TheSamba.com :: View topic - They're NEVER really ever finished!... 58 rag build

Mon Jun 27, 2016 2:13 pm

Yup. This is the POS I'm talking about. :lol: here she is as bought in 2001. I thought it would be fun to share my car's story as I've owned for going on almost 20 years.

I was 20 at the time with minimal automotive or VW knowledge, but VERY determined. Let this show all the noobs out there to never give up, never get discouraged and don't let people ruin your dreams. I was once like you. I even came from a very anti VW family and even had to pay storage to keep this car at my buddy's house down the street.

Mon Jun 27, 2016 2:19 pm

I paid $1500 for the car- and was criticized for it. I saw the straight and rot free body and knew it was for me. A real 50's ragtop bug, with a lot missing but the most important parts solid as a rock. I knew i just saved a ton in future metal and bodywork. With the price of ragtop roof clips, mechanisms, etc, who's laughing now? :wink:

Mon Jun 27, 2016 2:20 pm

Mon Jun 27, 2016 2:22 pm

I LOVE your truck thread ;

Can't wait to see what you do with this ..... :)

Mon Jun 27, 2016 2:28 pm

grandpa pete wrote: I LOVE your truck thread ;
Can't wait to see what you do with this ..... :)

8) hey Pete! Thanks, this thread won't be quite so detailed as I didn't take a ton of pics between 2003-2015. But I know we all love pics and build threads and at the time I got bit by VW sickness, thesamba.com became a reality and I owe a lot to the site for what I learned along the way.

Mon Jun 27, 2016 2:45 pm

A little background......

I was interested in Bugs my whole life. One of my earliest memories around
4 years old was watching a woman load groceries into the trunk of a Beetle at a store in the early 80's. I must've been a perceptive kid because I knew the trunk was usually in the back. Mind BLOWN!! For many years I always had an interest in the cars, but never really as much as when I was driving age and already had a different car. So, the search was on to fulfill a childhood dream that if have my own one day.

I heard about the car the old fashioned way, word of mouth. Drove to the next town over and checked it out. The guy selling it was also in his 20's and just picked up an OG 58 vert, so the ragtop had to go..... And not without drama. I had just walked into a family feud. It seems as this might have been a father son project gone sour. The son tells me his father is super pissed and didn't want to sell but he was positive that it would never get put on the road at this point. The father painted the tires and wheels funky hoping to scare off any buyers.

When I asked about what came with the car so I can decide a fair price, Dad comes out of the house yelling at me and threatening to clip my fingers with dykes if I'm going to "complain" about the car. The son calms down his pops, I come back with a tow bar and cash and get that car out ASAP. Now, picture this turd on a tow bar with NO body panels attached (thrown in the truck bed) and a horrendous noise coming from the gearbox. A cop pulls up next to us at a stop light, looks over, smiles and puts his hand over that side of his face and acts like he didn't see us. :P

These are the VW moments to live for

Mon Jun 27, 2016 2:52 pm

The first major mechanical job was a fresh "freeway flier" trans. I later found out it's a 4.12 box with 0.82 bus fourth gear.

New axle boots (installed wrong, don't put the seams vertical) and throw out bearing fork (before bearing was shimmed properly to the center). I learned a lot along the way, especially the most aftermarket stuff fits terribly.

Mon Jun 27, 2016 2:59 pm

Here we are at the first incarnation of the car 2002. A lot of simple and obvious changes that a rookie is capable of.... I'm happy with the route I took- making a driver before blowing it all apart for a restoration that was not realistic for the time. I needed tools, cash and some driving time. Even though it was not my daily driver, I knew that paint, body Upholstry was not in my budget and skill set.

The car is a Dec. 57 build BLACK car. Both of my "keeper" Vdubs were bought because of my love for their original colors. I had a tough time making my mind about the build direction for all other aspects of the car. At first, I wanted bone stock, but was talked out of it. Times were changing and so were my tastes. I'm old enough to know what I want now and I'm sticking with the game plan.

Another deciding factor to not stay 100% stock was that the car is not a beautiful OG survivor car. I am now sure that the only original body panel on the car is the glovebox door and sunroof. It sits on a 59 pan as well, so please don't hate on my build. :wink: just be glad
I'm not a quitter and I will always leave a dub better off than if we never met!

Mon Jun 27, 2016 3:18 pm

A set of 5 spokes I picked up for cheap. I still have the smoothies and swap them out with other wheels whenever I get the urge. This was the first time I put an adjustable beam in the car. Before, I had only drop spindles.

First engine was a 1641 with a stinger I bought from a friend.

Mon Jun 27, 2016 3:26 pm

At the second phase of the build, I was becoming more interested in the performance stuff after seeing drag cars tear it up. I built my first engine. A 1776 with dual carbs. It was a great feeling to build one on my own. I was so happy with it I decided to take the 1641 apart and build it into this 2017 draw through turbo.

Mon Jun 27, 2016 3:30 pm

The beam came back out and was narrowed 2" and different wheels and 135 front tires were used to keep the rubber off the fender edges. At this time, 2004 or so, narrowed beams were just getting to be real popular. CB wide 5 disc brakes for all wheels were installed as well.

Mon Jun 27, 2016 3:33 pm

You can see the roll bar I put in through the sunroof hole. I was convinced I wanted an absolute street monster that I could take down the dragstrip occasionally.

Mon Jun 27, 2016 3:38 pm

Fast forward 10 years later to 2015, and here she is. Basically unchanged from 2009-2015 as I shifted focus to build my single cab.

Now, if you've read my truck build thread, you can understand after all that work I was totally burned out! I'd look at the bug and just shake my head in disbelief.... How the F**K am I going to finished this damned thing now? I had no motivation. I was sick of spending $$$$. I have a 4 year old daughter and a fiancée. I mentioned a few times over the course of building my truck that I'd consider selling the car. I'm no hoarder and I'm ok with having one VW at a time. She refuses to let me sell it. Before we met she had a 70 for a short time before she let other people convince her to get rid of it. Now my small family doesn't fit into my single cab. I still want to enjoy cruises and shows but with them.

I made the decision and for our 5 year anniversary, I officially gave her the car. She refused to leave me off the title though because she knows the car is sentimental to me. A girl who tells you to KEEP your dubs is what dreams are made of. It was never about the money, I just wanted the car to be loved again.

Well, after giving her the bug I knew she wouldn't be happy with it's many many small issues. It's not right to give a gift like that. So, here's my chance to make the car what it was always meant to be- not a piece of crap lol.

NOW the real build begins. I have the tools and skills to do it right. I have extreme passion for the car once again and can't wait to go to shows with my family. I'm ready to destroy every issue the car ever had and turn it into a great driver.

Mon Jun 27, 2016 4:47 pm

What an awesome backstory! I am really looking forward to this!
:popcorn:

Mon Jun 27, 2016 7:08 pm

Great story on your bug, roach. I'll check out your truck build.

Mon Jun 27, 2016 7:37 pm

I'll be in your audience. Commence! You have a great starting point, and the color, year, and condition of your car all point to an exciting restoration.

Mon Jun 27, 2016 9:17 pm

Thanks guys, I've been hard at work on this car since these last pics I posted from 2015. I just rolled it out of the garage to wash it and basically drove it for the last time. I've got big plans to finish it as time and budget allow.

First, the bad news- the big engine now resides in my single cab

The good news is my lady was scared to death of the thought of driving it and my 40hp just blew in my truck. So I will be putting a vintage theme 40 in the car. My truck is now easier to drive with much needed power, and the bug can be a cruiser again. Win win for both cars.

My head is spinning with ideas so the only way I can show you my vision is to just go step by step. I'm building the car for my girl, BUT with my discretion on anything I deem to hurt the cars value. Luckily we are on the same page. No permanent changes-chop top, suicide doors, etc. I couldn't be happier with her choices because she wants an aggressive look. She said she doesn't want people to be able to tell a chick drives it. Yes. I don't have to regret her wanting it pink. (I don't hate pink bugs, there's just no way for this car)

Mon Jun 27, 2016 9:18 pm

Here it is now in 2016. Dirty and sitting with no engine or trans once again. I wanted to start with the mechanicals and metal work mostly. Here's the homemade 2" beam with angled short shocks. The inner front fenders were cut out decades ago. I know for a fact the car was slammed in another life and instead of flipping the tie rods like we do nowadays, someone just hacked the body. I would never cut the car for a beam built this way.

Mon Jun 27, 2016 9:27 pm

With my family getting use out of the car and my significant other driving, I knew I had to get serious about upgrading the safety. Here is the same beam with a lot of changes.

Adjusters repaired and anti-seized. Narrowed to a full 6" to fit wider tires. Urethane bushings upgraded to Delrin. Front shocks changed from KYB lowered GR2 to Monroe super shorty (the ones Barndoor bus guys use). New 1/8" NPT angled grease fittings. Re shimmed control arms to kingpin carriers.... I'll be painting it all up when the body comes off.

I know a lot of guys run 6" with no shocks. I have the option to do either but I'm going to try them first. The Monroe are softer than the KYB and have more travel. If I don't like it I can run the special oil shocks like Airkewld sells.

Mon Jun 27, 2016 9:35 pm

One thing was for sure, the car was staying black and we both wanted black wheels. I'm playing Chip Foose basically- showing her all her options and letting her pick her own style. I told her she is stuck with wide 5 wheels and showed her pics of every dark 5x205 wheel I could find.

Here is the winner. I sold the roll cage and bought some new shoes with the $