'68 Bug quick bodge it up project....

Discussion in 'Show Us Your Bit On The Side' started by Mattlad, Apr 8, 2014.

  1. As baysearcher has expressed an interest in buying this for his next company car I need to get on with things....

    Progress escalates to turbo speed and more welding is done.

    Got the inner arch on the n/s welded and the crossmember in. Good news is the rear wings are on so the car doesn't look so broken.

    [​IMG]


    The inner boot floor side but is ready to line up and weld in which would just leave the massive centre but to fill in with something.

    [​IMG]
     
    icepug likes this.
  2. Thank The Lord for a couple if hours on a Saturday morning working on the bug.

    The cut from a scrapped bug arrived a while back and a fair bit of trimming and wondering what to so results in this.

    [​IMG]

    Tacked in place. Just need to run a 1mm disc along the back edge to cut through both panels to give me a good line to butt weld.

    In the interests of domestic harmony a couple of hours gardening now and I may get some more done later....,
     
  3. Sneaked home at lunch and rewired the burnt out wiring from the o/s rear lights to the loom where it enters the engine bay. To keep things simple and maximise confusion I used black wire for the indicator, tail and stop lamps. Much neater than all those different colours messing up the place.

    Checked through the rest of the circuits and a few issues resolved by cleaning connectors and fuses - now all seems to work. Can't check the stop lamps as the m/cylinder isn't in but so far so good.
     
    CollyP likes this.
  4. Oh arse biscuits i spoke too soon.

    If I have either the indicators going or the hazard lights and try to go from high to low beam I get fuses blowing.....
     
  5. Got a few hours in working on the project of doom.

    Long story but ended up getting the a pillar repair tacked in place-

    [​IMG]

    Having spent almost a minute looking for a tape measure to make sure it was in the right place I gave up and just tacked it - the picture above is it after I re welded it as the door didn't fit first time round.

    Anyway it shuts now which is good. Needs a shove mind but then again it did before I started messing about with it.

    Here's a picture of our dog with his head sticking out the awning because it made me laugh .

    [​IMG]
     
  6. Started to weld the rear section up this afternoon. Nearly finished it off but ran out of gas.

    Here's one side ground back ready for a splodge of filler just to tidy it up.


    [​IMG]
     
    Buddy Hawks likes this.
  7. One small step for man, one giant leap for the MOT

    A pillar now welded in and door on.

    [​IMG]

    @Baysearcher came over and with a lot of pumping and squirting the brakes are bled.

    A small mishap occurred when I was doing a brake test in the garage that ended with the bug and garage door getting a little too close. Lump hammer and a block of wood straightened that out.
     
  8. Some more done today -

    The ends of the rear crossmember where it meets the heater channels needed rebuilding. Using the tack in the metal and then smack it 'til it fits method the two are reunited. Slap on the seam sealer and I think you'll agree it looks factory.....?

    [​IMG]

    Both sides done but then found this....

    [​IMG]


    Started to repair it but made a pigs ear if it so gave up for the day....

    Til next time.
     
    Buddy Hawks likes this.
  9. An hour this evening looking at the brake lights that didn't light- turns out my way of wiring them up is not compatible with the rest of the wiring.

    Admitting defeat and consulting john muir's bkack and white wiring diagram had shown i connected the brake lights to possibly the reversing light switch and poppimg fuses. Anyway that and a dodgy bulb seems to be the problem and now they shine so bright.
     
  10. Well I fixed the hole in the corner of the floorpan.

    With that done I gave the floor a coat of hammerite. With all the care I took it looks like I used a mop. Still it's all one colour.

    [​IMG]

    I also used half a tub of seam sealer on the welds in the back bulkhead to disguise the fact I couldn't be bothered to dress the welds- as it says in the title - bodge job.

    This does mean I can put the odd mismatch of seats from various beetles that is called an interior back in- hooobloodyrah!

    Left to do:



    Patch bottom of n/s heater channel
    Put seats back in
    Put door cards back on
    Change some light bulbs
    Change some fuel lines
    Sort out some tyres
    Sort out horn and washer pump

    MOT

    Then phase 1 is done.
     
    Buddy Hawks likes this.
  11. Baysearcher

    Baysearcher [secret moderator]

    Come on, this should be finished by now....
     
  12. I know- the 'quick' part of this thread has long since gone.

    Having come home to an empty house I ran to the garage eager to make some progress on the remaining welding- the heater closer panel.

    First thoughts were to clean it up with a grinder and see where patches could be skilfully blatted on to cover up the increasing number if holes I had poked in this panel.

    However....

    [​IMG]




    It's officially been condemned. There's nowhere solid enough to weld patches too...

    I'm gonna have to get a 'repair' panel. This is the one where you weld the body to the floorpan......hmmm not good.

    Still never mind. It's better than it going to the scrappers.
     
    Buddy Hawks likes this.
  13. Finally got round to welding on the bodge panel

    [​IMG]

    Bit of tidying up and a liberal coating of black splodge and job done.

    I think that all is left is a tiny bit of welding on the other side, Sort out fuel line, tyres, horn and washers and it's off to the MOT place. At my rate of working "it'll be ready for the summer" @giraffeinbath
     
    Baysearcher likes this.
  14. Baysearcher

    Baysearcher [secret moderator]

    Finished yet?
     
  15. Patience.

    Rome wasn't built in a day- certainly if I built it it wouldn't be and also it would have been left unfinished before moving on to something else.....
     

  16. So all that's left to do is wire in the horn and washer- and the it a quick tune-up the it's down the MOT station.
     
    Baysearcher and zed like this.
  17. So can't put it off any longer.

    Making the call to book it in Monday...
     
  18. MOT day is here - just dropped if off with my favourite VW chap.

    Things I learnt driving it there include, the fuel gauge works, the clutch or cable is a bit dicky and it drives surprisingly nicely.
     
    1973daisey and zed like this.
  19. Good news......!!!!

    It only failed on 15 items....tuesday_wildchild
     

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