ConcreteAce's '51 build

[ConcreteAce]

Well a little more progress is done. I got the seats back in, I think my youngest son approves (he was my helper that day)

I tell you the shift coupler fought me like you would not believe. I ended up having to fire up the torch to get the nut out, and then again to get it off the shaft. And of course I could not find the other set screw from when I took the motor out. I am sure I have it but it is probably packed away with the original engine and trans. So I ended up making my own set screw until I make another order. (shipping was going to cost more than the set screw) For the life of me I can not understand why when you purchase a new shift coupler it does not come with the set screws. They should at least write in big letters on the order page (Hey Buddy you are gonna need new set screws this does not come with it)

I dont have an original fuel cap for my tank, that is on the list of items to purchase down the road. I am not sure what color the cap was supposed to be originally but I tried silver and did not like how it looked.

So I ended up starting back over and painted it grey

and since I am doing this at home and I do not have a heated booth and the chance that this will come in contact with fuel I baked the enamel to harden it, this is my improvised way to heat things. I figured the wife would have a cow if I put it in her oven.

turned out OK

I did make a score from a good buddy. Parts for now and a few for the future.

I removed the glove boxes to install the new harness, these poor babies are in very bad shape as you can see from the photos.

So far this "getting it back on the road" build is sucking my VW funds dry and I really did not want to spend upwards of $250 on repro boxes at this time. My wife stepped in and helped me repair these boxes, I know they are not perfect but they will be perfect for the time.

I was able to get the fabric way cleaner than it was, I imagine this is the original fabric. It does not match the existing seat covers and door panels. I sure wish I had taken a before picture, you could just barely see the pattern with all the grime.

I went to paint the boxes and did not know if they needed to be satin black or flat black, but after I researched on here I found that they should have been grey. I doubt the grey I had on hand even remotly matches but I sprayed them anyway. here is the final product.

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Ethan Dunlap
Spring, Texas

'51 Deluxe
'61 Build
'68 Turbo Diesel Baja
'64 Ghia Vert
'61 Baja Build

[obieoberstar]

Those glove boxes came out great. Your wife is pretty crafty.

I would assume she is cool with VW parts in the oven now. Game on!

[ConcreteAce]

[EverettB]

Those glove box repair photos are cool.

I was tripping on your purple oven and how your wife's shirt matched too
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[ConcreteAce]

Well a little more progress, I finished up the wiring out back. I wrestled with myself when I ordered the wiring harness. I could not decide if I should keep it original and only run dual filament bulbs or stock. I decided on keeping it stock. Well when I pulled the taillights out I found that the car had been switched over to dual filament bulbs already. Whoever built the brackets did a good job using the original brackets.

So I ended up adding the extra wire to the taillights. I should have ordered the dual harness to begin with, because ever since I made the decision I have second guessed myself. I think once I blow the car apart I will order the kit that John sells for dual filament bulbs.

Ok so I have pulled dozens of harnesses for cars from 55-64. I am so familiar with them that I do not need to follow directions, I already know where everything goes and how it is routed. When I received the harness from John I did not even pay attention to the directions for installing the main harness, I figured in my mind it would be the same.
Well I got extremely lucky. After finishing the wiring in the engine bay I had one wire left over, it stumped me for a minute, so I broke out the directions and found out it was for the dome light. Well the reason I got lucky is that when I pulled the old harness out and pulled my line in to pull the new harness, it came out with no resistance because the eyelet for the dome light was not even hooked up.
I ended up fishing a pull line into the dome light and pulled the wire back through. I would like to say it went simple but it really did not. I had to pull the entire harness about 2 foot into the engine bay and pull the dome light and main forward at the same time. (with help of course)

I have everything terminated up front but I am finding the schematics hard to follow due to the later pod in my car with the piggy back fuse. I am going to go back over it later today.

I also got the engine in, everything is not hooked up and in its proper place yet, I got derailed because I forgot to order a throttle cable and I do not have a 6volt generator pulley. I know I have the big nut generator packed away in my upstairs storage above my garage, but while my car is on the lift I can not get access to it. I am not sure if the big nut pulley will even work on a later 6 volt generator. That's how little I know about stock engines. I will say this I have built some pretty (what I think is) bad ass motors, in fact my recent build is on the cover of this months Hot VW's 3/18 , building this faux vintage speed motor has been just as enjoyable and gratifying as any 2ltr I have built to date.

More to come, hopefully I will take it on the road in the next week or so.
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Ethan Dunlap
Spring, Texas

'51 Deluxe
'61 Build
'68 Turbo Diesel Baja
'64 Ghia Vert
'61 Baja Build

[543fold]

Killer job so far brother!
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[Oval1]

Looks good, It’s a great car for sure
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[murray7010]

Lookin good E-Dawg!! (Earl Voice)
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1951 Deluxe Sunroof Beetle (11C Model)
Follow the resto up to date on Instagram @SplittyMcFiddyJuan
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[543fold]

[ConcreteAce]

She's ALIVE>>>>>>

Link

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Ethan Dunlap
Spring, Texas

'51 Deluxe
'61 Build
'68 Turbo Diesel Baja
'64 Ghia Vert
'61 Baja Build

[txoval]

Ethan:

Congrats on the car! The early cars are a chore, but you're kicking it's ass.

Engine sounds great!

[ConcreteAce]

[Glenn]

[txoval]

I miss the knowledge I have about VW's...but loving the Nova and gaining knowledge

I've had a crash course into them though. Damn transmission pump seals blew out (this car was restored in 2009/10 and then sat for 7 years), so I'm rebuilding it will extra goodies, and that led into ripping out the stock 10 bolt rearend, and I've installed a Ford 9" with 3.55 trac-lock gears. New rims/tires etc. I'll shoot you a few pics

[pastellgreen]

Very impressive calm engine until idle and reverb!!! Congratulation!

I also have ordered the harness kit from John and it went in like a dream, though I have never done it before and was very tentative before pulling the old one out... If you do not want to drive only with added indicator lights mounted on the bumpers, in Germany we have only the possibility to drive splits by using the tailligths with dual filament and by using semaphores blinking. So have ordered the harness with an additional wire in the main harness and two wires in each aluminium wraped taillight harnesses. I used an 4-fuses box, using the same location and same holes as the original one, it even has the same bakelite style. Bought dual filament taillightholders from repuestosam, I used a special relay, so the result is: Brake lights in the taillights AND the popes nose, indicator = blinking semaphores and taillights, same for warning lights. I wonder how you could still use the 3-fuse box and how you could reach the dual taillight harness without adding a wire to the main harness. So you won't be able to have brake light in the nose and in the taillights?

[Two Glove Boxes]

Nice work will you have it at The Classic?

[ConcreteAce]

Well time for an update, yesterday I got the rest of my harness in from John. I did not waste any time, I replaced everything except for the wires that are attached to the pods. I'm still waiting on the taillight brackets and an OG fuse block for up front.I couldn't find but one original in the classified's. John hooked me up with a NOS 3 fuse fuse block for the rear. I would like to find a nicer one of those. I went ahead and re-installed the aftermarket fuse block that came with the car. Its missing its cover though.
Once I got the harness installed, I installed the mended glove boxes torqued the lugs down to 85 ftlbs threw her caps on and took her for a spin. There are a few little things that I still need to address, I shot a couple of video's enjoy...

A walk around the car

Link


The first time under its own power in many many moons

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Link

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Ethan Dunlap
Spring, Texas

'51 Deluxe
'61 Build
'68 Turbo Diesel Baja
'64 Ghia Vert
'61 Baja Build

[ConcreteAce]

[johnshenry]

Great progress, so cool to see the video, and so a happy to play a part in this project!!!!
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John Henry

'57 Deluxe
'56 Single Cab

[Splitdog]

Nice!
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