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Fri Jul 13, 2012 7:09 am

Wife approved build, but more than that. A quick back story. My wife and I met through a car scene, and we've been into it ever since. She's helped me on several projects in the past, cleaning, detailing, turning wrenches, and yes, even engine swaps. So the preface; this will be a project that we'll be doing together. The usual disagreements on color, or accessories (as women are KNOWN to do :lol: ) will of course be part of this journey, but that's what this project is for; the chance for us to build something together. It's nice to have a partner along the way to hand me tools, or help me with wiring (terribly color blind).

So let's move onto the meat of this build thread. I was itching for a new project. I'd just sold off my "fast car" obsession for something more family friendly. I had a 66 custom bug when i was in college, and had big dreams with it that never materialized. She fell in love when i started showing her pictures of peoples rides on this forum. The search began. We wanted something we could drive for a while before we tore it all down and made it what we wanted.

Found this bug somewhat local. 1962, originally Turkis, now a poor respray with red interior. It wasn't the OG car i wanted, but for the price it was going to work. Minus the pans, it looked relatively rust free, with a wrong passenger front fender and hood. I wasn't planning on doing a restoration project, but something with more of our touches, so buying a car that's already strayed from "original" with was fine by us.

The car had some sort of collision in the front, but the rest was looking good.

The kiddo approves. :D

Decided to try a change in color, since we weren't in the position yet to really tear the car down for a resto-mod.

If you've not seen this stuff, i won't get too off track, but search youtube for "plastidip". This stuff is pretty cool, really easy to spray, and didn't actually turn out too bad.

During this time we'd been shopping for a house, and it ate up a lot of our time planning, and saving for it. The bug project got put on the shelf for a while, as life sort of got in the way. It was hard working in the tiny rental garage we had, so i decided to put things on hold until we found this:

My new workspace. =P~ It's my dream garage, and finally the arena to do the full pan-off that i had been planning with this bug. So in the last few nights the tear down has started. We've got the interior gutted, engine pulled, and glass out. I'll be waiting for a few friends to come over to lift the body (which reminds me i need to build a dolly).

So this thread will document the progress, but also be a forum for suggestions or ideas as we go along. It's little things I've picked up from other threads, like welding the clutch tube while you've got the chassis all torn down that are the suggestions I like hearing from you, the reader. So please comment away, critique; hell, if you hate it tell me! I'll admit this may not be for the purist, as there is a ragtop clip sitting in my garage, and air ride on my mind. :D

Til next time, peace.

Fri Jul 13, 2012 7:16 am

That's your garage at the new house? D A Y U M... sweet set up! Good luck with the NON PURIST build :D

Fri Jul 13, 2012 8:50 am

Ya, your shop/garage rocks! I wish I would have had access to something like that when I did my car.
Good luck on the build, and keep us updated with pics, etc. 8)

Fri Jul 13, 2012 9:12 am

Looks like a great project.

My wife loves VWs, but she's not very mechanical, so I swing the wrenches and she helps where she can pumping brakes or holding glass in place. She also drives the things all over the place.

Fri Jul 13, 2012 9:22 am

i think i just fell in love with that garage!!!!

Good luck on the project... please post pics as much as posible. .

Fri Jul 13, 2012 9:24 am

Very cool....looking forward to following this build.

Fri Jul 13, 2012 11:18 am

Awesome score on the '62. That XJ looks pretty sweet too. I wish I still had my '90 and '00 but was getting too crowded in the garage and some of the toys went bye bye.. :roll:

Fri Jul 13, 2012 5:08 pm

Thanks for the comments guys :)

Another update from last night. This was the unveiling under the carpet, finding out how bad the rust really was. I wasn't shocked by the rusty pans, but was happy to see some solid heater channels. I knew most likely that the pans would need to be redone, so I had prepared for that.

Pulling the fenders was a pain, since there was some funky thick undercoating that was applied that made it almost impossible to chip away to find the bolts.

Planning on getting the doors off, getting the body ready to pull off and begin work on the chassis.

Til next time, peace

Fri Jul 13, 2012 7:01 pm

Nice Garage. Good luck on the build

Fri Jul 13, 2012 10:57 pm

Welcome to the 62 club. Looks like a nice project. Im all for a nice garage but you have a wife the not only likes VW's buy works on them to. :shock: dose she have a sister? Lol

Dustin

Fri Jul 13, 2012 11:37 pm

How many cans of plastidip were needed to spray the whole bug?

Sat Jul 14, 2012 7:51 am

Dustin B wrote: Welcome to the 62 club. Looks like a nice project. Im all for a nice garage but you have a wife the not only likes VW's buy works on them to. :shock: dose she have a sister? Lol

Dustin

:D thanks, but no available sister :P

Uniquemotorart wrote: How many cans of plastidip were needed to spray the whole bug?

I think we used 6.

Sat Jul 14, 2012 8:11 am

that garage is awesome man, good luck on your car

Sun Jul 15, 2012 7:04 pm

Forgot to show the future addition:

Wed Jul 18, 2012 7:36 am

Clean looking motor...wish I had a ragtop :(

Wed Jul 18, 2012 7:16 pm

The bug looks so tiny next to the jeep.

Wed Jul 18, 2012 7:22 pm

I should post a picture of my jeep next to my 62.... 8)

Wed Jul 18, 2012 7:57 pm

Dwayne1m wrote: The bug looks so tiny next to the jeep.

6.5" lift on 35" tires... And I plan to lower the bug quite a bit. So it should be quite the contrast :)

-Boosted- wrote: I should post a picture of my jeep next to my 62.... 8)

Lots of interest in the jeep :lol: What kind of jeep do you have? Do you wheel?

Back to the bug. Made a stop at a local blasting/powder coating shop. As soon as I pulled in I saw a bug body stripped down on a dolly waiting to be blasted, so i knew I was in the right place. :o And he was very reasonable to boot.

Finally got a hand to move the body off :

So the heater channels look great, I was super happy to see that. Finding no surprises is always nice. After some further inspection I think the driver side pan only has surface rust, so I think I'll get away with just one pan, but won't say for sure until I pick up a wire wheel for the grinder and find the bare metal.
I'll post more detailed pictures soon.

Starting to put together my shopping lists, so now the exciting part is coming, ordering stuff :)

Til next time,
Peace.

Thu Jul 19, 2012 10:01 am

GtiKyle wrote: -Boosted- wrote: I should post a picture of my jeep next to my 62.... 8)

Lots of interest in the jeep :lol: What kind of jeep do you have? Do you wheel?

2011 JK Unlimited on 40's and yes, I wheel the crap out of it.... :wink:

Are you going to the PNWJeep Meet n Greet in Naches? How about the Vintage Meet this weekend in Shoreline? If so, come find me and we can talk bugs n jeeps!

Bill

Thu Jul 19, 2012 10:11 am

-Boosted- wrote: GtiKyle wrote: -Boosted- wrote: I should post a picture of my jeep next to my 62.... 8)

Lots of interest in the jeep :lol: What kind of jeep do you have? Do you wheel?

2011 JK Unlimited on 40's and yes, I wheel the crap out of it.... :wink:

Are you going to the PNWJeep Meet n Greet in Naches? How about the Vintage Meet this weekend in Shoreline? If so, come find me and we can talk bugs n jeeps!

Bill

Hmm i hadn't seen the PNWjeep event, but I'll mark it on my calendar and see if i can fit it in. And yes, i'll be at the Shoreline meet this weekend, obviously sans VW :? What can i find you in, we'll definitely have to chat.

See you there.