truckdude's Spatz Long buggy

[truckdude]

Hi, new to the Samba, just bought my first air cooled VW, a Spatz Long body on a '63 pan with a 1500 motor. I'm pretty sure it is a Spatz. Pretty much a beater right now but the pan seems solid and the motor runs. Goal is to give it a 60's look with white steel wheels and VW caps. Bought it from a super nice guy with a bunch of VW's.

I'll add some pics.

[truckdude]

350Z wheels on the front have to go!

Top is pretty shot

Rear wheels appear to be 15x8

Lowback seats, I have a friend who does great hot rod upholstery. I'm thinking white tuck and roll.

Back seat is funky

I will detail the engine, add some chrome, lose many lights.

14x5 bus wheels came with it and some caps. Might trade the seller back for some 15's.

New wiring harness ASAP. Probably will get a stock ivory wheel.

Cleaned a ton of crud off the front end.

I guess this is an oil pressure gauge?

Now I know why VW's float and pans rust. I dried this up.

Other projects, '27 T touring on a Model A frame, 8BA flathead, Merc OD trans and '66 Chevy hot rod pickup.

[Bob Elgin]

well the hood is Spatz, but the body looks like a manx. I own a spatz and there is a small badge on the rider side, on the firewall about 3 inches off the pan. Look at my build and it shows where to find the badge. Spatz bodies are normally thick, 3/8 in.
Herbs Spatz is the other Spatz body.
_________________
OLD ENOUGH TO KNOW BETTER AND STILL TO YOUNG TO CARE!!!!!
My Build http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5987690#5987690
My Youtube page
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqd2r1Af7uZgqlnxAtMap4A

[wvbowtieman]

[truckdude]

Thanks for the comments, I assumed this was a Spatz Long based on what I found on DBA. The body is at least 3/8" thick in many places but if there was a logo on the firewall, it is long gone. Did the Manx II come in a LWB model?

These were the pics from DBA I used to ID this: http://s23.photobucket.com/user/dunebuggyarchives/...y.jpg.html

Bob - The rear battery area appears similar to what you have, the Manx II pics I found did not look like this. Of course it could be a clone of both. Not sure if that piece of metal is factory or not, seems like a great way to short out the battery.

[Bob Elgin]

The inside battery box looks like mine .If yours is a long wheelbase than you may have a rare one. Google images shows all the pics of Spatz's. Ive never seen one with the thin rib around back part of the buggy. About that bar, i wouldnt want it anywhere near my battery
_________________
OLD ENOUGH TO KNOW BETTER AND STILL TO YOUNG TO CARE!!!!!
My Build http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5987690#5987690
My Youtube page
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqd2r1Af7uZgqlnxAtMap4A

[frizzardking]

Here is a Spatz body I sold last year

I believe the rear was different , same battery box ,and spare area , notice badges.

[truckdude]

The Spatz Long appears to have a few differences from the SWB model. I wonder if they made those pods for the LWB bodies?

Had to push it out of the garage, wife didn't like the fuel smell from the leaky carb. Why does every vehicle i buy leak gas? Add carb rebuild to the list, but first I have to figure out what kit to buy.

[herbsflat4]

Here are some pictures of my body that I believe to be a Spatz (but I still haven't found a sticker indicating this).

I believe someone took the body (before me) and cut it in the middle to make it shorter. See picture with arrow.

You look to have a nice looking project on your hands!

[truckdude]

[truckdude]

I started tearing the buggy apart around 5:30 last night, this is how far I got, it really comes apart fast. body was held on by only five bolts, hood by only two bolts at the rear and the gas tank by two tiny bolts.

Anyone for spaghetti?

Body is off, just sitting there, engine out tonight.

[truckdude]

Made more progress on the teardown/clean up tonight. Sorry for the bad camera phone pics.

Your basic 1500 single port.

A little cleaner

Ugh, why did I start taking the tarpaper off the center tunnel, it was just fine as is. About half done.

Fiberglass repair is in my future. I'm thinking of glassing in some aluminum strips where the body mounts to the chassis. Has anyone ever done that?

Well, I have to say, buggies are easy to take apart.

[truckdude]

I need to rearrange this an maybe make a dolly for the body, but even the LWB body and chassis fit end to end in my garage.

[truckdude]

Major teardown done, now on to sub-assemblies.

Looks like someone showed the brakes a little love at some point.

Cleaned out the tunnel mouse hotel, how did a spark plug get in there?

Nice to have everything on wheels

This is budget build, I was too cheap to take the wheels to a tire shop so I cut them off and put them in the trash

About 3:00 AM last night:

[truckdude]

Today I worked on the chassis, I got it pretty much cleaned up and cut some extra stuff off like the defroster tube and the jack points. I also got the factory fuel line mostly cleared, no more fuel line in the passenger compartment.

Top side almost ready for epoxy. I'm going to use Chassis Saver and over coat it with spray on truck bed liner. Then some FatMat.

Pans are in good shape except this past repair. I ground down a bunch of booger welds after this photo. I'll make it look OK before paint.

Flipside

Underside of the patch needs a lot of work. I'll use some self tapping screws to suck the metal together and then weld it. Budget, quick build here, making due mostly with what is here for now. I think I can make it look OK and be leak free with a few tricks.

I need to do a big parts order, all the basic stuff that wears out but try to upgrade for better handling and performance.

[truckdude]

I have not posted in a while but I have been working hard on the chassis.

Well, except when I got distracted by an $800 shed find '84 VF700F. Pretty good condition for the price, has not run in years so I'm trying to bring it back to life and do a restoration. Carbs are down in TX getting a rebuild so the focus is back on the '63 pan.

Welding done to secure the patch, I used self tapping screws to pull the gaps together. Lots of grinding on the old and my bad welds. Then a coat of seam sealer with fiberglass embedded in it. Top and bottom where coated with Chassis Saver epoxy and then two coats of truck bed liner. It may not win the prettiest pad award but it should last a pretty long time in a street buggy. The way it was, water was getting trapped between the path and pan and rusting.

In retrospect, I guess I should have smoothed out the seam sealer better.

Body dolly is working out well.

The power of vinegar, bottom wheel soaked for two weeks and then I just hosed the rust and old paint off.

But don't use vinegar on alloy parts! I melted away half the steering box lid overnight.

I've been cleaning and wire brushing lots of parts getting them ready for paint. I killed my old 4 1/2" grinder, bought a new 11 amp Milwaukee, so much nicer! I brought it home and started wire brushing parts, I got so into it it was 2:15 am when I stopped.

$715 parts order ready to go at cip1, I just need to hit the send key.[/img][img][/img][img][/img]

[truckdude]

More progress, lots of parts cleaning, wire brushing and paint. A little more drying time and then reassembly. Three boxes of CIP1 parts are supposed to arrive tomorrow. If I get my tires, this could just be a rolling chassis by the end of June.

Garage is no longer a paint shop.

I have a custom buggy wiring harness on order, I'm starting to sort out the electrical bits to see what else I'll need.

[truckdude]

Yesterday was Dune Buggy Xmas!

Stayed up late, managed to get most of the front end rebuilt.

Shocks don't seem to be right, I need to call CIP1. So far their service has been great.

[Q-Dog]

That red urethane steering coupler is dangerous. They have been known to fail without warning and unlike the factory cloth reinforced rubber "rag joint" when they break they come apart completely leaving you with NO steering.

I have seen them crumble in the package while sitting on the shelf in the garage for a couple of years. Really. Get a stock one.
_________________
Brian

'69 Dune Buggy
'69 Beetle Convertible
'70 Beetle

[truckdude]