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LowNslow '65 Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2008 Posts: 227 Location: WA
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Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 12:55 pm Post subject: My '69 Bug project aka "Lemon" |
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The other morning I was on craigslist just lookin through the ads and I came across this 1969 bug. The owner stated in the ad that it would start and idle for a few mins and then die. The price was only $600 and overall the car was complete and somewhat "solid". So I called up the owner and he told me that he's been messing with it for awhile and he's just finished trying to get it to run right and wants to get rid of it. Since I have been collecting aircooled parts and engines since I was 16. I figured it would'nt be too big of a hassle or an expense to get it back on the road. So I decided to go look at it. Once I got there I could see that it had a recent rattle can job and he just sprayed over the surface rust. The interior was in good shape and the carpet was new. So my excitement got the best of me and I never looked under it for rusty pans. I got a bad right knee plus it was in a little car port with a gravel floor so it wasnt goin to happen. He popped the decklid and the first thing I saw was that both vacum ports on the carb were'nt even connected or plugged. Also there was a port on the drivers side manifold as well and you guessed it! It was unplugged! So he started it up and it idled for a few then shut off. Since it wouldnt stay running I got in it and checked to see if the brakes worked and if it shifted ok with the clutch in and the engine off and it seemed loose but I thought it was just the shift rod coupler. I checked it over again thought about all he had told me and decided to buy it.
After I purchased it the seller was really helpful, I brought my towbar with me but I had the wrong size hitch ball and he gave me one. My '61 was in need of headlight buckets and he gave me a set! Also I just recently got a new tow rig I didnt have the right socket on the truck for the lights and he was going to give me a converter. I think it was a flat 4 or 5 to a round 7 pin converter but he couldnt find it. He also had a set of custom wheels that he wanted to sell to me for $100 if I was interested before I got there and he gave them to me for free!! At this point I started having second thoughts about this good deal I was getting.
I've only had the car for about 3 days and this is where Im at.
day 1
dont know what these seats are out of but they are welded to the original seat frames
back seat is good
has popout windows
So once I got it home I plugged up all the vacum leaks checked the points and adjusted the valves. Then I went to pull the plugs, and to my surprise 3 of them were in there by a few threads. So I threw in some better ones I had for now and its runs like a top. Now I know why the engine wont "run". The hitch ball explains everything.... the trans is toast. So yesterday I ordered a "freeway flyer" trans for it.
Day 2
Teardown
Luckily the rear apron survived whatever it was towing
Day 3
had to go to work so I only worked on it for a hour or so
Fresh particle board!! looks like a recent repair!
This was under the wood screwed in so they almost had the right idea
So the plans are
Fix rust
4" narrow beam
drop spindles
2 splines in the rear
Remove rattle can paint and paint it correctly
Fix dents and bodywork
New trans
bring interior back to stock
135's up front
carpet
and detail engine tin while the motors out _________________ LCC Automotive |
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Beetlebaum Samba Member
Joined: December 04, 2008 Posts: 2181 Location: Virginia Beach, VA
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cfvwtuner Samba Member
Joined: June 10, 2005 Posts: 438 Location: Central Connecticut
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Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 1:56 pm Post subject: |
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Nice save
Seats look like 77-79 Bug seats |
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Endicott jb Bondo King
Joined: February 17, 2008 Posts: 1902 Location: Havre, MT
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Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 3:24 pm Post subject: |
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Nice to see another fat chick saved. _________________ Josh
OORAH!!
1965 vw beetle(Mayble)
1968 vw beetle(Caroline)
1974 VW Panel Bus
2003 Dodge 2500 5.9 Cummins(Katey)
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(0\_!_/0)
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Don't drink and post
http://i540.photobucket.com/albums/gg353/endicott_jb/IMG_20110113_085237.jpg
When life throws you curveballs switch to boomerangs. |
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LowNslow '65 Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2008 Posts: 227 Location: WA
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Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2009 9:45 pm Post subject: |
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Found more plywood and rust, ordered replacement pans so they should be here next week. Here's some pics...
battery tray
cut out all the bad sections
_________________ LCC Automotive |
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Green_Lantern Samba Member
Joined: June 16, 2009 Posts: 83 Location: Seminole, FL
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Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 8:56 am Post subject: |
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Doesn't look too bad. Keep up the good work man! |
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Beetlebaum Samba Member
Joined: December 04, 2008 Posts: 2181 Location: Virginia Beach, VA
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69 Jim Samba Member
Joined: September 27, 2004 Posts: 6265 Location: Chickengeorge's Neighbor
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Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 9:55 pm Post subject: |
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Moving right along, good luck with the project |
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LowNslow '65 Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2008 Posts: 227 Location: WA
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Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 9:03 pm Post subject: |
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Floor pans came in today, I know the ups guy so he usually gets my stuff to me early in the morning but he wasnt workin today so I didnt get to start installing the pans until 3pm. Its now 8pm and I have about 6" of welding to do and I ran out of wire. So Im off to the store to finish that up for the night. Just wanted to give you guys a little update...
_________________ LCC Automotive |
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caseydenise Samba Member
Joined: April 25, 2004 Posts: 1637 Location: The Great Swamp, NJ
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Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 10:12 am Post subject: |
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Nice work, this should be rolling as soon as you get that trans _________________ Central Jersey Volkswagen Society - President |
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LowNslow '65 Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2008 Posts: 227 Location: WA
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Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2009 4:13 pm Post subject: |
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Started doin a little paint removal yesterday... primer sunday??
_________________ LCC Automotive |
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LowNslow '65 Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2008 Posts: 227 Location: WA
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Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 8:27 pm Post subject: |
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Finally got around to layin down the first coat of primer. All thats left now are the fenders and the door jambs. gettin there...
_________________ LCC Automotive |
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Green_Lantern Samba Member
Joined: June 16, 2009 Posts: 83 Location: Seminole, FL
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Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 7:35 am Post subject: |
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Looks much better already man! I can't wait to see the finished product! |
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BTS Samba Member
Joined: November 04, 2009 Posts: 14 Location: MARYLAND
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Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 2:28 pm Post subject: |
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very nice process |
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LowNslow '65 Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2008 Posts: 227 Location: WA
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Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 9:12 pm Post subject: |
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After a bunch of distractions and recieving a FREE Running, driving rust free BUS!!! That I got from a friend that I will later post pics of.... I finally got focused on this car again and sprayed some paint today. The color is Safety red.
_________________ LCC Automotive |
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LowNslow '65 Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2008 Posts: 227 Location: WA
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Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2009 8:53 pm Post subject: |
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Wet sanded the car yesterday and waited most of the day for it to dry. Finally got the last coat on and its lookin really good! Im happy with it what do you guys think?
_________________ LCC Automotive |
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bayville ss Samba Member
Joined: May 14, 2007 Posts: 72
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Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2009 9:02 pm Post subject: |
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Looks great! Boy, you work fast! Just out of curiosity, what do you plan to do with the floors as far as paint? I would have thought you would have done that first before painting the body to avoid overspray, no?
On a different topic, what's different about the freeway flier trans? Gear ratio or something else? |
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63CabDriver Samba Member
Joined: November 10, 2006 Posts: 512
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Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2009 10:18 pm Post subject: |
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Car looks really good! Man you move you fast! But I guess if I had a rust free bus, I would be moving fast as well. Keep it up and keep us posted. |
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LowNslow '65 Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2008 Posts: 227 Location: WA
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Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 2:46 pm Post subject: |
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bayville ss wrote: |
Looks great! Boy, you work fast! Just out of curiosity, what do you plan to do with the floors as far as paint? I would have thought you would have done that first before painting the body to avoid overspray, no?
On a different topic, what's different about the freeway flier trans? Gear ratio or something else? |
I'll be brushing on some POR-15 so overspray isnt a problem and I already wire brushed the floorpans so all I need to do is clean them up with a vacum and some acetone.
About the "freway flyer" Im not to sure about the gears but I think 4th is taller I think its .82?. I do know that the stock gear ratio is 4.12 and the new trans has a 3.88 gear ratio.
Thanks guys _________________ LCC Automotive |
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iVolkswagen The Modern-Day Hippie
Joined: October 21, 2008 Posts: 1436 Location: Huntsville, Alabama
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Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 3:11 pm Post subject: |
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Awesome work! Good job, keep it up! _________________ TJ
\/OLKSWAGEN
- 1963 Beetle - 1987 Cabriolet |
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