The Evolver

[benssp]

This is my bug, I've owned it since 1994 when I got my first job and thought it would be a nice cheap runabout until I grew up and got into hot rods like my dad. Boy was I wrong, I've been stuck in the air cooled world ever since to the point of obsession. My uncle took me to Bug Jam when I was 12 and have been hooked ever since. I have worked for aircooled parts companies for 13 years and have been writing about them for 3 years in UltraVW i've been crewing for Bernie for the last two years so you could say I love my VW's, In fact, I've never owned any other make of car. Anyway, back to the car.It's a '69 that has slowly developed into a '67 over the years and is about to look even more like one. I blame Ivan for my '67 perversion and can't get enough of all the one year only parts. I have collated a hell of a lot of one year only parts over the years and i'm still finding parts that 15 years ago, I had no idea existed. It probably would have been easier to start with a '67 but this is my first car and I can't bare to part with it.

Here's a few pics of the car over the years


when I first got it


At Dub Daze in 1995


In my 17" wheel phase


Most recent 'shiny' guise

[benssp]

and this is the plan.......................after some extensive rust removal



Them damn Outlaws have got to me I'm planning a 2387cc normally aspirated Ida motor with an FK89 and either Comp Eliminators or Angle Flows from UD

that's a long way off yet, heater channels and pan halves need doing first, then off to the cage builders for a 6 point

[Rocket Ron]

Ben

Been down the same road as you. I've got a early 70's 1200 that I turned into a us spec 67 look alike in about 94 after seeing hector bonilla's 67 in volksworld back in the early 90's. (Think it was Feb 1993 issue). I too should have sold it and started with a 67 but I've had mine since feb '86 so couldn't get rid of it    Still get some stick for being a fake 

Just got a new engine with the help of Martin " boom boom " Greave and a few others on the longe ( thanks guys) and that should be in for EBI with a box from rancho .

Good luck and here a few photos of mine.








ps you should be ok for bits, staff discount and all that

[benssp]

Lookin good ron sometimes sentiment gets in the way of having the right age car in the first place. I do like the no trim and euro bumpers look

[nicolas]

too bad it is not a 67...




























 

no it really looks good. if only all 67's looked this good

[Rocket Ron]

Lookin good ron sometimes sentiment gets in the way of having the right age car in the first place. I do like the no trim and euro bumpers look

what colour is it going to be and centerlines or ercos ?

too bad it is not a 67...


 

no it really looks good. if only all 67's looked this good

thanks Nicolas

[Neil Davies]

Same goes here - I've bought back my first car from my brother. It's a '68 that we've backdated by 12 months , and again, I should really have started with a '67 but it was my first car too, back in 1995! It had a full resto about 10 years ago, needs a lot of bits re-doing but will have my 2007 motor in it eventually, and possibly a cage to go racing with...

[Rocket Ron]

Thats the trouble with the uk not enough early cars to go around.

I think the mid 80's brit cal look craze got rid of a lot of good cars that and the fact that they throw salt on the roads every F**king winter. By the time we got to the 90's and started to appreciate the earlier cars it was all to way to late.

Hands up who broke all the wide 5 cars for beach buggies, wizard roadsters and Baja bugs    

[Neil Davies]

Thats the trouble with the uk not enough early cars to go around.

I think the mid 80's brit cal look craze got rid of a lot of good cars that and the fact that they throw salt on the roads every F**king winter. By the time we got to the 90's and started to appreciate the earlier cars it was all to way to late.

Hands up who broke all the wide 5 cars for beach buggies, wizard roadsters and Baja bugs    

There was a drag buggy a few years ago based on a RHD zwitter, and lots of '66s got chopped up for wizards! Having said that, I've seen more '66s with gutter rot than any other year, so that explains that maybe!) If you want really scaring, have a look on the Samba classifieds for oval baja's!

Anyway, back on topic! Ben, when you do the channels, don't forget to cut the heater hump out and plate it up with a nicely rolled piece to keep the profile right!

[benssp]

what colour is it going to be and centerlines or ercos ?

Zenith blue with a choice of decklids: paintbox eyebrow in steel, PaintBox Aranson or a cab'd stock lid, wheels will be centerlines. zeros o/s 3.5" on the front and 7's on the back. think i will use repro BRM's(new spot on replicas currently at prototype stage )on the street.

[Rocket Ron]

I’ve always loved the look of centrelines, top choice. Will you be running tbars at the track?

Re the BRMs I’ve heard a whisper about these do you know anything re the price yet?

[63 ripper]

and this is the plan.......................after some extensive rust removal



Them damn Outlaws have got to me I'm planning a 2387cc normally aspirated Ida motor with an FK89 and either Comp Eliminators or Angle Flows from UD

that's a long way off yet, heater channels and pan halves need doing first, then off to the cage builders for a 6 point

remove the trim and not so far off. cool combo

[Pas]

This is my bug, I've owned it since 1994 when I got my first job and thought it would be a nice cheap runabout until I grew up and got into hot rods like my dad. Boy was I wrong, I've been stuck in the air cooled world ever since to the point of obsession. My uncle took me to Bug Jam when I was 12 and have been hooked ever since. I have worked for aircooled parts companies for 13 years and have been writing about them for 3 years in UltraVW and me and my better half have been crewing for Bernie for the last two years so you could say I love my VW's, In fact, I've never owned any other make of car. Anyway, back to the car.It's a '69 that has slowly developed into a '67 over the years and is about to look even more like one. I blame Ivan for my '67 perversion and can't get enough of all the one year only parts. I have collated a hell of a lot of one year only parts over the years and i'm still finding parts that 15 years ago, I had no idea existed. It probably would have been easier to start with a '67 but this is my first car and I can't bare to part with it.

Here's a few pics of the car over the years


when I first got it


At Dub Daze in 1995


In my 17" wheel phase


Most recent 'shiny' guise

Don't blame me for your weird car perversion, you weirdo 

[67worshipper]

i love your car ben.the latest guise is the best.how much grot is there then? rocket ron whether your car is a wannabe or not its still and another late car saved from the dreaded

[benssp]

Thanks for the kind words, the rebuild has been on the cards for a while. the rot is mostly in the channels, pans and front bulkhead, everything else is solid
once the channels and cage are in i'll get it blasted and fingers crossed it will be ok







this is the worst side, it had a 'bodgeplate' on the channel, the other side still has the original bottom plate 

just waiting for some new spot weld drills to turn up so i can carry on.

[jamiep_jamiep]

Plans all look awesome Ben, will look wicked when its done. Always regretted selling my NOS centerlines.... wish I still had them now.

[benssp]

Mrs Gallaghers birthday was quite fruitful for my build, Bernie needs a replacement decklid dur to the fire so he's having my Aranson lid and I'm having his '67 valance!

I also got a mechanical fuel gauge from Simon@PaintBox so i may have an Autometer 2 5/8" guage and sender for sale soon

[AntLockyer]

You are inspiring me to do some more on my car. Got any 67 bits left over?

[benssp]

until it's done, all the '67 bits i have are spoken for, saying that, i still have a valance, bonnet(with the top gubbins removed) and maybe a pair of doors

[AntLockyer]

If that valance ever needs a new home let me know.

I actually own 5 67 doors. Only one of them is within 200 miles of my house though.

Did you already move the gubbins into the fibreglass bonnet? What did you stick it with?

[benssp]

pics of the bonnet

[Neil Davies]

Why do '67 doors rot so badly? One of mine has rotted from the centre outwards (moisture trapped behind the sound deadener) and the other one the bottom hinge has virtually come away from the frame! Think I'll probably end up with late doors and re-handle them, but not for a while yet...

Off Topic - Ben, I might have sorted a later door for the '70 - if not I'll give you a shout early next week!

[benssp]

I think they rot due to the orientation of the sound deadening pad, on later cars thet are fitted through 90 degrees from the 67

[AntLockyer]

Sorry Ben I meant did you take teh gubbins out of the steel one to put into a fibreglass one?

I've got a glass bonnet and decklid but I'm not sure if I'm going to use pins or bond the original mechs in. Laziness says pins. Style says do the hard work.

I think I've decided to not run a valance for a while, I need to get my gearbox so I can see how much I need to cut out at the back to get the motor in.

[Neil Davies]

I think they rot due to the orientation of the sound deadening pad, on later cars thet are fitted through 90 degrees from the 67

Might end up re-skinning the one - the frame is solid and pretty much mint, the drivers side will probably hit the bin... Either way neither will have the sound deadening left in, and I'll be re-working the one-piece window frames too!

[benssp]

going to clean up the dash, it's too cluttered for my liking, although i'm ditching the side trim, i think i'm going to keep the dash trim and put '67 switches back in the original position, move the tacho





also, can anyone identify the type of gauges on the left. are they early sport comps?

[benssp]

here's my new decklid



and my reservoir, been looking for one for ages

[benssp]

fresh metal! as the old bottom plate looks like it's been stored in a cupboard on the titanic for most of its life, i'm going to tack the bottom plate to what's left of the old channel to line up the pan half, anyone know if you can still get those nails that hold the gasket to the pan?

i've also got a parking space buddy this week

[richie]

I think you should re name it

 " the Revolver "

 
just shoot it and put it out of its misery

cheers richie

[Jordy/DVK]

"the Revolver"

just shoot it and put it out of its misery

lol...