TheSamba.com :: View topic - Anyone here stretched a bug or where to find how to do it

Thu May 24, 2012 5:16 am

Very long story, but I have been putting my wife off for a year on something that she wants me to build for her. Will require lengthening a bug by about 24". I have some ideas already on how to do it, but am not into reinventing the wheel if somebody has some info.

And yeah, I know that the Ackerman angle is going to go to hell, but this wont be a daily driver by any means. Thanks!

Thu May 24, 2012 7:08 pm

I think its been done many times before. Instead of doing another, why not just find an old one someone will part with.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_search.php?...t_dir=DESC

Fri May 25, 2012 4:49 am

That would be great if I can find one and the there was one recently on here, but the seller was asking waay more than the car was worth IMHO. So I am looking into those options or at least some already done cars that would save me some time.

I am not real picky for this project - pretty much any late would be fine, but want to stay away from supers (personal preference). And I am not a purist by any mean, but will not cut up an early unless its already been chopped up.

The things I am looking for info on is related to pan reinforcements, cable lenghtening, etc. more than anything.

Thu Jun 07, 2012 9:50 am

I like this project.
Vw's bump steer so bad, I wouldn't worry about ackerman.
I would start by taking the body off the frame/pan.
Pressure wash really good.
I would be inclined to do the V-cut thing close to the back like you were shortening for a buggy...but not take out any metal. There is a section of pan towards the back where the outside edges are parallel....I would start there.
Don't forget that you have a brake line, heater controls, shift rod, clutch cable and so on in the tunnel.
I would then find the flatest part of my garage and use a pair of 2x3 heavy wall tubing clamped to jack stands that have been shimmed and leveled for my base jig.
I have used 3/4" pwd. to make a box to build prototypes before
If you have a flat level work surface it helps keep things square and flat.
Next, I would make pan stiffeners out of 1x2 0.095 tubing like the ones you can buy when you whack the top off of a bug....and make them 24" longer.
I think that the pan is 18 gauge, so, you will need a sheet of that. make templates and transfer to metal sheet and cut with a gig saw (unless you are really strong with snips). I would add a 1/2" to each side for overlap ..
Unless you have a nice heavy duty brake, you will need to take to a sheet metal shop for them to bend the edges.
If the sht mtl shop has a bead roller, I would have them roll some stiffeners in the pieces to match the existing floor.
Dry fit every thing and use clekos to hold panels together where you can't get a clamp.
Weld it all up. Stitch from side to side and go slow ...so as not to warp the crap out of everything..
Damn, I am allready worn out and I am not doing the work.
It is going to be a big job and expensive...especially if you don't have the tools or experience welding.
After doing all of the above and fixing the cables and lines, I imagine that you will be into it $400 to $500.
Not like taking the front of one bug and attaching to to the back of another.
Bus would be easier.
I gotta go take a nap before I explain how I would do the body.
I hope that you are a good welder.

Thu Jun 07, 2012 3:53 pm

Thanks and that's pretty much what I was figuring - Jigging it and keeping it square and straight is real important. And yeah - was planing to use square tubing to reinforce the outer perimeter like a vert. Not worried about lenghtening the body though. Haven't sorted out exactly what I am doing, but the body will be rounded back behind the front seats like what folks do when they make a bug into a pickup......but this wont be a truck. It's actually going to be a bug hearse. You ever see the funeral trailers for behind a bike? A box similar to that set onto the lengthened bug.

I havent sat down and really sketched it all out yet, but I want to keep the roof line of the box just a little taller than the bug roof and that will mean the floor of the box will intrude on the engine, but I have that part sorted out. Still need to decide how I am boxing in the lower portion of the rear of the body and fenders are going to be an issue, but I have been down that road before.

I like to work everything through before I even touch the car and still haven't located a satisfactory donor.

Thanks for the help.

Sat Jun 09, 2012 7:45 am

I was explaining what you were doing to a fellow who owns a big buggy shop near me and he said that he would recommend building a whole frame from scratch using a 3" body lift kit.
He took me to a back room and showed me a shortened virsion for a Manx style and it looked a whole lot cleaner.
I don't do the cell phone picture thing, so next time I go to get parts, I will try to get the boss to take a picture.

Sat Jun 09, 2012 2:16 pm

Thats actually a good idea - I would have to lengthen the sides, but the rails are already the right shape. Thanks!

Mon Jun 11, 2012 5:20 pm

Aloha - your idea was a major revelation - had a couple 2 hour drives over the last couple days and that is always a great time for me to mentally build projects. You got me thinking in a completly different direction, which is different than what you suggested, but it just made the build a LOT easier and better. Thanks a ton!