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1971 Super beetle Build Thread
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Wpieter
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 29, 2016 10:36 am    Post subject: 1971 Super beetle Build Thread Reply with quote

Hello Samba, I finally decided to make a buld thread for my car. I bought it four years ago (I was eleven), and have been fixing it ever since. When I first got it, it was in decent condition, especially for the price ($700). It came with an engine, but there was a crack in a cylinder head and some other issues that caused it to run on one cylinder. Here is a picture of the exterior:

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And the interior:

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As you can see, this was a really solid, and mostly rust free, because it is an original California car. The only major problem with rust was in the floorpan under the battery.

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I will continue to update when I get time.
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miller0358
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 29, 2016 4:18 pm    Post subject: Re: 1971 Super beetle Build Thread Reply with quote

Looks like the car is pretty solid. You plan on trying to do the work yourself. Jeff
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 29, 2016 4:59 pm    Post subject: Re: 1971 Super beetle Build Thread Reply with quote

Keep us posted on your progress.

Tim
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Wpieter
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 29, 2016 5:08 pm    Post subject: Re: 1971 Super beetle Build Thread Reply with quote

Thanks guys! Just to clarify, that is how it was 4 years ago. I have done a lot since.
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Wpieter
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 29, 2016 5:37 pm    Post subject: Re: 1971 Super beetle Build Thread Reply with quote

Here is the rear portion of the interior when I first Got it:

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And the engine:

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Good as new! Laughing Next I started on the floor. I used some mild steel to add strength, and then layered fiberglass over it. Then I filled it with por 15.

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Unfortunatley, that seems to be the only picture of that ordeal that I can find.

To be continued...
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Last edited by Wpieter on Mon Feb 29, 2016 5:46 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Wpieter
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 29, 2016 5:46 pm    Post subject: Re: 1971 Super beetle Build Thread Reply with quote

Then I attacked the engine bay with por 15. Shouldn't rust now! Twisted Evil

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Ok, at this point, I have at least 100 hours of body work in it. I had my dad check it out, and he said it was good, so I wet sanded and primed. Rear:

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I dont seem to have a picture of the front either, but I am sure you know what it looks like. I decided to go cal-look and fill the holes for the chrome on the hood and sides. My philosophy with this build is to not do anything irreversible, so I used filler. If in the furture either I or another person decides they want chrome, they can puch them out again. Even being this way, they are very smooth, and (spoiler alert) didn't cause any trouble in painting.

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Por 15! Por 15 everywhere!

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This is (was hopefully) the hole.

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More.

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Wpieter
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 29, 2016 6:06 pm    Post subject: Re: 1971 Super beetle Build Thread Reply with quote

Then I painted the trunk (frunk?)

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Me painting the rear again:

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Finished!

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After taping and wet samding again, I got it towed over to MAACO. I chose the Audi color "Nardo Grey". After 2 weeks...

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Painted! I think it turned out well! And the rear:

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After some thinking, I decided that, despite my "philosophy" of not doing anything irreversible, I would have the front fender turn signal holes filed with metal at MAACO. I decided this because they were not orginal and could be pretty easily replaced. Here they are painted:

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A little delivery for me:

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Fenders on

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Wpieter
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 29, 2016 11:00 pm    Post subject: Re: 1971 Super beetle Build Thread Reply with quote

Here is an interesting angle that shows the paint well and may show where the turn signals were:

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Dash is done, but I am not quite happy with the fit and look. I am going to go back over it again later and see if I can get it to fit better. The problems are mostly around the glovebox area. I also think that once (if?) I get some money, I am going to make some custom dash knobs. I know they sell billet ones, and I think it would be cool if I somehow cnc'd the origional patterns into them. I also want to put a brushed aluminum plate with a clock in it where the radio used to be because there is an indentation/ shape where it should be. I am not putting the radio there because all I want is aux compadibility and I can put that under the seat for looks. I know this may sound dumb, but I think about this a lot.

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So I found out that the guy I bought the car from got rid of the fuel filler neck for some reason... So I scavenged. I don't know if they even sell new ones for supers, so I made one out of a fuel kneck from a bus. I used a turbo fitting and some other misc. items to make it work. Seems to work well! After all, it's just fuel, nothing important. Laughing

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Last edited by Wpieter on Thu Mar 03, 2016 8:24 am; edited 1 time in total
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 01, 2016 3:10 pm    Post subject: Re: 1971 Super beetle Build Thread Reply with quote

Finished assembly in the trunk (exept for cover)

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At this point, I found a very good deal for a rebuilt 1835cc engine on the classifieds here. I beleive I payed $1,500 (still owe my dad some) for it turn key. I was really happy with the whole thing. Here I am putting the engine bay seals in

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Because my rear apron was replaced before I bought it, the chanel for the rubber was offset by about 2 inches. I used some liquid gasket to make a custom piece that would cover the offset. I then got distracted and installed the fuel door. Rolling Eyes

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Ok back to the engine. I don't have a lift, so getting the engine under the car involved a very scary process of jacking up the car with floor jacks, putting jack stands under, removing the floor jacks, stacking wood to get the floor jacks higher, and then repeating the process. We finally got the engine under, but had a bit of trouble fitting the generator around the apron.

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After we got it, we discovered some magical force was keeping the engine from going in.After about 4 hours of pushing, shoving, and wiggling with no result, I FINALLY decided to see what was going on. At first I thought it was because one of the studs that attatches to the transmission was slightly bent, but it had a bit of room, so I knew it wasn't that. I looked around for a while more, and could not find what was going on. I finally looked behind the holes that the studs go into, and this SOB was wedged in the hole, with the head stuck on another bolt. This kept one of the studs from going in all the way.

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I am not sure how it got there, but I finally dremeled it out.
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Wpieter
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 01, 2016 4:06 pm    Post subject: Re: 1971 Super beetle Build Thread Reply with quote

Installing, Please wait...
Ok Cancel

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Installation complete.
Quit Launch now

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After installing the engine, I put a new windshield in. Other than that, I used original glass.

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Me cleaning the original glass:

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2 weeks later, my mom's co-worker offered me his old steering wheel. I gladly accepted. It took me about 3 hours to find the brand of the wheel. It comes from a very obscure Italian company called Volanti Luisi. And of course they don't make adaptors for beetles.

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I did some research, and it turned out that adaptors for 80's 911's work on super beetles. Suprise suprise, Volanti luisi doesn't make those either. I then found that MOMO does, and their adaptors' holes are the right size, shape, number, and distance apart. Exept apparently not. It still wouldn't fit. So, with more research, I found a MOMO to Volanti Luisi adapter adapter. I still can't beleive that exists. It finally fit.

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Since there wasn't much left to do other than the interior, I looked into sound deadening. I decided on dynamat.

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There. Now I might not get a headache. Installed the liscence plate light thing because I could.

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At this point, I looked into building the doors. From what I saw, it was very difficult, so I ended up putting it off for a month. I finally decided to do it. It wasn't even that bad.

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Mechanics mostly assembled.

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And a horrible picture pf me with a finished door. I really like the way the billet window cranks and door pins that my parents gave me for christmas look.

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And closed. Locking works great! Joel inspired me to go with body color headlight rings. Me sanding the rings. This feels wrong.

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Sorry. Confused Rear pretty much assembled.

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Thats all for now folks. Almost up to date! Seems less now that I have written it up. Oh well.





[/code]
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 01, 2016 5:21 pm    Post subject: Re: 1971 Super beetle Build Thread Reply with quote

You're doing a fantastic job! The color is great; it looks like it was a factory offering in that era. Have you tried to start the engine yet? Do you have experience driving a manual transmission?

I was 13 when I bought my first Beetle; it was a 1960 and it did not have an engine. Back then in the mid 1970's you could buy a rough Beetle for $50 to $100, put another $100 into it and drive it for a few years. I was very lucky because my dad was trained on VWs in the late 1950's and taught me everything; we worked on the car on weekends. When I was 16 I had saved up enough money from washing neighbor's cars and mowing lawns that I was able to get the car painted a bright yellow. It was slow, because it only had a tired 40hp engine from a 1961 Beetle, but it got me around in high school. Everybody knew my by the Beetle. You will get a lot of respect from your classmates when you drive to school in a car you built yourself. Even if it does not have air conditioning or power windows, and has the weakest engine in the parking lot.

In the early 1980's I bought a 4-spoke Italvolanti Indianapolis steering wheel. It looks a bit like yours except that the lower 2 spokes were slightly higher, making a flatter "X". This was for my VW Rabbit, and I've kept it all this time. This is what it looks like (not mine)-
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 01, 2016 5:34 pm    Post subject: Re: 1971 Super beetle Build Thread Reply with quote

What a great job you're doing young man! I'd be a super proud father if you were my son. How refreshing to see someone young spending their time doing something productive vs. sitting in front of a TV playing video games.

It really looks good. Keep the updates coming!
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 01, 2016 5:47 pm    Post subject: Re: 1971 Super beetle Build Thread Reply with quote

Very Happy Applause Popcorn thumbs up on that Great Job Young Man!
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 01, 2016 6:32 pm    Post subject: Re: 1971 Super beetle Build Thread Reply with quote

Rome- Thanks! I also really like the color, I am not really a fan of metallic paint, so this was perfect for me. The guy I bought it from ran the engine for me when my dad and I were picking it up. It sounded really smooth and it ran really well. I have a small amount of experience driving manual, because my dad lets me shift for him sometimes. I still have to learn how to use the clutch. As for power windows, I prefer manual ones. That steering wheel is really cool. I wonder if mine used to have a pad.

wcfvw69- Thank you, and I plan to keep them coming! I can't wait until I get time to finish the interior.

DAWGNME- Thanks!

Seriously, thank you guys for the support. It helps me get motivation to work on it when I can. Very Happy
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 1:24 pm    Post subject: Re: 1971 Super beetle Build Thread Reply with quote

Yeah, well done. It looks great. I think after spending so much time growing up with your car, you'll never want to part with it. With that in mind... don't forget to treat the underneath of the car also.

I'd also like to compliment you on your command of English, you obviously read a lot.
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 4:59 pm    Post subject: Re: 1971 Super beetle Build Thread Reply with quote

Quote:
I wonder if mine used to have a pad

I don't think so. On mine, the pad is held on by a small screw going through each of the 4 metal spokes from the front side. Each spoke has a small hole centered along the length, which your steering wheel does not have. Also, the spokes are not painted on mine because the pad wraps around the edges.

You'll get plenty busy with the manual trans- Pulling up on the handbrake with your right arm (squeeze the button) to prevent the car from rolling back even an inch (hardly anybody can do that nowadays), steering with the left hand, balancing clutch and gas with both feet to get the car going, and releasing the handbrake once it starts to move! But it becomes second nature quickly, and you'll have to master it anyway by the time you go for your driver's license road test.
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 10:47 pm    Post subject: Re: 1971 Super beetle Build Thread Reply with quote

That is incredible! I wish I started working on VW's that young but I'm 19 so I can't complain Laughing Really excited to watch this thread.
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 03, 2016 2:40 pm    Post subject: Re: 1971 Super beetle Build Thread Reply with quote

dude i love it!!!! flat window supers are legit.

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PostPosted: Thu Mar 03, 2016 10:35 pm    Post subject: Re: 1971 Super beetle Build Thread Reply with quote

Volks Wagen- Thank you! I did treat the underside, I just forgot to mention it.

Rome- Oh, I see. Now I just need a center cap that fits on it Smile I think that driving stick sounds really fun.

hanahler- Thanks! I consider myself very lucky to be working on something like this.

obesepolice- Thank you. I like your car as well!

Again, thanks for the support! I didn't think this would get so much attention! Laughing

A small update:

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Headlight rings are painted, but they aren't very glossy. I will try to go over them with 900 or something and see if I can smooth them out. My new headlights are also here. They are original style but with hallogen bulbs. Here is a picture, not that you can really see much.

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New bumpers are here. Back is stock, front has holes for cal style turn signals.

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I am going to paint these black sometime, somehow. Since I got a kit, it came with 2 of these:

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May smoke the lenses later so they don't stand put so much from the black, but I will see how it looks. Finally, seats. I am soooo far in debt right now Laughing Shocked Crying or Very sad

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These were $300 for the pair. They seem to be very nice quality as well. They are upholstered in black vinyl to match my interior. They are made by cipher auto. Amazon is great Wink .

Thats all for now!
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 04, 2016 6:19 am    Post subject: Re: 1971 Super beetle Build Thread Reply with quote

Never thought I'd be jealous of a 15 year old haha. Car looks great! Probably a little late now, but I'm going to be getting rid of a '71 super in a couple weeks. If you need something specific let me know. Otherwise the car is going to pick n pull.
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