TheSamba.com :: View topic

Thu Jun 28, 2007 10:18 pm

I have finally finished with school, moving, starting my job, ordering parts, cleaning the garage, and catching up with where I left off. The goal is to completely finish this bug by the end of summer, which is mid september for me. I have my doubts, but I'll give it an honest effort. Before I even start, thanks to everyone on here for the ridiculous amount of information I have taken from you. I have been on this forum for over a year, and nearly my entire knowledge of VWs is based off you guys. So thanks.

Here's where I left off last summer:
68 body, converted swing-axle to IRS, new pans on both sides, beanie boy 3x3 kit for the rear, 27mm sway-aways, engine half taken apart by a buddy, body stripped, partially sanded, and ready for cutting. And I cleaned my parents garage out to make room for everything.

Here's where I am: ordered tube bender from tubetek (don't know how well it will turn out), picked up 120' of 1-3/4" steel, bought a table grinder for fishmouthing tubes, ordered a bunch of misc parts such as rear brake kits, front brakes, spindles, trailing arms, blah, blah. More on that once it's time to put it in.

The plan: I ordered the fiberglass hood today, so I figure about a week before it gets here. I plan to cut and trim the rear and front apron to prep for the one-piece frontend. Then I will sand the sucker smooth, and probably just go with rattle-can flat black for interest of time. I don't feel like hauling the body out to a field to gravity spray it, and I know my mom would kill me if I attemped to spray it down in the driveway. I also need to cut off the old shock mounts, and notch the spring plates, and pre-load the torsions, and paint the frame to protect from rust. And order more parts.

And so it begins...

I know how you guys are about pics, so here's a few starters:

Thu Jun 28, 2007 10:32 pm

Looks like a good start. Did/do you go to Poly?

Fri Jun 29, 2007 11:36 am

What wall thickness tubing are you using? Also let me know how that bender works out for you and how you mounted it to use it, I'm looking to buy either that one or the JD2 model 3 or model 4 here real soon.

Fri Jun 29, 2007 6:53 pm

I am currently a student at poly, mechanical engineering, but I came home for the summer to finish the bug. I am making a pedastal mount for the bender as I speak. I just bought 3 ft of square tube stock, and 1 square ft of 1/4" steel to make the mount. Then I am going to use expansion bolts on my mom's garage floor to mount it. I am using .095 wall, because it was the same price as .087. The next step would be .12, which i think is just too much weight. I will take pictures as soon as I bend my first pipe.

Sat Aug 18, 2007 7:52 pm

I apologize, because I haven't updated this at all. I have actually been working, but now I am on deadline to get a running vehicle in 2 weeks, so it's time for all-nighters. Here's some progress.

I have ordered just about all my parts, and I have seats, shocks, all brake components, fuel cell, and the rest of the cage work to finish. Now I just need to work non-stop.

Sat Aug 18, 2007 9:18 pm

Thats looking good. I know what its like being under a deadline, it sucks.

Good luck. :)

Sat Aug 18, 2007 10:51 pm

awesome job on your project.. keep it up.
any special reason for the exterior tube running the circumference of the pan??

Sat Aug 18, 2007 11:34 pm

Yeah, those tubes are rock sliders. Although they aren't very necessary on bugs, I have built up 4x4s and I was used to making them. The real reason I need them is because I am going to run an exocage, and that will provide a base for the outer hoops.

Sun Aug 19, 2007 12:44 am

that explains it. thanks.
wow an exoskeleton? you must be planing some serious banging around with your bug.

Sun Aug 19, 2007 11:09 am

its looking good, i wish i had the money to run a 6 inch wider beam and some good coil overs.

Sun Aug 19, 2007 8:54 pm

Ha! Money. Always a factor. I started with a $600 dollar bug and definitely pushing 6-7000 now. It's too addicting. Once you see the potential, you don't want to half-ass it. I got more work done tonight, but I don't have the camera. Finished the rear cage, as well as the rear shock mounts. Also finished tying the rock slide into the inside frame for strength.

Sun Aug 19, 2007 9:06 pm

I like the rock sliders that you put on. Are you going to add tree bars in the back? I also noticed your pedals are on the wrong side. :D

Mon Aug 20, 2007 12:10 pm

No tree bars, but there is to be a lot of steel all over the place for the exo.

Mon Aug 20, 2007 9:29 pm

Got some pics, and more work completed. I f-ed up the main hoop big-time though. I ran out of bending space, and had to flip my bender stand 180º to finish the bend, and ended up pulling from the wrong side. Cost me a 12' bar of steel and an hour of time. On the other hand, got the front shock hoops bent and welded. Now I am waiting for more steel and more parts.

The mistake...

Tue Nov 27, 2007 9:40 pm

Been a while, any progress? We always love pics :D

Wed Apr 16, 2008 11:43 pm

Bump. Any updates?

Thu Apr 17, 2008 8:26 pm

looks good man. any updates/pics?

Sat Oct 17, 2009 9:14 am

Sorry I haven't updated in probably over a year. I finished rebuilding the engine, and then the starter. Tackled some wiring issues, and drove around the block today. Already found my next set of problems. :roll: The cheapo disc brake kit doesn't clear the boxed 3x3 arms (makes a beautiful grinding noise), and the steering linkage i did is a joke. Not to mention my 12" steering wheel, which is a joke too. Gonna tackle the brakes first. At least I got to see a project that has been sitting for 3 years finally move under it's own power.

Mon Oct 19, 2009 1:52 pm

And some videos...

Mon Oct 19, 2009 2:42 pm

What the hell?