Get it out of your system - Cut-Weld-Drive Forums

BattleBug · September 8th, 2005, 11:18 AM

Hi All! Well, I've been lingering around here for a couple of weeks now checking things. Currently I'm attending Wyotech in Blairsville, PA but have been into cars for a long time. In my first few months at school I was offered a '69 Beetle with a slider roof for a price I couldn't turn down. When I went to check it out, it had been mostly restored and all the metal work had been done. I had lingered on it for a little while thinking about doing a Cal Look bug and as I came across a pic of Fred Hidalgo's Bug, I couldn't resist going for it. Having been into street rods, I started gathering my parts for the project and that's pretty much where I'm at now. My plans are for what appears to be the typical sort of fenderless bug with the extended front end and I-Beam axle but I'm planning a few twists that I haven't seen done yet. Since we get to work on our own projects in the Street Rod course at Wyotech, I plan on giving the bug a wicked chop for starters which is the largest of my project's alterations. I'm not sure but I was told that the slider roof wouldn't have been original on my bug, can anyone confirm that for me? That's about it for now, let the beatings begin! Ha ha ha!

A.J.

BattleBug · September 14th, 2005, 10:42 AM

Well, in the next couple weeks I'll be starting to work on the front and of my bug. I ordered the rest of my front end components from Super Bell which should arrive while I'm on vacation from school.

BattleBug · January 15th, 2006, 02:04 PM

Let's try this again!

BattleBug · September 7th, 2006, 07:11 PM

Well, for the last week I've been getting my front end mocked up and here is the result.

You'll have to overlook my dad's mug! He insisted that he get to sit in it just when I was trying to take a couple shots...LOL!

BattleBug · April 8th, 2007, 06:13 AM

Well, I finally got some time to work on my volksrod and wanted to post an update in here. However, it ended up turning out like one of those days.

So on Friday I decided to try and finish up the cowl steering on the car which meant that I had to finish modifying my adapter from the steering box through the cowl where the pitman arm would attach. After doing so everything was attached and ready to steer except the drag link going to the front steering arm. This item came with the entire front end that I bought from Pete & Jakes 2 years ago which was setup for a '32 Ford. The thing is that I had to cut that drag link to length and rethread the end. So I installed the left handed thread side (so I wouldn't cut that end), set it in place, figured the dimension and marked it for the cut. After cutting it, cleaning up the end and getting ready to thread, I find that I don't have the correct tap which I thought would be 3/4-16 for the rod end. I did have a die to run down on the rod end and found that it didn't go on quite so easily. After checking the catalog I find that the rod end is actually an 11/16-18 and what do you know, it's a size that just isn't readily available. Where does that leave me you ask, sitting there with everything but the rod end connected to the pitman arm. I'm going to check at work tomorrow to see if I can get the tap but if not, I think I'm going to go see if I can get a similar 3/4-16 rod end and replace it since I can get that tap. I'll post pictures later this afternoon of the setup as it stands.

Aside from getting my front end wrapped up, I also did the Fonzie modification on the rear trailing arms! Thanks for that tip Fonzie, it went really well. I just need to get these powder coated and they are ready to go.

BattleBug · May 25th, 2009, 05:56 AM

Well, I can't figure out why I never really posted any updates since 2007 but maybe it's because anything that has been done has been so subtle that I didn't feel it necessary. Andy and I have dove back into this project in the last week or so and we're going to try and get it finished up within the next couple of months. So these pics are of how it looked before we started back into it.

BattleBug · August 5th, 2009, 02:41 PM

Ok, after too much time sitting I finally got back to work on the volksrod. Since I can't leave well enough alone and the chopped '69 windshield kept bothering me (I didn't like it) I got myself the pieces to convert it to an early windshield.

So this is the beginning of me making a run to complete the body. I've been putting time in every evening so with any luck, I'll be keeping you updated semi daily on the progress. So for starters, here is the windshield area about half way finished.

It is a much more aggressive look than the late model and I'm a thousand times happier that I dove into it.

BattleBug · August 7th, 2009, 06:05 AM

Ok, so after one more evening of working out this window frame it's mocked up and ready for finishing. I have to say that this has been one of the most interesting and trying mods I've done. Why, some might ask?! Well, the '69 roof was already chopped and finished but I just didn't like the late model windshield. It's definitely not something that is usually done but I can say without any doubt that it made a huge difference for me. Early windshield versus late, there is no question which is the best looking. I just can't wait to finish it up and move on to the rest of the nose.