'Gretel' - My 1971 Super Beetle Resurrection

[Maddel]

Gretel - the best name for a Bug ever!
Quintessentially German...
Good luck with your project!

[GreybeardGunner]

Thanks, Maddel!!

Shawn

[GreybeardGunner]

20 September, 2021:

I've taken the front and rear bumpers off. I was going to go with T-Bars, but then I got to thinking....these components have made it 50 years into the future. I think it would be a shame to disregard them, and not use them if I can figure out how. Now, the chrome was shot. Totally screwed. Flaked off in most places, patchy in the others, and all the surfaces were pitted beyond description.

What to do...what to do.....?

Ok, so here's what I'm up to. Now, I know I'll get some grief for this, but it wouldn't be the first time. I've sanded and ground down the bumpers to remove all the loose flake. I then spent a few hours with a ball-pein hammer to straighten the dents and bends. Next, a few coats of tremclad primer. Ok..they looked much better. But what to do now, especially since they were still pitted and marked up...

Light came on! I purchased two cans of Rustoleum 'Stone Effect' spray paint. This is the stuff that has a textured finish. It came out really well. I had to shoot them with a pure black semi-gloss Tremclad after everything dried, as the Stone Effect has flecks of white in it.

They look FANTASTIC and will be going back on. I'm not sure if I'm going to use original bumper impact strips (as they are $60 each), or if I'll just cut 1" strips of rubber and epoxy them over the remounted bumpers.

Either way, they look great. What do you think?

Tomorrow's task: Try to loosen those axle nuts! They're pretty frozen on there. I soaked them with WD-40 for days, then tried a bar with a 36mm axle nut socket. No joy. I then borrowed my buddies impact driver. No joy. I'm going to heat the bastards up with a propane torch till they're the temperature of the Hinges of Hell, then try again. (And yes, I've pulled the pin, lol).


Thanks for the feedback, everyone!

Cheers, Shawn

[Rome]

Good decision to save the bumpers. Having an even coating on the entire bumper will look much better than the large contrast from the remaining partial chrome and the dark corroded metal that was left after the chrome flaked off.

In the early 00's I built up a '69 Beetle based on a "parts car" rolling shell that was unusually solid and unrusted. Not completely unrusted, but the rot spots were small enough that I made do with creating metal patches and riveting them on. I already had some used stock bumpers which had many spots of the chrome rusted off like yours, but not as bad. After straightening and working out the dents (mostly with blocks of wood in workbench vise jaws) I was also considering to paint them. At the time I was going to use silver hammer-finish paint. At the time the only spray can was made by Hammerite; meantime Rust-O-Leum (US brand of Tremclad) makes the paint both in spray cans and jars. Somebody here on theSamba recently painted their later Beetle a copper hammer-finish using a brush out of the jar(!); effect was surprisingly good with an even hammered effect which would otherwise take some practice using spray cans. So- I would try the jar with a brush, or a dense small foam roller. Benefit is that a silver bumper looks somewhat closer to stock, as later Mexican Beetles had matt-silver painted bumpers. Just in case you don't like the black look.

[Maddel]

Regarding the axle nuts...
An excerpt from this thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9715274#9715274

[miller0358]

My 71 super when I had it delivered.

3 yrs later when I finished it.

[GreybeardGunner]

VERY nice!!

[GreybeardGunner]

24 September, 2021:

Here are a few pictures of the PICT 34 carb after I cleaned her up. It was blacker than the hinges of Hell.

I soaked it in solvent (gasoline) for 3 days, agitating as often as I could. After that, I dried it off, scrubbed it with a coarse brush, then boiled it in Pine Sol on my vintage rebuilt (another hobby) Coleman stove for 2 more hours. Another hour with rags and an old toothbrush cleaned her right up! No more varnish in THIS baby, lol. A full teardown tomorrow, followed by the installation of a quality carb kit. Like I said from the onset...this build is going to be VERY different from the one I performed on my 1973 Dodge Dart 4-Door Custom Sedan.

Your continued advice and guidance is greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
Shawn

[walter kandetzki]

I’m possibly doing black bumpers on my marina blue 71.def want to see how those will look on yours

[waggss]

Any updates? Currently refreshing/restoring my 71 SB. Love to see others!

[Chinaclipper]

Oh she was a dirty girl wasn't she? Good to see another 1971 super restore. Keep at it.
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China Clippers Official 1971 Super Beetle Project!
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728089&highlight=

[OTTO 1303]

[bnam]

I like what u did with the bumpers.
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1971 1302LS Convertible (RHD) owned since '74
Click to view image
1965 Karmann Ghia Coupe - under restoration
1966 Fiat 1500 Cabrio (with 1600 Twin cam)
1952 Citroen TA 11BL