First VW, a 1970 Bug. What did I get myself into?

[70’DerpyDerby]

A little update on Derby! (yes that is the name we have chosen )

I have been doing what I can the last few months to both collect as many missing parts as I can, replacement parts for what is there but beyond repair, and start making progress on the bug itself.

Starting off, I picked up a 1500 single port with all the tins, generator, and associated parts for $300.

I knew it had been sitting and was frozen so I soaked all the cylinders with a mix of ATF and Marvel Mystery oil. I had a feeling it would be bad, but we didn't know it would be THIS bad.

Doesn't matter, because though there is some damage to some of the bottom of the case, its fairly minimal and will work for a budget engine build I believe.

Moving into September, my girlfriend and I decided to hit up Bugorama in Sacramento on the last day of the event for some good swapmeet deals!
I picked up a set of mis-matched, but crack free dual port heads and a high flow oil pump for $100. Another $10 got me the oil filter adapter and oil cooler adapter from a different seller. I think the entire intake setup minus carb was $40, $5 crank pully, and $20 for the towbar. The rest was under $20 together so it was a fantastic weekend. I even found a used pedal assembly in the trash at the end of the day! Albeit it had a broken clutch pedal, but the frozen assembly in my car had a good one to replace it with.

I wanted to make a big push in getting most of these parts cleaned up and put away, so as soon as I need them I can pull them out and use them!
I sunk the pedal assemblies in Evapo-Rust after tearing them both apart, wire-wheeling all the components, greasing and reassembling them to make one good set. I origionally planned on the tan spray paint being temporary, but I actually quite like it and may redo them in the same color, just with proper primer underneath.

Currently there is no accelerator pedal as I got the CB performance Turbo Throttle Pedal kit for christmas and will be installing that at a later date.

Next was the heads. They had heavy carbon build up, and were overall dirty and oily. I sunk both in Berrymans Carb Cleaner and scrubbed with a brass wire brush. Hand lapped the valves one by one and reasembled with freshly cleaned used rockers as my origionals were frozen.

I missed getting photos after reassembly but they looked fantastic for a pair of used $80 heads.

While I was in the cleaning mood I cleaned the oil filter adapter too. Shinded up well, and looks great with a new filter (RockAuto closeout for $2 each lol)

After all that little stuff was done I figured I better get started on the engine block. Tore it all the way down, removed everything and I took it all to my buddies shop where they have a heated parts washer and steamer pressure washer. Wow does heat make a difference cleaning off that baked on engine gunk!

I even pulled the studs out and sunk them in Evapo-Rust as well.

Not sure if I should install case savers in this one as it will be a relatively low power engine.

I made a trip to the DMV finally, and after some back and fourth, shelled out $166 and received a vin verification sheet. Called ahead to CHP and scheduled my appointment, but boy was I worried! Having never bought a vehicle without a title before, I had no idea what was instore. To prepare for the trip across town, I figured I best remove the rotted drivers floor pan; incase the seat were to try and fall through!

The day came and honestly it went so easy I could have never imagined it would go like this. Took off with my signed inspection form and the same day hit the DMV to turn it in. To my surprise, I left with my actual plates and registration!

Since the rear luggage tray is far beyond salavage, I picked up the back half of a super for $250 to use for the tray and have some spare factory sheetmetal for patches.

Somewhere in between the last couple events, I dropped off my generator to be rebuilt at a local shop. When I got it back I sand blasted the pulley and backing plate components for it, primed them, and gave them a few coats of dark grey Rustoleum. They may not be perfect but its cheap and they look pretty good I think.

I also sand blasted the fan shroud the other day and primed it, but it has been too cold and raining for paint.

This last weekend and this week have been comitted to salvaging the paint as much as possible. This was the condition on the day I picked it up.

I tried out the sponge and Comet trick, and it worked wonders! Some areas needed the 0000 steel wool treatment, but after washing it all down and giving it a few pass with both a wool and foam pads the shine has really started to come back on the sides!

The sides are showing great resilience but the roof and hood are pretty thrashed. Oh well, then I am not so worried about scratches on the trails!

I have been going through the electricial, and one of my first tasks was to replace all the turn signal and tail lights. Pick up a 10qt box of Philips 1156 and 1157 bulbs for $4.10 off RockAuto to help eliminate burnt bulbs as lighting failure factors. This car has some pretty bad wiring, I mean BAD. lots of broken spade connectors, a seperated hazard switch that I have repaired and verified operation of, and a failed hazard relay to name a few.

I have decided to replace the current factory fuse block and relay's with boxes from Hella. I was origionally planning on using a Painless Wiring block but I like how clean and compact these are instead.

Part #H84988001 4-Way Mini Relay Box Kit

Part #H84960051 16-Way Fuse Box Kit
The blocks also interlock and come with waterproof caps. I also have contacted Hella and confirmed a Novita EP27 Hazard/TS relay should fit in the relay box, so that will hopefully replace my current in-op relay.

I have amassed quite the parts hoard since the holiday's have come and gone. Full front brake kit, new brake hoses and hard lines, and hardware for the rear. New collapsing antenna which has already been installed, and about 60lbs more of parts waiting to be installed.
I picked up a Miller 135 welder a few weeks ago so welded repairs will begin soon also! There is still a long ways to go before this rig is running and driving again, but it will get there eventually!
_________________
Phil “Deluxe”

1970 VW Bug "Derby"

[agramer1966]

You are a brave one. Good job👍
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1966 VW1300
1973 VW1302
1974 VW Trike
1984 924
Bunch of old Jap motorbikes
Instagram & YT: #agrameroldoctane

[radstude]

Wow! Looking Good!
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1967 VW Fastback (Past)
1971 VW Bug (Past)
1975 VW Bus (Past)
2002 VW Mexican Bug 1600i

[jinx758]

Hey ... !

Looks like you've been busy.
Awesome on getting the legalities sorted, and very resourceful on the parts.

Pan work is gonna be nice :
I had one that would soak me & the whole inside if driven thru a puddle. Lol

Class 11 look :
You may want to look into a pair of raised spindles for the front (not too much $$) and reindexing the rear torsion arms. Do research, be precise, & careful as lots of tension (just costs some time).

I THINK the common size tire used is a 215 series. All Terrain should get you the aggressive look. If you go too big the steering & ability to hit top speed can be compromised.

Keep plugging away, it's SO gonna be kool.
Thanks for updating.

Best to you ... stay safe

jinx
_________________
" It's not valuable unless you learn something from an experience. " Henry Ford

It's not unlike the same difference

You can't push a rope


Cheap parts ain't good
and good parts ain't cheap.

My Craigslist rescued 100 footer :
1971 Standard Bug
1776cc dual port
034 distributor
38mm EGAS Carburetor

[70’DerpyDerby]

[TDCTDI]

[Blue Baron]

[71StandardReduction]

Eye am definitely watching this build!
Reminds me of a 71 that I bought and had loads of fun with!

_________________
One thing I ask from the Lord, This only do I seek:
That I may dwell in the House of The Lord all the days of my Life, to gaze on the beauty of The Lord and to seek Him in His Temple~Psalms 27:4

YHWH NISSI
YHWH SHALOM

64 Pan Buggy
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

Ruby Red 1966
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=779597&highlight=

https://youtube.com/@SCOFabwerx?feature=shared

[Buggeee]

Excellent project. Mad respect for the practical approach. The VW Way.


_________________
1966 Sportsmobile Camper https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0
72 Super Duper http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=672387
(adopted out) 61 Turkis Pile https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728764

[raydog]

Just looking at your pics, a word of advise. You should have pulled the oil relief plug, spring and piston, before you dipped the case.
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Come on, It's not rocket science. KISS

[70’DerpyDerby]

[70’DerpyDerby]

Good evening y'all!
It has been a couple of months since I last posted, but progress has continued! It was definitely slow going for a while as it was raining on and off pretty consistently for several days a week, week after week here in the bay.

At the end of January the floor pans I ordered from Mill Supply, kit #400-50-74AK, arrived. They are 20g steel, so though they aren't the thinnest on the market, they're not the thickest either. It is a 4 piece kit made of all the half pan options they carry, but for about $330 shipped it was a steal. I do notice the stamping's have a lot of excess metal on the edges, so we'll see how much trimming and fitting they need to work.

I started with removal of the dash pad back in February, as it was horribly cracked and disintegrating. I have since reinstalled the speedometer and switches, but I did break a small spade connector for the E-brake dash light so I'll have fun sourcing that I'm sure.

Striped out rear glass to help prevent damage from welding and grinding.

Next was removal and replacement of the luggage tray. I will say I have learned my lesson in using used vs. new parts. I never imagined just how many spot welds one panel could possess, but I definitely learned after that one

I also cut out a good section directly underneath the window and patched it after treating the surface rust with some rust converter.

After cutting out the lower portion of the tray I found that the brace underneath had serious rust holes in the middle, so that portion went as well and I sectioned it with a good portion from the donor bug (I'm sure this isn't the correct way to repair the brace, but its how I'm doing it).

Door sill rust repair with a patch made from some of the Super Bettle inner quarter.

A grinder and paint will make me the welder I ain't

Picked up a used afternarket exhuast for $70 I think? I didn't like all the gunk and wrinkle paint on it, so into the blasting cabinet at work it went.

It is currently still in bare metal, but I decided on Dupli-Color DE1607 Chevy Orange/Red Engine for the exhaust itself as well as the heater boxes. Not sure how long it will last, but only time will tell.

Pulled the connecting rods off and swapped in some new Mahle bearings. Currently waiting on my order of main and cam bearings, but the case isn't going back together until it is painted and the new cam is installed (which I have yet to order)

Original bearings didn't look terrible, but why risk it over a $15 box of bearings.

I finally painted the dog house a matching dark grey, and painted all the bolts matte black. Picked up a 20k volt coil on sale at CB Performance for $20 so on it went, even though I am really not a fan of chrome haha.

Stripped the dusting of paint I put on these before putting them in storage and primed them after appropriately prepping them.

Stuck with the flat tan, I really like the color difference and think it'll stand out well from the black floor. Reassembled after greasing. I will be welding a stud to the end of the clutch cable hook to make it a little smoother and less likely to break the hook itself.

Finally installed my CB Performance 6098 pedal kit. It took some finessing the area where the pedal meets the base, the arm that holds the roller to get proper pedal travel, grinding the pin head to let it recess properly, and using a couple washers on either side of the roller bracket to center it, but it is smooth and definitely looks like it will be a good upgrade.

After removal of the rust filled fuel tank, I decided to remove the OEM fuse block as well. I have changed my mind once again on the fuse box/relay idea and will be using the modular Ford fuse and relay blocks out of the mid 2000's Crown Vic trunks. They look nice, mount easily, are already wired, and are free to me lol

The tank was first filled with Evapo-Rust and then a mixture of Acetone and Gasoline. The Evapo-Rust did its job as best as it could, but I think there was dried out fuel varnish at the bottom of the tank that was reconstituted and became a sludge again that it could not remove, thus the solvent mixture dumped in and sealed to help break it all down.

Seems the tank was already repaired or replaced once before. It's a shame as it sat for years and years without a gas cap allowing water and debris to fill it and make a mess inside. I've decided that as long as there are no large rust chunks lingering when I dump the fuel mixture out, I will be using it and just change the fuel filter as needed.

Today I decided to check for any wires, bolts, or other parts that I missed before fully removing the shell. Definitely was a bit sketchy jacking it up onto the stands, but its super cool to see major progress being made! From what little visual inspection I could do in the fading daylight, I noticed the bottom of the door sills/heater channels look pretty solid except for the fronts where they meet the Napoleon hat. I also have a broken bolt inside the brace at the front RH side, as both of these bolts were severely rusted until almost nothing was left. Personally I feel lucky only 1 of the 4 bolts broke on me

Though it was only temporary, as I put the shell back on the pan to be covered pending MORE RAIN TOMORROW I am excited to be getting closer to the pan replacement!

Thanks y'all for reading and have a great night! Hopefully I'll be spotted by summer driving Derby, but currently I'm not holding my breath lol
_________________
Phil “Deluxe”

1970 VW Bug "Derby"

[chicagovw]

Glad to see you are plugging away-nice work on the rear luggage area. I was skeptical when you said you were trying to do this on a budget as it needs a ton of work, but it looks like you're doing it! Always good to see a very rusty car saved.

[70’DerpyDerby]

Thank you! It has been an uphill battle with new areas to repair found every time I look at it. Still plenty more to go, but my hope is to have the shell off and and new pans in by late April or early May. I have decided to use whatever used hard parts I can get, minus stuff like brake and suspension components that wear down. Also helps to shop around a lot on places like eBay and RockAuto for good deals and closeout whole sale parts!
_________________
Phil “Deluxe”

1970 VW Bug "Derby"

[Buggeee]

Pulling the glass out to protect it was a smart move, I've regretted not doing that before. Lots of progress.
_________________
1966 Sportsmobile Camper https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0
72 Super Duper http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=672387
(adopted out) 61 Turkis Pile https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728764

[70’DerpyDerby]

[70’DerpyDerby]

Evening y'all!
Today's update has a decent amount of progress included, and a couple of oddball questions at the end so grab a cold drink and stay awhile!

Starting off with the fuel tank, I left off with having a solvent concoction sitting in the tank. That worked about as well as you think it did...As in it didn't really at all. I ended up taking the tank to my buddies shop to use their steam pressure washer to wash out the gunk. That was the solution I should have used all along!

Before steaming:

After steaming:

The tank is still a little rusty inside but I'm not worried about it. I coated the inside with a light oil to help ward off flash rust until I use it.

Next up was to paint the exhaust. We had an exceptionally warm day for April so I took advantage and painted it with the Rustoleum ceramic rust stop followed by Dupli-Color DE1607 Chevy Orange/Red. How well is it going to hold up? I have no idea, as I usually try my best to avoid mixing paint brands when doing anything kind of paint work but its what the local parts store had!

Personally I think it turned out great for being rattle can.

After a few days of waiting for my shmeBay order to arrive, I was able to use the SikaFlex 221 I ordered to seam seal the rear luggage area. I think it turned out pretty darn good being that I haven't used Sika since I left working on Motor Coaches in 2021. The only concern I had was that they were past their shelf life date, which will be relevant later.

While giving the seam sealer a few days to dry as the ambient temps were only around 50 degrees Fahrenheit, I hit up the local Pick-N-Pull for the last day of their $30 seat sale. I scored a set of dark grey manual cloth seats from an 01' Civic SI. I am working on custom mount ideas using CAD programs currently, to figure out which one will work best.

I took out the passenger seat for a little while to just test fit the seat and get an idea of how it'll fit. I love it and I think they're going to be a great upgrade for the comfort and a little bit of safety. They need a good cleaning but overall they are in good condition.

I started the install of the Crown Vic fuse block which has been a love hate for sure. I added another fuse block in between the main power wire to I could supply power to two of the relays in the block for the high and low beam circuits. I did this so if in the future I or someone else wants to add upgraded lights, its not as much of a concern overloading the harness.

Somewhere along the way I picked up just about all the missing engine tins from Chris at Oakland Aircooled, great guy as always and his collection is always revolving.

I decided to paint the bar that supports the rear seat cushion with some rust converter and a coat of matte black before reinstalling. I'm sure it'll come back out later but for now its one less item on my shop floor

\

My next course of action was to start removal of the death rot foam that is jammed up in the quarters. During my latest round of cleaning I accidentally opened a rust hole that was made from the foam being constantly wet every winter and spring that it sat for 20+ years. I'll need to cut out and patch the rot on the inside and in the wheel well on the PS but the DS seems to be intact and solid. I'll find out after I remove all the foam on that side too.

One of the final things I decided to do was this past Thursday, and that was to clean off all the adhesive residue on the top of the replacement luggage tray and shot some Gloss Cottage White onto it. By no means is it an exact match but its inside and will mostly be covered by killmat or similar. After cleaning and prepping the area I put a few good coats on and let it sit all weekend until this afternoon when I got home.

This is where the strange reaction and subject of my question comes into play. Whenever I painted Sika previously, it was with 2k solvent base and clear coat. Being that both those layers were solvent, I never thought I would have an issue with some rattle can. However, I found that today all areas were perfectly dry except any areas of the seam sealer that had paint on them, no matter how thing the coat was. These painted seam seal areas were very tacky, and when hit with the heat gun basically turned the paint liquid again. My theory is that the seam sealer and the voc's from the spray paint didn't mingle well, and are making the sealer soft again. That or the sealer is absorbing the solvent and causing excessively long dry times. The sealer itself underneath is not really tacky really after wiping all that paint off with acetone. Any idea how to get this paint to go over the sealer without guessing if it will ever dry, or do I just paint a test area and give it a week or so to find out? I decided to clean out the car again today, vacuum out any junk I could, and vacuum up the seam sealer chunks I chipped off of the pan seams in preparation for pan replacement in the near future. You may be able to see the areas I wiped clean in these photos.

Check out that sweet galvanized sheet metal patch the previous owner made

Interior shot after all the junk was out and trash vacuumed up. I promptly repacked the interior with all my parts after this photo was taken lol

Hopefully anyone that has gotten this far is enjoying the process! Thanks for reading, and as always any feedback or constructive criticism is welcome! Have a great night y'all, till the next time!
_________________
Phil “Deluxe”

1970 VW Bug "Derby"