1972 vw beetle. RRG14 hillclimb fail. More power needed.

[dougalmagic]

It's been awhile since I posted anything and since I sold my mk3 golf I bought a project last november in the shape of a 1972 vw beetle 1300.

Being this my first beetle I didn't know what to look for rust wise, so with abit of looking about I bought her £700 without a engine.

After getting the bug back home I started to find I bought a turd The list of part's ive had to replace isn't vast but is goes like this.

New floor pan both side's, new rear chassic mounts both side's, Both hearter channel's, Front bulkhead and the last the framehead.

It's been a big learing curve having the bug as ive never restored a floorpan, the biggest pain was fitting the new framehead and getting it right first time.

But after months of welding and wanting to cut it up for scrap it's only a month away from being on the road for the first time 1997.

Here's afew pic's to show the work so far.

Enjoy :-)

When I first picked the bug up.


One rotten framehead and bulkhead.




















Almost ready to start enjoying :-)

[Coo]

Good work chap...

[doctorblack]

Great!

[tubthumper]

Good effort, and another one saved

[mechagran]

I do love a nice buglet! I also bought a bit of a rotter but now she has changed a bit and that has been 8 weeks ( helps losing ones job in respect of having enough time to do stuff!) have a look for 1974 beetle project in general- i feel your pain!

[callisr]

I had never been a big fan of bugs until i joined this forum. I think I am starting to get it....!

Great work!

[dougalmagic]

Cheers folks :-) I did abit more work to her at the weekend and started to bleed the brakes but the front n/s wheel cylinder popped so ive ordered a new one and fitting it this weekend.

[Lawsy]

Nice one.. Good work, and glad to see another Cal looker coming - except - what thats big silver thing on the front??? true cal looks don't have bumpers.. lol

And for any cal look fan - check out this video

vimeo.com/47809913?action=share

glad to see you've panted the centre of the rims, I;ve been toying with it for ages and havent taken the plunge, as I'm either doing that or am going to polish them up..

I'm yet to start prodding mine.. Cal look too, but I've just removed the one piece windows and put quarters back in.. (badly tho) because i don't have any heating/cooling (fresh air) vents hooked up and driving with the quarters open right round angles a great flow of air direct onto you, perfect for cooling in the summer

Just using it as much as i can untill the MOT expires, then its prod n poke and GULP..

linky[/url to mine

[dougalmagic]

Cheer's folks, small update ive now got working brakes at last woop :-D justneed to work out why the engine woun't firer up now.

Heya lawsy i'm loving ur bug dude, great colour. Fingers crossed it woun't need much work for it's MOT.

[Mike D]

Fantastic rescuing there dude, I know all too well how these old crates enjoy being consumed by rust!
I quite fancy buiding my spare mexi up into a cal looker, proper 89 style!

[dougalmagic]

Cheers dude, i almost scraped it when i found how bad the framehead was, but i'ed already put new floorpans in so i stuck with it and glad i did :-)
There's not many cal look beetles about so go for it dude.

[dougalmagic]

Small update. Engine still not firing up :-( and one of the brake pipes is leaking :-( but on a plus note i won this numberplate cover/light off ebay to for a mind blowing 99p :-D gotta love ebay


Will get some pic's up next weekend with it fitted and working.

[dougalmagic]

Another small update, the bug is now at home so i don't have to do a 50 mile round trip to work on it which is good, but ive not worked on it since it's been home

Still got the rear lights to wire up along with getting the engine to run and afew other odd and sods to get ready for MOT day.

But for now here's a pic of it at home :-)

[discostu]

Awesome. Are you going to spray it or leave the paint as it is? I think it looks spot on as is

[adi]

I LOVE this. Love the patina, love the wheels

[dougalmagic]

Sept 24, 2012 18:55:58 GMT discostu said:

Awesome. Are you going to spray it or leave the paint as it is? I think it looks spot on as is

Cheers dude, gonna leave the paint as it is :-D

adrian1987 Cheers man, mind you ive got some new wheels to fit soon :-D

Been ages since ive updated about the bug. I bought a mk2 golf which i'll start a thead on soon. So here's a run down of bits that have been done and still need doing!

Rear lights are fitted and working at last "pic's up soon"
All the welding is finished at last after finding more grot in the enginebay.
The front lights have been rewired.
Bought a set for foosh porsche wheels off ebay last year 17"/15" which have been refurbed.
New rear drums with 5x130 stub patten for the foosh wheels.
Hub adaptors for the front drums from 4x130 to 5x130.

I'll get some pic's of the porsche wheels up when i pick them up tomorrow.

I should have tyres fitted to the new rims late next week and fitted to the bug the week after, fingers crossed

The downside at the moment is the 2" narrow beam i bought off a friend is no good, so after abit of thinking i'm gonna order up a brand new 2" narrow beam from machine7. Then ive got the pennies that is lol.

I'll get some new pic's of the bug up soon.

[dougalmagic]

Right as promised, these's are the 17" foosh wheels that will be on the back of the bug when shod with new tyres new week. Just waiting for the 15" fooshs to be painted up. Also in the pic is the new rear drums with 5x130 pcd, and hub adaptors for the front drums.

[kyleb]

Looking good!

[doctorblack]

Excellent.

[MK2VR6]

Great work. I usually prefer the pre-67 look, but yours breaks the rules with that one. Will be worth all the hard work when you get that bit of 12 month paper in your hand! As for the wheels, Fuchs always tick the box, although I'm feeling the love for what's already fitted. Be interesting to see the evolution of this Bug!