How I got here - Cut-Weld-Drive Forums

FatJay · June 19th, 2005, 12:18 AM

In keeping with my goal to become mayor of this site, I believe its time to publish my intro.

I've been a VW cultist for may years now. Since I have found this site I have learned to appreciate a side of air-cooled VW's that I didn't know existed! You may remember me from such threads as "Please, please, please give me a GNF password," and "I'm too lazy to search, so just tell me what a flip front-end is." The creativity that this forum produces has made me think outside the envelope of what I had known the VW community to be.

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Ill try to put the details of my project and how I got here in order.....

FatJay · June 19th, 2005, 12:28 AM

Its 1988 and its the best day of my life. I'm 13 and I just got a car! I still can't drive it for a few years, but i'll need that time to make it my own. The long road begins with a desire to wrench, and the payout from a good report card...

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FatJay · June 19th, 2005, 12:39 AM

The first years were all about disassembly and project chaos. Dealing with rusted, broken bolts, chemical paint strippers, and strange assemblies like reverse-threaded nuts and steering linkeages.

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It all came apart.

FatJay · June 19th, 2005, 12:51 AM

Its 1990 and body mods are under way. I trial and errored my way through sinking the taillights and shaving just about anything that came from the factory.

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Some of my older friends are getting their drivers licenses. On any given day my front street looks like a parking lot of primered bugs. My neighbors feel the wrath of the stinger pipe daily.

FatJay · June 19th, 2005, 01:03 AM

It had to be suicide doors. I think this is the point where I lost my innocence. Torches, die-grinders and the MIG welder became close friends. I built the hinges from scratch with bar stock from the local hardware store. After a lot of pain, they worked. 45 degrees was all I got the door to open, but that was all I needed.

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Bodywork was getting close and so was age 16. I had a lot left to do before this was going to be bumpin down the boulevard.

FatJay · June 19th, 2005, 01:14 AM

I had never painted before, but it didn't scare me. Its all in the prep work, right?

A single stage acrylic urethane was a good choice for a beginner. So was the respirator. The body work had to be immaculate though for a (gloss) black paint job.

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FatJay · June 19th, 2005, 01:32 AM

Its 1992 and DJ Quick is pounding from the two 12" redlines as my stinger screams down the road. Its an otherwise calm day in the Bay Area suburbs and the only thing on my mind besides the integrity of my lowered suspension is my high school car show.

It was my bug's debut performance. I was nervous. Lots of people had heard about its progress along the way but only a few had seen it.

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I won best of show...It was the greatest day of my life!

FatJay · June 19th, 2005, 01:46 AM

Not much changed on my Bug during the rest of the 90's. From girlfriends that felt neglected to going of to college, my Bug took a rest. It went to the weekend partys, but was no longer the workhorse.

In 2001 I was finishing up a Mechanical Engineering degree and decided to make a senior project out of redesigning the suicide doors.

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I now have 90 degrees on the door opening with hidden hinges.

FatJay · June 19th, 2005, 02:02 AM

Last year I decided that I could no longer stand the pink scallops on the front end. Its not 1992 anymore.

The scallops were wet-sanded with 800. I then used DP-90 (I think) over top of the scallops for the flat black on black finish.

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Its been 17 years.....damn....and I have held on to it. A roof chop and air-ride suspension are likely to be the next remodel.

Whatever I do, I'm sure the next phase of evolution will be heavily influenced by the talent I have found on this site.