My 1966 Beetle

adlbeetle66 · 2014-08-21T09:44:41+00:00

This is my 1966 Beetle... The plan is a fairly mild rat...- cheaper that way! Have done all the electrics... Its just been converted to 12 V. 1300 Removed... 1776 Engine going in soon. In the photo, it shows the brightness of the 6V Bulbs (candles!!) Awesome interior... Some custom looks...

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

1,476 posts · joined Aug 2014 · 5 May 2015, 4:52 pm

#1012606

Small update.. 🙂..

Got the tunnel all in bare metal with some flapper wheels on the grinder.

Then later on i got the drivers side pan done the same...

3 attachments · Log in to view

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

1,476 posts · joined Aug 2014 · 5 May 2015, 4:53 pm

#1012607

Yes, will have to do around the edges with the wire brush on the drill 🙂.

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

1,476 posts · joined Aug 2014 · 5 May 2015, 4:55 pm

#1012608

Then i got all the paint off around the edge of the new pan ready for pre drilling and for spot welding onto the lip of the tunnel.

3 attachments · Log in to view

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

1,476 posts · joined Aug 2014 · 5 May 2015, 4:56 pm

#1012609

And above is a picture of some goodies that turned up for me 🙂.

Epoxy Mastic 121. For treating and painting all the floorpans and chassis ~ when the time comes 😁

psimitar Son of Jim - Creator of Good

2,506 posts · joined Jan 2009 · 5 May 2015, 8:50 pm

#1012626

I'd suggest painting the cleaned areas sooner rather than later so you don't have to clean any mild surface rust from the recently bare metalled surfaces. Just leave a few inches above the lip of the spine until the new pan is welded on. 🙂

madness is in the eye of the beholder 👍

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

1,476 posts · joined Aug 2014 · 6 May 2015, 4:02 pm

#1012670

I will see what happens... Shouldn't be too hard to remove the top layer of surface rust off when i need to 🙂.

psimitar Son of Jim - Creator of Good

2,506 posts · joined Jan 2009 · 6 May 2015, 6:15 pm

#1012679

adlbeetle66 wrote:I will see what happens... Shouldn't be too hard to remove the top layer of surface rust off when i need to 🙂.

Nah, not hard but personally it bugs me to have to do a job twice.

madness is in the eye of the beholder 👍

zayus Wolfsburg Wizard

437 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 8 May 2015, 9:35 pm

#1012809

Love the pictures!

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

1,476 posts · joined Aug 2014 · 9 May 2015, 9:30 am

#1012822

zayus wrote:Love the pictures!

Thanks Bryce, Will hopefully get some more done and pictures on here today 🙂

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

1,476 posts · joined Aug 2014 · 9 May 2015, 7:23 pm

#1012848

Spent most of today getting the old edge of the floorpan off.. Very hard and sweaty job 😊🤖

Then i cleaned up all the spot welds to look like...........🙂

1 attachment · Log in to view

CheapChalee Seriously Crusin Dubber

136 posts · joined Mar 2015 · 10 May 2015, 12:39 pm

#1012877

Real nice project, like the "Rat" style that you are going for. Congrats to you for doing the work yourself, adds an extra level of pride also. Be interesting to see the finished project.

Chalee

psimitar Son of Jim - Creator of Good

2,506 posts · joined Jan 2009 · 10 May 2015, 1:21 pm

#1012881

Looking good dude 🙂

madness is in the eye of the beholder 👍

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

1,476 posts · joined Aug 2014 · 10 May 2015, 1:37 pm

#1012882

Thanks Heaps!! 😀

psimitar Son of Jim - Creator of Good

2,506 posts · joined Jan 2009 · 10 May 2015, 7:11 pm

#1012914

Oh, do you have some zinc primer to spray the spine lip in? Stops it going rusty and makes it ready for welding 🙂

madness is in the eye of the beholder 👍

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

1,476 posts · joined Aug 2014 · 10 May 2015, 7:35 pm

#1012919

Yep.. will be doing that when i can...

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

1,476 posts · joined Aug 2014 · 11 May 2015, 4:54 pm

#1012977

Am glad i replaced the pan... wouldn't take a too heavy person to fall through ❗😂

2 attachments · Log in to view

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

1,476 posts · joined Aug 2014 · 11 May 2015, 4:56 pm

#1012978

And... how the chassis sits 🙂😊

1 attachment · Log in to view

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

1,476 posts · joined Aug 2014 · 11 May 2015, 7:43 pm

#1012991

Well Guy's, the decklid is done!
My mate repaired it all for me! 😊 - Thanks Mike! (psimitar)

3 attachments · Log in to view

psimitar Son of Jim - Creator of Good

2,506 posts · joined Jan 2009 · 11 May 2015, 9:14 pm

#1013000

No worries man 🙂

Oh and if you want to panel beat the rear edge of the new pan then just needs a good sized lump of hardwood, like Oak, marbu, etc, and a hammer. Hold the lump of hardwood under the area to be flattened and bop the floorpan area with the hammer. 🙂

It does take a bit of strength to hold the wood and cushion the hammer blows that are hard enough to squash the metal but see how ya go. Just another money saving idea.

madness is in the eye of the beholder 👍

CheapChalee Seriously Crusin Dubber

136 posts · joined Mar 2015 · 11 May 2015, 10:52 pm

#1013010

Nice rebuild, this is going to be nice when you are done.

Chalee

psimitar Son of Jim - Creator of Good

2,506 posts · joined Jan 2009 · 11 May 2015, 11:07 pm

#1013012

Doh, just spotted I forgot to grind the plug welds down on the inner lip. Rats!!!

madness is in the eye of the beholder 👍

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

1,476 posts · joined Aug 2014 · 12 May 2015, 6:55 am

#1013014

Thanks...

Oh, i'm sure i can work that one out 😁

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

1,476 posts · joined Aug 2014 · 12 May 2015, 8:33 am

#1013018

I think i'll put the whole process of the decklid repair here... Will get the photos on as soon as i can 🙂

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

1,476 posts · joined Aug 2014 · 12 May 2015, 8:35 am

#1013019

So first is all the filler removed from the rusted out area

You can see how thick the bondo was cause the previous owners / "panel beaters" were too lazy to pull the dent

3 attachments · Log in to view

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

1,476 posts · joined Aug 2014 · 12 May 2015, 8:37 am

#1013020

And the first side trimmed up ready for repair pieces

Now the repair patches He prefered to make from a knackered decklid as you get the same profile to weld back in instead of having to shape flat steel. It's not necessary to use up an old decklid but if you've got a cruddy one sitting around you may as well recycle it 🙂

Then welded the first 2 patches in...

3 attachments · Log in to view

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

1,476 posts · joined Aug 2014 · 12 May 2015, 8:38 am

#1013021

He then dressed the welds...🙂

Unfortunately the area between the 2 repair panels shall be left until the inner strengthener is out cause the metal has pull in from the dent so the repair pieces would end up being the incorrect profile so best to do them afterwards.

So onto the other side the first of probably 4 patches welded in and dressed.

2 attachments · Log in to view

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

1,476 posts · joined Aug 2014 · 12 May 2015, 8:40 am

#1013022

The un-dented side is all solid steel again and the second pic shows where the spot welds are so I can use my spot weld drill, brad drill in USA, to seperate the skins.

Inner panel all removed now and the rust treatment is drying...

Plus the large dent came out pretty easy with a bit of dolly n hammer work 🙂

2 attachments · Log in to view

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

1,476 posts · joined Aug 2014 · 12 May 2015, 8:41 am

#1013023

Inner panel cleaned up and zinc primered ready for repairs.

3 attachments · Log in to view

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

1,476 posts · joined Aug 2014 · 12 May 2015, 8:41 am

#1013024

Inner panel cleaned up and zinc primered ready for repairs.

3 attachments · Log in to view

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

1,476 posts · joined Aug 2014 · 12 May 2015, 8:42 am

#1013025

🙂

And the lengthy process of welding in repair pieces to the inner panel so as not to loose the profile and dimensions of the original as the remenants keep the joining lip where it should be 🙂

2 attachments · Log in to view