TheSamba.com :: View topic

Tue Sep 28, 2010 2:18 pm

Hey Everyone!

This is my first post here on the Samba even though I've been trolling for a few years now. I've been looking for the right Type III project for as long as I can remember I think I finally found the right one.

The Project;

On one of my bi-weekly CL/Samba searches, I came across a 73 Square close by my house and long story short, brought her home for $300!

A bit of a kludge, I know. Believe it or not she's actually pretty solid. Floors and battery tray are in great shape, with only a little shoddy repair work done on the front end.

I've got almost the entire car with the exception of the motor, front fenders and carpet.I already had it stripped down for repair by the time the camera made it out. :lol:

The Overly Optimistic Plan;

Fix all rust/rot
Bag setup, keeping the T3 beam.
Body drop approx. 2" to lay rocker all the way around.
Respray L512 Velvet Green.
All new door/window seals, new carpet, door cards.
Install motor. (EJ20t? Who knows.)

I should be updating this thread with progress pics/questions as often as I can.

Wed Sep 29, 2010 8:04 am

I've got my first couple of questions;

Where's the best place to buy the Bentley manual? I'm either searching for the wrong term or I'm calling it the wrong thing on Amazon.

The previous owner contacted me about the motor that belongs in my square. Apparently he pulled it out in working order with the FI on it. He said the injectors were all pissing fuel so he ripped off the whole system and will include manifolds and some Weber carbs for $300. My question is... Is it worth it? Or should I search for a complete 73 with all the FI intact?

Wed Sep 29, 2010 8:20 am

I've bought my new/used VW Manuals from www.books4cars.com. Fuel Injectors are supposed to piss fuel! Get all the fuel injection parts and the Webers for $300! Put the fuel injection back on it and sell the Webers. I've got rust free inner fenders etc to "cut to order" to weld into your car! PM me.

Wed Sep 29, 2010 8:24 am

I have a couple used Bentley manuals for sale. These are the early printings, with the wiring diagrams in color, not black/white.

Also have the factory shop manuals available on DVD.

Contact me off-list if interested.

Wed Sep 29, 2010 8:41 am

Mike Fisher wrote: I've bought my new/used VW Manuals from www.books4cars.com. Fuel Injectors are supposed to piss fuel! Get all the fuel injection parts and the Webers for $300! Put the fuel injection back on it and sell the Webers. I've got rust free inner fenders etc to "cut to order" to weld into your car! PM me.

Thanks Mike! I've been told by a few people that there's a local old-timer with 7-10 Squares on his property that he is parting out, so I'll check that this weekend. If I can't find anything I'll PM you.

Russ Wolfe wrote: I have a couple used Bentley manuals for sale. These are the early printings, with the wiring diagrams in color, not black/white.

Also have the factory shop manuals available on DVD.

Contact me off-list if interested.

Great! Thanks Russ. I'll be PM'ing you very soon.

I appreciate the quick responses 8)

Thu Sep 30, 2010 7:56 am

A good friend of mine convinced me to work on the square last night, so I figured it would be a good time to try and pull the body off the pan. I swear I have every bolt out, but I think the pan gasket is still holding it on.

This is the part where I kick myself for not pre-buying the Bentley manual.

Thu Sep 30, 2010 3:33 pm

EatACactus wrote: A good friend of mine convinced me to work on the square last night, so I figured it would be a good time to try and pull the body off the pan. I swear I have every bolt out, but I think the pan gasket is still holding it on.

This is the part where I kick myself for not pre-buying the Bentley manual.

Well, the Bentley really wouldn't help you much here, as they don't take the body off the pan for any work needed.

Let's see if you got everything off/out that you need to first. There should be 9-8mm bolts (13mm head) down each side of the pan (for a total of 18 ). There should be 4-8mm bolts across the inside rear (under the seat) that need to be removed. There are 2-10mm (17mm head) bolts under the gray plastic caps under the rear seat as well, along with 2 more in the rectangluar cut outs behind the rear seat (above the shock towers). There should also be 4-10mm bolts (2 per side) at the front of the pan toward the center. Then there are 2 more 10mm bolts (15mm head) located at the top side of the front beam that need to be removed. Did you get all of them out?
If so, lets move on to other stuff up front, like the steering column to steering box biscuit, the brake resivoir lines and wires to the brake switches, and to the fuel pump, and the speedo cable. You also have the fuel tank out, and it's lines disconnected right? In the rear, there shouldn't be much more needed, other than finding a new way to support the trans (since you have an IRS car and no body to support it). You will also have to disconnect the wire leading to the starter (connection is on the right side of the tunnel by the passenger seat mounts).
If you have all of that done, then the sticky adhesive VW used is still doing it's job of glueing the body to the pan, and it'll have to get a little help (pry bar maybe) to seperate them. I hope this helps.

Thu Sep 30, 2010 4:04 pm

This is Type 1, but all the bolts are in basically the same locations.
Yellow ones are 8mm bolts, and red ones are the 10mm.

Fri Oct 01, 2010 9:30 am

Wow, great info guys! Thankfully I'm not crazy. I did have all the bolts off. the glue/pan gasket is definitely the cause of my headaches. Hopefully I'll get a few friends to give a hand lifting tomorrow.

Russ - I didn't forget about sending that pay-pal for the Bentley. Hopefully I can get it sent over today.

Mon Oct 04, 2010 8:59 am

Finally got the body off the pan. After spending far too much time searching around the car for something I was missing, I came across two spots where on of the previous owners welded the body to the pan. :?

Above image shows one of the spots that was welded to the body. Dewalt sawzall fixed that real easy.

Somehow I managed to pull the body off the pan without anyone's help. And no, I won't be leaving it on the ground like that. I just need a few friends to help lift it onto a stand for me. :wink:

Front suspension/pan

Rear Suspension/pan

Overall, I won't have much work to do to the pan. I have maybe three spots of rust to deal with. The body, on the other hand, needs a bit more work. I'm considering lobbing off the whole front clip and welding an early one if I can find one (I know, I know.)

Over the next few weeks I'll be working on the air suspension, body drop and rust repair on the body. Hopefully by the 23rd I'll start prepping for paint.

Mon Oct 04, 2010 12:03 pm

You pulled the body off by yourself. :shock: Interested to see how you go about the body drop. I like this project already. 8)

Thu Oct 14, 2010 7:08 am

bump any updates?

Thu Nov 04, 2010 9:24 am

Ugh, dropping the ball on updates already. Shame on me. [-X

Haven't had much time for the Square over the last few weeks. I've been spending most of my time planning things out and trying to source missing parts. I purchased the spring plates and heim joints today to get the rear bags started. Pics of that as soon as it comes it.

Saturday I plan on getting a large chunk of metalwork done on the body, and possibly make a trip to a local guy who may have an early front end for me.

Regular updates will commence once again!

Thu Nov 04, 2010 9:49 am

don't know what local is for you but if that source doesn't work out i'm about to part the rusty 64 notch thats occupying my garage and will have a front beam. though it's be cheaper just to ship the early specific parts(spindles out)....ken....

Thu Nov 04, 2010 11:09 am

luckystiff wrote: don't know what local is for you but if that source doesn't work out i'm about to part the rusty 64 notch thats occupying my garage and will have a front beam. though it's be cheaper just to ship the early specific parts(spindles out)....ken....

I'm actually only getting the front sheet metal. Basically, the whole clip. Won't be needing a new beam. Thanks for the offer though!

Mon Nov 08, 2010 10:42 am

Small Update;
The weather this weekend didn't cooperate, so progress was minimal, but I did manage to get the new(ish) passengers side door sill welded in. I started to cur out the perimeter of the rear floor cut out for the body drop, but forgot to snap a pic. More on that to come.

Fri Nov 12, 2010 10:12 am

Splines.

Splines be gone!

A little lower now. :lol: I've got some binding (or something like that) keeping me from laying beam. It got dark minutes after I finished the front, so I couldn't dig into it any further.

I managed to destroy all the ball joints trying to remove them(not that they were worth saving anyways). Does anyone know a good source off hand for new ones? I'll probably do the tie rods at the same time.

Sat Nov 13, 2010 9:46 am

:snipersmile: \:D/

Sat Nov 13, 2010 5:39 pm

Bagged, body drop, and a scooby motor, sweet build. I can't wait to track the progress.

Tue Nov 16, 2010 9:33 am

supaninja wrote: Bagged, body drop, and a scooby motor, sweet build. I can't wait to track the progress.

The Subie motor may not happen at this point. It's all going to come down to what's available vs. how far I get with the car.