TheSamba.com :: View topic

Tue Dec 15, 2009 6:30 pm

This is our Kute Fahrt: '71 Standard Type 1

First effort re-doin a bug in over 20 years and its bit generic on purpose.
The OG orange paint was in sad shape and had been wavy cut with PO's clamp-on sander hence the new white paint (its over 100 degrees here in summer).

When I got the 1641cc car three months ago it was a real mess. PO had painted it with Latex and few of the electrics worked. Car was suffering from an extreme case of neglect. After stripping the car we decided to turn it into a nicely decked out daily driver finished in Dupont Frost White acrylic enamel.

This is what it looked like the day of purchase. The reeking interior was a horror story, so we gutted the car and the real work began.

New Paint, New Ignition / Lock Cylinder, new Master Cylinder, Most of the Glass is now installed. Electrical & safety items work as they should, car starts and drives normally (no more chopped wires), and it stops safely. And she came with brand new tires and a new battery.

Wow the 1641 engine runs great once its warm - previously I ran it to and from the paint shop on a cold day so I had little idea of its true feel.

Now its ready for a new Stone Beige interior with matching carpets. A buddy gave me some coffee colored fabric to trim the door & window surrounds, rear shelf.

New T-bars and new trim goes on tomorrow. Going with Blitz black Sun Bug Sport Wheels and black N chrome buggy steering wheel.

Headliner will be made from real bamboo over Dynamat.

Dash is now "Biscuit" an off-white with Krylon Gloss Black on the Glovebox.

[/quote]

Mon Dec 21, 2009 11:21 am

This work takes a lot of patience and determination.
PO had left the interior a real mess. A must do for any clean-looking interior; after a thorough scrape-down, sand & wash paint the pans.

Hey its now a clean, daily driver... it's unlikely to ever be a "points car" or a rat rod.

Mon Dec 21, 2009 1:46 pm

Looks good, pan is really clean looking now. I would have gone for a more cream color, but it's all good.

Tue Dec 22, 2009 7:00 am

Thanksgiving week I'd purchased some Dimension Wimbledon White acrylic enamel which is near identical to VW's creme color used on the early cars. Then came the dreaded Cease and Desist order so we picked off-the-shelf Dupont Frost White done by a local guy to get our Farht project moving again.

We were caught between a rock and a hard place. Next time I'd go for a 65-67 Squareback that has decent paint even if it costs.

Strange "go-figure" aftermath; after we put up our privacy latticework the park spy hasn't been able to bother us or interfere so it was worth some of our $$$ trouble.

That's okay I have a real long memory .... there just happens to exist an ultra-proven aerospace product that bonds metal at near 200,000 psi sheer strength. Its used to help construct fighter wing panels along with bonding sectioned roofs in automobile rollovers (no welding required).

http://www.lord.com/Home/ProductsServices/Adhesive...fault.aspx

LORD® Engineered Adhesives
Metal Bonding

Metal Bonding Application LORD metal bonding adhesives [e.g. FUSOR] offer superior bonding performance, design flexibility, aesthetics and total system savings.

The adhesives are packaged in easy-to-use LORD PAK 50 mL, 200 mL and 375 mL two-component cartridges. For high-volume metal glue applications, LORD offers pails and drums suitable for meter, mix and dispense (MMD) equipment.
Performance Characteristics

* High-strength, high-durability bonds to aluminum, steel and other metals
* Enables cross bonding of dissimilar metals and metals to plastics
* Excellent adhesion to painted and powder-coated metals
* Replaces or reduces welding, bolting, riveting and separate sealing steps
* Reduces noise and vibration

Hey WTF I can't get my van's doors open!!!

Fri Jan 01, 2010 5:00 pm

A New Years Day well spent - painting the interior Rustoleum Almond enamel.

From this ....

......

.... after a few repairs, to this.

Wed Jan 06, 2010 6:32 pm

Painted front Footwell and rims. Interior is almost ready for the new seats.

.....

.....
Rear Pkg Tray soundproofing experiment using floor rubber pad.

Thu Jan 14, 2010 2:03 am

New carpet and TMI upholstered seats are installed - finally. By-the-way most of the work was done under pretty strong constraints - in a carport.

74F today in balmy, snow-less and sunny AZ.
We've experienced some pretty cool days too.
Kind of hard to paint in gusting wind and 45 degrees.

Car is a lot quieter now with the new carpet and pads.
Since we have dogs the rear seat area will be configured for dual-purpose carrying;
a rear seat for normal passengers and a carpeted / removable floor for our pups.

There's a new Euro-look sports steering wheel enroute.
Door panel installation is waiting for new regulators.

Dash is nearing completion.

.... yes kick panels need replacements.

... and a new Drag Fast shifter is coming.

.... hey they match and feel great ...

.... street legal car

.... baby moons e.g. smoothies complement the picture

....

After months of mostly hard work, a few delays and a few minor mistakes ....

Thu Jan 14, 2010 7:05 am

Looks good. I'd be very happy with it.

Thu Jan 14, 2010 3:45 pm

thanks,

It's growing on me now the tough work is done.
Now I get to drive it - the fun part.

Wifey says she really wants a Squareback wagon
... maybe in the next year or two.

Fri Jan 15, 2010 7:25 am

Nice and clean. My super is done in a similar fashion, just fix whats wrong and get it on the road. Good job, sir.

Fri Jan 15, 2010 9:07 am

Please keep us posted on your custom rear doggy area because I'd love to do something like that myself.

I also would rather have a squareback. I ride mountain bikes, and I'd love to be able to stick my bike IN my car so I can ride before or after work and keep it out of the weather and the enemy's hands. But the bug I have is just so solid of a car, I really don't want to get rid of it.

Wed Jan 27, 2010 7:12 pm

Another red letter day working on der wunderbug.

Made some real progress. Installed a new Wolfsburg Custom Steering Wheel; 2 oem exhaust tips, new Rear Bumper & two side reflectors.

New CIP1 Dash Vents are coming soon.
....

....

Due to a lack of funds ... I'm trying the much-maligned Empi Quick Shifter Kit to shorten those long gear shifts for only $7.95.
Its a bit touchy on the shifting at first as the gates are now closer from side-to-side as well.

.....

....

....

....

Next: eDead Sound Deadener Pkg. and new rear upholstery going in.

Fri Jan 29, 2010 4:00 pm

Let the serious sound deadening begin.

eDead via Amazon.com is a good alternative to brand X, for a lot less $$$. Bought 45 sq. ft. for $55 including shipping.
Edit: This stuff is not as heavy as it looks.

I doubled up layers on Pkg. Tray and on the Rear Bulkhead. Went on nice n easy.
Now I can drive on the local freeway access ramp at 55 mph without going deaf. Idle sounds smooth and lower in volume.

Egad! My car is beginning to sound almost normal.
That is, its much quieter, the way my oem Type 1 delivery car was in 1969.

....

...

Even the roof gets a layer. :)

Fri Jan 29, 2010 7:01 pm

DogN8tor wrote: Let the serious sound deadening begin.

eDead via Amazon.com is a good alternative to brand X, for a lot less $$$. Bought 45 sq. ft. for $55 including shipping. This stuff is heavy!

I doubled up layers on Pkg. Tray and on the Rear Bulkhead. Went on nice n easy.
Now I can drive on the local freeway access ramp at 55 mph without going deaf. Idle sounds smooth and lower in volume.

Egad! My car is beginning to sound almost normal.
That is, its much quieter, the way my oem Type 1 delivery car was in 1969.

....

...

Even the roof gets a layer. :)

Surprised you can even hit 55 with all that extra weight in there :wink:

Fri Jan 29, 2010 7:22 pm

DogN8tor wrote: Another red letter day working on der wunderbug.

Made some real progress. Installed a new Wolfsburg Custom Steering Wheel; 2 oem exhaust tips, new Rear Bumper & two side reflectors.

New CIP1 Dash Vents are coming soon.
....

....

Due to a lack of funds ... I'm trying the much-maligned Empi Quick Shifter Kit to shorten those long gear shifts for only $7.95.
Its a bit touchy on the shifting at first as the gates are now closer from side-to-side as well.

.....

....

....

....

Next: eDead Sound Deadener Pkg. and new rear upholstery going in.

If you dont mind me asking, where did you get your steering whl from and how much was it? I likey... 8)

Fri Jan 29, 2010 7:35 pm

EXJAY:

Dunno; wheel is a one-off NOS, unknown brand, was listed right here on Samba. Holy moly it even came with the correct early spline adapter.

Quote: DMNCLNR

Surprised you can even hit 55 with all that extra weight in there :wink:

Entire 45 sq. ft. eDead sound pkg. weighs only 12 lbs. I applied all of 9 lbs. worth.
I was surprised to learn the oem rear bulkhead and floor tar-boards weigh a lot more.

Guess if that lil' ole 1641cc DP could haul the former gorilla-like PO it can haul us around pretty easy. 8)

...

Mon Feb 01, 2010 1:10 am

Here's the Saddle Tan marine vinyl applied. Entire package tray, rear seating area will be done with bonded & rolled edges.

....

....

....

Most of the puffiness has since disappeared.
Old house carpet provides a temp working surface.

Headliner will be light tan plaid cloth over 1/4" foam pad.
Using Velcro tabs to attach the headliner so it can be cleaned & changed out if needed.

Mon Feb 01, 2010 10:13 am

Here's a score: Brand new / clean Camel oem headliner material with integral foam backing.
It was less than $10.
Tack it up like a Model 110 and your headliner's done... quick N ez.

Mon Feb 01, 2010 5:19 pm

You aren't taking the windows out to do the headliner?

Tue Feb 02, 2010 10:01 am

No oem headliner ... will be like a Model 110 Sedan up top.

Got some 1/4" foam for a base when doing wraps on window surrounds with bonded seams / nicely rolled edges ...
like on the B pillars.

Hopefully the light Camel-Beige up top will compliment the darker Saddle Tan interior, on the well and down the sides.
Seemed to work in a daylight comparison test.