My 63 body on a 59 pan Herbie project car

[Busstom]

Nice thing about the rear apron is, it's an island that's easily taped off and isolated for a respray.
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My name's Steve and it's pronounced "Bust 'em" (cuz people think I'm Tom)

[slave1pilot]

I had some time today to sand out the orange peel
I started at 600 and went all the way up to 3000 grit wet sand

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My Photobucket for my Herbie Project - http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/TK-439/library/Herbie?sort=3&page=1

Currently:
1963 Ragtop Beetle
Previously:
1967 Beetle
1968 Beetle
1970 Beetle

[Busstom]

Impressive.
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My name's Steve and it's pronounced "Bust 'em" (cuz people think I'm Tom)

[slave1pilot]

Resprayed the scraped part today At home
I didnt wanna load it up and take it to tue booth again
_________________
My Photobucket for my Herbie Project - http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/TK-439/library/Herbie?sort=3&page=1

Currently:
1963 Ragtop Beetle
Previously:
1967 Beetle
1968 Beetle
1970 Beetle

[slave1pilot]

I welded in the hood release tube and painted it
I forgot to do it before I painted the body.

I took my engine tins that had been previously stripped down

And primed them with self etching primer

I must say, I thought the green was very cool looking , but wouldn’t fit my color palette. lol
So I painted them with semi-gloss engine enamel

After drying for 24 hours, I started fitting the engine tin

It’s just temporary and has to come back off because I don’t have a Hoover bit (it’s on order) and I have to clean up the threads on my crank for the billet pulley bolt .
I also installed the heat exchanger delete side playes after that picture was taken
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My Photobucket for my Herbie Project - http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/TK-439/library/Herbie?sort=3&page=1

Currently:
1963 Ragtop Beetle
Previously:
1967 Beetle
1968 Beetle
1970 Beetle

[slave1pilot]

More progress
This is a Herbie thing,so you purists can skip this first part lol
The screen-used Herbie cars were all painted a flat gray inside to cut down on glare from the lights
Like this

After searching for rattle can paint for the interior forever, I settled on this one

It’s Rust-oleum Coastal Grey

These are some of the colors I tried
I also Tried SEM Khaki and Light gray
Some were too brown or too light or too dark

I was trying to get a close match for the vinyl material on my seats , door cards, and headliner
None were good, and the one that was close (khaki) was just too tan

I also started replacing the wiring harness with one from Wolfsburg West

This is the main harness and the dome light harness installed
There are many more wires that are in the kit and will be added as we go

I couldn’t recommend this kit any more highly
Full color instruction book,grommets, and connectors
All the wires are original color,length, and grade with the correct connections on them already[/img]
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My Photobucket for my Herbie Project - http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/TK-439/library/Herbie?sort=3&page=1

Currently:
1963 Ragtop Beetle
Previously:
1967 Beetle
1968 Beetle
1970 Beetle

[VW_Jimbo]

I just caught back up from a few years back!

Looking great! You are doing a great job!
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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!

[slave1pilot]

Yeah, my apologies
It’s taken way longer than I planned lol
_________________
My Photobucket for my Herbie Project - http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/TK-439/library/Herbie?sort=3&page=1

Currently:
1963 Ragtop Beetle
Previously:
1967 Beetle
1968 Beetle
1970 Beetle

[slave1pilot]

I continued on with a couple things today
Installed a new alternator with internal regulator

I also installed all of the tin ware with loctite blue

I then went ahead and started installing all the sound deadener in the body

And started to install the insulation material (until I ran out of spray and material lol)

I then moved over to the pan

And started to install the sound deadener there (until I ran out)

After ordering all of that , I started on the ragtop assembly parts
I cleaned them up and sprayed them down with Ospho
Tomorrow I’ll probably spray paint them after work

_________________
My Photobucket for my Herbie Project - http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/TK-439/library/Herbie?sort=3&page=1

Currently:
1963 Ragtop Beetle
Previously:
1967 Beetle
1968 Beetle
1970 Beetle

[jitbba]

Man this is really coming together! Loving the progress
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My other ride is a Zildjian

[slave1pilot]

I painted the hardware for the ragtop

I also read on the Killmat website that you are supposed to rub the foil down until the rectangles don’t show

More like this

That means it’s fully adhered and optimal for sound deadening
I did the pan tonight but I’ll do the body tomorrow

Next up
Clean and paint fuel tank (maybe lol)

_________________
My Photobucket for my Herbie Project - http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/TK-439/library/Herbie?sort=3&page=1

Currently:
1963 Ragtop Beetle
Previously:
1967 Beetle
1968 Beetle
1970 Beetle

[slave1pilot]

Holding off on the fuel tank
Trying to get the body ready to put back on the pan
I attempted the headliner

It’s ok, but not my best work
I wanted to do it while it was still on the dolly so I could stand up . My old knees aren’t what they used to be
After that fiasco, I mived over to the pan for some easier work
Tar roads on top of the sound deadener

Then carpet padding over the tea oats a and on the tunnel

I installed the engine compartment seals because I heard they were almost impossible to do when the engine and body are in

Those were a piece of cake compared to the headliner
I also spent several hours today trying to find my body to pan seals to no avail
I did find all of the body pads, 2 horns, and 3 brand new speedo cables. I guess that happens when you buy stuff over a ten year period
lol
Once I find the pan seal I can put the body on and get rid of the dolly
_________________
My Photobucket for my Herbie Project - http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/TK-439/library/Herbie?sort=3&page=1

Currently:
1963 Ragtop Beetle
Previously:
1967 Beetle
1968 Beetle
1970 Beetle

[67rustavenger]

The car is coming along nicely.

I feel your pain in locating parts purchased a while back. I never seem to be able to find what I'm looking for, Until, I'm not looking for it!

Keep up the great work. You're getting closer to driving your Herbie sooner than later!
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I have learned over the years.
Cheap parts are gonna disappoint you.
Buy Once, Cry Once!

There's never enough time to do it right the first time. But there's always enough time to do it thrice.
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo!

[slave1pilot]

I had a half day at work today
So I came home and refurbed the fuel tank

I stripped it all down to bare metal ( I like to start there personally)

It had a couple small dings that I could live with
So I promed it with self etching primer (forgot to take a pic )
And then rattle canned it with the same engine Enamel I ised on the engine Tins
It says it’s oil and fuel resistant , so hopefully it is lol

Once it cures fully I’ll install the new float and sender
_________________
My Photobucket for my Herbie Project - http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/TK-439/library/Herbie?sort=3&page=1

Currently:
1963 Ragtop Beetle
Previously:
1967 Beetle
1968 Beetle
1970 Beetle

[slave1pilot]

I made some dual carb access windows today .
Cut them out on the plasma table and hand bent them to match the curve.
And then I drilled and tapped the holes by eye .
It doesn’t need to be fancy since it’s under the fenders and out of sight.
Besides, these were free to make
They still need cleaned up , painted, and welded in .
But one more step closer to putting the body on the pan
Rusty steel

Hand bent to match the curve

Drilled and tapped
Im using the engine tin screws since I bought a 50 pack lol

_________________
My Photobucket for my Herbie Project - http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/TK-439/library/Herbie?sort=3&page=1

Currently:
1963 Ragtop Beetle
Previously:
1967 Beetle
1968 Beetle
1970 Beetle

[slave1pilot]

Plug welded the frames on

And then cut out the hole

All done

_________________
My Photobucket for my Herbie Project - http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/TK-439/library/Herbie?sort=3&page=1

Currently:
1963 Ragtop Beetle
Previously:
1967 Beetle
1968 Beetle
1970 Beetle

[slave1pilot]

The access panels were the last big thing that I needed to do before the body went on
Next up was the tarboard
The set got wet I think and it’s starting to separate
Sometime later I may replace it , but for now it’s full speed ahead

Next up was the pan to body gasket seal

Pretty straightforward and easy install

Everything looked good so I tapped all the mounting holes on the body and pan (no need for pics lol)

I had a couple family members swing by and help me lower the body off of the dolly and down on to the pan

A little wiggling and adjusting and it’s right where it needs to be for the final time

The front apron needs a little touch up paint because I scratched it
_________________
My Photobucket for my Herbie Project - http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/TK-439/library/Herbie?sort=3&page=1

Currently:
1963 Ragtop Beetle
Previously:
1967 Beetle
1968 Beetle
1970 Beetle

[Busstom]

WoooHooo! It's a car again
_________________
My name's Steve and it's pronounced "Bust 'em" (cuz people think I'm Tom)

[slave1pilot]

Today was just a clean up and organization day .
I took the steering column apart to swap it out for a collapsible one, and the bearing fell apart
So that’s on order
I installed all the bolts and shock pads to hold the body to the pan without a hitch, so that’s good.
I painted the glove box and insert panels
I installed the brake fluid reservoir under the hood .
Just little stuff but it adds up
_________________
My Photobucket for my Herbie Project - http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/TK-439/library/Herbie?sort=3&page=1

Currently:
1963 Ragtop Beetle
Previously:
1967 Beetle
1968 Beetle
1970 Beetle

[viiking]