Buttercup - another father/daughter build

grinderman · 2013-07-04T11:10:50+00:00

Hi all, after many years of sitting forlorn in the backyard my daughter Greta and I are finally cracking into it with the aim of getting our low light bay done by christmas. Of course all the brainwashing I have done on my kids has payed off because I dont think they will ever drive anything else 🙂. Greta tuns 17 in november so she would love the bus to be her first car and even though her friends will have new mazda 2s or something I know who will have the most popular car at her last year of highschool. This will be a budget rebuild and very much DIY but that is the great thing about old VWs, nice and simple to work on. We already have a rebuilt 1835 ready to slot in so no major expense in one hit. First up this thread in no way is setting out to de-value anybodies trade because I know that people who do a certain job for a living should take pride in their work and it should not be under valued. Being a domestic/commercial/industial painter for the last 28 years I see it everyday (especially on those reality type shows, the block etc.) But I am out to show that you can do a sweet respray with a few basic tools for under a grand. So if your low on funds and have LOTS of time and want to give it a go then watch this space. All the qualified welders/panel beaters/spray painters can feel free to tell me how shit my work is but the job I do will do the job!

psimitar Son of Jim - Creator of Good

2,506 posts · joined Jan 2009 · 28 Aug 2014, 10:55 pm

#999048

Very nice 🙂

madness is in the eye of the beholder 👍

lunar_c Seriously Crusin Dubber

155 posts · joined Aug 2006 · 29 Aug 2014, 1:00 pm

#999075

I hope I have the opportunity to build an air cooled dub with my future kids one day! Great build, thanks for sharing. No faulting your panel work from me..

6 Dubs in and counting..

1966 1300 Deluxe Beetle in polar white.

grinderman Officially Full-On Dubber

378 posts · joined Apr 2011 · 30 Aug 2014, 6:27 pm

#999168

Supercheap 'spraybooth' and dirt floor always challenging for optimum paint finish 🤪

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grinderman Officially Full-On Dubber

378 posts · joined Apr 2011 · 30 Aug 2014, 6:31 pm

#999169

Unbolted the rear sliding door support and found some stress fractures so the mig had to come out.

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grinderman Officially Full-On Dubber

378 posts · joined Apr 2011 · 27 Oct 2014, 9:31 pm

#1002522

We have been busy over the last couple of months so here are some updates

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grinderman Officially Full-On Dubber

378 posts · joined Apr 2011 · 27 Oct 2014, 9:34 pm

#1002523

Stone guard used on lower sections and sound deadener in wheel arches

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grinderman Officially Full-On Dubber

378 posts · joined Apr 2011 · 27 Oct 2014, 9:37 pm

#1002525

Gone this far now have to keep going. Interior floor stripped and primed

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grinderman Officially Full-On Dubber

378 posts · joined Apr 2011 · 27 Oct 2014, 9:40 pm

#1002526

Engine bay painted

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grinderman Officially Full-On Dubber

378 posts · joined Apr 2011 · 27 Oct 2014, 9:45 pm

#1002528

Took it to 'the factory' for painting of the lower section, 5 coats of debeer 2 pac (fiat turquoise)

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grinderman Officially Full-On Dubber

378 posts · joined Apr 2011 · 27 Oct 2014, 9:52 pm

#1002530

If buttercup comes up as good as my last respray I will be happy, it was nice getting some complements at action day in wynnum.

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grinderman Officially Full-On Dubber

378 posts · joined Apr 2011 · 27 Oct 2014, 9:55 pm

#1002532

TMI headliner getting fitted and some D.I.Y. internal trimming

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grinderman Officially Full-On Dubber

378 posts · joined Apr 2011 · 27 Oct 2014, 10:00 pm

#1002533

Greta has chosen a bamboo timber floor for looks and practicality which I layed over a masonite base

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grinderman Officially Full-On Dubber

378 posts · joined Apr 2011 · 27 Oct 2014, 10:03 pm

#1002534

Color sanding and buffing started

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modnrod Fahrvergnugen

978 posts · joined Mar 2011 · 28 Oct 2014, 5:31 am

#1002543

Nice.
It seems half your life gets taken up with getting these things straight doesn't it? 🤪
Looking good. 👍

grinderman Officially Full-On Dubber

378 posts · joined Apr 2011 · 28 Oct 2014, 12:46 pm

#1002555

Yes modnrod so many hours on the sanding boards. It ain't perfect but time is always the enemy.

grinderman Officially Full-On Dubber

378 posts · joined Apr 2011 · 12 Apr 2015, 8:03 pm

#1011333

Well buttercup has been on the road now for a few months and is about 90% finished so I thought I'd put up a few pics. The quick respray ended up being a major rebuild (which seems to be common) with the paintjob costing about $1100 in materials and that turned out to be one of the cheaper costs in the build. All thats left is mostly mechanical and suspension improvements. Greta absolutely loves driving her bus and the positive comments she gets everytime makes the long build time worth it.

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grinderman Officially Full-On Dubber

378 posts · joined Apr 2011 · 12 Apr 2015, 8:09 pm

#1011334

Last year was a big one with the 57 and the 69 both put on the road. You could count the number of days I had off on one hand 🤪

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oldskoolguy Officially Full-On Dubber

329 posts · joined Sep 2011 · 12 Apr 2015, 8:57 pm

#1011337

Looks really nice, well done.
Good colour scheme too.
Rob.

"The best trophies are stone chips"
1969 1500 Beetle "Otis"
2008 Golf GTI

adlbeetle66 Under the car.........again!

1,476 posts · joined Aug 2014 · 13 Apr 2015, 8:30 am

#1011360

Very cool.

Greta is lucky to have a kombi at that age.. I'm younger than that and I only have a beetle! 😂

pete wood 23 Windows of Awesome

6,828 posts · joined Jan 2004 · 13 Apr 2015, 3:46 pm

#1011397

Champion work there. Great to see so many old cars going BACK on the road. 👍

"stoopid is stronger than axles"
http://drivingnotpolishing.blogspot.com.au/

wombatventures Wolfsburg Wizard

680 posts · joined Feb 2013 · 16 Apr 2015, 8:05 am

#1011568

Awesome job mate. Great to see good work ending in such a top ride.
You've got one lucky daughter.

DUBS BY THE RIVER 2021 Morgan SA - Sept 18-19 2021

Currently suffering from delusions of sanity!

shaven Insano Dub Head

729 posts · joined Jul 2007 · 17 Apr 2015, 6:56 pm

#1011687

mate you have probably heard it a 1000 times... but thats beautiful. congrats on all the hard work, its paid off. the paint job... WOW 👍

"When the character of a man is not clear to you, look at his friends"

grinderman Officially Full-On Dubber

378 posts · joined Apr 2011 · 17 Apr 2015, 8:02 pm

#1011689

Thanks guys, it just shows that if you have enough determination good results can be acheived without trade qualifications or a lot of tools for that matter. A grinder, random orbit sander, $120 3in1 spraygun, speedfile........not much else. Same for mehanical, these machines are so simple a mug like me can give the bus a top end rebuild on the side of the road. I love em !

Bizarre Moderator The artist formerly known as blue74l

12,789 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 18 Apr 2015, 12:11 pm

#1011724

a shed the size of my local football park and a forklift helps as well 😂

Seriously love the lowlight
Colour is BEAUTIFUL

Futue te ipsum!!!

grinderman Officially Full-On Dubber

378 posts · joined Apr 2011 · 18 Apr 2015, 4:05 pm

#1011739

Yes Bizarre, a friend of mine (who owns the splitty) owns a sheetmetal business and he does my fabbing and welding but he hates bodywork so he gets me to do that and I get the rust sorted properly on my projects with no money changing hands. Its a good arrangement. Would love a large workshop in my backyard but single income family and house renovations have put it on the backburner.

1cut808 Casual Dubber

42 posts · joined Feb 2015 · 19 Apr 2015, 9:36 am

#1011790

Getting some colour on it must make it start to feel worthwhile!