63 Rag Top Resto

Boost · Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 5:44 pm Post subject: 63 Rag Top Resto

Hey All,

Thought I'd post some pics of my Beetle project. Found her on craigslist last fall and couldn't resist...always wanted a ragtop. Body is surprisingly solid for a northeast car... 105,000 original miles, all original german metal and one repaint the original color (gulf blue??). Floors look like swiss cheese...and need to be replaced. Planning on doing a body off resto. custom style. Enjoy the pics!

Body stand finished. Body ready to come off last January...COLD!

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Pulling the body off. 4 big guys.

Back in the garage on the stand.

Rolling chassis

Original 40 HP

Off with the drivers side pan!

Test fitting Wolfsburg West pan half

Both pan halfs fitted and ready for welding

Pan stripped, wire brushed and degreased

Pan coated with 2 coats of gray POR-15..not too bad looking.

Topcoated with POR chassis black. Reassembly started. 3" narrowed adjustable beam. TRW rebuilt steering box. Dual stage master cylinder and stainless steel brake lines. New stainless fuel line. CB performance sent me one black shock and one gray lowered shock??

Rebuilt swing axle trans from Peek Performance.

More pics to come

Boost · Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 5:53 pm Post subject:

6 hours of degreasing and these 40 hp parts are ready for powdercoating!

mailman · Samba Member Joined: March 24, 2005 Posts: 1664

Looking good! Keep up the good work, and by all means, keep us posted! Maybe your project's progress will shame me into getting back after mine.....
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'64 Bahama Blue Beetle / steel sunroof
'64 Bahama Blue Beetle Sedan (future ragtop)

drscope · Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 4:37 pm Post subject:

You may want to take a close look at those front shocks. You might have one gas shock (gray) and one hydrolic.

Project looks great!
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Mother Nature is a Mean Evil Bitch!

beetleboy58 · Samba Conquestador Joined: February 27, 2006 Posts: 1091

4 big guys to lift up a body? I stuck a 2x6 under the heater channels and carried it around myself........ Cool

Seriously, looks great!

Boost · Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 5:33 pm Post subject:

Thanks guys...I should have the powder coating back in a few weeks and will post some pics. Also plan to bring my longblock over to Boston Engine for a rebuild in the next few weeks...spoke to Bob last week about it...really nice guy...knows his stuff!

drscope, both shocks had the same P/N on the box (not that it means anything Wink

) Is there a way to tell if they are Gas or Hydrolic just by looking at them?

jmsmilin · Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 6:37 pm Post subject:

you can powder coat exhaust components?
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Der Schmutzige Süden.

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johneliot · Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 6:51 pm Post subject:

That looks so much like mine 2 years ago! One thing I regret doing before I put the body on. You should test fit your seats to make sure they slide. I too put WW pans on. My seats will not slide on the rails. I will figure out why sometime, but I'm having too much fun driving to worry about it for now. If I had to do it again, I would have taken my old rails off and switched them with the rails on the WW pan. It would of been real easy, and time wise it would have been quick.

John
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John

There is no distinctly American criminal class - except Congress.
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shano63 · Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2007 7:00 pm Post subject:

Good luck with your car boost, and keep those pics coming!! Chris
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63 T1 Ragtop Gulf Blue, Certified abortion
04 Wrangler Rubicon
66 F250 4X4

Chris

Take it as it comes-- Morrison

Boost · Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 5:23 am Post subject:

jmsmilin, Awesome Powdercoat has a high temp silver coating that is good to 1000 deg F...I'm having them coat the exhaust and heater boxes since they are doing everything else...will let you know how it works out. My other choice was ceramic but thought it would be overkill for a stock exhaust...I guess we'll see Wink

johneliot, I've heard that about the seat rails...i will definitely check them before the body goes on. Unfortunately, the pan is now painted and detailed...chances are I won't swap out the rails at this point but could do some grinding to make them work and touch up the paint.

mailman · Samba Member Joined: March 24, 2005 Posts: 1664

Boost....

I see that you've opted for a narrowed beam. Will you be running front discs? Stock spindles or dropped? Wheels and tires?

Your project looks like mine should have looked by now. Embarassed

I'm doing the same POR15 on the pan (black over gray), same stainless brake lines, same master cylinder upgrade. I'm doing a 4" beam and dropped CB spindles with front discs, and T3 rear brakes. I bought Flat Four BRMs and Bridgestone tires.

I've also sourced a ragtop clip to graft in, and I'm still looking for a 'vert decklid for it.

I got as far as removing the body and cutting out the pans. Then I started to tackle some cancer in the frame head.....and that's where I'm stalled. Just a lack of confidence, I think. Maybe following your progress will be just what I've needed!
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'64 Bahama Blue Beetle / steel sunroof
'64 Bahama Blue Beetle Sedan (future ragtop)

Boost · Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 6:52 pm Post subject:

Shano63 - How about some pics of your beetle...I see you have a Gulf Blue 63 Rag Top too Shocked

I'm still wondering what color mine is?

Mailman - Here is what I have sitting in the garage. 3" AirKewld Beam, 4 wheel Cast Disc Brakes with 5x100mm bolt pattern from AirKewld, 17x7 VW Jetta Long Beach wheels with tires mounted, CB 2.5" drop spindles, Stainless Steel brake lines from Airkewld.

I hope the 3" beam is narrow enough for the 7" wheels. I wanted to run shocks and Airkewld (Pete) recommended the 3" beam. I wanted the New Beetle BRM's from CB. They are the same size and offset as the longbeachs...but I got the Longbeachs for $400 and couldn't pass them up...the BRMs are about $1,100. If I could do the pan over I would leave the Gray POR...don't bother with the black top coat. The POR looks great...the top coat not so great. Plus, you need the binder coat primer so you end up painting the thing like 5-6 times each side. The overall look I'm going for is like the 58deluxerag's beetle (search the gallery...very nice looking car!)

comet329 · Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 10:07 pm Post subject:

that is looking awesome! im doing the same thing with my bug, I got it all apart now and ive painted the whole pan in POR15 and thats as far as ive gotten.
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Aint No Party Like A West Coast Party

mailman · Samba Member Joined: March 24, 2005 Posts: 1664

Boost,

I hope those 7" wheels fit! I originally bought a 2" beam to run with my BRM's. Before completing the disassembly of the car, I mounted the dropped spindles and the new wheels and tires on the stock width beam, just to see where things lined up.

It was obvious right away that a 2" beam wasn't going to be enough. With my new 185/65/15 front tires, the overhang past the fender lip was about 1 1/2 inches per side. My new 2 inch beam, once installed, would leave me hanging outside the fender by 1/2" on each side.

I sold the new 2" beam and bought a 4" unit.....that should give me an extra inch on each side, and pull things back under the fenders.
_________________
'64 Bahama Blue Beetle / steel sunroof
'64 Bahama Blue Beetle Sedan (future ragtop)

Boost · Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2007 5:13 pm Post subject:

Here is a pic of the 40 HP stripped down to the long block. Will be going to the builder next week.

John Miller · Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 8:16 pm Post subject:

Boost · Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 5:55 pm Post subject:

New pic...powdercoated parts were delivered today. They look outstanding. I've been having second thoughts about the longblock. BFY has a rebuilt 40 HP longblock for $1,400 + shipping...MUCH cheaper than the quoted price to rebuild mine locally. BFY says they built their own longblocks and they are good quality. I know the engine will run like a sewing machine if the local guy builds it but $$$$. I've always been happy BFY's stuff...What do you guys think?

59 vw guy · Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 6:40 pm Post subject:

Did they tell you to degrease your stuff? Most powdercoaters blast them before the baking stuff happens.. You might have been to get away without your hard degreasing work.. Powdercoating looks sweet had my old 59,s engine stuff done in the silvervein finish looked sweet..
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New project 66 bug And 61 bug for parts if you need some 61 parts im me to see if i have it Will trade 61 parts for dual carbs and bumpers for a 66..

dlxcoupe · Samba Member Joined: May 02, 2006 Posts: 952

Did you have any problems lifting that body off with the engine installed? I want to drop my body on with the engine installed so just trying to see what problems I may be in for..

max-five · Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 6:49 pm Post subject:

Boost, if the local guy isn't too much more, I would consider using him for two reasons: 1. support a local guy who is perpetuating the hobby 2. if something goes wrong, warranty repairs may be easier. But if the local guy is out in left field, then you might have to pass on him.
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'66 Beetle Convertible "Wilson"
'05 New Beetle Convertible "Ladybug"
'69 Deluxe Bus "Sunshine"
Want to buy your original German black '66 bug front seat upholstery...all or part

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