1972 Highwheeler Bug Build

[jasonvw]

Its been a while since I have loaded up a build thread here on Samba but its also been a very busy few years since my last build. You may have seen that last build thread on my 63 Ruby Red Patina Bug, but if not, you can see it here:

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=659386&highlight=

Since that build I have started an Aircooled parts company and piled up some project cars that are all in the mix right now. This one is going to be a quick one that I'm mostly doing at home on my free time and figured you guys may like to see this build go down.

So here is how I got here. Over the last 2 years I have been searching for exactly the right 69-72 bug. My criteria was pretty simple, OG paint, no rust, no repairs, and as untouched as possible. I mostly collect/play with earlier cars and figured it would be easy to find a late model that fits those requirements but boy was I wrong! It took 2 years and at least a dozen potential cars that turned out to be junk to finally find the right car for this build. I never would have guessed it would be this hard to find this car but it sure was. Im glad I held out though as the car I ended up with was exactly what I was after and I didn't have to compromise any of my wants.

I was on Instagram one morning looking at posts and happened across a photo of a bus and in the background I could see the font end of what looked like a late bug. I went to the profile and found a full photo of the car and immediately sent a DM to the owner asking about the bug and if it was OG paint, and was it for sale? The answer was yes and yes! This is the first image of the car I saw. It looks like a well used but unmolested late model, exactly. what I was after.

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[jasonvw]

So now that I had potentially found the right car I asked for some additional photos. Since the car wasn't actually listed "for sale" I really had nothing to go off of aside from the car being rust free and OG paint, the most important things in my search. I received a few additional photos that showed that the body was excellent, the pan was not bad, and the interior was atrocious but in tact. Here are the photos I received.

The fact that the car was pretty complete, and it came with a motor was just a nice bonus. I could tell from the photos and from talking to the seller that the pan was pretty crusty but I was fine with that since the car was going to come all the way apart anyway.

With all the photos, and discussion with the seller I knew I had finally found the right car for this project. I pulled the trigger, paid the seller and I was now the new owner of this 2 owner, sad but solid 72 bug. Now honestly, yellow is not my favorite color by far but when it comes to OG paint, you take what you can get and I'm fine with yellow on this car. I know that it will have the most epic patina fade once I buff this thing out.
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[jasonvw]

So with the seller paid and the car ready to go I got a buddy of mine to go grab it from its home in Arizona and bring it to my place in San Diego. The car had spent its whole life out in the sun and heat of AZ so clearly this was what kept the body in such great shape. The sun definitely bleached out the paint but left a killer fade which is just begging to be buffed. Up until this point I have never actually seen the car in real life. 3 days after I bought it, my buddy calls me and says to walk out into the street because he is backing it down the alleyway. I went out with my camera and snapped these first look photos:

First impressions were good. It was exactly what I was expecting. A very solid and well used bug. Paint was really chalky but there is a ton of color left on this car and it will shine up for sure. The body is ridiculously nice. There was one dent in the hood which I pushed out with my palm in 30 seconds and that was it. The rest of the car is crazy straight. The inside, that's another story. Im not a late model guy, but for a late model, this car is pretty killer.
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[jasonvw]

Just to convince myself I hadn't made a horrible mistake, (the car was cheap, but still, you never know what you're in for) as soon as it was off the trailer I hit it with some compound on a rag by hand just to see what the paint might do. Just like I thought, it buffed up to an instant shine. If it can do this in a few seconds by hand, I know the rest of the car will really come back in a big way.

So that's the back story. Im now a late model bug owner. Some of my friends think I'm crazy, they may never talk to me again, but I have a plan and a specific build direction for this car. Most of my previous cars have been very low, narrowed suspension early cars but this one is going to be different. You can follow the build here and on my website (link in my signature) for more in depth updates as well as our Youtube Chanel for videos of the build. The easy part is over, the fun/hard part starts next...

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[Rome]

"Highwheeler"- as a possibility for your '72, consider what my friend Stock Steve did for his '70- installed repro 16" Porsche 356-style 5-bolt rims with adapters, then fitted rugged knobby-style tires. This mix of old 5-bolt wheels per your previous cars could be a good tie-in with your big-bumper Beetle.

[fredybear]

Like Totally Awesome DooooooD

With the key in the ignition, it shoulda started right up

I cant stop either.......

I have been Infected............With..........

The Beetle Virus

There is only one cure......

SELL EM

[VW_Jimbo]

I will be following along!

I love Bugs that are pulled out of the desert in stock, heat beat shape!

Me and you are having the same experience, except I am a few years ahead of you!

Good luck! Have fun!! And enjoy the adventure!!!
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Jimbo

There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!

[jasonvw]

Thanks guys. There is already a build plan in place for this car and it promises to be pretty unique. It will definitely have some tall knobby tires and a lift. Stay tuned, more updates are coming.
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[calvinater]

When we hit 88 mph we’re gonna see some serious shit!
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[jasonvw]

always true
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[jasonvw]

Putting together another update but I forgot to mention you can also see the build in more detail on my website in the project cars section as well. Link is in my signature.
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[jasonvw]

Quite a bit going on so my time has been limited but here is a bit of an update. First, the 72 off the trailer, standing on all its tires, before the first hose down in maybe years.

And then after its bath. You can really see the color left on this car and how it will come alive.

Next up will be the clean out and tear down.
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[jasonvw]

Its been very busy over the last few weeks but the project car build hasn't stopped. After a quick bath I decided to really see what sort of shine I could get out of that OG paint. First step was to get the major grime off the car by giving it a bath. This gives you an idea of the flatness of the paint.

You can see that killer fade from factory yellow to the primer under it. I will polish this section on the side of the hood first. Here you can see from the reflection test that there is, well, no reflection

After one pass with a light compound you can see the oxidation is gone and there is a very noticeable shine coming back. Compare to the above photos and you can really see it come to life.

The left side has been buffed now and you can really see how much color is left on the hood.

Towards the bottom the shine is very apparent. The hood was one of the more sun damaged spots on the car having faced the hot Arizona sun for much of its life. Results like these give me hope that the finished product will really be pretty amazing.

The final buff on the car will be done with more prep work and a better compound followed up with a polish and a finishing glaze to lock it all in, but that is a ways down the road.
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[Buggeee]

I watched the Ruby build and have serious respect for your work. I am subscribed to this one and look forward to the motivation. I think yellow is a great color for this era bug.
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1966 Sportsmobile Camper https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0
72 Super Duper http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=672387
(adopted out) 61 Turkis Pile https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728764

[Buggeee]

If you are up to the tutorial, do you use an acid (like phosphoric or CLR) to etch the patina? What kind of polishing compound are you having success with? I have only tried 3M Finesse-It and I like it, both with a foam pad on a buffer, and by hand with a micro fiber towel for the tight spots. I first used it to final buff the clear on a new paint job, but used it last weekend to do a Rabbit like your doing this Bug, and it worked well to bring back the color and shine. Then I used Mothers Brazilian Carnauba wax to seal it due to the patina specks.
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1966 Sportsmobile Camper https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0
72 Super Duper http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=672387
(adopted out) 61 Turkis Pile https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728764

[jasonvw]

Right on, Thanks for checking the Ruby build out and getting on board with this one. This car will be along the lines of the Ruby build but a totally different direction. As for the buffing, on a car with paint as deteriorated as this one I plan to go after it more aggressively. a power wash to remove the debris and then a few passes with the clay bar to get the big garbage off. After that I will be compounded in varying degrees of cut until its smooth. I use the 3M products for a car like this. The polish will be after that. Stay tuned, I will show the entire process once I get to that stage. You will also be able to see videos on my website in the project cars section as well.
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[jasonvw]

A few of the key items that will give this car its look and feel are here. Im running these Interceptor wheels from Mobelwagen which have a cool vintage look and are finished in this matte black color. We are sticking with 4 lug on this car but we have them in 5x205 pattern as well. When you see what's going on around them you will understand the theme of this car. Also going on it will be this A1 Class 11 exhaust system but its not going on the sad motor that's in this car. We have something pretty special in the works but for now at least we have some cool parts to stare at.

The full tear down is coming up next!
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[vamram]

I'm on board for the ride!

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'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.
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Save the Supers!!

[jasonvw]

Right on
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[jasonvw]

Tires came in so I had to set them beside the car to get some perspective on where this is all going. You can see the car will need to come up quite a bit to stuff these things in there properly.

After getting the tires mounted on the wheels and jacking the front end up you can really see where this is going. I love the look of the Mobelwagon Interceptor wheels with these super aggressive tires and although we have a long road to go down before the car will roll on these, its worth the wait.

Next up is the big stuff, pulling the body off, pan halves, powdercoat, etc... You didn't think this was just a suspension and fluff and buff did you? No chance of that. This car is going all the way!
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