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Patty B. Samba Member
Joined: July 14, 2005 Posts: 2181 Location: Brampton, Ontario, Canada
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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 9:55 pm Post subject: Can you make a VW from scratch? |
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Let's say you have a backbone with a vehicle registration number so it could all be registered. And that's it!
Is it possible to build an entire VW car (or van) using *only* and entirely aftermarket parts? No original VW parts-new or used.
I figure it would cost alot and take alot of work but let's not include that kind of stuff. It would probably be the most ill fitted car on the road to but what the heck.
What are your thoughts--I've often wondered.
Last edited by Patty B. on Tue Nov 13, 2007 10:51 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Jason C Samba Member
Joined: June 14, 2005 Posts: 1028 Location: Portland Oregon
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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 10:27 pm Post subject: |
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No. Not all body parts are made aftermarket. You would have to fabricate a good portion of the body yourself. _________________ Throw me a bone here. All I wanted were
sharks with friggen laser beams attached to their heads.
64 Bug |
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66busman Samba Motorcyclist
Joined: September 14, 2006 Posts: 1166 Location: Madison, Wisconsin
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Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 10:28 pm Post subject: |
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I hear that Gerson is working on building a complete barndoor 15 window bus down in Columbia... _________________ '66 SO-42
'73 Bay
'75 Type 181 |
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Migit Banned
Joined: July 09, 2004 Posts: 831 Location: Central Illinois
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Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 7:13 am Post subject: |
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You can actually still buy most of the car out of NOS parts from Mexico. Even the backbone as you call it, and the shell. _________________ Looking for a 58 euro hardtop! |
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Jason C Samba Member
Joined: June 14, 2005 Posts: 1028 Location: Portland Oregon
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Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 9:16 am Post subject: |
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Migit wrote: |
You can actually still buy most of the car out of NOS parts from Mexico. Even the backbone as you call it, and the shell. |
NOS parts wouldn't count.
Patty B. wrote: |
Is it possible to build an entire VW car (or van) using *only* and entirely aftermarket parts? No original VW parts-new or used.
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_________________ Throw me a bone here. All I wanted were
sharks with friggen laser beams attached to their heads.
64 Bug |
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Kubel Nick Samba Member
Joined: August 12, 2003 Posts: 1369 Location: Fort Worth, TX
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Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 10:44 am Post subject: |
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Anyone with skills can build any car they want from scratch, but as per the topic, there's no aftermarket shell you can buy, and other stuff |
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Gary Person of Interest
Joined: November 01, 2002 Posts: 17069 Location: 127.0.0.1
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Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 10:47 am Post subject: |
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Jason C wrote: |
Migit wrote: |
You can actually still buy most of the car out of NOS parts from Mexico. Even the backbone as you call it, and the shell. |
NOS parts wouldn't count.
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Why not? _________________ West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943) |
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Patty B. Samba Member
Joined: July 14, 2005 Posts: 2181 Location: Brampton, Ontario, Canada
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Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 11:06 am Post subject: |
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Icy wrote: |
Jason C wrote: |
Migit wrote: |
You can actually still buy most of the car out of NOS parts from Mexico. Even the backbone as you call it, and the shell. |
NOS parts wouldn't count.
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Why not? |
To put it another way----Are there enough aftermarket parts available to build an entire car from scratch?
(I'd like to see pics of a mostly aftermarket parts car--how recognizable as aftermarket would that car be? It would probably be in the abominations thread ) |
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Air-Cooled Head Samba Member
Joined: October 15, 2002 Posts: 4070 Location: Chicago Suburbs
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Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 2:08 pm Post subject: |
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“No original VW parts-new or used.” So VW NOS would be disqualified. But does it also disqualify Hella, Bosch, etc? They were OE, but not made by VW.
There were/are no aftermarket (made by someone other than VW, and not for VW) shells. Maybe doors, maybe decklids & hoods, certainly fenders, but not the body shell itself.
IIRC, there was a fiberglass Bug kit available, maybe mid to late 80s. But you still needed a pan/suspension, etc.
I also seem to remember fiberglass KG kit too.
So, could you take just the “back bone” and build an “aftermarket” VW? Close, but not exactly. But it would probably be less expensive (and certainly more reasonable) to buy a real one, and restore it to what you want. (Probably why the above kits never hit it big.)
Or take a shell and build a non-VW in/under it. _________________ Everything known to man has been written.
Readers are Leaders! |
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BrockGrimes Samba Member
Joined: September 18, 2006 Posts: 1015 Location: Clovis, NM
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Jason C Samba Member
Joined: June 14, 2005 Posts: 1028 Location: Portland Oregon
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Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 10:31 pm Post subject: |
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Icy wrote: |
Jason C wrote: |
Migit wrote: |
You can actually still buy most of the car out of NOS parts from Mexico. Even the backbone as you call it, and the shell. |
NOS parts wouldn't count.
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Why not? |
Is it possible to build an entire VW car (or van) using *only* and entirely aftermarket parts No original VW parts-new or used. _________________ Throw me a bone here. All I wanted were
sharks with friggen laser beams attached to their heads.
64 Bug |
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67inthesouth Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2004 Posts: 61 Location: Seffner, FL
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Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 2:30 am Post subject: sure |
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isn't a buggy a "vw car" ?
if you think so then yeah, sure you could lol _________________ '67 Beetle - currently under construction!! |
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ovalboy Samba Member
Joined: May 04, 2004 Posts: 1310 Location: Beautiful Northern Cincinnati
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Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 2:29 pm Post subject: |
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What about the fella on the Samba that's building his own Kubel? IIRC, he has hand-made all of the body panels himself. There's a thread on it somewhere around here. |
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Air-Cooled Head Samba Member
Joined: October 15, 2002 Posts: 4070 Location: Chicago Suburbs
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Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 3:35 pm Post subject: |
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Yeah, that's it. Back in the day, I really wanted one of these.
But it's basically doing what I said above. Take a shell and build a non-
VW under it. _________________ Everything known to man has been written.
Readers are Leaders! |
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Globespotter Samba Member
Joined: February 16, 2012 Posts: 1765 Location: Newmarket, ON
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Bart Dunn Samba Consiglieri
Joined: May 09, 2004 Posts: 2354 Location: Sea level (Mid Atlantic)
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Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2012 6:28 am Post subject: |
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A bus doesn't really have a "frame" like a Beetle does. That said, yes, technically I think you CAN buy enough aftermarket metal these days to entirely reconstruct a bus. You'd need a lot of careful measuring and whatnot to ensure it's "feasible" to build something that you can get all the mechanicals and whatnot to bolt onto and align correctly. _________________ Not enough car seats fit into my:
'58 Beetle convertible
'58 Beetle sedan |
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mark tucker Samba Member
Joined: April 08, 2009 Posts: 23937 Location: SHALIMAR ,FLORIDA
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Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2012 12:55 pm Post subject: |
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I wish I had a nos body for mine. |
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jmartin7 Samba Member
Joined: March 03, 2011 Posts: 213 Location: Memphis,Tennessee
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Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2012 2:32 pm Post subject: Re: Can you make a VW from scratch? |
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Patty B. wrote: |
It would probably be the most ill fitted car on the road. |
Not quite. Chinese knockoff cars have that title among others.
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chaosisme Samba Member
Joined: August 29, 2005 Posts: 1256 Location: Orange County, Ca
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Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2012 8:48 pm Post subject: |
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71Survivor wrote: |
Resurrecting an old thread!
I was looking at the work some people do to restore / rebuild a split bus, and with the cost of even shells going way up, started thinking that someone who can weld could build a frame and with NOS or aftermarket parts it is possible to build a brand new split.
Opinions on:
1. With a frame welded up, is it feasible to build using NOS or new parts?
2. Would the cost be insanely higher than a proper purchase/restore/rebuild?
It would be cool to have a brand new splitty! |
I have seen a somewhat close to complete NOS bus. It was pretty awesome to see but I could imagine that the NOS parts to finish building it would cost a fortune if you could find them/pry them away from their owners. _________________ '65 1500 S [quareback]
'68 FI Sunroof Squareback
'70 Westy
OCT3 - Orange County Type 3's |
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Sidbus Samba Member
Joined: January 12, 2011 Posts: 731 Location: Miami
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Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2012 9:53 pm Post subject: |
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71Survivor wrote: |
Resurrecting an old thread!
I was looking at the work some people do to restore / rebuild a split bus, and with the cost of even shells going way up, started thinking that someone who can weld could build a frame and with NOS or aftermarket parts it is possible to build a brand new split.
Opinions on:
1. With a frame welded up, is it feasible to build using NOS or new parts?
2. Would the cost be insanely higher than a proper purchase/restore/rebuild?
It would be cool to have a brand new splitty! |
The Barndoor topic has some interesting threads with pics detailing some almost total body fabrications. Really amazing work. _________________ 57 Panel http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=453943
62 so34 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=533160
76 Westy http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=520076 |
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