My 74 Body Off Restoration

[DesertGolfGuy]

i feel better after reading this thread... because of all the comments about the time it takes to research how something is done, then learning to do it. I am thinking about removing the body of my 74 thing (which I brought from Arizona). Under the gas tank and underneath the pans the dealer-applied undercoating is pealing. As a side note, I took off the undercoating on fenders and wheel wells and learned the dealer apparently sold someone on undercoating even though the factory applied stuff is tough.

Also I am debating on POR-15 for underside of fenders and wheel wells then painting them the same color as car (silver). Also, am debating on body color for inside area instead of bed liner. I sprayed Permatex rubberized undercoating under one of the fenders and don't like the way it looks. Takes days to dry too.

Thanks for sharing.

I found a video on youtube that shows a tonneu cover over the rear area.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detail...Veg#t=241s

[Ron Domeck]

3vwguy, you are not that far from Louisville that if you want to see what it takes we always have at least one body off resto going on.

[63ziggy]

Thanks for comps Joe. best part about this project, still learning new skills


Thanks 3VWguy, this site has been great. helped me a lot and enjoy returning the favors. no expert here. just lived through the experience and still learning

Best of luck, post those build pics

[63ziggy]

been a while since I updated the project page.

just finished cutting my beam and installing adjusters. added 2" raised spindles. had to add 3/8 spacers to clear rim/tire and steering arm of raised spindle. will be able to tweak a little more on adjusters with retaining basic stock ride quality

added front disk brakes and new master cylinder (yet to be tested). did bleed and flush older fluid out. kind of amazing what 4-5 yr old fluid looks like.

added "custom" roller pedal. combined two different ones to get the look and quality.

working on rear rt now. will have 2" raised plates. will most likely reindex slightly to add a little more. got rear torsions pulled. i can tell you 40 yr old torsions did not kick as folks have warned. i do not believe they have been adjusted prior. hope to finish this weekend. will get pics of final.

here's some pics of recent project

[GI Joe]

Just wasn't big enough, eh?

Looks like your front track was widened about over an inch too... Or is it an optical illusion?

Keeps getting better man, didn't think it was possible with Z Thing!
_________________
'74 Thing, "Our Thing"....
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...p;start=60
'71 Beetle RPU
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8080337#8080337
www.NLEOMF.com
Respect, Honor, Remember

[63ziggy]

Joe, appreciate the compliment

Been hanging on collecting pieces for the past year. finally broke down and got busy. I like the ride height. urban street cruiser.

probably some illusion and some truth.

front bumper off and distorts visual some

definitely added 3/8" to each side with wheel spacers. i may be able to go down to 1/4 spacers. not that decreasing 1/4" worth expense or visual

the raised spindles definitely add to track due to modification. sliced vertically and stacked on additional stock. not like say Tweeds that are designed from get go.

i figured i could live with some widening as if recall, the original Thing rear was wider than front track by factory specs.

worse case, maybe add spacers in rear.

once back end is completed, i can roll it out and get full visual and full pic.

projects are never ending...............self realization

[GodJockey]

Ziggy, your Thing is one of my favorites. I chose to go lower not higher with mine, but when I see you're I second guess myself

[63ziggy]

Thanks GodJockey

sometimes we are a glutton for punishment. been in the garage all day messing with reindexing. not having any fun.

after full day, looks like I need to go back into it again, too tightly sprung. also found out my shocks are 1.5" too short.

fun times.

Thanks for comps

back to the shop

[63ziggy]

got my 2' rear raised plates installed over weekend. I can say major pain learning indexing and how to take apart rear. never tackled before. learned a bunch. had to go into to it 3-4 times.

i had tried to preload some with the 2" plates. it was maxing cv angle and shock reach. abandoned and went back to original plan for 2" front and 2" rear. the plates retain stock ride without being on stops. that is a nice feature.

about project out after past 3 weekends in garage. couple loose ends to button up. also off to alignment shop

ps. outer bushing was not installed in cap when pic was taken in case anyone notices. nice new inner and outer spring plate bushings now.

couple pics.

[GI Joe]

[63ziggy]

Thanks Joe. appreciate

adds a little more room for those 235's now. once get new alignment, my days of modifying suspension on this one are done. promise. couple other tweaks to her I would like to do. more to come

I need to put some time now "breaking/bedding in" the new disk brakes. short drive yesterday, definitely like the difference. did not stomp them but did experience nose dive when hitting some what firmly. never had that with drums and large tires. I like the feel as well on new roller pedal assembly. that dual leg pedal is great. no flopping side to side. just straight precision pedal.

[63ziggy]

I finally got around to adding a front skid plate that I had wanted to do. I had originally welded captive nuts i the support tubes that connect to the beam.

I had local shop my brother had used in fabrication for his business. it is made of aluminum. really more show than go but i like it.

I thought the price was fair at $60 for material and shop labor for shaping. I got it installed this pm. It rolls with tubing under car and stops rt at pan. little polish for bling in order for future.

here is a before and after. (by the way, that is a 74 Beetle of my brothers in the pic. all scrach built body mods on original beetle. its fun to drive. stingers are plumbed from rear. sounds great.

[63ziggy]

so thought I would drag up my old build thread. It's been dormant for some time.

Over a year ago, we drug home a 56 Oval project. formerly of my brother in laws for 7-8 years. we could not pass on the cost. a brand new Bernie bergmann monster engine and mated tranny.

we have been repairing sheetmetal and buying missing fenders etc. Here's a couple pics. However, as all good projects, we lost interest. she is going to a new home as we speak.

[63ziggy]

Ok, wild hair project. will share more as get further down the road. sneak peek, I gathered some door hinges and latches from Mike Basso. They will be part of my next addition. maybe be a few weeks before get on it though. working on my brothers 47 Willys pu restoration these days as well.

cleaned off the excess metal around the hinges.

[GI Joe]

You tease.... More hints please!
_________________
'74 Thing, "Our Thing"....
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...p;start=60
'71 Beetle RPU
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8080337#8080337
www.NLEOMF.com
Respect, Honor, Remember

[63ziggy]

Well, I thought I would update my original build post. Still checking in somewhat regularly. No VW projects under way of my own. I have been busy helping my son with a 1975 Porsche 914 total restoration.

Back to my Thing. It's hard to believe it's been over 8 years since our Thing has been "completed", well road worthy, licensed, inspected and insured.

No big changes. Just trying enjoy her when we can. Random drives here and there. Sometimes se TX is just no fun cruising in the heat and humidity.

Hitting the shows has been tough with all life's events as well as kids growing up. We did participate in the local Nifty Fifty cruise night a couple times this summer herein the neighborhood. The other weekend there was a photographer shooting cars. He asked for permission to take a couple shots. Of course, yes to anyone who appreciates a VW. He sent the pics. Second Yes, he was getting word out on his business which I can appreciate.

I liked the way the photos came out even at night. Thought I would share.

[Bashr52]

[63ziggy]

yep, I was Bashr52.

got busy chasing other things as mentioned. Then thought would the addition of tube doors be toooo much Jeep like so i put on hold. That may really confuse the non-VW thing crowd. LOL

my son's project will wind down here mid-September (oldest is moving out of state and taking his toys with him). after the dust settles, maybe I will take another look at the project. One thing for sure, there is a nice breeze driving with the doors off.

[Bashr52]

[63ziggy]

thought I would share a few pictures of one of the big projects that has been consuming past couple years (on top of my son's 914, there was an experimental aircraft build Zenith 750 with my oldest brother, another story another day).

my son started with a 1975 Porsche 914. we gutted it to a shell, built a rotisserie, replaced majority of floor pans, front and rear trunks, filled blinker fender holes, radio hole as well as some misc. blasted the complete car to bare metal(in the driveway in a tent), master series the complete car, car has been sealed in epoxy primer. sprayed color matched Raptor liner on complete bottom side. car has been sprayed in high build and sealers etc. final paint(single stage) is in steps, interior and trunks as well as engine bay, doors and hoods, next is main body hopefully this weekend. all hardware and brackets were stripped and re-plated. found a great shop in Dallas does by the pound. they came out beautiful. I wish I did my Thing parts.

all suspension components were stripped/blasted then powder coated. my son has been doing all the painting thus. some cussing and screaming and some redos. he is learning as he goes as so am I. Our Thing we had a friend of a friend spray it. This week into last night was a major milestone in the process. We got all suspension components reinstalled. The project is out of its cage and back on all 4 wheels after almost 2 years.

here's a handful of pics of the hundreds taken along the way.