Dude’s 58 Ragtop Beetle

[Jesus]

I was thinking the same,

All Well this end, Hope to bump into you and yours some stage soon

[71CALRIPPER]

top class work dude  good to see we are good at more than just rugby !

[jick]

fantastic work Dude.....really nice details!

[kraftwerk]

Right, I finally done something thats worth posting up! 

The first part of this was siamising two brake fluid resevoirs together, as the car will be duel circuit, and I didn't want to fit a later plastic reservoiur.



I was actually really pleased with how this looked. 

Next up was to cut the wheel well to accept it, and adjust the pressing. I was really nervous about doing as if I messsed it up their was no going back! 

Anyway here's how it turned out! I think i'm happy with it! 





















Anyway, just thought I'd give you a bit more of a update!

Dude 

God is in the details!! you've got it down to a tee!!!

i was wondering about the pressings on the panels beneath the rear seat, in the corner. i asked a while ago how you made the pressings. if you could show me that would be great!
many thanks
Lee

[Deanodynosaurs]

At last I done some more work with showing! This time not more bodywork, but the fuel system!

Here the components of the front half of my fuel system (minus a few fittings). Note the black (stealth) fuel fittings.  I'm trying to do the whole system in black and blue fittings where possible, as ii don’t really like the usual red and blue fittings. Yeah, I know the fuel filters got some red on it, but it matches with the Holley blue pump, and it’s a really nice high flow aluminium filter.



Although it was really hard to get it all to fit into the bulkhead without getting in the way of the tie rods (note the 180 degree fitting I had to use) I wanted the whole system to be hidden away in the frame head as I don’t like seeing the fuel pumps/ filter etc in the wheel well, and I want to actual run a spare wheel as it gonna be a usable street car. Note the scratch built fuel pump mount, on rubber anti-vibration mounts, which means the body can easily be taken of the chassis leaving the fuel system in place.





I was going to run the fuel line coming out of the pump into the original location where the stock fuel hose goes into the tunnel (top of the frame head). However, as I’m going to be running a steering damper I realised this wouldn’t work, as it would hit the fuel line. 

Therefore I decided to have the fuel line entering the tunnel through the front inspection plate.  Here is the inspection plate modified to accept a bulkhead fitting.





And here is the braided fuel lines running to it from the pump.





Well that’s it! Progress at last!

All the front suspension is ready to be bolted up now, along with the disk brakes so hopefully more photos soon!

Dude 

[Jesus]

At last I done some more work with showing! This time not more bodywork, but the fuel system!


Well that’s it! Progress at last!

All the front suspension is ready to be bolted up now, along with the disk brakes so hopefully more photos soon!

Dude 

Loving the Stealth Fittings, looking forward to seeing the next progress pics

[Deanodynosaurs]

Bit more progress! 

This time, I finally worked out where the fuel line is going to run through the tunnel, and where it going to exit at the back! This was actually a lot more complicated to do than I thought! 

Firstly I made up the bulk head panel I was going to use. This had to be removable as there was not enough room inside to connect the fuel line fittings.



However, inside the tunnel where this came out was a thick second skin. Therefore I had to make a hole for the fuel line to go through.



I was a bit worried about the loss of any strength in this panel, so I decide to brace it using some thick tube cut to fit. It also allowed easy routing for the pipe with no sharp bends.







Note: The fitting does actually run parallel to the tube. It just not secured in and looks a bit of in the above photo!

And the finished article all primed. 




Next up was mounting the line lock. I usually would put this on the opposite side of the frame head to the master cylinder. However, the fuel pump etc is already there so I had to find another place for it.

This is the location I came up with. Fits snugly to the master cylinder, but I did check, you can I actually remove it! 





Anyway that it for now! More soon!

Dude 

[Zach Gomulka]

What kind of master cylinder is that? What's the spacer for??
Keep up the good work

[Deanodynosaurs]

What kind of master cylinder is that? What's the spacer for??
Keep up the good work

Hi Zach,

It a duel circuit master clylinder from a later beetle (not sure of the precise details, was just oreded from SSP as a performance master cylinder for 4 wheel disk brakes).

The spacer is needed as the piston in the cylinder is physically a lot longer, and without it, the end that connects to the brake pedal rod would protrude to far into the car. This places it in the right location for the brake pedal rod to operate normally. 

Dude 

[taffy apple]

Top work Dude

[Lurv]

What kind of master cylinder is that? What's the spacer for??
Keep up the good work

Hi Zach,

It a duel circuit master clylinder from a later beetle (not sure of the precise details, was just oreded from SSP as a performance master cylinder for 4 wheel disk brakes).

The spacer is needed as the piston in the cylinder is physically a lot longer, and without it, the end that connects to the brake pedal rod would protrude to far into the car. This places it in the right location for the brake pedal rod to operate normally. 

Dude 

How thick is the spacer?

[Deanodynosaurs]

How thick is the spacer?

Roughly bout 20 mm, but I can measure accuratly for you tonight if you want? 

It not just a spacer though, it does have a recess for the seal in it as well though! I'll put a photo up tonight as well!

Dude 

[bodgit]

I've got something similar for mounting the master cylinder on mine, it all came part of the mounting kit CSP sells:

http://tinyurl.com/yc8ud8b

Matt

[Deanodynosaurs]

I've got something similar for mounting the master cylinder on mine, it all came part of the mounting kit CSP sells:

http://tinyurl.com/yc8ud8b

Matt

To be honest i think it is a CSP kit. 

Dude 

[Lurv]

How thick is the spacer?

Roughly bout 20 mm, but I can measure accuratly for you tonight if you want? 

It not just a spacer though, it does have a recess for the seal in it as well though! I'll put a photo up tonight as well!

Dude 

Please do! I have mounted a MC from a 1303s onto my 1957 pan and don't want to by the mounting kit from CSP just to get the spacer....

[Deanodynosaurs]

Really long time no update, and theres plenty more to come! However, just a quick update as I really like this mod! 

Yes I know this is really sad, but I wanted to have a fuel pump switch on the dash, and wanted it to look stock. Thus using the stock single speed wiper switch, I converted the ash tray knob to a fuel pump switch!

Geeky, yes I know, but kinda cool I think! 



Dude 

[Deanodynosaurs]

Right time for a proper update! 

Since last time I updated (not the fuel pump switch!) I have been trying to fit a later gearbox into an early chassis! What a nightmare! Lot of people have different advice of how to do it, and not all is correct. 

Because the body is not on, I needed to carefully measure everything to make sure the new gearbox was in exactly the right place, and importantly at the right angle at the bell housing. In order to check the bell housing angle I made a tool which I used to measure the angle which the bell housing was sitting at, and initially set this to vertical using axle stand and some metal shims.





I then replaced the standard cradle with a bugpack up-rated one. It was clear that the new cradle actually brought the gearbox up, as it was far from level.  (N.B I have checked the thickness of the urethane mounts and they are the same as stock mounts!)




It was also apparent that the bolt hole were nowhere near lining up with the urethane mounts bolt holes. 




To correct the height issue, I therefore elongated the frame fork mounting holes till the gearbox sat at the correct height, and the bell housing was level. The bottom part of the elongated hole was then welded up to make the whole a circle again. 








To get the urethane mount bolt holes to line up I additionally welded a spacer to the hanger, as well as doing some filing to the holes! 



The cradle now sat level with the standard box in it.




Next up was actually getting the nose cone mount and shift rod to fit correctly into the tunnel! This bit took ages to do, and in the process I ended up cutting off the standard chassis nosecone mount, and then having to remake it, and weld it back on in the correct place. 
   
Can I just say fitting a late box, by cutting off the early mount and fitting a later one DOES NOT work. Yes the box will fit, and the shift rod will line up with the tunnel hole, but the actually gearbox is angle upwards (by 3 degrees!), which will cause much problems when it comes to fitting the engine. 



Thus I had to cut the new bracket off that I had just installed, and remount it back at the standard height and location. 

The CORRECT solution to fitting a later box into an early car is to swap the stock gearbox nose cone for a later splitty nose cone and hockey stick. This process is shown below.





This picture below shows the relative height where the shift rod are on the box, and it is this that corrects the bell housing angle problems up. 



However, I found that although the splitty nose cone put the bell housing at the correct angle, it actually shifted it forward 3mm (Yes I know that’s really picky!  )
Therefore I machined 3mm (well actually 2mm as I didn’t want to take too much off!) Of the nose cone mounting face.




The nosecone was actually mounted to the chassis using a rhino mount, and to fit this to a type 2 nosecone this also needed modifying. Note the half moon cut out I had to grind into it.




And thus it finally fitted.



Although this all looks pretty straight forward it actually took me the best part of 2 months to do! Not only because I have a day job!, but also because obtaining a later nose cone mount (which had to come from the States!) and then welding it on, and then put it back to standard height just took ages!

I hope the pictures and info I have put up here stop somebody making the same mistakes I have, and is also faintly interesting!

Dude 

[fahrvergnugen]

It was also apparent that the bolt hole were nowhere near lining up with the urethane mounts bolt holes. 

Hi Dude,

Very nice work, follow this thread like a hawk

The holes do not line up. I had the same problem, this is because that EMPI mount needs to be mounted strait to the gearbox (without urethane bushes)

Keep up the good work.
Paul.

[Deanodynosaurs]

Hi Dude,

Very nice work, follow this thread like a hawk

The holes do not line up. I had the same problem, this is because that EMPI mount needs to be mounted strait to the gearbox (without urethane bushes)

Keep up the good work.
Paul.

Hi Paul,

Cheers mate, it nice to hear other people like what I'm doing.   

It is actually a bugpack mount which is meant to take urethane/ rubber mounts, not like the solid mount EMPI one (I know the one you’re thinking of).

 I just think the hole didn’t line up very well as the cradle aren’t that well made.  I used it though, cause it was a lot thicker, and less likely to flex than a stock mount, but I sort of always knew I’d have to adjust it to get it to fit perfectly.

Dude 

[Deanodynosaurs]

Time for a quick thread update! Bit of a random thing to choose to do considering I’m getting married tomorrow, but here goes anyway! 

I'm actually getting near to the point where I'm ready to think about having the shell painted, but before I do that, I wanted to trail fit all the dash components.

I have always really liked of the look of the dash in Bill Schwimmer's 1959 coral red ragtop, and wanted to do something similar. Where possible I have tried to use period-ish parts, such as the VDO tach, the motometer oil and pressure gauges, and the genuine speedwell steering wheel.







However, in the end I did decide on an electronic Dehne fuel gauge (cheers Rob at Prowagen for the great deal) as the original one I had just needed to much repair. I also really liked the look of the retrosounds radio that fits in the stock radio location (cheers Ben for sorting me a great deal), as it still had that period look, although I have painted the inserts on the bezel black as there was too much chrome!.

Also note the rebuilt and recalibrated original 58 speedo, which has had KM speedo number ring put on it, so it now read up to 120mph (with zero miles!)





Well that it for now, hope you like it! I think it looks ace!

Dude

[Zach Gomulka]

Dig the dash! Is the speedo calibrated for 120mph as well??

[taffy apple]

That dash looks awsome dude, mounting that gearbox looked a right arse.
I love your attention to detail will be a cool ride once it's finished, cant wait.

[Deanodynosaurs]

Dig the dash! Is the speedo calibrated for 120mph as well??

Sorry Zach,

Should have resonded ages ago! 

Yes it is calibrated for 120mph. It was completly rebuilt with new gears fitted taking into account the tyre size i'd be running. 

Dude 

[Deanodynosaurs]

At last something worth updating! Chassis all done! 

The first thing I did was to scrape all the tar of the tunnel and clean off the surface rust.



Luckily the pan was in really good shape for a 52 year old floorpan! There were a few small dents that got straightened out, as well as a few small repairs that needed doing, but nothing to serious. 

The first repair was to weld up some small holes in the battery tray and the carpet button thing.






The floor by the pedal area need a bit more repair, but nothing too bad.










There was also a small rust hole on the rear lip of the pan, but this also got replaced with fresh steel.










Before it was all painted my good mate Phil welded in the brackets for a BERG mid mount.

Here’s the bar mounted on the gearbox.



And the brackets welded on the pan.



I know it geeky, but I just had to show you how good Phil’s welding is!

Whilst I’m usually more than happy with my welding I wanted this to be super strong and super neat! Phil didn’t let me down!






Finally the pan was ready for a coat of paint! Well after I’d removed all the surface rust!

Yes I know there still rust on it! This is only a temporary coat of paint, as it’s eventually gonna be shot blasted and powder coated! I just clean the most off the rust off for now, and give it a coat of red lead primer so I can build it all up and make sure everything fits together!

So here’s the panel after roughly 6 hours of sanding and cup brushing!



And finally painted in read lead primer!






Well that where I’m at now. Hopefully I’ll get it out the rafters in the next few days, and start bolting all the bits up!

Finally something that feels like progress!

Dude

[j-dub]

Nice progress on a awesome project. It looks like you are really good at the metal work.

[herbieharv]

im really enjoying this thread ,keep up the good work

[Jon]

Nice metalwork!

[Deanodynosaurs]

Thanks all, kind words really appreciated. 

Cant wait to start building it back up now.

Na, I'm alright at metal work, but theres some people on here with proper skills. If you wanna see good metalwork check out Danny Gabbards 62 resto! His work is awsome!  I especially love how he removed the heater vents on the front window.

Dude 

[Jesus]

looking good fella

[Deanodynosaurs]

Cheers mate. 

Fitted a lot of the running gear up on it since, but gonna get it rolling before any more updates!

You bug jamming dude?

dude