1971 Beetle

Hi all

thought its about time i started my project thread, car hasnt had too much done over winter months, car was ready for paint back in december but with all bad weather and bad luck i have i only got car to the bodyshop yesterday.

Engine is currently fully stripped down, got to fully clean engine block before i rebuild it, got some nice new tin wear for engine to fit once i have rebuilt it.

I have now decided that the car is having a full bare metal respray, car is currently in the bodyshop in Bristol where it will be for the next month. In the mean time i need to get a move on and get engine built and new interior ordered up so when it comes back i can start the re assembley.

Cant wait to get it finished and get it on the road, anyway here are a few pics as it is at the moment

sorry for some of pics being low res they were sent to me today from bodyshop manager via email.

Cool you having it in the same orange of the bits we can see on the shell . . . what you doing with the engine keeping it stock or a few mods.

Grizzly wrote:Cool you having it in the same orange of the bits we can see on the shell . . . what you doing with the engine keeping it stock or a few mods.

Yeah car will be resprayed inside and out in Brillant orange, as for the engine will be kept at the standard 1300 for the time being.

ok just a quick update, pics will follow

Heard that beetle shell has now been sprayed, they have just got the pannel work to finish,
i finished cleaning the engine case today and started the rebuild, managed to get almost all the crank case built up, put in new big end bearing etc,

Hoping to get the rest of engine assembled on sunday.

Wont be long now until car is back from paint

Hope your rebuild goes well! You'll have yours back on the road quicker than our Cabrio.

Tone

ok had another email from bodyshop today, car is now fully painted, they have also machine polished it today, im going over to bodyshop on Thursday to help with the assembley of the doors,wings, bonnet etc, so i can get it transported home

Anyway a few pics for now ( Theses were taken before it was machine polished)












Hope you like


Matt

ok another update for you all, (can you belive this 2 updates in less than a week)

I went down to the bodyshop today to reassemble the pannel work onto the car, ready for it to be transported back next week,

the car is really starting to take shape now, I will be ordering the new seat covers next week along with the carpet and headling.

The engine is still being rebuilt, im hoping to get some more done on that tomorrow.

Anyway a few pics from today

What do you think?????

Loose the lid standoffs and it will be very sweet! Is that an old saab colour?

The stand offs will be going, was just to see what it looked like, have decided against them

That is the original colour Brilliant orange

looking good very shiny

ok had a call from the transportation company today, beetle is being pick up from Bristol tomorrow morning to come back home.

Spent best part of the afternoon today, rebuilding the engine, am just about ready to bolt the heads back on etc.
Engine should be back together in next few evenings

will post pics later of progress





Matt

The beetle is now back at my workshop

I have just about got the engine back together, heads are on, just got a few more bits to assemble before fitting the nice new shiny tinwear.

Managed to put a few layers of paint down on the block tonight, just to smarten it up a bit





Not many more bits left now

The engine has undergone a full rebuild, filled it up with oil the other day and am pleased to see it isnt leaking, just have a few more tin wear pieces to bolt on along with the exhaust then it will be ready to go back in.

WHilst the engine was out i have replace both rear cv boots, cleaned and tidied up all the wiring in the engine bay, am doing a wiring tuck, so will only see the wires that go to the coil and dynamo, but plan on hiding as much of it as i can.

Have made very slow progress on the wiring behind the dash (as this is not my strong point) I am hoping to tackle this over the next few evenings.

Anyway a few pics to show progress (sorry about some of the pics quality, was taken on iphone)


I cleaned and painted ever part before i refitted it to the engine










I have a new filter to go on the engine, that is just on there until i get it in the car.

I decided to replace the half moon vents with black one.

Looking good Matt.
Just saw your post about wiring on VZi. I've been recently studying diagrams as I have removed the loom completely from my bay. To me it doesn't look too difficult providing you can match the diagram to the colours of the sheaths you have. I'm planning to renew mine next to the vehicle when the time comes with new connectors and routed a bit more neatly etc. Check out a company called vehicle wiring for the parts you need.

Aussiboris wrote:Looking good Matt.
Just saw your post about wiring on VZi. I've been recently studying diagrams as I have removed the loom completely from my bay. To me it doesn't look too difficult providing you can match the diagram to the colours of the sheaths you have. I'm planning to renew mine next to the vehicle when the time comes with new connectors and routed a bit more neatly etc. Check out a company called vehicle wiring for the parts you need.

Thanks for the info on the company vehicle wiring, think i will be placing an order for the wiring casing to make it that much better

Wanna get a proper air filter onthat engine dude it will run crap with that one! Looks good tho coming together nice. Also the chrome firewall covers cut your hands to oops! just a bit of experience there!

Liam wrote:Wanna get a proper air filter onthat engine dude it will run crap with that one! Looks good tho coming together nice.

Can vouch for that! Had one of them air filters on my bug for about a week then put the standard one back on

Coming together well!

Liam wrote:Wanna get a proper air filter onthat engine dude it will run crap with that one! Looks good tho coming together nice. Also the chrome firewall covers cut your hands to oops! just a bit of experience there!

That filter is on there for now

I know what you mean about the chrome firewall, already has attacked me

Finally making some progress with the car now, headliner is nearly in, front windscreen got fitted yesterday, carpet and bumpers are here, new seat covers and door cards arrived today,

Will be sending bits to powder coaters next week hopefully


Will post pics soon

Cool should look sweet, be nice to see it when its finished.

Ok just a quick update, got some more done on the headliner today, got windscreen, rear window and read side windows fitted, new seat covers fitted, new door cards assembled.

Carpet under lay is on order, once it is here, can get that and the carpet fitted, beetle is really starting to take shape now, can't wait to get it on road

Any way few pics from today's progress



















Thanks for looking

Matt

well done got more done than the rest of us . . .

ok just to update,

all the revelant parts have now gone to the powder coaters, finished sorting out the headlining today, got rear seat bench in and the back half of the underlay and carpet.

Fuel tank is going to spray shop tomorrow to be repainted.

anyway a few pics of the progress

Good progress. Nice shifter cant beat them scat shifters for value for money

Had a really productive day today, managed to spend whole day working on beetles

Had a load of goodies arrive in post yesterday, got fuel tank and steering column back from paint shop.





Decided the fuel filler neck looked tatty so a coat of paint was required



Next job was to fit fuel tank



Bumpers have come back from powder coaters



And a load of other stuff