to late panels but 1200-spec ones, just to be a little closer to Stoo's car. Use the same colour, the Lucas L488 indicators and the same lack of un-necessary chrome, just on a later car. Wheels are where it gets tricky - you need something a bit obscure but cool. Rivieras? Cosmics? Keep it 4 bolt!

[Gwar72]

I hope you return to the original 1970 style !

Still undecided yet as need to replace front clip

Good choice on inspiration! As you've probably noticed, we're not embarrassed by late models here, in fact quite the opposite! I'd go back to late panels but 1200-spec ones, just to be a little closer to Stoo's car. Use the same colour, the Lucas L488 indicators and the same lack of un-necessary chrome, just on a later car. Wheels are where it gets tricky - you need something a bit obscure but cool. Rivieras? Cosmics? Keep it 4 bolt!

Cheers  Yeah Stoo's car is ace but inspiration only not colour. My bug looks like it's Chinchilla grey on the dash so thinking of going along that colour route 

[Gwar72]

So started to attack the heater channel/floor bolts. Some came straight out but others just spun round in the rotten channel so had to cut holes and angle cut bolts out...



Removing piece by piece..

[Gwar72]

Getting rid of the old heater channel...









Rear corner is shot so will get new cross members. Patch's on Patch here..!!  



Front foot well...





Front Outer....



So cut it out to see more....



So made the decision that it would have to be body off to get to it all..!! (Not done this before..!!)  

So wings off, Bonnet and deck lid, other door...!!!  







So undid all floor bolts were I could and cut out those I couldn't...!! And with a mates help we build a frame and separated the two....!!!!











Extra bracing to be sure was put in before separation...



Bought some new metal. Not happy with the front lower member as it is a different style so now trying to source the correct one..!!??  







Now this is up to date so pictures will be slowly added...

Cheers for now  

[56BLITZ]

That front cross-member looked unfamiliar to me . . . until I went out to look at my '70 . . . it's the same!
FWIW . . . I'm with the other guys . . . go with '70 wings/panels!
All the best on yer project!

[Gwar72]

Engine off.......



And little bit of investigation on the rear crossmember today.....





Lets see whats under patch number 1....



It's like picking at a scab..!!?? You know you shouldn't but you can't help to..!! LoL 

Nothing found under there then..!! 



Lets see what i can find tomorrow....

[vwhelmot]

Lots of work there.

[Gwar72]

Lots of work there.

YEP..!! 

[Gwar72]

That front cross-member looked unfamiliar to me . . . until I went out to look at my '70 . . . it's the same!
FWIW . . . I'm with the other guys . . . go with '70 wings/panels!
All the best on yer project!

Cheers 

Full bulkhead Panel sorted from VW Heritage 

[Gwar72]

Well had a look at the Hooky's A pillar repair post (which looks top quality) and using the alignment tool (works a treat) I mocked up how it would go...





Then cut out the rot....



And trial fit again...

Just want to see how it went it, got a bit low cutting stuff out so wanted to see how it would look with something in place (if only as a mock)..!!??  



So then went back to cutting out the rot on the rear cross member....







Going to see if I can find some body cuts of these areas..!!?? Left and Right sides..










And a rear luggage panel small cut to replace this gash..!!

[Gwar72]

Attack the birds nest wire in the boot.....





Looking a lot tidier..!! LoL  

Going to re-loom it with fresh....



And then thought, why stop there so out came everything..!!!





Then decided to replace the whole front bulk head as there were patches on patch's here to..!!  

So spot weld drilling done and a bit of persuading out it came...



Plenty of hidden rust in between panels
 












And out it came, you can see the patch's clearly here..!!!  



So that's a full Easter weekend taken up.....!!!!  

Volksworld next weekend so that's your fill of pictures for now..!!  

[Nico86]

Great work! Can't wait to see more (:

[Gwar72]

Great work! Can't wait to see more (:

Thanks  A lot more to come..!! 

Packaged arrive today......







Not sure why there are screws coming through..!!?? 
 

[56BLITZ]

WOW . . . looks O.E.M.! 
Was it made in Mexico?

[Gwar72]

WOW . . . looks O.E.M.! 
Was it made in Mexico?

It's a genuine part but not sure where it was made?? Very good quality, heavy and solid..!! 

[Neil Davies]

Looks like the VW Mexico part that I fitted to my car many years ago. Not strictly correct for a 60s beetle but fits so much better than the repro. The threaded studs are for a push fit clip that holds wiring in place - quite common on New cars. Whip them off with the grinder!

[Gwar72]

Looks like the VW Mexico part that I fitted to my car many years ago. Not strictly correct for a 60s beetle but fits so much better than the repro. The threaded studs are for a push fit clip that holds wiring in place - quite common on New cars. Whip them off with the grinder!

Cheers 

[Gwar72]

Trial fit of the new bulkhead...





Then drilled out spot weld on steering column collar so ready to move to the correct side (Right) 





Where there should be a hole....



And hole (51mm) cut out.... 



Also tidied up the front chassis/pan...



Pedal assembly removed and brake master cylinder. Also scraped off under seal to make media blasting easier...



Now just got to wait till I have a compressor set up in the workshop then I can media blast areas around bulkhead before it can go in..... 

[jamiep_jamiep]

You have your work cut out for you there... excellent progress though, keep the pictures coming.

[Gwar72]

You have your work cut out for you there... excellent progress though, keep the pictures coming.

Cheers     "cut out" is quite true..!! 


Blasted pedal assembly and etch primed...

[mr horsepower]

Wow man memory lane for me
There is  a lot of work to do
Reminds me my car that was total crispy
I was lucky to find an other verry good body
With almost no welding needed
But that was 20 years ago
You don t find them so easy annymore these days

Good luck with the build.

Gr

[Gwar72]

Finally managed some time up the unit since April..!! 

Scraped off the wax oil off the outer front wheel arches to see how it looked underneath. Not to bad so a little vertical patching strip where the bulkhead spot welds to on both arches and then start to look at some local media cleaning and priming before bulkhead goes in.





Going to be replacing front clip to



Going to be cutting out previous lower repair panel.

[Gwar72]

Well did my first bit of welding for a year..!! 

Swopped over steering column hole...



Made up a blanking plate..







Not to bad 



And ground down..





Media blasted lip to where bulkhead spot welds up under so not trapping any rust and then sprayed weld trough primer. Then started to weld in new metal into inner front arch to where bulkhead sides will spot weld to but then ran out of gas..!!    (pic to follow) 

[Gwar72]

I was going to weld up the front quarters but as there was so much to repair like wing nut mounts, lips etc so decided to replace whole panel...







So off with the old 

[Neil Davies]

Sensible move - if they need more than the bumper mount and lower repair its not worth fixing them. Get the genuine quarters tho - the repro ones aren't worth bothering with.

[Gwar72]

Sensible move - if they need more than the bumper mount and lower repair its not worth fixing them. Get the genuine quarters tho - the repro ones aren't worth bothering with.

Funds may not stretch to genuine??