Which comes first: The body or the pan?

[Big_kid]

Well, the body was on for a test fit, it's back off now. We've started on the box o'wires, got the fuse block mounted & lighting ran to the front. Hopefully tomorrow we can get the brake reservoir mounted, shoes adjusted, wires ran & body down on the pan. Crunch time is coming quickly.

[Big_kid]

Went back to my buddy's for a while tonight, got the headlights & all 4 turn signals wired up, he got the brakes a bit tighter but says they still feel soft, put a strip of dynamat on the edge of the pan, then put the body back on for hopefully the final time. Still a ways to go, but I think it's amazing how far he's taken it since May.





Fender splashes:


A few days ago:


What he started with with the exception off new pans welded in):




As it sits right now:

[EDNCAROL]

The paint must look great in the sun.

[ObnoxiousBlue]

I like the subtle biohazard logos on the rear fenders lol

[Big_kid]

It DOES look good in the sun, I can't wait to see it under sodium vapor or mercury lights- something that might make the flake stand out. Did I ever mention that Matt REALLY likes to customize the flake when he paints? It always looks good though, whatever it is.

The biohazards... something different, and something to fill in where one might otherwise expect to see VW tail lights. As if a blue Tuff Tub with blue, green & red flake wasn't different already.

[chevynut]

Thx for the compliments will look even better when I get it wet sanded and buffed...but that is one the back burner until I get everything done going in and out of it. and yes the bio-hazard was a last min. Add while I was spraying.. . Was gonna ghost it but decided the shaded look would pop more.... finally got the windshield together and on after a bad mishap with the frame but came to gether nicely.... also have the steering in place so I guess its time to start the dash wiring ......

[Big_kid]

One step up & two steps back... CN had the alternator rebuilt, we got it installed & now it seems to charge when it wants to. I got the turn signals wired then realized we'd have no brake lights, so we got a trailer tail light converter. Hooked that up before installing it and found that it "bleeds through", illuminating the other side a bit. We did manage to set the timing, and it seems to run ok when the choke isn't closed. I learned that when timing a VW with a chrome crank pulley you do NOT want to aim the timing light straight on and look directly at it. Seems like it's always something.

We're still looking to make it to Manx on the Banx with it this week.

[Brown]

If it's bleeding through, check for a a bad ground or no ground.

[Big_kid]

That may well be the case, we'll get on it tonight. As of yesterday it's insured and I think he's going to DMV today.

[Big_kid]

Ok, turns out the tail light converter was the culprit, Upgraded from the $11 to the $32 one from NAPA, problem solved. Next item up was the brake light switch, Matt got that installed tonight. He then put the seat in and took it for it's first ride. He says it looks good under the 7-11 LED lights at the gas pumps:


Not too bad for 5 months. He's been busting it out, that's for sure.

Next stop: my house tomorrow to bleed the brakes, see if I have a shift coupler cover, idle adjustment, then Friday & Saturday to Manx on the Banx, then Sunday stopping by Frank's Bug House for the Toys for Tots show.

[Raj]

great work on a tight schedule!

[Big_kid]

Sorry for the lack of updates, but we've been busy making my buggy presentable, and this one really isn't mine anymore. We noticed today that the top exhaust stud on cylinder 2 pulled out. It's there a down side to drilling it out, retapping a size up, and just using a bollt? Pic is to big, I'll upload tonight if need be.

[Raj]

Bolt is NG as the soft metal really isnt made to be threaded in and out over and over. I suggest a step stud... one is a size bigger, other is the stock size.

[Big_kid]

Good point. Stepped stud it is then, that's what I've been gathering from my research too.

[Big_kid]

I'm noticing I'm a slacker in updating these build threads, sorry!

This buggy turned heads up until it had a small fire. Then it sat for a while while life happened. We finally got it off the back burner and got to work on it again, it is still very much a work in progress. We got the engine fired up for the first time in 2 or 3 years, Matt even drove it around the side yard once just to get some motivation again. The body... I'll just say it will resemble a Tuff Tub, but at the same time it will be unique. Lots of work to go, thankfully we're not reinventing the wheel this time. Just a deep facelift.

[elrockk]

small progressis still progress