First VW Project

[Cheeze]

This is my first VW build. I am planning on making a clean little manx out this old rust bucket. So far I have had the swing axle rebuilt, cleaned the pan, new swing axle mounts, new tie rod ends, new pedals, brake lines, brake shoes, and spray painted everything. I am waiting on my 3" body lift to get here. I have run into one problem. As you can see in the pics the tunnel has been cut to make room for the shift rod. Is this normal for a shortened car? It shifts nicely through all of the gears, but when you look at the side profile the shift rod is meeting the shift shaft at an angle. Its not terrible but it is off. The shift rod has been re mounted to the cup that the shifter goes into at an angle. Would you guys run it like this or come up with a better solution?

[EVfun]

Your Buggy has a '56 Beetle frame. It looks pretty nice overall, but I don't see an emergency brake. Your front beam is later, early '60's and your brakes have been replaced with parts of similar vintage all around (they appear to be '58-'64 type brakes, could be '65-'67 brakes.) The frame is not normally hacked like that to allow the shifter linkage to fit. You have a later transaxle ('61 up style case) and it is likely they kept the later front Beetle mount and bolted it to the existing, older type, frame front mount. That raises the nose of the transaxle (and lowers the engine.) The correct way to handle that is use a '60-'67 Bus nose cone and mount on the Beetle transaxle, then the shift rod would fit nicely in the frame through the factory hole below the current slot.
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[Cheeze]

[Dale M.]

You can also replace front transaxle chassis mount with 61 and later design for type 1 chassis...

http://vwparts.aircooled.net/Weld-In-Front-Transmission-Mount-Bracket-111701173-p/111-701-173.htm

And ditch the urethane coupler, and get standard (OEM) style shift rod coupler...

http://vwparts.aircooled.net/Shift-Coupler-1946-64-Type-1-1950-67-Type-2-p/111-711-175b.htm

Dale
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“Fear The Government That Wants To Take Your Guns" - Thomas Jefferson.

"Kellison Sand Piper Roadster" For Street & Show.
"Joe Pody Sandrover" Buggy with 2180 for Autocross (Sold)
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All suggestions and advice are purely my own opinion. You are free to ignore them if you wish ...

[EVfun]

To make the front mount change you will have to pull the transaxle, but there isn't much to that when you have it apart like you do. That is a cute little starter on the transaxle, really short.

With the transaxle removed you can either weld the later type mount onto your frame and run the transaxle with the Beetle mount, or you can switch to the Bus nose cone and mount. The Bus parts are available new from a number of places because that swap is pretty common. If you want to change the frame mount you can cut from a '61-?? (seventy something) Bug being scrapped or buy that part new from a few places.

Most people recommend you keep the rubber transaxle mounts to minimize noise. I prefer to run my buggy with solid mounts -- which reminds me there is another option. There is an adapter front mount that will allow your transaxle to sit at the right height without making any changes to your frame or transaxle. This is what what the standard solid mount for a '61 up transaxle in a '61 up Bug looks like.
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[Cheeze]

[oprn]

Nice find and great project!

[joescoolcustoms]

[heywebonya]

Can you share a few pictures of the area tunnel that was shortened? It looks a bit suspect.

I added a parking brake back to my buggy and it turned out very nice.

Cut a hole

Weld in some homemade brackets

There is more described here https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=691399&highlight=

Good progress
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If I knew what I was doing; I wouldn't be building a buggy!

[Cheeze]

[Cheeze]

I got the lift yesterday in the mail. I am waiting on the trans mount to fix the shift rod angle. I also picked up some beards off clist for 200 bucks with monts and crow harnesses.

[heywebonya]

Cheeze,

Great score on the seats!

Think more about adding a mechanical e-brake (if going street legal) as I think the requirement is to have independent secondary braking.

I have had my brakes "fade" from a leaking seal and it was very surprising.

It was ~ $50 to buy a handle and new cables for the buggy.

Keep up the good work.
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If I knew what I was doing; I wouldn't be building a buggy!

[Cheeze]

[Cheeze]

I am gonna patch up that piece that got cut out and figure out my pedals then time for motor and body. Woo Hoo

[brettsvw]

[Cheeze]

I got a little time today to start fitting the body and the lift on to the pan. I am liking it. More than enough room for 33s in the back. Do you guys think the stock front spindles will hold up with 31s?

[heywebonya]

Great progress, the kids must be super stoked!

Looks good.
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If I knew what I was doing; I wouldn't be building a buggy!

[Cheeze]

So i took my pedals apart to get all of the rust off and I am having a hard time getting them back together correctly. I have searched for a write up but I have not found one. I have a brand new set of pedals for later model bugs but the clutch cable does not line up good. Has anyone ran the newer assembly with no issues? I would like to use the newer pedals but if anyone could shed some light on why my clutch pedal keeps falling toward the floor that would be great.

[YDBD]

Falling towards the back of the car? You're pedal stop is missing or not adjusted properly. In front (front of the car) of the pedals on the chassis floor is a bolt hole and a small L shaped piece of metal with a slot in it bolts there to stop the clutch pedal from falling.
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'56 pan Dune Buggy since '69
don't live in the past...but when I did:
'67 bug
'64 baja
'60 dune buggy
'73 Personenkraftwagen Type 182 "Thing"

[57BLITZ]