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mhodge00
Samba Member
Joined: April 27, 2022
Posts: 28
Location: GA
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 Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2025 7:48 am Post subject: Brought a Mk1 Pickup home last night |
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Good morning!
Picked up a little gem last night. An '81 Mk1 Pickup
1.6l turbo diesel with a host of mods already done to it. Ran great for the trip home, only complaint is that it is a little too low (for Atlanta highways)
Question is, does anyone know if there is a skid plate available for this model. I'm going to raise it a little to let the suspension actually work but may want to add a skid plate to the front for protection |
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TDCTDI
Samba Advocatus Diaboli
Joined: August 31, 2013
Posts: 13286
Location: North Carolina
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| Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2025 12:56 pm Post subject: Re: Brought a Mk1 Pickup home last night |
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Start off by making a lower tie bar, mk1 chassis will eventually fracture the frame horns.
| TDCTDI wrote: |
I rubbed a couple minutes together & cut up a few more pieces of angle iron & clamped them to the chassis.
And then tacked the remainder of the square tubing in place.
After scrounging up another piece, I repeated the process on the other side & fused them together.
Once fully welded, I drilled holes through the chassis & brace & bolted it back in.
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Once this is done, you could easily attach some tabs to accept a skid plate.
All you would need to do is get a piece of cardboard to bend into shape to go from the bottom of the bumper to the tie bar. Once you have determined where it needs to be bent, & what angles it needs to be bent at, you can take the cardboard to a sheet metal fabricator & have it bent up. Probably for around $100.
| TDCTDI wrote: |
Since I was at the front of the car, I decided to have some fun & design a skid plate.
I grabbed a box, whittled it down to an acceptable shape & began mapping out a final shape.
Once I got it to fit the way I wanted, I repositioned the clamps so I could make a template to measure the ideal angles in which to bend the skid plate.
After tracing the profile, I can now use my phone to determine the angles in which the skid plate needs to be bent.
Unfortunately, my local go-to fab shop is closed today. |
| TDCTDI wrote: |
…Nope, a for-reals chonk of al-yoo-min-i-yum.
Looking at the existing bumper, it was obviously showing it’s age with some dings, dents, & flaking chrome plating. Having previously owned a few of those ‘74 base beetles, you know, the bright colored ones with black trim, I decided to dig out a pair of bumpers that I had laying around from another project that a previous owner had prepped for paint.
After digging them out, I had to evict a few stowaways.
I then shot the front one with some satin black to begin it’s transformation into the automotive equivalent of a Goth kid. With the bumper in place, I clamped the new skid plate on & began punching holes.
And here it is bolted up…
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_________________
Everybody born before 1975 has a story, good, bad, or indifferent, about a VW.
GOFUNDYOURSELF, quit asking everyone to do it for you!
An air cooled VW will make you a hoarder.
Do something, anything, to your project every day, and you will eventually complete it. |
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mhodge00
Samba Member
Joined: April 27, 2022
Posts: 28
Location: GA
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| Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2025 9:00 am Post subject: Re: Brought a Mk1 Pickup home last night |
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| Awesome stuff. Thank you! |
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mhodge00
Samba Member
Joined: April 27, 2022
Posts: 28
Location: GA
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| Posted: Thu Feb 27, 2025 7:47 am Post subject: Re: Brought a Mk1 Pickup home last night |
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EverettB 
Administrator
Joined: April 11, 2000
Posts: 71323
Location: Phoenix 602
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mhodge00
Samba Member
Joined: April 27, 2022
Posts: 28
Location: GA
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| Posted: Fri Mar 07, 2025 11:46 am Post subject: Re: Brought a Mk1 Pickup home last night |
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| EverettB wrote: |
Nice, I like those wheels on it.
No bumpers? That's weird and I thought illegal, at least the front. |
I'm picking those up tomorrow morning. Deal came with some extras including a 1.6 Diesel engine, 020 trans, original wheels (with tires) and bumpers. Just didn't have room to bring it all home at the same time.
Front looks weird without the bumper though |
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Kudagra
Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2007
Posts: 128
Location: Baldwin City KS. Just a wee bit South of KC
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| Posted: Tue May 13, 2025 10:59 am Post subject: Re: Brought a Mk1 Pickup home last night |
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| EverettB wrote: |
No bumpers? That's weird and I thought illegal, at least the front. |
Its only illegal if you get caught.
In Kansas we dont even have safety inspections on in state vehicles. I guarantee my 80 Caddy isnt safe ANYWHERE.
_________________
Everything burns if you get it hot enough. |
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mhodge00
Samba Member
Joined: April 27, 2022
Posts: 28
Location: GA
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| Posted: Fri May 23, 2025 5:52 am Post subject: Re: Brought a Mk1 Pickup home last night |
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| Kudagra wrote: |
| EverettB wrote: |
No bumpers? That's weird and I thought illegal, at least the front. |
Its only illegal if you get caught.
In Kansas we dont even have safety inspections on in state vehicles. I guarantee my 80 Caddy isnt safe ANYWHERE.
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But looks AWESOME!
Great job |
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