‘66 Project build on a budget

[DesignBuild]

hope you get everything solved and it is a shame you have to sell your house, though prices have gone up significantly. I hope your employment doesn't go to shit too.

Regards,
Paul Villforth

[sportin-wood]

I was going for the record on longest stalled project.... So right now we're getting ready to make some life changes with my wife's elderly parents, which will involve selling our house, so lots of things will be put aside including any work on my project, and improvements of where I work on the car. Hoping we find a house that has a nice enclosed shop to move forward with my project and others. Thanks for your input!
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Dave

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1966 Bug project
1973 Thing project
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"Relax, all right? My old man is a television repairman. He's got this ultimate set of tools. I can fix it." --- Jeff Spicoli

[DesignBuild]

If you haven't posted anything then I guess you are still on hold. If painting is the problem use a HVLP sprayer. This is the kind that doesn't use high pressure and operates on 120 volt. I got mine on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0091R7TES/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I also use it for indoor painting. It comes in higher ratings too. I have a friend that painted his '89 Golf Cabriolet and I have seen and painted a bunch of cars, he did a triple A job for a first timer. Now he is slowly working on doing an '86 Cabriolet. Both are of the Rabbit body design. I am used to using a high pressure sprayer but after seeing his car I was convinced to buy what you see in the link. He also purchased an inflatable spray booth.

Hope you are doing okay especially with all of the crap we were put through in 2020 thru 2023. I am on the west side of Houston south of IH-10. I have a '72 Super Beetle that was in storage in Bavaria for 39 years. When I saw that yours was shipped to the Netherlands but built to US specs, it might have been bought by an American serviceman stationed in the Netherlands. If you still have the original owner's information see if her father bought the car originally and if he was stationed in Europe.

When you were considering a concrete slab I was thinking you could have built a wood patio without spaces between the planks and 6 mil plastic underneath. Then you could have turned it into a garage by pouring footings around all four sides using sackcrete (concrete in a bag) with an additional bag of cement added to the entire mixture. When doing concrete you want to use as little water as possible otherwise there is a lot of shrinkage and that forms cracks. There are other ways of doing concrete without all of the mess. In Texas there is stuff called cement stabilized base and that could be substituted for a concrete slab if used at least 6 inches in thickness, though thicker is better. It is shoveled in place and then rolled in 4 inch lifts and spraying with water. Then it is covered wit plastic or burlap material to hold in the moisture. In a few days it is as hard as concrete. TxDOT has a spec for it.

[actualsurfer]

Lucked out...'66 is the best year.

[sportin-wood]

Man, I am at a stand still! I’m actually at a point where I need to get body work & paint done. Then the reassembly starts. Funds have just not been available, but I’m hoping to get it painted soon. Kinda wish I had the option of getting body work & paint done when the body was off the chassis, but it wasn’t an option...
_________________
Dave

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1966 Bug project
1973 Thing project
.
"Relax, all right? My old man is a television repairman. He's got this ultimate set of tools. I can fix it." --- Jeff Spicoli

[Bala]

Just went through you're entire thread. We have a very similar approach to our projects.

Any updates?
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1976 Westy

1966 Beetle

[sportin-wood]

Enlisted the help of a couple of guys from work to lift the body off the body dolly, and onto the chassis.

It's nice to see it as 1 piece again - it's been a long time.
_________________
Dave

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1966 Bug project
1973 Thing project
.
"Relax, all right? My old man is a television repairman. He's got this ultimate set of tools. I can fix it." --- Jeff Spicoli

[sportin-wood]

Took advantage of nice North Central Texas weather and had a buddy weld up my rear bumper mounts.

I also had a fender nut welded in place on the driver's side front fender area as well as a flange nut for the driver's side headlight bucket, but I made the mistake of trying to run a screw through the nut, not realizing there was some slag splatter on the threads that eventually caused the screw to bind and subsequently snap off. F@CK!! Next step is to try drilling out the screw without srewing it up completely....
_________________
Dave

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1966 Bug project
1973 Thing project
.
"Relax, all right? My old man is a television repairman. He's got this ultimate set of tools. I can fix it." --- Jeff Spicoli

[sportin-wood]

[EA812]

I hate to point this out but all that rust and paint had an effect on them wields.
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Project 66 Daily Driver http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=538786&highlight=
Herbie build
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=336044

[sportin-wood]

6 months later and a little progress update. Had the passenger side front bumper mount, 3 fender weld nuts and front apron welded in place. It's not pretty looking, but the slag is being ground smooth with a flap disk, then coated with some rattle can primer,

_________________
Dave

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1966 Bug project
1973 Thing project
.
"Relax, all right? My old man is a television repairman. He's got this ultimate set of tools. I can fix it." --- Jeff Spicoli

[grandpa pete]

Try running a wire brush over the rust below the rear window . If you get holes through the metal you can replace it ......If you don't get any holes you can ospho it and surface fill and paint it .
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63 two fold rag
66 sedan delivery Type 6

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=569619&highlight=sedan+delivery

[lovethatconvertible]

Try to find some 18 gauge flat steel, (Ace hardware) or true value. Since most of the steel around your window bottom seems to look good your only dealing with flat stock with a L bend for the window.Make a paper template of the offending area's and go from there. I believe you have a welder? just make 4' sections and weld it all together. Or longer if you can. You can do. think it through and get it done.
You need to get this Beetle back together and start driving it. Your so close, Baby steps Man. I'm trying to give you some motivation here.
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1960 Convertible

[sportin-wood]

[sportin-wood]

[lovethatconvertible]

Good to see your getting closer Dave. You should just section in some new formed metal on the back window. make a paper template and get er' done.
Keep us in the loop.
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1960 Convertible

[EA812]

[sportin-wood]

Next came the firewall tar board. That wasn't too hard. I punched a 5/8" hole in the tar board for the wiring to poke through..

Then everything else pretty much went in with ease (and some minor trimming)...

After I get some welding done and install a new pan to body seal, I'll be putting the body back on the car.
_________________
Dave

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1966 Bug project
1973 Thing project
.
"Relax, all right? My old man is a television repairman. He's got this ultimate set of tools. I can fix it." --- Jeff Spicoli

[sportin-wood]

I ordered the firewall tar board kit from WW as well as the front & rear engine to body seals that needed to be replaced. I figured while the body was still off, it was the best time to do it.

I first installed the engine seals. Whoever said it was easy to do is a lying SOB! What a PITA! Took me about 1 1/2 hours. The silicone spray I had read would make installation easier didn't really help. I had to push the bottom half in, then push the top part in about 1/8" at a time with a screwdriver.

_________________
Dave

.
1966 Bug project
1973 Thing project
.
"Relax, all right? My old man is a television repairman. He's got this ultimate set of tools. I can fix it." --- Jeff Spicoli

[sportin-wood]

I removed all of the glass & old window rubber, as well as the door window mechanisms.

Discovered some rust at the bottom of the rear window. Not sure what the best way is to fix that. Any thoughts??

_________________
Dave

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1966 Bug project
1973 Thing project
.
"Relax, all right? My old man is a television repairman. He's got this ultimate set of tools. I can fix it." --- Jeff Spicoli