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FPGT72
Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2022
Posts: 207
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 Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2022 10:09 am Post subject: How I came to the VW world..... |
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I worked for General Motors Pontiac division for a time, then did some time in a dealer....cars have always been in my blood. At the start of this it was big American Iron, my last car being a 70 Torino with a 428 CJ. I had the first of my back surgeries and found that I just could not do the weights of the american iron. So I started on LBC (little british cars) my uncle had raced them for years and I just fell into it. Around this time I started racing in the SCCA. I started with a MR1 first gen in Improved touring, then decided I had way too much money and built an Opel GT out of a rust bucket the wife brought home. Ran a few races in it in F Production and a couple more back surgeries put a quick end to that.
Sold off my bike and was really in the dumps for a while. Looking for that open feeling but with four wheels I thought how about a rail buggy. I had a fiberglass dune buggy years ago, so knew a little about the VW world. A rail buggy that is street legal would be fun I think.
Getting this done in MO is a HUGE pain and I really needed a title to make this process more easy. So I went looking for a fairly good car with a title. Came across a "its all there" 63 bug for a good price, on this forum and bought it. Somewhere along the lines I decided the little bug was just too "nice" to let rot, so I started on it about 7 years ago.
Yet another back surgery and I am finally turning wrenches. I had everything torn down and in boxes all those years ago, and one new floor side welded in. I drug the chassis out from my barn and put it in the shop after a good power washing and welded in the drivers side floor pan last weekend.
Now I am getting nervous, I don't remember at all what when where and I only have my rail and online sources as reference.
I have an 850 Fiat Spider on my lift currently and I just got the brakes done on it last weekend, so soon the VW will be the primary focus.
I am going to be asking lots of questions, likely easy questions during this rebuild. For starters is there a good source to putting this thing back together, I have the front wheels on (never removed) and two floor pans welded in and that is it. The body is on horses on the side of my shop. I have the green heater channels, but want to finish the chassis first.
Thanks. |
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finster
Samba Member
Joined: May 26, 2012
Posts: 7935
Location: north o' the border
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| Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2022 2:09 am Post subject: Re: How I came to the VW world..... |
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I would advise posting some photos of where you're at with this project in the 'Beetle - 1958-1967' part of the forum as that will get some people on-side. also, have a look through other '63 projects in this section - https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=509497
meantime try to pick up a Bentley manual for your car as they're the best.
good luck and welcome to the samba
_________________
"we're here on Earth to fart around" kurt vonnegut
nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect... |
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FPGT72
Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2022
Posts: 207
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| Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2022 3:51 am Post subject: Re: How I came to the VW world..... |
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| finster wrote: |
I would advise posting some photos of where you're at with this project in the 'Beetle - 1958-1967' part of the forum as that will get some people on-side. also, have a look through other '63 projects in this section - https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=509497
meantime try to pick up a Bentley manual for your car as they're the best.
good luck and welcome to the samba |
I have been reading this place every day. I plan on getting some photos up. Hopefully document it to the finish of the project, and not get side lined by health issues.
thanks. |
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cbeck
Samba Member
Joined: January 14, 2014
Posts: 2495
Location: high ridge, mo
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FPGT72
Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2022
Posts: 207
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| Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2022 6:59 am Post subject: Re: How I came to the VW world..... |
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I ended up having to make a trip to Jeff city twice. In KS it is so much more easy.
Did you get the HP plate on your car, and did you get to choose where you wanted it? |
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cbeck
Samba Member
Joined: January 14, 2014
Posts: 2495
Location: high ridge, mo
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| Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2022 4:52 am Post subject: Re: How I came to the VW world..... |
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Jeff city once. Rolla twice. Officer in Rolla made a few suggestions on where to put the vin tag. Settled on the dash bar in a “normal vehicle location”.
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My cut in half and rebuild thread
www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=647779 |
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dustymojave
Samba Member
Joined: January 07, 2007
Posts: 5802
Location: Lake LA, Mojave Desert, SoCal
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| Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2022 4:07 pm Post subject: Re: How I came to the VW world..... |
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OK.
To state the standard "RULES" of this forum...
Ya gotta post photos. We can help you better if we can see what you have. I used to use a photo saving/sharing site called PhotoBucket. But after years of offering their basic service free, they got bought up by someone else who instantly wanted $400+ per year for what had been free. And deleted ALL links to the images that had been shared under the free program. Messed up this forum and lots of others where users had been using their service.
(nah...they're not really rules...but good ideas)
So now I use the Gallery on this forum to share pictures. It works real well and will only go down if this site is sold to some jerks who want to turn it into a money tree.
Another good idea is to put your location (not your street address, just the general area where you live. That helps others know if they are nearby and can help you or if they can refer you to a shop, like a fabricator or VW engine shop near you.
On a different subject altogether...I see you're an Ex-SCCA road rasher. I grew up in SoCal involved in SCCA racing. My parents met at a race at Palm Springs in 1953. As a little kid I was a courier passing time slips from my folks who did Timing to the Scoring people. Then at the age of 7, my folks and I started working Tech Inspection. In '65 one of the Tech Inspectors and good friend, Ernie Waring, brought his Burro Buggy to Willow Springs Raceway and at lunch time took me for a ride up the hill and around the desert. Hooked me hard on offroading. He later became Chief of Tech for NORRA for the Baja races and also for SCIDA who ran short course buggy and Baja Bug races at Ascot Speedway. In '73 I started doing Tech for offroad races with Ernie and my dad, who wrote the technical and safety rules for SCORE. I worked Tech until I retired. Over 50 years.
I presume in your user ID FP refers to the class you raced in, F/Production. And GT72 refers to your Opel GT which was probably a 1972.
Welcome to our addiction over here.
Another tip is that you might want to link to this thread in your thread in HBBOffroad.
_________________
Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet. |
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mark tucker
Samba Member
Joined: April 08, 2009
Posts: 23937
Location: SHALIMAR ,FLORIDA
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| Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2022 1:34 pm Post subject: Re: How I came to the VW world..... |
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| my feet got me into vw's. (along with bad back after a life time of american iron & running a machine shop,building racecars & much more) my ass kept me there. then modern ac helped me out of them....well almost out,but no vw vehicles now. |
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oprn
Samba Member
Joined: November 13, 2016
Posts: 12701
Location: Western Canada
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| Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2022 7:08 am Post subject: Re: How I came to the VW world..... |
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| mark tucker wrote: |
| but no vw vehicles now. |
You poor deprived soul! No more oil puddles on the driveway, scraping the frost off the INSIDE of the windshield as you drive (oh ya - you're in Florida, excuse me!), wearing ear plugs on the highway, burnt and skinned knuckles setting valve clearance, unexpected lane changes from cross winds and a host of other "only in an air cooled VW" things we all so dearly love!
_________________
We had the stone age, the bronze age, the industrial age and now we are in the age of mass deception and mind control for corporate profit. (The mass media age) |
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finster
Samba Member
Joined: May 26, 2012
Posts: 7935
Location: north o' the border
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| Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2022 9:23 am Post subject: Re: How I came to the VW world..... |
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looks like his spelling has improved now that he's not inhaling exhaust fumes with the heater on 
_________________
"we're here on Earth to fart around" kurt vonnegut
nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect... |
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FPGT72
Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2022
Posts: 207
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| Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2022 8:32 am Post subject: Re: How I came to the VW world..... |
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| dustymojave wrote: |
OK.
To state the standard "RULES" of this forum...
Ya gotta post photos. We can help you better if we can see what you have. I used to use a photo saving/sharing site called PhotoBucket. But after years of offering their basic service free, they got bought up by someone else who instantly wanted $400+ per year for what had been free. And deleted ALL links to the images that had been shared under the free program. Messed up this forum and lots of others where users had been using their service.
(nah...they're not really rules...but good ideas)
So now I use the Gallery on this forum to share pictures. It works real well and will only go down if this site is sold to some jerks who want to turn it into a money tree.
Another good idea is to put your location (not your street address, just the general area where you live. That helps others know if they are nearby and can help you or if they can refer you to a shop, like a fabricator or VW engine shop near you.
On a different subject altogether...I see you're an Ex-SCCA road rasher. I grew up in SoCal involved in SCCA racing. My parents met at a race at Palm Springs in 1953. As a little kid I was a courier passing time slips from my folks who did Timing to the Scoring people. Then at the age of 7, my folks and I started working Tech Inspection. In '65 one of the Tech Inspectors and good friend, Ernie Waring, brought his Burro Buggy to Willow Springs Raceway and at lunch time took me for a ride up the hill and around the desert. Hooked me hard on offroading. He later became Chief of Tech for NORRA for the Baja races and also for SCIDA who ran short course buggy and Baja Bug races at Ascot Speedway. In '73 I started doing Tech for offroad races with Ernie and my dad, who wrote the technical and safety rules for SCORE. I worked Tech until I retired. Over 50 years.
I presume in your user ID FP refers to the class you raced in, F/Production. And GT72 refers to your Opel GT which was probably a 1972.
Welcome to our addiction over here.
Another tip is that you might want to link to this thread in your thread in HBBOffroad. |
Yup ran Fprod with the opel, was huge fun.
I plan on doing a thread on my car here shortly, I just unearthed the engine and trans as well as several boxes of parts. Thinking I hope I have _____ oh yea there it is I don't remember taking that off.
Tonight if I am feeling good enough plan on power washing the trans and engine, just horrid. After that gets done and a few pictures are snapped I will start the thread.
Thanks. |
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Bonesberg55
Samba Member
Joined: January 18, 2012
Posts: 1270
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| Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2022 8:56 am Post subject: Re: How I came to the VW world..... |
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| finster wrote: |
| looks like his spelling has improved now that he's not inhaling exhaust fumes with the heater on |
That was only thru the '62 model year. |
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