My 69 Karmann Cab Beetle Project!!

[virgobugs]

Thought I might share my on going Project with you guys!!

To put you in the picture, I had been out of the air-cooled scene for about 10 years or so, although in the meantime Iíve had a string of water-cooled vee-dubs. After buying a six month old Newbee turbo and spending a fortune on modifying (sorry bad word) I realised I was loosing money big time and the Newbee had to go!!

So I bought wifey a nice sensible car (306) and went on the hunt for another air-cooled project for myself. I wanted something of a rolling project then in Jan 2005 I stumbled across a very sound but stripped 69-karmann cab. I was like I have to have it!! ì Thing was it was in Aberdeen and I had a broken foot so couldn't drive to collect it. After huge persuasion to the wife a blind deal was done, and I managed to get the guy to meet me in Manchester with the car for 100 quid Then back home to Cornwall where it sat in my garage until the house project was finished.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f20/virgobugs/cab02-1.jpg

So, after a long resto on my house it was time to crack on with the car.
As I had had well over a year to think about what I was going to do, I decided that if itwas going on the road I didn't want to just weld it up and stick it through an MOT. While it was partley stripped I may as well do it right.
One thing to remember with this, I am on a budget, this is no open cheque project..

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f20/virgobugs/PICT1777-1.jpg?t=1210525552

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f20/virgobugs/PICT1778-1.jpg?t=1210525469

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f20/virgobugs/PICT1784.jpg?t=1210525594

[virgobugs]

I've given the tunnel a good wire brushing then measured and tacked the new framehead and bulkhead into position.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f20/virgobugs/DSC01600.jpg?t=1210525805

All good so far, measurements all good :D
Then a test fit on the floorpans!!

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f20/virgobugs/PICT1792.jpg?t=1210525886

[virgobugs]

Back to the workshop!!
Welded both pans in, welded the lower bukhead and framehead in and tidyed up any lose ends!!
Spent another good few hours grinding and wire brushing the rest of the pan. mostly back to bare clean metal.

Out with the POR15 Rust prevension paint, first coat brushed on, 2nd sprayed.
Seam sealed all welds/joints etc then 3 coats of POR15 Chassis coat sprayed.

Now back home ready for the big build up (well on the floorpan anyway!!)

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f20/virgobugs/PICT1874.jpg?t=1210526033

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f20/virgobugs/PICT1876.jpg?t=1210526068

[virgobugs]

Pan was all built and finished then put away and stored for about a year while we moved house had a baby and all that kinda adult stuff

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f20/virgobugs/PICT1942.jpg

Until recently................!!!!!!!!

[Blugg]

Pan was all built and finished then put away and stored for about a year while we moved house had a baby and all that kinda adult stuff

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f20/virgobugs/PICT1942.jpg

Until recently................!!!!!!!!

Pucker :eek::eek::cool:

[Shamrockez]

that chassis tilter thingy looks ideal! :D

[1958 Harry]

Looking awesome dude!

[Dub-Diva]

Good luck dude, looks like it's coming along nicely :D

[virgobugs]

Thanks for the comments, Lucy thats my modified engine stand!!

When I bought the cab it came with some dull looking MAG industries, quite a rare wheel but not really my first choice! but out they came and I made a start on them.

So the wheel on the right is an example of what they where all like, not to bad I guess, a little fluffy in places and the paint is pretty crap!

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f20/virgobugs/PICT1943.jpg

Wheel on left 2.5 hours of polishing :eek:
After getting all the pollishing out the way on all the wheels, I thought I would just give the paint a bit of a refresh,
Wrong!!! Paint reacted big time.. So I ended up getting the paint stripper and wire wool out, 4hrs or so later I have two wheels stripped detail polished and masked :rolleyes:

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f20/virgobugs/PICT1944.jpg

Check out the polished rim!!


http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f20/virgobugs/PICT1946.jpg

All four painted and polished now!!

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f20/virgobugs/PICT2411.jpg

[Shamrockez]

Wow, amazing job on the wheels! :eek: I wouldn't have the patience to do that - mine were already done when I got them, and apparently it took him about 2 weeks just to get all the masking right!

[1958 Harry]

Awesome work dude!

[Kowalski]

Thats gonna be sweeeet.
Nice one fella

[Kitten]

What an amazing job you are doing, The car will be so special when its done. You are very clever and patient. But what a sense of achievment you must get at with each stage. Do you open a bottle of bubbly when you finish the project? :D