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Tue Nov 25, 2008 7:54 am

Hello Guys

My name is Mircea and I' m from Bucharest Romania.
Usually I earn my money doing things from fibreglass, almost unique things.
Some time ago(three years), a client ask me to do some parts to make few cars for a move, including a "kubelwagen" but...he want to build the car on a Trabant chases.
The "car" that result whas an ugly thing, but he don't care!...Me instead I finally love the original shape.
Then i decided to do for myself a "real" Kübelwagen.

Easy to say, but at that time I didn't know nothing about vw, then the first car I buy to use on my project was ...a 1302vw :D

After I put little informations in my head a second car come in my yard, this time a good one, a 1964 1200 vw.

I start with dissembling the car to let free the chases and with a non healthy hurry up...To many mistakes!
I decided to stop this kind of work and study more...pictures on net!
We have not only one kubelwagen in Romania(a country that was in ww2), and nothing to measure. After a lot of work I draw an 1:1 scale drawing and start cutting and welding again.

Thanks to Ken(whose work was so inspiring to me), I dare to start a thread here and I want to share to you my experience .

Tue Nov 25, 2008 8:24 am

Welcome to the fourms and good luck with your project. POst pics when you have them, we all like to look at stuff like that.

The way "Kube's" are sprouting up everywhere they will be as common as Toyota Corollas pretty soon (or Trabants in E. Europe!)

Tue Nov 25, 2008 2:45 pm

early pics

Tue Nov 25, 2008 7:15 pm

Hi Mircea. 'Really looking forward to "tuning-in" often to see the progression of your project!

Ken

Tue Nov 25, 2008 7:48 pm

WOW. I'm exited to see this one through :)

Good Work So Far!

Tue Nov 25, 2008 8:29 pm

As far as i know, Mircea is having a little trouble finding the right colour code for dunkelgelb ...

i have just seen his kubel in person and all i can say is that for a man that hasn't ever seen a kubel before, is doing excellent work. try making a part by just looking at pictures, taking measurements from photographs..
i started doing a model for a split dash with Mircea and believe me... he has ruined some parts i made just that it wasn't at the right finish level.. :oops: :lol:

when there's a will, there's a way. we always offer our help in finding parts that Mircea can use for the kubel, take pictures or just help him drink lots of beer, so that the inspiration comes easier... :lol: :wink:

Tue Nov 25, 2008 10:55 pm

Tue Nov 25, 2008 11:15 pm

Hi Ken, I try to put all the pictures here to update ...
Mihai, the beer is good, never enough... :D

Wed Nov 26, 2008 1:39 am

more pics

This is actual moment of my work...

Wed Nov 26, 2008 7:28 am

NICE!!!

Thu Nov 27, 2008 1:04 pm

After I raised the front of my car with the the raised spindles whas necessary to get reduction boxes...was a hard enterprise for me, but with a help from a friend in Germany, I get a pair and with no money!
Need to "turn" the gear box, prepare the reduction boxes to feet with the blades and put together with the gear box.

Thu Nov 27, 2008 1:07 pm

I'm in awe of the fabrication skills found in the 38-53 forum. Wow.

Sure beats the paper-mache rust repair seen in the late-model forums! haha.

-Dave

Thu Nov 27, 2008 1:13 pm

My English is bad...I understand almost nothing :(

Thu Nov 27, 2008 1:35 pm

I was making a joke.

I am very impressed by your Kubel project. Work like yours is rare with the 1970's Volkswagens, and my joke was how much more fun it is to see the work you are doing, over the work that is sometimes seen in the 1970+ forum.

I hope that is easier to understand.

-Dave

Thu Nov 27, 2008 2:05 pm

Some people's determination sometimes amazes mee too!
Building a kubel with just a rolling chassis , an engine and some photographic references in your hands musn't be an easy task...
Keep up the good work Mircea and if the beeer doesn't work try a good glass of 'tuica' , that will make some ideas rolling... :P
-Al

Thu Nov 27, 2008 10:54 pm

Bruce Meyers, of Meyers Manx Buggy fame, made ONE fiberglass Kubel replica, and it is now owned by Andy Felix, of Andy's Auto Glass in Vista, CA. He still drives it all the time; last time I saw it it had a 1776 in it.
Interesting story- Bruce rented a real Kubel from one of the Hollywood movie studios, to make a mold and pull a plug from... I think it was 500 bucks for 2 weeks rental, I'm pretty sure that's what Bruce told me. Anyway, the movie guy in charge of renting out cars told Bruce, that for another 500 dollars, total of 1,000 dollars, he didn't have to bring the car back.... it would be his.
Bruce didn't do it. He made the mold, and the plug, made the one replica, and that was it.

I'm sure there's photos of it in the Manx Club website....
<www.manxclub.com>

Fri Nov 28, 2008 2:18 am

Well done with the reductionbox adapering. 8)

I use Barndoor axles and they are Bolt-on to bug chassis:

Fri Nov 28, 2008 2:23 am

If you have any pictures of the Trabant based Kubel remember to post them here:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=149769&start=9920
It's sad how Trabants, with their plastic bodywork, will probably outlast our VWs in the long run. You're doing good work, maybe when you're done you could try a Schwimwagen replica.

Sat Nov 29, 2008 12:44 am

Ok Dave, finally I understand...seems I"m not so stupid :lol:
@ Al ...or not rolling at all :)
@ Kristian You. all are lucky guys, here this kind of parts are extremely rare and not for sale.
Thanks!
Well, because the reduction boxes came to me without drum plates (?) or brake plates?...any way...was need to adapt what I find on my 1200.
I fabricate some spacers you see... to mount the this plate and keep the bearing in it place.

@ tstracy...I search and I will put pics with that...ugly car.

Sun Nov 30, 2008 1:19 am

I put the pictures with ...kubeltrabant
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=3448619#3448619