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joescoolcustoms Samba Member
Joined: August 08, 2006 Posts: 9054 Location: West By God Virginia
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Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2014 2:02 pm Post subject: |
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Nice job!
Having a "final look" is always a morale booster. _________________ Bad News Racing 2018 NORRA 1000 3rd in Class
Best Day Ever Racing 2022 NORRA 1000 2nd in Class and first All Female team to complete the race
Everyone is gifted. Some just do not open the package.
Looks like it was painted with a live chicken,polished with a brick and buffed with a pine cone |
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neohic Samba Member
Joined: June 30, 2012 Posts: 190 Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2014 4:09 pm Post subject: |
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Trying to stay focused on this... I've been working on my shop lately getting it insulated and finished so I finally have a cozy spot to work this winter again. I know I say it before winter just about every year but I think I'll actually have a chance at picking away at this poor thing this year! So that brings me to what's next in line and I think it's more metal work. Simple cage... bumpers... that sort of stuff. The problem I keep coming up with is what to make the bumpers look like... the front, more specifically. The rear is a simple decision for me... I hope Joe doesn't mind me using his picture.
... beautiful! As for the front... I have no idea. I like the look of the simple yet classic buggy front bumper but I just don't think mine has the right lines as it's kind of Imp-ish. For example...
Mine:
Imp:
They both just kind of fall off the map directly under that center body line. Again, I like the look of my buggy body but that giant gap between the body and the bumper is just goofy looking on the Imp! Really been thinking about doing something similar to Joe's on the front as well with the double tubes but I think it might get a bit busy looking. Searched around in interweb land... done a bunch of sketches... I'm at a loss.
Thoughts? Suggestions? Examples of bumpers that are a little different than the norm? Or, should I just forget about bumpers all together and run it without? _________________ -Ben
I like to build stuff... |
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joescoolcustoms Samba Member
Joined: August 08, 2006 Posts: 9054 Location: West By God Virginia
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Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2014 6:47 pm Post subject: |
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No problem on the photo. That is why they are posted on this site.
I just finished my Sears Rascal and have not posted all the final pictures of it. But, I strayed from the normal on the front bumper and tried something a little different. A little higher than normal, but super strong with the 0.120 wall tubing.
A few ideas:
_________________ Bad News Racing 2018 NORRA 1000 3rd in Class
Best Day Ever Racing 2022 NORRA 1000 2nd in Class and first All Female team to complete the race
Everyone is gifted. Some just do not open the package.
Looks like it was painted with a live chicken,polished with a brick and buffed with a pine cone |
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neohic Samba Member
Joined: June 30, 2012 Posts: 190 Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2014 6:35 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for posting that. Gorgeous buggies, both of them! I like what you did on the Sears. Sort of a familiar look... just a little different. Puts a new spin on what I've got in my head. Not sure I'm set on anything just yet though. _________________ -Ben
I like to build stuff... |
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chromanium Samba Member
Joined: February 28, 2013 Posts: 2
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Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2014 6:05 am Post subject: the Empi/Linton Spoiler project |
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I'm new to this forum and not sure this will end up where I intend it.
The buggy in the build pictures as you log on has a Linton front hood for sure but the body appears to be an Empi. I believe that to be Linton's Brush Buggy model.
The Linton Spoiler I believe is a different model with a completely different body especially the rear spoiler deck hence the Linton Spoiler.
I have a friend that has owned one for 43 years and can ask him to look for a tag if there is one, but he most likely would have observed it as he does extensive work on it and others.
I have contacted the Chamber of commerce in Sidney Montana where they were produced and they have no information on the builder but get request for it every couple years.
The Spoiler model body style is rare, and usually found in northern states. They garner quite a bit of admirers from the style/contour lines even amongst a show of 40 plus buggies.
I have attached (I hope) 2 of them I have owned.The Linton hood style, is apparent. The build project appears to be the Brush Buggy and these the Spoiler buggies. |
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neohic Samba Member
Joined: June 30, 2012 Posts: 190 Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2014 5:55 am Post subject: |
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Pretty sure mine is a Linton based off of the picture I found on Dune Buggy Archives...
Looks to me like the back rolls over without the spoiler on the back. Definitely not an EMPI with a Linton hood either. The fenders have different lines by the headlights. Anyhow, cool to see another buggy similar to mine. Thanks! _________________ -Ben
I like to build stuff... |
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chromanium Samba Member
Joined: February 28, 2013 Posts: 2
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Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2014 3:36 pm Post subject: Re: '74...ish Dune Buggy |
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neohic wrote: |
Let me start with saying hello to everyone! I'm new here but not new to VWs or fabrication. My first car was a '76 Beetle that was sold off and replaced with my '72 that I still have.
Anyway... the buggy! I've had the fiberglass body for about eight years now... it was a high school graduation present from me to me! Since then, it's been stored under my parents deck way too out of sight and out of mind. The plan was to use a donor car for the frame, drivetrain, and title.
Fast forward to almost two years ago and I picked up this prime '74 donor. Very solid for a MN car, but not anything close to being anything that anyone would want to try and restore.
The body was in good enough shape to sell off... you know the term, "sellable not usable". Still very good parts for someone to use. With the body off, I could move on to shortening the pan. With the body off, the findings? Rust... lots of it! Nothing structural, though... just the floor pans.
Next on the list was to shorten the pan. I started with cutting out the nasty old floors.
And the cut and squaring:
Then some welding:
This was a huge step but now comes all the rest of going through every little part and replacing, cleaning, modifying... should be fun anyway!
Next was to start throwing some parts at it so I could get some basic measurements... backspacing, tire size, seat heights... you know... car building stuff.
The wheels on it are 8" wide with 4" backspacing. I need around 3.5" to be on the safe side of clearing the body in the front. I also had an extra set of seats kicking around the shop for mocking up a simple cage (thus the large hammer and masking tape). Floors got done as well as modified brackets and stock seats out of a 2003 Sunfire. Pedals, completely custom shifter, and an engine are in place as well. I used 1x2" tubing to make up a frame around the outside of the floors and to add some structure. The engine is a stock 1600cc that I picked up from a guy who had it mounted behind his trike. Fortunately, he let the exhaust go with the engine so I can start to figure out all of the tube work in the bumpers.
Seats are very comfortable and have deep side supports.
Now that it's starting to look and feel like a car, I'm totally guilty of sitting in it and just looking at everything more than I should. Besides that, it's like sitting in a space ship looking over the hood!
Engine... gotta love those trumpets!
Very proud of the groovy shifter and center console.
At this point I'm at a total of $760 and everything came to a screeching halt. My brother and I did a VR6 swap in his '87 Cabby, I did a fuel injection swap on a friend's '90 Wrangler, worked on several Jeep Comanches for myself, and then the wife and I decided to pick up and move across the state. Sadly, the buggy hasn't had any forward progress for about a year now. Right now, our new house takes importance over everything. I've got some construction and maintenance to do... hopefully I can pick this up again over this coming winter.
[/img]
My usual online hang-out is ComancheClub.com. Been a member over there for years now and that fills my Jeep obsession. Now I want to get back to my VW roots.
On a side note... I have no idea what body I have here. I've searched through the buggy identification pages and came up with nothing. It's kinda close to the an Imp, but the fronts of the fenders and different along with the scoop on the hood. Any help? Anyhow... that's my buggy! |
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neohic Samba Member
Joined: June 30, 2012 Posts: 190 Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2014 6:00 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for quoting all that... ?
As far as an update, been working on insulating and finishing my shop. Pulling the buggy in this winter.
_________________ -Ben
I like to build stuff... |
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neohic Samba Member
Joined: June 30, 2012 Posts: 190 Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2014 4:46 pm Post subject: |
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So my shop is pretty much done. Done enough to be tired of working on it and wanting to get back to working on fun stuff anyhow.
It's not much... 14'x28'. It's big enough to call home for now. As for the buggy, it actually saw the light of day!
... and then it got put in it's winter home. It's pretty much the same as it has been for the last few years with the addition of wheels and tires just recently. Looks almost presentable in some decent light!
Unfortunately a good camera angle only hides everything that's been hiding in it.
Ah well... it's in a workable area now so that's a step in the right direction, right?
_________________ -Ben
I like to build stuff... |
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neohic Samba Member
Joined: June 30, 2012 Posts: 190 Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2014 6:23 pm Post subject: |
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Everybody likes cutting and welding on a used gas tank, right? Didn't have anything to worry about though... the tank has been dry since the '80s with zero vapors left in it. I've started trying to take care little things up front that add up in the end that seem to take forever after getting major things done.
I started with putting the tank in and putting the hood on... things didn't fit quite right. Those sexy sloping lines just didn't jive with what was happening inside. The tank was from the donor '74 Beetle so I knew that the fuel intake would be in the wrong spot. I like where the filler was cut originally so I used the hood as the template. Here's how it went...
Should I leave that breather there or should I move it?
For now, I used a short piece of 2" exhaust tubing as a place holder for whatever I choose as a cap. Like I said before, I like the fuel fill low to keep the hood looking clean. Just not a fan of a giant cap in the middle of the hood. Next on the list was adding a mini sump in the bottom of the tank. The fitting in the bottom was completely screwed up so I figured it needed to be cut out anyhow. It's not the absolute lowest point of the tank but I was planning on adding a drain elsewhere. I like the idea of being able to completely drain the tank if need be.
Obviously, fittings to come later. I see a small body lift in my future too. The steering coupler rubs on the bottom of the tank as shown in the dirt.
Last on the list is to patch up the last corner. I left it open to be able to clean it out as I go along.
Not done with it, but I had to put the hood and lights back on for the evening. Couldn't stand leaving it without its face on.
_________________ -Ben
I like to build stuff... |
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joescoolcustoms Samba Member
Joined: August 08, 2006 Posts: 9054 Location: West By God Virginia
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Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2014 8:34 pm Post subject: |
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Nicely done. _________________ Bad News Racing 2018 NORRA 1000 3rd in Class
Best Day Ever Racing 2022 NORRA 1000 2nd in Class and first All Female team to complete the race
Everyone is gifted. Some just do not open the package.
Looks like it was painted with a live chicken,polished with a brick and buffed with a pine cone |
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neohic Samba Member
Joined: June 30, 2012 Posts: 190 Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 11:23 am Post subject: |
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Thanks, Joe! I'm now on the look out for something I can scavenge a filler neck from for just a plain half-turn chrome cap. I've got the filler neck from the donor '74 but it's the twist in style cap. Can't find one that doesn't look like a tub faucet. A vented cap would be nice too.
_________________ -Ben
I like to build stuff... |
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neohic Samba Member
Joined: June 30, 2012 Posts: 190 Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2014 6:28 pm Post subject: |
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Finished the tank today.
Had one spot of rust that needed to be cut out and patched. Otherwise the tank was in great shape... I hope. I'll throw some pressure in it and check over the whole thing.
Then this happened.
Cleaning up a bunch of things and adding a half inch to the pan this weekend for a little extra clearance all around. _________________ -Ben
I like to build stuff... |
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neohic Samba Member
Joined: June 30, 2012 Posts: 190 Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2014 6:47 pm Post subject: |
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So the body lift is done and it raised more than just the body... such as more problems. We'll get to that in a minute. For now, some progress...
I used 3/8" couplers as my threaded inserts. Drilled a bunch of holes, dropped them in, and welded away. As for the lift, I've got a bunch of new space because of it.
As for the problems, I knew they'd come up. They all have to do with body fit up and it looks as though I need to learn some stuff about working with fiberglass.
Along the sides of the body, things line up pretty good but the bottom edge rolls upward. I would imagine that was from sitting for so many years before I even got it. I'm sure there would be enough play in the body to run a strip along the top of the bottom lip of the body and sandwich things together but there's still the problem of the half-million holes that have been drilled into it. As for the front and the rear, I knew that I was changing the shape of the steel but things always looked pretty bad before this. Been looking around on the interweb and there's lots of good information out there. Still, I'm hoping that Joe puts in his opinion here too.
If I'm going to be cutting up the body, my next concern is the battery box. It's tiny... about 8"x10" and I'm not sure if I'll be able to fit a decent battery down in there.
Should I cut that out? Maybe just fill the current hole and make up a battery tray underneath? Then there's the lines of the body over the rear wheels... I hate them. Always have as long as it's been on a chassis. Here's what I'm thinking there...
... or...
Anyhow, I've been working at this thing all day and it's kind of disappointing to plop the body back on it and have it look exactly the same as how it did the day before.
_________________ -Ben
I like to build stuff...
Last edited by neohic on Sat Dec 27, 2014 6:55 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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neohic Samba Member
Joined: June 30, 2012 Posts: 190 Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2014 4:45 pm Post subject: |
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Spent a little more time looking at things this morning. I think I'm torn whether or not to continue with the metal work or would now be a good time to rough in the fiberglass repairs? There's a bunch of holes and a couple cracks that really wouldn't affect any of the current mock up, but having the bottom edge of the body cleaned up would make things easier with what I previously planned on working on this winter. Granted, I wouldn't want to do any final bodywork at this point because I'd still be banging around it, but progress is still progress. On the same hand if I were to get rid of the current battery box, it'd make room for whatever I replace it with. On the other there's the learning curve of never working with fiberglass before.
Thoughts? Suggestions? Thanks, dudes! _________________ -Ben
I like to build stuff... |
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neohic Samba Member
Joined: June 30, 2012 Posts: 190 Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2014 11:45 am Post subject: |
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Not sure what's up with all my pictures, but I'm still around. Edit... fixed.
Had a bit of a hiccup with things... my gallbladder decided that it didn't agree with the way I was running things so it tried to pull a mutiny. On the up side, I got a fancy new Harbor Freight bender for Christmas. Plans are to modify it like Joe's. _________________ -Ben
I like to build stuff...
Last edited by neohic on Sun Dec 28, 2014 1:06 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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wythac Samba Member
Joined: August 02, 2004 Posts: 2791
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Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2014 12:28 pm Post subject: |
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I think it is good to do FG and metal work concurrently, as long as your shop space doesnt lead to a lot of contamination of your FG work. Keeps you busy, and keeps you literally in touch with your components, so you are less likely to arrive at the end of your mock up finding something you overlooked. You might also find that as you do more FG work you get better at it, inspiring a return to earlier lower quality fixes for more work there, etc...
Good luck and better health to you in 2015. |
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neohic Samba Member
Joined: June 30, 2012 Posts: 190 Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2014 9:45 am Post subject: |
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wythac wrote: |
I think it is good to do FG and metal work concurrently, as long as your shop space doesnt lead to a lot of contamination of your FG work...
Good luck and better health to you in 2015. |
Thanks. Been able to rack up quite the medical resume this year. As for the fiberglass, I think I'll try a little heat before cutting and replacing. I've got material for the base of the future cage so I should be able to use that as a means of clamping everything down with even pressure. As for the cage itself, I'm going the route of turning a kinker into a bender with the help of some of Joe's old posts.
Already used it to make the stand. The bends came out okay without making up a top saddle support, but I did make some extensions for the outside rollers. Still have some playing to do with it before putting any expensive tube through it. _________________ -Ben
I like to build stuff... |
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neohic Samba Member
Joined: June 30, 2012 Posts: 190 Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2014 3:17 pm Post subject: |
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Albeit a bit slow today, I started on the mounting strips for the cage.
Went around and tightened things down until a slight cracking sound started. Along the sides, the gap is minimal. However at the corners, things have a little ways to go.
Front, left:
Rear, left:
Right, front:
Right, rear:
Rear:
So things have a little ways to go. I need to get myself a heat gun to finish the job. Started getting the foot well and the rear into shape also. Things only needed to move slightly but I think I'll still need a heat gun to keep things where they belong.
_________________ -Ben
I like to build stuff... |
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BIGMIKEY Samba Member
Joined: September 24, 2007 Posts: 1105 Location: North East Pennsylvania
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Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2014 4:31 pm Post subject: |
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neohic;
My Deserter body was warped just like yours. I had to do the same things you are doing in front and the edges. The back was just like yours too. I snuck it down a bit at a time and drilled bolts to hold it in place. It took a little time but I got the body to conform to the chassis no problem. It took a few weeks the ease it into shape but I was in no hurry. I still haven't decided on a body lift yet though.
I like your clamping strip.
Mike T _________________ BIGMIKEY
Deserter Series 1 project.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=787047&highlight=
1973 Beetle Driver, Marina Blue. |
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