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HeidiHo Samba Member
Joined: September 26, 2010 Posts: 772 Location: Lowrys, S.C.
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Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2018 5:09 pm Post subject: Re: Neil's bubbletop volksrod build |
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I very rarely post here anymore but this thing is awesome, nicely done, very creative-dont see stuff like this much anymore. _________________ My 1970 Beetle Thread
Southern Integrity Aircoolers |
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heywebonya Samba Member
Joined: July 08, 2010 Posts: 823 Location: Portage, MI
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Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2018 9:32 am Post subject: Re: Neil's bubbletop volksrod build |
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Suh-weet! So amazing! I love the picture with the two big guys in the bubble _________________ If I knew what I was doing; I wouldn't be building a buggy! |
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Bashr52 Samba Member
Joined: July 16, 2006 Posts: 5666 Location: On an island in VA
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Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2018 5:34 am Post subject: Re: Neil's bubbletop volksrod build |
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I love everything about this car, but I'm still not super keen on that rear light placement... Just seems like there has to be a way to tuck the lights in amongst the engine or something to keep with the clean lines of the car. |
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nshaddox Samba Member
Joined: January 18, 2005 Posts: 612 Location: Hammatramma, MI
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Posted: Tue May 26, 2020 8:14 am Post subject: Re: Neil's bubbletop volksrod build |
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So, not like I'm getting 100% back into this project or anything, but I have been working on something for it and figured I should share.
since frame is heavily modified, ebrake location is now ~1ft forward of shifter. Not much room in there for the stock length ebrake though given low cabin height and the trough in the gas tank and the dash.
So, I had the idea to just change the angle of the handbrake to more of a vertical sweep than a horizonatal sweep, kinda like a bus ebrake handle.
I drew up some models of ratchet plates that relocated the whole ratchet section up 30degrees and 45 degrees, wasn't sure how far I'd want to go. printed out on the new 3D printer toy. Shortened ebrake handle 135mm. In theory, should be able to just shorten the rod the same amount and rethread and everything will work. I did have to cut through the middle of the cam section the cables ride in. Not sure what extend of additional mods will be needed there but should be pretty easy to add some length to the cam.
all the bits laid out.
full release position.
full tension position.
full release position in car.
full tension position in car.
Pretty happy with fit and everything, so next step is to finalize some modifications to the CAD model and add it to my next laser cutting order. |
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mikemck Samba Member
Joined: June 01, 2006 Posts: 306
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Posted: Tue May 26, 2020 8:58 am Post subject: Re: Neil's bubbletop volksrod build |
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I am really happy you posted an update.
I feel bad I missed seeing the car at Autorama. |
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andk5591 Samba Member
Joined: August 29, 2005 Posts: 16757 Location: State College, PA
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Posted: Thu May 28, 2020 4:54 am Post subject: Re: Neil's bubbletop volksrod build |
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I recently did some more work on an MG kit car that I got back on the road for a guy a couple years ago. E brake was way under the dash. I was not as ambitious as you, but needed to do somethind. I did a pie cut in the top of the handle and was able to angle it up about 45 degrees which made it usable. _________________ D-Dubya Manx clone - 63 Short pan,1914.
Rosie 65 bug - My mostly stock daily driver.
Woodie 69 VW woodie (Hot VWs 7/12).
"John's car" 64 VW woodie - The first ever
Maxine 61 Cal-look bug - Cindy's daily driver.
Max - 73 standard Beetle hearse project - For sale
66 bug project - Real patina & Suby conversion
There's more, but not keeping them... |
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nshaddox Samba Member
Joined: January 18, 2005 Posts: 612 Location: Hammatramma, MI
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Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2020 11:45 am Post subject: Re: Neil's bubbletop volksrod build |
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Yea pie cutting the handle came across my mind but I rejected it because I needed some pretty extreme angle shift and didn’t think the pushrod would work.
Laser cut piece received today. Spent some time deburring it but looks like it’s going to work well.
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tattooed_pariah Samba Member
Joined: April 24, 2006 Posts: 2047 Location: El Cajon, CA
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Posted: Sat Jun 06, 2020 10:39 am Post subject: Re: Neil's bubbletop volksrod build |
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awesome! glad to see you still around and working on this masterpiece! _________________ -pariah (just a novice from "that other VW site")
'72 Volksrod "Effigy"
"Never worry about stepping on people's toes. People who get their toes stepped on are either sitting down, or standing still on the job."
-Admiral Arleigh Burke, USN(ret.) |
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Busstom Samba Member
Joined: November 23, 2014 Posts: 3855 Location: San Jose, CA
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Posted: Sat Jun 06, 2020 8:38 pm Post subject: Re: Neil's bubbletop volksrod build |
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Hey, your bubbletop made the homepage random photos! Cool!
I'd sure like to see that thing painted up, preferably in VW Blue (L 633)...even if a Krylon match |
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vamram Samba Member
Joined: March 08, 2012 Posts: 7306 Location: NOVA
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Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2021 11:47 am Post subject: Re: Neil's bubbletop volksrod build |
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Bump - wow, I just went through all 22 pages. Amazing. any paint updates...? _________________ Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!
'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!! |
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cdennisg Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2004 Posts: 20279 Location: Sandpoint, ID
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Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2021 3:45 pm Post subject: Re: Neil's bubbletop volksrod build |
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vamram wrote: |
Bump - wow, I just went through all 22 pages. Amazing. any paint updates...? |
Funny, I was just thinking about this car today. I too, wonder what might be happening with it. _________________ nothing |
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nshaddox Samba Member
Joined: January 18, 2005 Posts: 612 Location: Hammatramma, MI
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Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2021 6:00 am Post subject: Re: Neil's bubbletop volksrod build |
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Sorry dudes, 0 progress to report on this project, it’s in stasis for now.
Zwitter project and fiat project taking priority. Fiat just needs water pump installed and minor rewiring to be a runner (I hope). Zwitter needs about as many hours of welding as this thing did still.
I have excuses: cold season here in MI, work crazy busy & requiring travel every few weeks again, wife pregnant, new job transition period starting within a month, existing house projects at rental wrapped up, new property and new building in the works taking up lots of free time with all the research and design iterations. Blah blah blah.
But today I turned 33 and I’m going to do something VW related as a birthday treat to myself. Probably not on this project, however.
Paint will have to wait until I’m older, fatter, and wealthier I’m afraid. I will share progress as I make progress, of course. |
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cdennisg Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2004 Posts: 20279 Location: Sandpoint, ID
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Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2021 8:37 am Post subject: Re: Neil's bubbletop volksrod build |
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Certainly understandable. Thanks for the update. _________________ nothing |
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nshaddox Samba Member
Joined: January 18, 2005 Posts: 612 Location: Hammatramma, MI
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Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2021 6:14 am Post subject: Re: Neil's bubbletop volksrod build |
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Goal to get this thing driving again for the cruise season in August. Going to have some time off work for paternity leave in the near future, so some short local trips may be in order. Last time I drove it I noticed oil cooler leaking, so before I put it all back together with new seals I figured it would be best to pressure test the cooler too. While I was looking around my shop for some Al scrap to build a tester out of, I had the idea to try 3D printing one. Happy to say it worked out perfectly.
T4 cooler pictured since I happened to have it laying around and wanted to know if it was good too.
Both this one and the T3 cooler on the bubble car only bubbled when I pressed the valve open. Tested @ 25-30psi.
So motor all back together now. I thought I may have dropped one of the T3 cooler spacers down into the fan housing so that was fun to deal with. Just have to charge up the battery and then hopefully I’ll be able to blow the cobwebs off of it. |
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Richard D Samba Member
Joined: October 27, 2011 Posts: 41 Location: Texas City, Texas
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Posted: Tue Aug 31, 2021 10:27 am Post subject: Re: Neil's bubbletop volksrod build |
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Thanks for documenting this, I very much enjoyed reading it. I need to get my welder fixed and get back out in the shop... |
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tattooed_pariah Samba Member
Joined: April 24, 2006 Posts: 2047 Location: El Cajon, CA
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Posted: Tue Aug 31, 2021 2:42 pm Post subject: Re: Neil's bubbletop volksrod build |
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I actually saw a picture of your car in an image dump on imgur a couple months ago! I was on my phone and didn't think to favorite the post so i could link to it here :/ _________________ -pariah (just a novice from "that other VW site")
'72 Volksrod "Effigy"
"Never worry about stepping on people's toes. People who get their toes stepped on are either sitting down, or standing still on the job."
-Admiral Arleigh Burke, USN(ret.) |
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big fat whitewalls Samba Member
Joined: April 16, 2006 Posts: 473 Location: Sedalia MO. Formally San Fransisco Bay Area
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Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2023 5:00 pm Post subject: Re: Neil's bubbletop volksrod build |
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Ran across this again today. Hope it, you, and family are doing well. |
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nshaddox Samba Member
Joined: January 18, 2005 Posts: 612 Location: Hammatramma, MI
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Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2023 5:08 pm Post subject: Re: Neil's bubbletop volksrod build |
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Yea, thanks for checking in. Things are good. Expecting daughter #2 to pop out any day now. Between that, some rental property projects, new job couple years ago, major maintenance on my fleet of older daily driver Fords, and the Zwitter project, I'm keeping busy you could say. Might have to move this project soon since we've been house hunting. Might be able to squirrel it away for later, but may also be time to pass the baton. |
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EVfun Samba Member
Joined: April 01, 2012 Posts: 5481 Location: Seattle
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Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2023 8:10 pm Post subject: Re: Neil's bubbletop volksrod build |
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nshaddox wrote: |
Yea, thanks for checking in. Things are good. Expecting daughter #2 to pop out any day now. Between that, some rental property projects, new job couple years ago, major maintenance on my fleet of older daily driver Fords, and the Zwitter project, I'm keeping busy you could say. Might have to move this project soon since we've been house hunting. Might be able to squirrel it away for later, but may also be time to pass the baton. |
Glad to hear you are doing well! Congrats on the expanding family. It's a lot of work and a lot of joy too. Mine is now 35 -- it gets easy again when they have their own homes and careers.
Your bubble-top is an incredible build. I hope you continue to enjoy it! However, if you choose to let it go please let all of us in the Volksrods thread know. It is unique and I think it deserves an enthusiasts home. _________________
Wildthings wrote: |
As a general rule, cheap parts are the most expensive parts you can buy. |
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cdennisg Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2004 Posts: 20279 Location: Sandpoint, ID
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Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2023 8:58 pm Post subject: Re: Neil's bubbletop volksrod build |
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EVfun wrote: |
nshaddox wrote: |
Yea, thanks for checking in. Things are good. Expecting daughter #2 to pop out any day now. Between that, some rental property projects, new job couple years ago, major maintenance on my fleet of older daily driver Fords, and the Zwitter project, I'm keeping busy you could say. Might have to move this project soon since we've been house hunting. Might be able to squirrel it away for later, but may also be time to pass the baton. |
Glad to hear you are doing well! Congrats on the expanding family. It's a lot of work and a lot of joy too. Mine is now 35 -- it gets easy again when they have their own homes and careers.
Your bubble-top is an incredible build. I hope you continue to enjoy it! However, if you choose to let it go please let all of us in the Volksrods thread know. It is unique and I think it deserves an enthusiasts home. |
Agreed. I have a daughter about to graduate high school and her first two years of college at the same time this spring. It is a fantastic feeling.
I also would love to see this wonderful car creation get taken to the next step, no matter whose hands get that job done. _________________ nothing |
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