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Thanatos Samba Psychopomp
Joined: October 14, 2009 Posts: 1729 Location: Earth
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Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 3:31 am Post subject: BGW Spectre Hebmuller Kit: Any hints, tips or tricks? |
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I am asking this question because someone is potentially going to give me several older vehicles, which include a 1959 VW Beetle with no engine and a 1963 Beetle with roof damage, in exchange for removing several tons of trash and scrap wood from his property. Neither Beetle has structural damage to the chassis or damage to the windshield pillars, and I was browsing the BGW Spectre (the people who make those excreble fake 1940 Ford hoods for Bugs, among many other things) website and saw a kit for a fairly convincing Hebmuller replica as well as one for a woodie station wagon conversion.
(Edit: Both cars are absolute rust buckets, as well as loaded with Bondo, but I saw no crash-related damage to the frames or suspension.)
I edited the title and this first posting in this thread since I have decided to focus on a Hebmuller replica, and I would appreciate hearing about any tips on replicating the appearance of an original Heb, on building a BGW kit in general, or just about anything one would like to say to me about this subject. But more about woodies is fine with me, too.
Any and all answers would be appreciated,
O.G.
Last edited by Thanatos on Mon Oct 26, 2009 8:56 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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andk5591 Samba Member
Joined: August 29, 2005 Posts: 16757 Location: State College, PA
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Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 5:41 am Post subject: |
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First, you are going to get a bunch of people bashing you for even considering doing anythind that VW has not done themselves. Screw em' LOL
Anyway, My understanding is that the BGW woodie plans are similar to the Stevenson plans, which are nice.....kind of. Some cars came out very nice, but most are pretty bad (like teh one I started with). I am in the middle of my own VW woodie right now, which is of my own design, but I have a set of the plans for a little guidance. I also just ordered a new 40 Ford hood and grill for mine from Ron at BGW. The one that I have now fits very poorly - manufacturer unknown.
I strongly suggest join the 2 following sites.
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/vwoodies2/
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Woodies/
Paul (of Mini woodie fame) is one of the site administrators. You can get some good ideas. PM or email me if you want any additional info. I have learned more than I wanted to know about this subject LOL _________________ D-Dubya Manx clone - 63 Short pan,1914.
Rosie 65 bug - My mostly stock daily driver.
Woodie 69 VW woodie (Hot VWs 7/12).
"John's car" 64 VW woodie - The first ever
Maxine 61 Cal-look bug - Cindy's daily driver.
Max - 73 standard Beetle hearse project - For sale
66 bug project - Real patina & Suby conversion
There's more, but not keeping them... |
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Thanatos Samba Psychopomp
Joined: October 14, 2009 Posts: 1729 Location: Earth
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Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 11:33 am Post subject: Re: BGW Spectre Hebmuller & Woodie |
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Thanks for the response. Yeah, I've had people giving me h*ll for doing something other than how the factory intended, all the way from modifying a chain saw to run a bicycle rather than to cut wood as a kid when I couldn't afford a Whizzer, to my idea of making my own Hebmuller and/or Volkswagen woodie, with what must be hundreds of things between.
About the Yahoo groups, I have already joined them with the blessing of the moderator (required to join the group, for those who are thinking about joining), and I will definitely PM you for information if and when needed. I've seen your car on the VWoodies groups, and I like it. I personally prefer the Stevenson/current BGW shape to that of the MiniWoodie, and the stock VW body from the cowl forward and modified stock doors would make building a bit easier, especially around the doors and cowl.
However, I have focused on possibly doing a Heb only and combining the two donor cars, but thanks for the woodie info for if and when I change my mind! |
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GTBRADLEY Samba Member
Joined: February 27, 2009 Posts: 578 Location: Texas
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Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 12:59 pm Post subject: |
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Might I suggest that you use a convertable cowl section. This will make the transition from the windshield to the roof wood panels much more appealling. With a sedan there is a big hump area that just does not look right. _________________ Thunderbug by Bugformance 1969 |
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andk5591 Samba Member
Joined: August 29, 2005 Posts: 16757 Location: State College, PA
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Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 1:40 pm Post subject: |
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The vert does work much better for the woodie. I got that tip from John Slussar. And as much as I appreciate Pauls work with the Miniwoodies, I like a more traditional "Ford" look myself. _________________ D-Dubya Manx clone - 63 Short pan,1914.
Rosie 65 bug - My mostly stock daily driver.
Woodie 69 VW woodie (Hot VWs 7/12).
"John's car" 64 VW woodie - The first ever
Maxine 61 Cal-look bug - Cindy's daily driver.
Max - 73 standard Beetle hearse project - For sale
66 bug project - Real patina & Suby conversion
There's more, but not keeping them... |
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Thanatos Samba Psychopomp
Joined: October 14, 2009 Posts: 1729 Location: Earth
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Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 1:59 pm Post subject: Re: BGW Spectre Hebmuller & Woodie |
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GTBRADLEY wrote: |
Might I suggest that you use a convertable cowl section. This will make the transition from the windshield to the roof wood panels much more appealling. With a sedan there is a big hump area that just does not look right. |
I have thought about using the cabriolet cowl section, and they are still relatively easy to find via Ebay, salvage yards and used-VW-parts houses. That would also be the only way to go when constructing a Hebmuller replica out of a sedan, in order to make the windshield line and where the soft top attaches look right. Good bit of advice, there. |
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andk5591 Samba Member
Joined: August 29, 2005 Posts: 16757 Location: State College, PA
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Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 6:00 pm Post subject: |
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OK - are you doing a heb convertible? If so, then go with the entire vert body. There are a lot of additional gussets and braces that give a lot more rigidity..... _________________ D-Dubya Manx clone - 63 Short pan,1914.
Rosie 65 bug - My mostly stock daily driver.
Woodie 69 VW woodie (Hot VWs 7/12).
"John's car" 64 VW woodie - The first ever
Maxine 61 Cal-look bug - Cindy's daily driver.
Max - 73 standard Beetle hearse project - For sale
66 bug project - Real patina & Suby conversion
There's more, but not keeping them... |
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Thanatos Samba Psychopomp
Joined: October 14, 2009 Posts: 1729 Location: Earth
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Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 8:51 pm Post subject: |
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andk5591 wrote: |
OK - are you doing a heb convertible? If so, then go with the entire vert body. There are a lot of additional gussets and braces that give a lot more rigidity..... |
Yeah, I am as a matter of fact. I went out and looked at the Bugs again today, and I think I'll pass on them. They are full of rust and yellowjacket nests, haven't moved in at least 25 years, and the owner decided he wants to keep them, along with a Bus and a Fastback, for his son's informal VW-mechanic training. The other cars, which are not VWs or air-cooled Porsches but are still collectible, will be sold to some friends who have wanted the cars for years. So therefore, I may be looking at a convertible body tub, preferably a pre-1967 body on an IRS chassis that cannot be restored easily or practically, but ABSOLUTELY NO SUPER BEETLES, so that I can build myself a Heb lookalike. However, I do not have the money to go out and buy a project car right now or any time soon, but I am eagerly awaiting more replies. |
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andk5591 Samba Member
Joined: August 29, 2005 Posts: 16757 Location: State College, PA
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Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2009 3:52 am Post subject: |
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Just some advice.....Just rebuilding a stocker can get expensive. Doing anything custom can get real expensive, but it depends on what all you can do yourself. And the rougher the car, the more you are going to get into just to get it roadworthy. An abandoned project is your best bet.
Think about a later car. When I bought the woody, I messed up and didnt check the body as well as I should have. The body was shot and at this point I pretty much scrapped the entire body. My project is based on a 69, but using early front fenders....I bought a solid stripped vert shell (no interior, chrome, bad engine, rotted floors, etc) for $800. But it did need a front quarter and apron replaced. I am doing early front fenders. You may want to also do early hood and apron. _________________ D-Dubya Manx clone - 63 Short pan,1914.
Rosie 65 bug - My mostly stock daily driver.
Woodie 69 VW woodie (Hot VWs 7/12).
"John's car" 64 VW woodie - The first ever
Maxine 61 Cal-look bug - Cindy's daily driver.
Max - 73 standard Beetle hearse project - For sale
66 bug project - Real patina & Suby conversion
There's more, but not keeping them... |
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Thanatos Samba Psychopomp
Joined: October 14, 2009 Posts: 1729 Location: Earth
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Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2009 10:52 am Post subject: |
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andk5591 wrote: |
Just some advice.....Just rebuilding a stocker can get expensive. Doing anything custom can get real expensive, but it depends on what all you can do yourself. And the rougher the car, the more you are going to get into just to get it roadworthy. An abandoned project is your best bet.
Think about a later car. When I bought the woody, I messed up and didnt check the body as well as I should have. The body was shot and at this point I pretty much scrapped the entire body. My project is based on a 69, but using early front fenders....I bought a solid stripped vert shell (no interior, chrome, bad engine, rotted floors, etc) for $800. But it did need a front quarter and apron replaced. I am doing early front fenders. You may want to also do early hood and apron. |
Great idea there. I could definitely use the early hood, apron and fenders, and that would be an easy enough conversion. I would use fiberglass in order to discourage people from passing it off as a real Heb in the future, and I would get an independent rear suspension that way too.
Any suggestions from anyone about the interior and the outside trim? |
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andk5591 Samba Member
Joined: August 29, 2005 Posts: 16757 Location: State College, PA
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Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 3:58 am Post subject: |
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Yeah - this way you wont have to mess with adapting an early body to fit and a later car is usually cheaper and more available. And (as I had seen in another post) you will have fewer peasants with pitchforks and torches banging on your garage door. _________________ D-Dubya Manx clone - 63 Short pan,1914.
Rosie 65 bug - My mostly stock daily driver.
Woodie 69 VW woodie (Hot VWs 7/12).
"John's car" 64 VW woodie - The first ever
Maxine 61 Cal-look bug - Cindy's daily driver.
Max - 73 standard Beetle hearse project - For sale
66 bug project - Real patina & Suby conversion
There's more, but not keeping them... |
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Thanatos Samba Psychopomp
Joined: October 14, 2009 Posts: 1729 Location: Earth
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Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 5:35 pm Post subject: Re: BGW Spectre Hebmuller Kit |
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I found some excuses to bump this thread while googling "fiberglass VW parts" last night. Said "excuses" are a replica split-window Bug dashboard and replica pre-1960 Bug front fenders made by Glass-Action, formerly called "Innovations in Fiberglass". Those would work well in the Hebmuller replica that I am planning, since I want it to look like the real deal as much as possible yet still be unable to be passed off as a real Heb in future years due to a considerable amount of fiberglass pieces.
Also, I would like to know where to get round horn grilles, Split-era trim bits, and gauges that would look like they belonged in a Split dashboard (but not necessarily real Split gauges), how the window frames should be made, what the back window in the soft top should look like, and what the areas behind the front seats and under the rear decklid should be like. I have never seen a Hebmuller in person, and am relying on an incredibly crude and heavily customized die-cast toy Heb that I bought at Wal-Mart a couple of years ago when I first caught "Hebmuller Fever" for the details. |
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HeidelbergJohn4.0 Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2004 Posts: 1199 Location: Havre de Grace, MD
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Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 11:23 am Post subject: |
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I've spoken with Ron at BGW several times about the Heb kit. I'll probably be ordering on in the next few weeks, however I'm not going for a replica heb, but more of a "replica" Hebrod. I already have the glass action split dash, and i'm working on some fiberglass rear fenders to replicate a similar rear end treatment. the hebrod is still probably one of, if not the best Volksrod ever done IMHO.
http://www.airspeedparts.com/garage/hebrod/hebrod.htm _________________ 71 LWB Manx style dunebuggy
71 Beetle
71 Volksrod
Machette Speedster
2012 Passat TDI SE (sadly sitting in a buyback parking lot somewhere waiting for it's heart to be ripped out.) |
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Thanatos Samba Psychopomp
Joined: October 14, 2009 Posts: 1729 Location: Earth
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Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 1:08 pm Post subject: |
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HeidelbergJohn4.0 wrote: |
I've spoken with Ron at BGW several times about the Heb kit. I'll probably be ordering on in the next few weeks, however I'm not going for a replica heb, but more of a "replica" Hebrod. I already have the glass action split dash, and i'm working on some fiberglass rear fenders to replicate a similar rear end treatment. the hebrod is still probably one of, if not the best Volksrod ever done IMHO.
http://www.airspeedparts.com/garage/hebrod/hebrod.htm |
HeidelbergJohn, your Hebrod sounds pretty sweet. I don't have the money to build my replica Hebmuller right now, but I am planning it out on paper and in my mind. My plan for the dash is to use a regular Bug speedo/fuel gauge unit in the left pod along with the headlight and ignition switches, and to put a KdF-style shift pattern in the other one. I also intend to make fully-functional glove boxes without doors, and I can say that if I ever get around to actually building it, my Heb replica will actually be closer to the Radcliffe Cabriolet (predecessor of the Hebmuller) thanks to the KdF-style details I am planning. |
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jakester Samba Member
Joined: January 30, 2006 Posts: 19
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Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 6:26 pm Post subject: BGW SUCKS! |
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Hey Pal, Screw the purist. If Building the car fo your dreams makes you happy, GO FOR IT. But stay away from BGW. Ron is a total Freakin hack that ripped me out of 800.00. Missing parts, crap workmanship, crazy shipping charges, credit card handling fee, you name it. I bought a 32 ford nose kit, and sold it a couple of months after I bought it because it came with no instructions, and most important of all, RON HAS NO IDEA HOW TO INSTALL IT.
want further details as to take your money elsewhere, Send me a p.m.
Jake
Coviello Racing, inc. |
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GeoffP Samba Member
Joined: July 14, 2002 Posts: 400 Location: Blaine WA / Vancouver
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Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 7:43 pm Post subject: |
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Here ya go!
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Thanatos Samba Psychopomp
Joined: October 14, 2009 Posts: 1729 Location: Earth
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Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 8:12 pm Post subject: Re: BGW SUCKS! |
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jakester wrote: |
Hey Pal, Screw the purist. If Building the car fo your dreams makes you happy, GO FOR IT. But stay away from BGW. Ron is a total Freakin hack that ripped me out of 800.00. Missing parts, crap workmanship, crazy shipping charges, credit card handling fee, you name it. I bought a 32 ford nose kit, and sold it a couple of months after I bought it because it came with no instructions, and most important of all, RON HAS NO IDEA HOW TO INSTALL IT.
want further details as to take your money elsewhere, Send me a p.m.
Jake
Coviello Racing, inc. |
Now that I've thought about it more, I've been considering a Wizard Roadster kit (VW bug into a roadster) rather than anything from BGW, thanks to things like what you just mentioned- as well as the possible problem of the finished Heb kit being passed off as the real McCoy after I'm dead (I don't want to come back as a ghost to haunt an Ebay seller, an auctioneer or a car dealer for the rest of his/her life! ), as well as the Wizard kit being an original idea as opposed to knocking off a timeless classic. Does anyone have the website for the maker of Wizard Roadsters, if they're still around? (I know that they are/were in the UK, but that's about the it of it)
OG |
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HeidelbergJohn4.0 Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2004 Posts: 1199 Location: Havre de Grace, MD
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Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 8:55 pm Post subject: |
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I suppose I don't figure I need step by step instructions when I'm even considering hacking the roof off a car, replacing metal with fiberglass. If you do, you're probably over your head. Every fiberglass product I've ever seen from Ron was constructed very well, including his dunebuggy bodies. _________________ 71 LWB Manx style dunebuggy
71 Beetle
71 Volksrod
Machette Speedster
2012 Passat TDI SE (sadly sitting in a buyback parking lot somewhere waiting for it's heart to be ripped out.) |
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soundcatcher Samba Member
Joined: December 19, 2005 Posts: 162 Location: Horsham, England
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 2:53 am Post subject: Re: BGW SUCKS! |
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Old Grimey wrote: |
Now that I've thought about it more, I've been considering a Wizard Roadster kit (VW bug into a roadster) rather than anything from BGW, thanks to things like what you just mentioned- as well as the possible problem of the finished Heb kit being passed off as the real McCoy after I'm dead (I don't want to come back as a ghost to haunt an Ebay seller, an auctioneer or a car dealer for the rest of his/her life! ), as well as the Wizard kit being an original idea as opposed to knocking off a timeless classic. Does anyone have the website for the maker of Wizard Roadsters, if they're still around? (I know that they are/were in the UK, but that's about the it of it)
OG |
Here's the link to the current owners of the Wizard Kits. http://www.z2web.co.uk/beetlezone/kits.htm. Wizard Roadsters went out of business years ago...for that matter the rumour mill has it that the current owners are no longer trading...... I don't know this for a fact so the only way to find out is if you try and get in touch and see what kind of a response you get..... You'll laugh at this.....I've just bought what I believe to be a BGW Spectre Malibu Speedster that was imported to the UK a little over 10 years ago and has sat in a garage in the middle of nowhere for around the last 8. It's had a small engine fire at some point but nothing disasterous...... Here's a few pics.....It uses a '71 1302 as a donor....
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Russ Wolfe Samba Member
Joined: October 08, 2004 Posts: 25187 Location: Central Iowa
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Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 8:40 am Post subject: |
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What do you want to bet it had a $.99 fuel filter in the engine compartment. _________________ Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up, you end up with a lot of scum on the top!--Edward Abbey
Gary: OK. Ima poop. |
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