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Q-Dog Samba Member

Joined: April 05, 2010 Posts: 8800 Location: Sunset, Louisiana
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Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 12:36 pm Post subject: A 1970 Beetle followed me home. The build continues. |
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Went to look at the wheels and took the entire car home. At first I thought it was going to be parts, but the car is pretty solid ... and it has a title. Engine is in a box, and there are a couple of trash cans worth of parts that came with it. It looks like most of the car is there. Paint is a poor respray in the original color. All 4 fenders have damage from tires rubbing the wheel arches. Some rust in both front wheelhouses, but heater channels appear solid. Floor pans and rear package tray were cut out with a torch. So far I see nothing that can't be fixed. Sooooooooo, what to do with it?
US Indy 4 1/2" X 15"
Hood had some ripples in it, so it was filled with bondo that is failing.
Doors close well
Heater channels are solid
Package tray removed, but solid under the rear window.
Floor pans removed with a torch. Napolean's hat is solid.
Original Radio
Right now, I'm thinking of a quick and dirty reassembly. First I need to inventory what is there before I make a decision. _________________ Brian
'69 Dune Buggy
'69 Beetle Convertible
'70 Beetle
Last edited by Q-Dog on Fri Jul 19, 2013 10:16 am; edited 4 times in total |
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Kabasue Samba Member

Joined: March 19, 2011 Posts: 359 Location: Nevada
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Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 12:57 pm Post subject: |
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It’s VW breeding season, so it’s not uncommon for a lonely bug or bus to follow enthusiasts home. Sadly I am no longer allowed to adopt as I have reached my limit of non-functional vehicles in the front yard. Looks like you found a good loving bug, that needs some work. _________________ Remember to get your VW spayed or neutered
71 SB convertible (Finally Finished!)
73 Transporter (next project)
73 Westy with a 411 engine (Finally Finished) |
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nemofulcrum Samba Member

Joined: July 10, 2012 Posts: 126 Location: Nebraska
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Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 1:10 pm Post subject: |
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Dang... was this a failed project or someone decided to part out the car?
In some places it looks better that my 1970 yellow beetle. |
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Q-Dog Samba Member

Joined: April 05, 2010 Posts: 8800 Location: Sunset, Louisiana
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Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 4:56 pm Post subject: |
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The fellow I got it from says he never touched it. He drug it home in pieces, put it in a shed and ignored it for a couple of years. Then work and family got in the way. So, yes I guess it was an abandoned project ... twice.
I guess this is gonna be a build thread. The thought is to see if I can get it back on the road in a month. I don't have time to take pictures while I work, but I'll try to take a few when I have major progress to report.
Today was a get to know it day. I washed the cobwebs and dirt out of it and started to inventory the pieces. Looks like most of the bits are accounted for. I found a pretty good sized dent in the roof on the passenger side. Maybe someone sat on it? I popped the dent out and spent about an hour with a rubber mallet and a pad and my hand working the edges of it. It still has a minor ripple in it, but you have to look for it. Good for now.
I have no history on the engine. (I'll look up the numbers later.) It's a dual port with a dual heat riser intake and has no noticeable endplay. It turns just fine by hand. I may take a chance and try to start it. I have to think on this some more.
Before I can really get busy on this car, I need to move a couple of other things around to make room for it. _________________ Brian
'69 Dune Buggy
'69 Beetle Convertible
'70 Beetle |
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kentuckyruss Samba Member

Joined: June 02, 2012 Posts: 32 Location: Central Kentucky
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Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 8:58 pm Post subject: |
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Sweet! Anytime something like that follows me home I have plenty of room for it to stay.  |
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Strawberry Jam Samba Member

Joined: February 10, 2013 Posts: 36 Location: United States
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Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 9:13 pm Post subject: |
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Looks like a great start to a project! I say put it together and clean her up a bit and call it good, nice find man, and good luck! |
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swhitcomb Samba Member

Joined: November 05, 2003 Posts: 5713 Location: Inwood WV
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Posted: Sat Feb 16, 2013 3:55 am Post subject: |
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Funny, same exact thing had happened to me before. My 71 Super was just a car I went and looked at on a whim because the ad said new engine, $500. I figured it'd be a rusty pile of junk. It didn't have a new engine, but it was solid enough, and I liked it enough that it followed me home, and for only $300.
Note to self: Stay off Craigslist. 
Last edited by swhitcomb on Sun Feb 17, 2013 9:12 am; edited 1 time in total |
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hudsonce Samba Member

Joined: January 29, 2010 Posts: 506 Location: Hagerstown, MD
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Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2013 7:31 am Post subject: |
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So the heater channels are fine, but the floor pans were so bad that someone cut them out? Somebody explain this to me. _________________ Use "to" for "give the wrench to me."
Use "too" for "I have too many VW projects"
Use "two" for "two people will not fit in the back seat of a Ghia."
For the sake of Peter, PREVIEW your post before you submit it. |
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Q-Dog Samba Member

Joined: April 05, 2010 Posts: 8800 Location: Sunset, Louisiana
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Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2013 10:46 pm Post subject: |
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Pushed the car under my shed and lifted the body off. The pan will get moved in a couple of days but the body is gonna live here while I work on the pan.
Rear wheelhouse looks good.
Getting a little crowded in here.
This is supposed to be a quick and dirty build. I wasn't gonna do any body work yet, but I couldn't help myself. There was a patch here, so I sanded it smooth, primed it and shot some rattle can green on it to test the match.
The match is close enough that I'm thinking I'll do under all 4 fenders. No one is gonna notice under the fenders if the match isn't perfect. And I may undercoat the car anyway. _________________ Brian
'69 Dune Buggy
'69 Beetle Convertible
'70 Beetle |
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Q-Dog Samba Member

Joined: April 05, 2010 Posts: 8800 Location: Sunset, Louisiana
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Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2013 7:21 pm Post subject: |
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Started getting the chassis ready for new pans. Cleaned off lots of rust, paint, tar, slag and grease.
Shiney!
The remnants of the old pans.
Framed head is solid ... except for this. Cut with a torch.
Need to order parts soon. _________________ Brian
'69 Dune Buggy
'69 Beetle Convertible
'70 Beetle |
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75smith Samba Member

Joined: July 09, 2011 Posts: 2275 Location: NH
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Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2013 7:35 pm Post subject: |
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hudsonce wrote: |
So the heater channels are fine, but the floor pans were so bad that someone cut them out? Somebody explain this to me. |
1. floor pans are lowest in the car so leaking window water will collect and rust
2. floor pan edge helps provide protections for underside of channels, until they rust through
3. floor pans are the lowest in the car so any thrown up dirt and gravel cuts through undercoating and promotes rust
Sorry for the Hijack, looks like a great start though, looks like the PO didn't know what was floor and not, had a friend cut out the heater channels cause he thought it was the floor as well... _________________ My 1975 Beetle Build Updated 8-21-12
My engine build |
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Q-Dog Samba Member

Joined: April 05, 2010 Posts: 8800 Location: Sunset, Louisiana
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Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 10:44 am Post subject: |
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I've been around the block a few times with Beetles, but if anyone sees anything weird, or has any suggestions, please post them here. I can always learn something new.
I'm still undecided on if I'm gonna repaint the entire car, or just the fenders and hood. I want to roll it like it is, but the hood and rear fenders are in tough shape.
Did a bit more cleanup, then shot some rattle can primer on the tunnel to cut down on any flash rust.
We're supposed to get rain this evening and I won't start welding for at least a week.
Also, I went for a ride in the buggy late yesterday afternoon and came home with a nice, solid package tray.
No rust, just a couple of very small holes drilled in it.
Now I need to clean and prep the tray ... and order pans and brake parts. _________________ Brian
'69 Dune Buggy
'69 Beetle Convertible
'70 Beetle |
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Q-Dog Samba Member

Joined: April 05, 2010 Posts: 8800 Location: Sunset, Louisiana
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Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2013 9:11 am Post subject: |
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A little rain delay! We've had LOTS of rain lately so the ground is saturated, then 2+ inches of rain in one day flooded the shed.
I'd rather not stand ankle deep in water while operating power tools, so not much work got done the past couple of days.
Of course, the parts list is growing and I haven't even looked at the engine yet. More progress when it warms up and dries out a bit. _________________ Brian
'69 Dune Buggy
'69 Beetle Convertible
'70 Beetle |
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Jon65 Samba Member

Joined: September 29, 2012 Posts: 2417
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Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2013 2:29 pm Post subject: |
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That looked like my yard at the beginning of this week. We got a good bit of rain here too.
Great progress so far, and nice buggy too.  |
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Q-Dog Samba Member

Joined: April 05, 2010 Posts: 8800 Location: Sunset, Louisiana
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Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2013 2:47 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the comments. The buggy needs paint, but then I might not use it as much as I do if it were too nice. _________________ Brian
'69 Dune Buggy
'69 Beetle Convertible
'70 Beetle |
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Q-Dog Samba Member

Joined: April 05, 2010 Posts: 8800 Location: Sunset, Louisiana
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Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 6:56 pm Post subject: |
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Well, I've been down with a gimpy leg but I was able to do a little more work today. Time to prep the donor package tray.
Wire wheel quickly removes paint and seam sealer. Look at those spot welds.
Use a sharp punch and a hammer in each weld.
Pry the pieces apart.
One package tray, ready for trimming.
Not as clean as drilling out the welds, but much faster.
I'll drill the welds on the car when I get there. _________________ Brian
'69 Dune Buggy
'69 Beetle Convertible
'70 Beetle |
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tabney Samba Member

Joined: December 28, 2009 Posts: 188 Location: Louisville
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Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 8:29 pm Post subject: |
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Very cool! This post will serve as a ghetto subscribe... _________________ 1971 Doublecab - Bertha
1966 Beetle - George |
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JONSMITHBUG Samba Member
Joined: March 21, 2012 Posts: 162 Location: albany,new york
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Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 5:47 am Post subject: |
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little buggers /___\
( o o ) _________________ 73 beetle w 70 eng 1600sp daily driver,72 squareback |
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Q-Dog Samba Member

Joined: April 05, 2010 Posts: 8800 Location: Sunset, Louisiana
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Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 5:23 pm Post subject: |
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Got a little more done today.
Started with this, that the PO cut out with a blowtorch.
Removed the old seam sealer to expose the spot welds, then drilled them out.
The remnants almost fell out.
Metal is really solid under here. Should weld up nicely.
Drop in the donor.
Still need to do final trimming, but I'll wait until I start welding.
I wish the donor had a little more metal on it. As it was cut, I will need to patch a couple of small holes after the large part is welded in. _________________ Brian
'69 Dune Buggy
'69 Beetle Convertible
'70 Beetle |
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19-VW-74 Samba Member

Joined: June 28, 2009 Posts: 833 Location: Utah
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