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Locked Zelda the '73 1303S

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matberry Moderator Go hard or go home

8,114 posts · joined Mar 2006 ·

#852446
Inside your air box should look more like this one. Give yours a good clean to find all the rust.

Matt Berry Motorsports...air cooled advice, repairs and mods Ph 0408 704 662
OFF-ROAD,CIRCUIT,DRAG,STREET,ENDURANCE

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 ·

#852466
That little rust hole to the right of the drain is where the water is getting in.
THat;s what fecking with your indicators, the water is getting into the flasher relay.
Also make sure the drain pipe is nice and clear, they block up with dirt and leaves

SebastienPeek Custom Title Time!

1,657 posts · joined May 2011 ·

#852487
Joel!

Yep, Mum picked that straight away as well, I am surprised I didn't see it to be honest with you, too busy taking happy snaps... Looks like I'll most likely have to get a new flasher relay?
Or, if I wipe down the current one, I'll have to rip it out anyway to see the damage, would that do?

May actually need to replace a lot of the electrics. Could either be a quick job, or very disastrous.
The sold one, '73 VW 1303 - Zelda
The project, '74 VW 1303 - Gretl

SebastienPeek Custom Title Time!

1,657 posts · joined May 2011 ·

#852493
While I'm at it though, I'll try my hand at fixing up the fan unit as well, most likely not even attached or if it is, then the fan might have, well, a lot of shit in it to be blunt.

What is the best practice for removing it? I would assume remove the bonnet, then get my hands dirty?

While the bonnet is removed, I might try and bang out the left over dents. Shouldn't take too much effort.

Zelda has definitely turned into a little project car, still, I drive her daily, to and from work and school!
Guess it goes to show though, with a little love, beetle's will last.
The sold one, '73 VW 1303 - Zelda
The project, '74 VW 1303 - Gretl

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 ·

#852497
Most Lbug dash fans are dead, the moisture in there kills them, they don't do a whole lot anyway, i barely used mine in the last 12 years before i ripped it out.


The flasher relay in old cars is mechanical so water getting in them rusts and sticks up all the moving parts.

You can fit newer solid state ones, I had one in mine when i had my LED indicators, i hated it, too quiet.
I was often doing the old fart trick of driving along with them on cos i couldnt hear it.

Mums new Peugeot actually plays the indicator click clack noise through the stereos front speakers, cos the relay itself makes no noise.

SebastienPeek Custom Title Time!

1,657 posts · joined May 2011 ·

#852499
Yeah, how did you cope in the winter with the front window frosting over? Mine seems to do it all the time, even if I have the quarter panels open...

So really, I have no choice but to replace the current one with a reproduction flasher relay?
Ahaha I do that anyway sometimes, sometimes they don't like to switch themselves off when I'm turning, but sometimes they do.

I have to admit, that is kinda cool!

I have to follow this eHow, right?
http://www.ehow.com/how_4507818_replace-turn-signal-relay-vw.html
The sold one, '73 VW 1303 - Zelda
The project, '74 VW 1303 - Gretl

SebastienPeek Custom Title Time!

1,657 posts · joined May 2011 ·

#852613
This is what I'm planning on what Zelda will look like, sitting a little lower than stock, but everything else is decent.



Get those wicked popout rear windows, that is the next thing I want to do once everything is out of the way and she's driving nice.
The sold one, '73 VW 1303 - Zelda
The project, '74 VW 1303 - Gretl

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 ·

#852639
I just used to put the heat on the windscreen that keeps it clear as long as you're not sitting idling at traffic lights all the time.

Just any 3 pin relay thats the right orientation, VWs are positive on the right from memory.

SebastienPeek Custom Title Time!

1,657 posts · joined May 2011 ·

#852642
I may need to learn how to do that then :P

I'm going to figure out how to connect the heaterboxes so that they are either always on or always off, shouldn't be too difficult.

I'm picking up one tomorrow hopefully, a lot is going to happen tomorrow!
The sold one, '73 VW 1303 - Zelda
The project, '74 VW 1303 - Gretl

SebastienPeek Custom Title Time!

1,657 posts · joined May 2011 ·

#852645
Might be giving Stan Popboy a call.
Who says yes to a 1916cc twin port in Zelda?

If I do, what else would need to be replaced? Suspension, gearbox, clutch, I need a list to work through!

I bought some things for Zelda's interior the other day. Looks like she'll be getting her sound system setup done very soon 😉
The sold one, '73 VW 1303 - Zelda
The project, '74 VW 1303 - Gretl

SebastienPeek Custom Title Time!

1,657 posts · joined May 2011 ·

#852825
20th of June, a day to remember in the life of Zelda.

Woke up this morning to find the passenger side mirror completed smashed to pieces and the drivers side one lying on the floor.
Rule number one, don't park Zelda on the road, ever again!



After the massive rampage I went on, I went down to Imparts to pick up a couple of things, specifically a new blinker relay, gear rod bush and a correct lens for a rear guard.

Got home and it was time to start working on her. We needed to patch up the rust in the air box (damn there was a shitload) and install the new relay. It all started with the removal of the bonnet.




(You can see the arse dent better in this picture).

We then ripped out all the bonnet lining and got stuck into the rust. This is what we found.









So went down to Supercheap Auto and found us some rust converter and primer. Applied and waited about half an hour, then applied another coat.



After waiting for the second coat to dry, we started putting on this liquid metal in a tube substance. This worked a treat, filling in everything perfectly. After a few goes anyway, we kept getting tiny pin holes in one of the rust spots.







While we were eating lunch after this was all done and dusted, a package arrived. It was something that was needed for interior fitting. I have photos of what came but they're currently on my other camera. That'll be for another post! Especially what happened after lunch anyway, will post everything tomorrow.
The sold one, '73 VW 1303 - Zelda
The project, '74 VW 1303 - Gretl

donn Wolfsburg Elder

3,515 posts · joined Nov 2005 ·

#852837
Jeez Seb, you must live in a bogan saturated area, sounds like you wpouldn't want to leave anything unguarded overnight, bloody mongrels. 😬
I dream of a day when a chicken can cross a road without being asked for it's motive!

SebastienPeek Custom Title Time!

1,657 posts · joined May 2011 ·

#852839
It isn't even that donn, I think it was an ex-friend that must have either figured out what car is mine or he's been planning it for a while.
Don't worry, I went crazy when I saw what happened, almost went to his place straight away to letterbox smash.

It isn't that we live in a bogan area, I think because Zelda has character, people look at her. And then they decide to do stupid things.
No doubt the arse dent was from some drunk bloke posing with her.

I'm just happy that now I get a place in the drive way, no matter what. I'm also taking down my P plates wherever I drive her, so it looks like an old farts car. I have a blanket across the back seats now as well, once again, trying to capture the old fart feel!
The sold one, '73 VW 1303 - Zelda
The project, '74 VW 1303 - Gretl

SebastienPeek Custom Title Time!

1,657 posts · joined May 2011 ·

#853331
Today was supposed to be my speaker install, but kinda turned into a get as much as possible done day.

While waiting for a mate to come down to get the measurements for the sub box and the parcel shelf, I decided to rip the backseats completely out and to see what was in place when it came to sound deadening. I found the following...









As you can see, the sound deadening is pretty much non-existent. After doing this, I gave my mate a call and he said he wasn't going to be able to make it today, so currently Zelda has no back seats!

After I'd done this, SpLiTmEiStEr came around with a new set of side mirrors (yes, I know they're not matching) and a set of new windscreen wipers. I only used one of the windscreen wipers to fix up the bent one.







I then decided to give priming one of the guards a go, I only had enough time to put one coat on one of the guards before it started to rain.




Who would have thought government property would come in so handy! 😉

Hopefully tomorrow will bring the ability to finish off coating this guard and getting everything ready for the new speaker and sub install. Will post more tomorrow!
The sold one, '73 VW 1303 - Zelda
The project, '74 VW 1303 - Gretl

SebastienPeek Custom Title Time!

1,657 posts · joined May 2011 ·

#853445
Just another little update.

The other day when we were fixing the rust holes in the fresh air box, we installed a new head unit too.


I also got myself some new anti-theft billet door locks.




And I even got myself a new gear knob!
The sold one, '73 VW 1303 - Zelda
The project, '74 VW 1303 - Gretl

SebastienPeek Custom Title Time!

1,657 posts · joined May 2011 ·

#853571
Today was a very special day, well yesterday was anyway. It marked the day Zelda got some new and very loud speakers and subwoofer too... Yes, in Zelda.

The aim was to build a housing exactly the same as this, with a custom subwoofer box and so forth.
http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=78247

But instead, we went out on a limb and decided to build something fairly different. It all started with one cardboard template.





We then went and got all the wood for the custom subwoofer box, that at this stage we were still going to build. This is what we had and how it was originally going to be like.





So that when it was to be mounted inside and with the parcel shelf on top, it'd look like this. But obviously with the holes cut and so forth. Just a mock up.





The idea was to rip apart this and mount it all into the new custom subwoofer box that we were going to make. This is the subwoofer that was going to meet it's doom.



But this is where Mum came out and said, why don't we do it this way? So we decided to give it a shot and this is what happened. The subwoofer would be, in it's current enclosure, mounted within a simpler "box" with the parcel shelf mounted on top still.





We than ran into another problem. If we were using the original design, and basing it off of the link I had above for inspiration, it would easily bolt into the body. The subwoofer that I had purchased came with mounts, but they wouldn't be enough to hold in the two sides onto the floor.

So we ripped out the carpet out of Zelda's back section, and figured there really wasn't much else we could do but build a base and rest everything on top. So we did.



After we knew what was happening with the subwoofer and parcel shelf, we started to wire in the subwoofer to the head unit. We also found a nice little place to mount the bass control remote, nicely tucked away as well.





It was then time to make sure we got the base for where the subwoofer would be mounted to and positioned and the speakers all mounted to the parcel shelf perfect before we placed the subwoofer into it's section. A lot of cutting up MDF to make sure everything would fit perfectly for the wires and the subwoofer enclosures bass port.







So once all of this was done, it was time to get the subwoofer and the base into place. I didn't take any photos of the base mounts, but basically four screws (metal screws) were drilled into the bottom of the MDF wood and through the base of rise in the body. This held the base of the enclosure into the car, it wasn't going to move anywhere!









We then wired up the subwoofer, screwed the parcel shelf to the top and wired up the speakers.





After all of this, the install itself took six hours. Incredible! It was then time to put the back seat back in and see how it all fit. Perfect fit.





But that isn't all. Tomorrow comes the task of figuring out how to cover the top parcel shelf and what in. Will post more updates tomorrow when everything is finalised and looking even more awesome!

I forgot to mention, the battery died while we were pumping it for a bit. So we had to push start her the first time to get her back up and running. After I did a lap of the block, I parked out the front and a police car parked on the other side of the road. They had had a complaint of excessive bass from one of our neighbours. First night of having it in Zelda, and the police are already out to get me!
The sold one, '73 VW 1303 - Zelda
The project, '74 VW 1303 - Gretl

SebastienPeek Custom Title Time!

1,657 posts · joined May 2011 ·

#853598
Have discovered that with the current setup, I'm going to have to take the whole assembly out of the car and cover it.

While doing this, I'm going to spray paint the whole assembly black, which means I have to remove the speakers from the parcel shelf, spray, install speakers and then wrap in some sort of cloth.

I want it to be black, so what sort of black cloth will I need? Is there such thing as speaker cloth, where is a simple place to pick it up? Any fabric shop or will it have to be a specialist car audio shop?

Will start the removal process soon, should only take an hour. Good thing is, I build this, and I can put it in any bugs luggage area because they are all the same! So if anyone needs dimensions to make one the same/similar to mine, just hit me up via PM and I'll be able to send you everything you need.
The sold one, '73 VW 1303 - Zelda
The project, '74 VW 1303 - Gretl

beetleboyjeff Custom Title Time!

1,790 posts · joined Feb 2009 ·

#853617
Nice work Seb. 👍
From your ole' mate Jeff

kaiisons Seriously Crusin Dubber

119 posts · joined Mar 2009 ·

#853649
what about carpet?

SebastienPeek Custom Title Time!

1,657 posts · joined May 2011 ·

#853744
So today, things went from good to bad to good.

I pulled everything apart. I figured that I'd paint the top of the parcel shelf black with a spray can. This was to make sure when the speaker grille cloth went over it, it was black underneath.



I then test fitted it before we went to get the speaker grille cloth. It is black, got it from Jaycar for $18. Bloody cheap and works a treat!





We then started to line the parcel shelf with the speaker grille cloth. This is where the photos stopped until I'd had it all in place as it was getting dark quick. However, the speaker grille cloth is held in by staples around the back and sides and thumbtacks were hammered underneath the front to give the cloth the tucked under look.



As you can see though, it doesn't line up at the back anymore. Which is a massive disappointment. However, Mum has found this foam stuff that I can use to stuff down there and cover it up. Hopefully this will fix it.



This isn't the finished project either yet. I still have two major factors to do which will blow you away. But, due to school starting back tomorrow, I'll be out of action for a bit and will be enjoying the massive headaches induced by the new subwoofer!
The sold one, '73 VW 1303 - Zelda
The project, '74 VW 1303 - Gretl

shokwave2 Officially Full-On Dubber

289 posts · joined Mar 2010 ·

#853778
Nice shelf! I built a similar parcel/speaker shelf on sunday, except no subwoofer. Mine has the two speakers and a flip up lid so i can hide stuff under the shelf. I'll try and post some pics today. I also curved the ends of the shlef so it would sit flush and there would be no gap under the window like you have.

Keep up the great work.

SebastienPeek Custom Title Time!

1,657 posts · joined May 2011 ·

#853795
Shockwave,
Originally there were no gaps, but is seems when we covered the MDF afterwards I must have lined it up wrong.
I may have to pull it apart and have another go, but that is going to mean a lot of work and have to recover the parcel shelf again.

We'll see what happens. Seems like my rear seat doesn't close properly either now...
The sold one, '73 VW 1303 - Zelda
The project, '74 VW 1303 - Gretl

SebastienPeek Custom Title Time!

1,657 posts · joined May 2011 ·

#853804
I really hope taking off the speaker cloth isn't going to be a massive pain in the arse.

I'm going to have to rip it off, unscrew the parcel shelf, slam it right at the rear, and screw back in.
Then cover the the shelf back in the speaker cloth. Just going to have to make sure the shelf is clean and what not.
I think I might as well do it tonight after school, really hoping it'll be a simple job. Touch wood.

Seems everything goes a little wrong with Zelda. But we're almost there, and then she'll be finished.
The sold one, '73 VW 1303 - Zelda
The project, '74 VW 1303 - Gretl

SebastienPeek Custom Title Time!

1,657 posts · joined May 2011 ·

#853805
Ordered new window cranks to match the billet door locks.
Also ordered me some new black side mirrors.

Hopefully they come from classic vee dub soon, there online ordering system is a bit weird.
But seems every decent VW store is in Sydney or Melbourne, a fair drive from where I am at.
The sold one, '73 VW 1303 - Zelda
The project, '74 VW 1303 - Gretl

SebastienPeek Custom Title Time!

1,657 posts · joined May 2011 ·

#853812
Ian,

I didn't want to buy one pre-made, I wanted to give it a shot building something myself with mates.
I think it turned out pretty damn good, just have to make sure everything is perfect before finalising the designs.

Still have a lot to do, that only this custom shelf would be able to do, if I bought a already made one, the rest of my designs wouldn't be able to be acted upon.
The sold one, '73 VW 1303 - Zelda
The project, '74 VW 1303 - Gretl

Joel Now containing 100\% E-Wang

9,368 posts · joined Feb 2006 ·

#853818
Those pre made ones are way to light and piddly to mount decent speakers to let alone a sub and amp.

Sebastien, make sure the back seat locks back in place once its all in and finished.
You wouldnt believe the damage an unsecured enclosure can do in a rear ender, emergency stop or roll over accident.

Many hatchback drivers have been injured by unsecured sub enclosures in accidents.

The main battery feed to the amp I hope they gave you an inline fuse for and it's fitted right down at the battery?