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newbie overwhelmed with 1975 super beetle
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SupBeetle4Zaid
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 12, 2017 2:22 pm    Post subject: newbie overwhelmed with 1975 super beetle Reply with quote

I have bought a 1975 super beetle that turned out to be in pretty bad shape. I know mechanical work so the engine/ carb, have been rebuilt and run excellent. the condition of the car is otherwise bad. the floor pans all need replacing and i dont live in a place where i can order new ones, the frame around the rear window is rusted (but not falling apart) and the spare tire well is just a big hole. my left rear quarter is rusted (dont know how bad yet, didnt have courage to see whats under the small bubbles) but i knock on it and it sounds like metal i guess.

Car has been primed and painted over factory paint and then painted again without primer at one point (all shades of green) and paint is flaky and fall-aparty.

I will start by removing all doors fenders and running boards, assessing the damage and taking it from there.

I hope i get my VWs body to become rust free and looking nice in the next couple of months. appreciate any help, advice or comments.

I will post pictures of the car tomorrow for more details.

wonderful community you have here. cheers.

Zaid
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Tim Donahoe
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 12, 2017 3:15 pm    Post subject: Re: newbie overwhelmed with 1975 super beetle Reply with quote

Said, welcome!

There are a number of rebuild threads in the "Sticky" portion of this forum. Check them out for pointers. Also, use the Search function in this forum. Type the word Rust in there and check out those threads, too.

Good luck,

Tim
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 12, 2017 3:26 pm    Post subject: Re: newbie overwhelmed with 1975 super beetle Reply with quote

You are in the right place and as you can see it's a good place to ask questions. For paint and body I took classes at a local Vo tech and got great results. Don't be in a hurry do a lot of research and most of all don't be overwhelmed.
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Mudpump
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 12, 2017 4:17 pm    Post subject: Re: newbie overwhelmed with 1975 super beetle Reply with quote

You'll find more body work expertise using the Body/Paint Forum. There's many experts on body work that post there.
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SupBeetle4Zaid
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 12, 2017 5:43 pm    Post subject: Re: newbie overwhelmed with 1975 super beetle Reply with quote

Thank you all for the guidance, I will take my time and build up the knowledge instead of going head first and literally taring the car apart. I will skim through this gold mine of a forum, and visit the body and paint section.
I need to learn how to cut, weld, prep, paint,fab...etc etc.
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Buggeee
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 12, 2017 6:35 pm    Post subject: Re: newbie overwhelmed with 1975 super beetle Reply with quote

Hey there Zaid welcome to the addiction! Thank you for bumping up the thread on the blue 71 convertible. That was an interesting and motivational read. It is amazing that he was able to fabricate all that from just sheet metal and get his bug on the road. Positive attitude. Smile

You mentioned in your reply on his thread that you're going to take your whole bug apart and I read that as meaning taking all the rusted pieces out right away.

May I suggest that you don't do it that way? My suggestion would be that you pick a section of the bug to work on and complete that, from taking out the rust to welding in the new panels until that one section is done. Then move on to the next section. You will notice that on that 71 bug he did the rear package tray first and welded that all up before moving on to other sections.

I think that if people take out the floor pans and heater channels and other parts all at the same time the body will lose its structural integrity and the door openings and things like that will shift out of position making it very very difficult to line everything up when you weld it back together.

In the threads that I have read where people have fixed bugs that are very far gone like that, they seem to have an easier time when they work on one part of it at a time and weld that one part back together before taking out the next section so that it's keeping its shape as they go along.

Just a thought, as I've never done something this challenging myself. I've only read about it.

I'm amazed that the internet and this site allows people from all around the world to share their thoughts on the same hobby. Good luck and please post some pictures of your bug so we know what you're dealing with beforehand. It will make the end result that much more impressive!

Also, lots of people think there's only one way to do things, and that means exactly the right parts and all that. But that thread you pulled up on the 71 convertible shows that if your goal is simply to get the bug rolling on the road you can do that even with limited resources available. There seems to be a whole lot of fabricating going on in South America as well. The people with bugs down there do amazing work with pieces of sheet metal and a welder.

Good luck!!! I'll look forward to your progress.
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rjplumer
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 12, 2017 8:14 pm    Post subject: Re: newbie overwhelmed with 1975 super beetle Reply with quote

Good luck. I can understand being overwhelmed with a Bug. I've owned my 74 Beetle for only a few months and I'm still finding stuff that needs fixing. I tried to do everything at once and it was overwhelming. I just started breaking stuff down into doable projects. It's a mix of research, finding parts and then doing the work. This is a great place to start and I wish you the best of luck.
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SupBeetle4Zaid
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 13, 2017 9:38 am    Post subject: Re: newbie overwhelmed with 1975 super beetle Reply with quote

Thank you guys, I too think its amazing being able to connect with people who love beetles from around the world and learn from their amazing experience! I will devide the car into managable projects, probably starting with spare tire well (will post good pictures of that as i work on it tomorrow) here are not so great pictures of my bug, When i undrstand the forum better i will create a post of the work being in pics and videos for extra input from u guys.

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What it looks like now.
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The following one is from the day i picked it up.
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11Bravo
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 13, 2017 6:12 pm    Post subject: Re: newbie overwhelmed with 1975 super beetle Reply with quote

Welcome Zaid, first suggestion is to start your own photo gallery of your photos so we can see them. You will see where to start under a new posting box before you submit the post.
What I would find interesting is what history does that SB have to end up in Jordan?
Also interesting is the 75 Supers sold in the US were fuel injected and came with rack & pinion steering. You mentioned a carb.
The site has all the knowledge you will need judging by the help I received.
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Abscate Premium Member
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 13, 2017 6:46 pm    Post subject: Re: newbie overwhelmed with 1975 super beetle Reply with quote

Salam, Zaid.

Take this nice and slowly, the good part is your metal restoration will last a long time in your dry climate!
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 13, 2017 8:50 pm    Post subject: Re: newbie overwhelmed with 1975 super beetle Reply with quote

Welcome to the fun!
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David_nc_72std
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 13, 2017 10:00 pm    Post subject: Re: newbie overwhelmed with 1975 super beetle Reply with quote

11Bravo wrote:
Welcome Zaid, first suggestion is to start your own photo gallery of your photos so we can see them.


Definitely get in the habit of uploading your pictures to this website when you use them in a discussion thread, that way they don't disappear over time as the external websites change their policies or go out of existence. The particular website you are using requires that you maintain a paid account for external links to work.
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SupBeetle4Zaid
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PostPosted: Sat Oct 14, 2017 1:22 am    Post subject: Re: newbie overwhelmed with 1975 super beetle Reply with quote

Thank you all for the many replys, I will tell you what i know about this VW, it does have a carb although everything suggests it shouldnt, and i noticed no conversion kit, the motor is the original one and is 1.6 litres, the car was first purchased by the army in Jordan for its senior officers in bulk (about 130 cars) so could the carb be a special order? Anyway, it remained with an officer for 8 years until a school teacher (my uncles friend) bought it in 1983 and hes kept it until a few months ago when he sold it to me. Throughout its life he's had no money to properly maintain the car, so i had to buy a lot of parts and salvage/ rebuild them to take the mechanics back to stock. It was garaged for 3 years so many gaskets and plastic/ rubber parts were corroded, and the rubber sealing body to floor pan, Windows...etc are all gone.
The floor pans rusted through and in their place is a very nasty fiberglass job that will have to go, i will have to go to the junk yard to look for parts such as the floor pans and maybe a spare tire well.

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SupBeetle4Zaid
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PostPosted: Sat Oct 14, 2017 1:37 am    Post subject: Re: newbie overwhelmed with 1975 super beetle Reply with quote

Abscate wrote:
Salam, Zaid.

Take this nice and slowly, the good part is your metal restoration will last a long time in your dry climate!


Absolutely, that is why I will take my time and make sure i do a good job out of it, thanks!
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11Bravo
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PostPosted: Sat Oct 14, 2017 6:12 pm    Post subject: Re: newbie overwhelmed with 1975 super beetle Reply with quote

Abscate wrote:
Salam, Zaid.

Take this nice and slowly, the good part is your metal restoration will last a long time in your dry climate!

I thought the same as far as the dryness of Jordan. Thanks for the history and the good pictures Zaid. Maybe take some pictures of the engine and the engine number. The keen eyes on here might spot if it was a conversion from FI or maybe got a European one with the carb. I have a feeling that's the case as FI on the 75's here was more for the emission's.
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ToughBug
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PostPosted: Sat Oct 14, 2017 7:28 pm    Post subject: Re: newbie overwhelmed with 1975 super beetle Reply with quote

Hi Zaid. Welcome! I started with a 73 super that had a lot more rust than I thought. It's been an adventure! Good luck. Tom
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SupBeetle4Zaid
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 15, 2017 1:44 am    Post subject: Re: newbie overwhelmed with 1975 super beetle Reply with quote

11Bravo wrote:
Abscate wrote:
Salam, Zaid.

Take this nice and slowly, the good part is your metal restoration will last a long time in your dry climate!

I thought the same as far as the dryness of Jordan. Thanks for the history and the good pictures Zaid. Maybe take some pictures of the engine and the engine number. The keen eyes on here might spot if it was a conversion from FI or maybe got a European one with the carb. I have a feeling that's the case as FI on the 75's here was more for the emission's.


The engine is off the car, its at my uncles shop (was working there since he has all the tools) i kept it off so i could eventually get everyrhing else off for the body-off restoration.

ToughBug wrote:
Hi Zaid. Welcome! I started with a 73 super that had a lot more rust than I thought. It's been an adventure! Good luck. Tom

Thanks Tom! I hope its an adventure that will result in saving rather than destroying the car, im still somewhat clueless where to start, so im starting by getting myself informed and reading up, not easy if im honest.

I am also planning on going to the junk yard saturday and looking for some parts, floor pans, spare tire well, and left rear quarter (behind rear window) to weld in, also bumpers, turn signals, .. Etc.
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ToughBug
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 15, 2017 5:30 am    Post subject: Re: newbie overwhelmed with 1975 super beetle Reply with quote

From a pile of rusty parts....was in way over my head....if I can do it anyone can. You can do it!

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SupBeetle4Zaid
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 15, 2017 10:45 am    Post subject: Re: newbie overwhelmed with 1975 super beetle Reply with quote

ToughBug wrote:
From a pile of rusty parts....was in way over my head....if I can do it anyone can. You can do it!

But how? Wow man thats a nice bug! You have done an amazing job

Im going to read-up some more and take pictures of everything and then start a topic in the body/ paint section on how I think im gonna go about the restoration start to finish and edit it as I read new information or get new advice from the wonderful members here. Anyone think thats a good idea?

Thanks
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Buggeee
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 19, 2017 11:58 am    Post subject: Re: newbie overwhelmed with 1975 super beetle Reply with quote

Yep sounds like a good idea.

Plus review other build threads. Here is a link to a list of a bunch of them:

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=514938

Here is a link to the build of the blue ToughBug up there:

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=655905

Check out all the work on the convertible in this thread:

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=670629

And you won't believe the work going into this next one:

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=534255&start=0

I grabbed a few I was familiar with. Poke around, the rusty bug rebuild threads are everywhere and there is lots of great information of how they are put together.
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(adopted out) 61 Turkis Pile https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728764
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