TheSamba.com :: View topic - New to the VeeDub scene, lookin for some advice

Wed Aug 06, 2003 8:47 pm

Hi everyone! While I'm new to the vintage VW scene, I'm a gearhead at heart. I've had an Eagle Talon turbo for five years now, but I'm ready for something with a little class. 8) Enter the Type I. My little brother has also caught the VW fever, and is picking up his 74 Super tomorrow. Which brings me to the reason I'm posting in the body/paint forum. The super is pretty solid, a few small rust holes in the pans, but not too bad. The back fenders, rear apron, and hood are all dented with surface rust. We're just going to replace them all, but I was wondering... Should the bug be painted together, or apart? I was assuming apart, since there is rubber between the fenders and the shell. We're stripping the car, for the most part, but I didn't want to pull the shell off the chassis unless it was absolutely necessary, which I don't think it is. After stripping it all down, and taking out the glass, I was going to have it taken to the paint shop in pieces, and have it all sprayed at once. Is this the right way to do it? Also, where is the best source of links and such for "how-to" articles for VWs? (For Talons it's www.vfaq.com) Thanks in advance everyone!!

-Greg

Thu Aug 07, 2003 8:44 am

Welcome to the cult! Er, I mean "club". You are right on w/ your paint plans. It should be painted in pcs 'cause so much "inside" work has to be done too.

Some very helpful VW sites (besides this one.)

http://www.thebugshop.org/index.htm
http://www.shoptalkforums.com/
http://www.acvw.com/tech.asp
http://www.geocities.com/aussiebug1970/

Autobody work & related

http://www.autorestorer.com/
http://www.goldcar.com/cgi-local/yabbg/YaBB.pl?board=AutoBodyForum

And PLEASE get the Bentley manual for your year.
http://tech.bentleypublishers.com/index.jspa?categoryID=6

Good luck and keep us posted.

Thu Aug 07, 2003 6:58 pm

Great, that's what I was hoping to hear. It'll be alot easier to di in pieces I would think. Those links are great man, I appreciate it! I'll definately get the Bently manual. One last question (for now)... I saw a shop selling fiberglass floor pans. Are they any good? I know how to weld, but I don't own a welder as of yet, and I'd like to get my brother's car on the road quickly. Are they any good? Solid? Reliable? Thanks again!!
-Greg

Fri Aug 08, 2003 11:58 am

My opinion only:

While FG won't rust, it will break. Perhaps the FG pans are stronger, but I don't know.
Ya can't weld FG. Seems like attaching FG to metal would be more work than welding in metal. I like welding.
The FG pans usually (if ever) don't have the seat rails. That means you'll have to get and attach them too.

So my personal pref is metal. Just be careful when shopping for them. Your last choice should be the Brazilian made. Sweden & Italy produce heavier guage pans.

Fri Aug 08, 2003 7:20 pm

Cool, I'll go with metal then. I found a welder at www.harborfreight.com for $160. It's a chicago electric, 90A flux core MIG. Is that a high enough amperage for doing body/pan work on a bug?

I was just checking out the car some more this evening, and while it has a four speed in it now, the dash has the shift pattern for the autostick. How do I find out if the car was originally an autostick, or if someone put the dash from an autostick in it?

Last question..... (once again, for now... :) ) All I read about when researching things to look for when getting a bug is the heater channels. Did they like do away with them after a certain year or something, because I couldn't find them on my brother's 74 SB. There's no way they just fell off, because the car has VERY little rust. So where are they?