Well its begun. The stripping and discovery phase. Bit more work involved than I thought, but away we go any way.
Next step is cutting away all the smashed inner panels and weld on new ones. Hellbus expect a lot of U2U questions from me on this bit.
EEEk! That looks terrible! Yes, the tools will be getting a good workout! Can you still buy 'cut n shut' front sections new? I recall seeing them years ago... front panel, complete spare wheel well, beam support section and front edge of fuel tank aperture - all ready to mig on...?
Its getting scary now. Just cut away buckled panels on the driveres side and see areas that have not seen the light of day since the factory. Too late to turn back now.
Heres the left side all chopped off. Will need a new heater channel half here too. Rust and a major kink has made sure of that.
Jim the whole front was pushed over to the left and there was rust in the bottom of the right hand side quarter panel. So it had to come off too.
All good fun!!!
Fun part starts now searching for a suitable 65 donor car to give up its panels.
Heres a pic of the new (old) front I picked up from Desert Bugs clearance on the weekend. If you happened to be on city link late saturday arvo you might have seen it on the back of a really sweet trailer. Thanks Bug Boy.
After talking with a good panelbeater mate and some others I decided against a welding new panels on the front as the bulk head and dash have some nasty kinks tthat would be hard to get out.
So the plan is to do a cut and shut with a nice straight front of another Beetle of the same year.
This one looks terrible, but its straight and never been hit. Just looks crap.
I have been thinking a rattie Matt Black paint job with pinstripe flames?? Heaps of chrome accessories, pop outs, chrome 356 wheels with 3 point spinners and no hub caps What do you think.?????
Been giving the grinder and welder a work out today. But after lots of digging and grinding and a bit of patching decided that the Beetle front we picke up just wasnt going to cut it. Bugger.
Amazing how well a Beetle hides it rusty bits.
