Project Myrtle: Jim’s Baja Bug Build

Discussion in 'Restorations' started by JamesLey, Sep 8, 2019.

  1. Just looked at the last picture and thought my god that's a hell of a beard, then I put my glasses on:)
     
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  2. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    He's an avid photo bomber!
     
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  3. Lazy Andy

    Lazy Andy Supporter

    Great Farm Shop!! The home made pork pies are awesome ;)

    (If it’s the one I’m thinking of)
     
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  4. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    The one on Hayling Island? I mainly went to buy cheese to recover from the embarrassment of losing my keys, only for @davidoft to point out that they were in my driver's door.
     
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  5. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    This weekend’s job, unpicking the shell from the chassis. Historic patch repairs had welded the two together and so needed chopping out.

    Two patches loosely tacked in on the toe board chopped out:
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    And patches on the other side of the panel:
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    Followed by chopping out a bunch of patches along both heater channels:
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    No wonder I couldn’t undo some of the chassis bolts!
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    And some delightful seam welds underneath:
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    The shell and chassis are now separate so I need to knock together a dolly to put the shell on next. The first batch of fresh metal arrived this week too!
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    Last edited: Feb 3, 2020
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  6. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    Picked up another load of beetle bits from the guy I bought the bug off. Today’s haul: a 1.2 engine, another set of wheels, all of the glass and a few boxes of engine bits!
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  7. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    A productive weekend saw the shell and pan part company.
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    Shell all braced for when I chop the heater channels out. The shell is currently resting on a temporary trestle until my steel arrives to make a dolly to move it around on.
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    The pan looks like a great starting point. The frame head is rock solid and the napoleons hat only needs a small repair patch.
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    I’ve made a start on chopping out the N/S floor pan.
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    The pans look to be the original ones but have had countless patches over the years and so are long overdue replacement.
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    Turkeys keeping me company too!
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    Last edited: Feb 3, 2020
  8. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    I finished chopping out the old N/S floor pan and prepping the surrounding metal for the new pan over the weekend.

    The napoleons hat needs a new end grafting in but is otherwise rock solid:
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    The lip on the spine looks great and needs no repairs:
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    The rear support is also in good condition and just needs a bit more of a clean up:
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    Trial fitting the new floor pan. It still needs some further trimming along the front edge to get the back to fit flush.
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    I had to drill out two of the bolts for the drivers door hinge as someone had mashed the head of the bolt. The top mount will need replacing, and the bottom will be replaced as part of repairing the A pillar.
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    Last edited: Feb 3, 2020
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  9. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    N/S floor pan fettled to fit the chassis, and heater channels bolted on to check alignment. Pinned in place for now until I can check the fit against the shell.
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    Made an alignment tool for the pedal strengthening plate to make sure its installed in the correct place when I fit it to the new floor pan, and chopped out the O/S floor pan.
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    Last edited: Feb 3, 2020
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  10. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    Drivers floor pan fettled to fit the chassis and alignment checked against heater channel. Pinned in place for now.

    It’s already looking miles better with some fresh metal mocked up.

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    Last edited: Feb 3, 2020
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  11. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    Saturday Baja progress.

    Bolted the new rear cross members to the floor pan.

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    Drilled out the spot welds and removed the original rear cross members.

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    Removed a little more of the heater channels. lots of bodges over the years so best to take it all out and start again.

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    Last edited: Feb 3, 2020
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  12. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    Finished up the dolly for the shell today so I can manoeuvre it around the workshop. Mounted to the chassis mounting points on the shell. I can start getting some bits welded in now.

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    Last edited: Feb 3, 2020
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  13. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    The baja project came with a new set of door card blanks that someone had started to upholster in this vile fabric.

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    As a nod to the origins of the Baja bug, and for some fun, I want to go with a bright Navajo style print with a tan leather.

    Which, if any, do you like?

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    Last edited: Feb 3, 2020
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  14. What colour will the bug be painted?


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  15. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    Oh yeah that might help! Savannah beige I think.
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  16. Dubs

    Dubs Sponsor supporter extraordinaire

  17. Dubs

    Dubs Sponsor supporter extraordinaire

    Enjoying this thread by the way. It might even shame me into getting on with one of my abandoned bugs! :eek:
     
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  18. And what's wrong with Savannah Magnolia?
     
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  19. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    Cheers mate. It’s feeling less daunting than the van, don’t know if that’s because I’ve got one project under my belt or because it’s a smaller vehicle.


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  20. Bring a Cal Look kinda guy, I'm going to say black with fat biscuits:rolleyes:
     
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