TheSamba.com :: View topic

Wed Feb 10, 2010 8:06 pm

So I figured it was time to do a build thread. I've come along a little ways since I bought the car, and I'm getting ready to take the body off here as soon as I can get some good weather and some friends to help out. So here's my story so far.

Back a couple of years ago when I was 15 I decided I wanted to fix a bug. Some dude that lives down the road has had a '69 (I think) rotting in his front yard for as long as I can remember. I always wanted to get that one and fix it up. That didn't work out...I couldn't contact him. But recently I saved up a couple hundred bucks, searched around, and found my 1974 Super Beetle, Tommy :) He was $300 and so far I've only put about 50 into him.
I picked it up back early in January. Here it is on the trailer:

At this point, it needed the following:
some rust repair and treatment on the rear storage area (almost done with that now)
replacement floor pan (gonna get that welded in within a couple of weeks)
engine
new wiring harness
brakework
a good cleaning on the interior
carpet
tires
a title and registration

It still needs most of that.

Here it is the day after I got it home. Needless to say I was happier then ever:

And here are some of bad rust spots:

Most of the work I've done is paint stripping and rust treatment. Here is what I've done as far as rust goes so far:

before:

during:

after:

And here are a couple more pictures just so you can get familiar with the thing:

And here's how he sits now. The front fenders have been removed and they will be followed by the rear fenders and the hood, to lighten it up for when I take the body off the pan:

thanks for reading. Keep looking back, I work on it just about every day and take tons of pictures! :)

--Matt.

Wed Feb 10, 2010 8:33 pm

Wow. Looks like you got a good project on your hands. Just dont feel rushed to finish it and cut corners in the process. Keep us updated as these threads can be very inspiring to others to get out there and put another VW on the road. looking good so far.

Wed Feb 10, 2010 8:45 pm

EXJAY wrote: Wow. Looks like you got a good project on your hands. Just dont feel rushed to finish it and cut corners in the process. Keep us updated as these threads can be very inspiring to others to get out there and put another VW on the road. looking good so far.
Thanks! I appreciate your encouragement. I can be a real workaholic when it comes to my Bug, but I also get easily discouraged...so thanks :) I'm trying to do everything as close to 'the right way' as possible but I'm on a low budget, so some things won't be done perfectly but I'm keeping safety in mind.
Will do.

oh, and, what was the meaning of the 'wow'? Just the hugeness of the project? haha

Wed Feb 10, 2010 9:05 pm

nice car, my first was a 74 super as well, great car to get in vdubs with

Fri Feb 12, 2010 6:32 am

letthemusicflow wrote: EXJAY wrote: Wow. Looks like you got a good project on your hands. Just dont feel rushed to finish it and cut corners in the process. Keep us updated as these threads can be very inspiring to others to get out there and put another VW on the road. looking good so far.
Thanks! I appreciate your encouragement. I can be a real workaholic when it comes to my Bug, but I also get easily discouraged...so thanks :) I'm trying to do everything as close to 'the right way' as possible but I'm on a low budget, so some things won't be done perfectly but I'm keeping safety in mind.
Will do.

oh, and, what was the meaning of the 'wow'? Just the hugeness of the project? haha

Yea. good project to work on as in not too rough and not too simple. I was extreamly lucky with mine as my '74 was pretty much garage kept over half its life and is pretty solid (for a 36 yr old car that is). Any colors in mind yet for paint? Going for the stock look or custom? Sent you a PM..

Fri Feb 12, 2010 6:42 am

EXJAY wrote: letthemusicflow wrote: EXJAY wrote: Wow. Looks like you got a good project on your hands. Just dont feel rushed to finish it and cut corners in the process. Keep us updated as these threads can be very inspiring to others to get out there and put another VW on the road. looking good so far.
Thanks! I appreciate your encouragement. I can be a real workaholic when it comes to my Bug, but I also get easily discouraged...so thanks :) I'm trying to do everything as close to 'the right way' as possible but I'm on a low budget, so some things won't be done perfectly but I'm keeping safety in mind.
Will do.

oh, and, what was the meaning of the 'wow'? Just the hugeness of the project? haha

Yea. good project to work on as in not too rough and not too simple. I was extreamly lucky with mine as my '74 was pretty much garage kept over half its life and is pretty solid (for a 36 yr old car that is). Any colors in mind yet for paint? Going for the stock look or custom? Sent you a PM..
Awesome. I'd really like to replace my pans...they're solid but one side was repaired with sheet metal. It's gonna look pretty nasty but I'm just going to do what I can to keep what's there and repair what needs repair.
I'm not planning on doing much painting. The gray spray paint comes right off if you know how to do it. The decklid is pretty rusty and was burned (car had an engine fire), so I'm going to sandblast it and spraypaint it. The only really custom thing I plan on doing is painting the rims the same color of the body. Like so:

yeah I answered your pm.

Tue Feb 16, 2010 7:03 am

Finally started working on some rust holes under the rear seats. They've been bothering me but I haven't gotten around to them until now.

There are still a couple of more holes on the other side that I'll get done soon. Then I'm going to paint it like I did the rest of it back there:

Also, here is a picture of my 'engine'. I decided long ago that I need a new one, lol:

Tue Feb 16, 2010 8:39 am

Pretty good project car. Does the rear have fire damage? Like previous post said, take your time and think everything through..good luck.

Tue Feb 16, 2010 8:41 am

Detroit73super wrote: Pretty good project car. Does the rear have fire damage? Like previous post said, take your time and think everything through..good luck.
Yah, had an engine fire somewhere along the way...nothing that can't be fixed though. thanks :)

Wed Feb 17, 2010 8:39 pm

Today I finished something I've been working on for the past couple of weeks, the rear storage area and under the rear seat!

:D

Next, I'm going to get everything ready for the body-off portion of the project 8)

Thu Feb 18, 2010 12:58 pm

Looks nice! :D

Thu Feb 18, 2010 3:45 pm

Beetlebaum wrote: Looks nice! :D
Thanks :D

Sat Feb 20, 2010 7:48 pm

Finished fender removal today:

Mon Feb 22, 2010 10:30 pm

Took off the hood/removed spare tire, and started removing the bolts that hold the body on today. Hope to have the chassis and body separated by the end of the week.

Tue Feb 23, 2010 3:17 pm

letthemusicflow wrote: Took off the hood/removed spare tire, and started removing the bolts that hold the body on today. Hope to have the chassis and body separated by the end of the week.
Oh, dang, you're beating me. :P

Tue Feb 23, 2010 3:56 pm

Beetlebaum wrote: letthemusicflow wrote: Took off the hood/removed spare tire, and started removing the bolts that hold the body on today. Hope to have the chassis and body separated by the end of the week.
Oh, dang, you're beating me. :P
HA. :D :D :D

I'm going to finish removing the bolts today...I might even get the body pulled off :twisted:

EDIT: nevermind...it started raining on me lol

Tue Feb 23, 2010 6:27 pm

letthemusicflow wrote: Beetlebaum wrote: letthemusicflow wrote: Took off the hood/removed spare tire, and started removing the bolts that hold the body on today. Hope to have the chassis and body separated by the end of the week.
Oh, dang, you're beating me. :P
HA. :D :D :D

I'm going to finish removing the bolts today...I might even get the body pulled off :twisted:

EDIT: nevermind...it started raining on me lol
:P ;)

Tue Feb 23, 2010 6:27 pm

Beetlebaum wrote: letthemusicflow wrote: Beetlebaum wrote: letthemusicflow wrote: Took off the hood/removed spare tire, and started removing the bolts that hold the body on today. Hope to have the chassis and body separated by the end of the week.
Oh, dang, you're beating me. :P
HA. :D :D :D

I'm going to finish removing the bolts today...I might even get the body pulled off :twisted:

EDIT: nevermind...it started raining on me lol
:P ;)
aaaaaand it stopped, I got two more bolts out, and it started again...I WILL PERSEVERE. lol

Tue Feb 23, 2010 6:33 pm

letthemusicflow wrote: Beetlebaum wrote: letthemusicflow wrote: Beetlebaum wrote: letthemusicflow wrote: Took off the hood/removed spare tire, and started removing the bolts that hold the body on today. Hope to have the chassis and body separated by the end of the week.
Oh, dang, you're beating me. :P
HA. :D :D :D

I'm going to finish removing the bolts today...I might even get the body pulled off :twisted:

EDIT: nevermind...it started raining on me lol
:P ;)
aaaaaand it stopped, I got two more bolts out, and it started again...I WILL PERSEVERE. lol NOOO! This means war. :twisted:

Tue Feb 23, 2010 8:07 pm

Beetlebaum wrote: letthemusicflow wrote: Beetlebaum wrote: letthemusicflow wrote: Beetlebaum wrote: letthemusicflow wrote: Took off the hood/removed spare tire, and started removing the bolts that hold the body on today. Hope to have the chassis and body separated by the end of the week.
Oh, dang, you're beating me. :P
HA. :D :D :D

I'm going to finish removing the bolts today...I might even get the body pulled off :twisted:

EDIT: nevermind...it started raining on me lol
:P ;)
aaaaaand it stopped, I got two more bolts out, and it started again...I WILL PERSEVERE. lol NOOO! This means war. :twisted:
mwahahah.

Do you have your pans ready to install already, and you're just waiting for good weather (I hear it's supposed to be in the mid 50's this weekend), or have you not even ordered your pans yet?