Today was only O & S Sportscar's first day back after the end of year break. I stopped by to drop off the new floor plans and front apron. They have already primered the entire body (except for the front apron which is being replaced anyway)! Fenders will be primered tomorrow.
I am ordering a new rear apron from the US as well to replace the less than satisfactory welding job that has already been done. More news in about a fortnight I guess when I take the rear apron and some other parts.
Also on their way to Australia right now are new Bugpack sway bar, rear IRS axle assembiles, tie rods, steering box, suspension urethane kit and a whoooole lot more. Yet another big order from CIP1 and I'm sure it won't be the last!
1971 VW Beetle
Currently being restored - click here
BizarreModeratorThe artist formerly known as blue74l
Fitting and measuring the doors. Little bit of rust to repair (along the bottom near the front). Those original handles are going, remember. Soon to be fitted with flush mounted hidden handles.
Compare the previous welding job near the top of this wheel arch, to this week's work attaching the new sill. You cannot feel the weld with your fingers!
They are going to be smoothing where the rain gutter was. So instead of being reminded where it used to be (as in this photo), you would never know it was there in the first place...
Yet another part ordered from cip1.com. The rear apron will replace more welding work that isn't up to scratch. But the bottom of it will be removed as has always been on my car to make space for the Phat Boy muffler.
1971 VW Beetle
Currently being restored - click here
Just a small update. Sealing up the dash (which I am impressed with so far, I can't feel where they have covered where the instrument cluster was). Goodbye vents, button holes and ashtray!
The front is now level and repairing parts of the fenders, doors and engine cover.
Sorry for bad shots this week, phone camera.
1971 VW Beetle
Currently being restored - click here
New floor panels attached. Some modifications were required here and there as they are for left hand drive.
Reinforcing for the pedals. O & S went to the trouble of smoothing the ridges on the floorplan as well where the reinforcing will go
Yes I've been buying more. Fenders this time. We were weighing up work that had to go into one or two of the fenders to fix them vs paying $150 odd per fender to get replacements. It's recommended if you're replacing to replace the opposite side as well so I just got all four!
Not complete, still work to go here
Removal of the driver's side rain gutter has begun
Before and after of the driver's side well area
Dash almost complete. Still need to seal that vent on the right and smooth it all off
Bye bye ashtray
Driver's door fits properly and is operating too. This door has had the handle removed in preparation for...
Some flush goodness. Ooooh! 🙂
More next week!
1971 VW Beetle
Currently being restored - click here
BizarreModeratorThe artist formerly known as blue74l
First few pics are taken by O & S from the last week:
That piece of the door in the last photo is now completed. As with the rest of their welding work, you can't feel the weld when running your fingers over. Colour me impressed 😀 Here are my pics from today:
We decided to reweld the section that X Customs repaired because the weld was cracking and had holes when you looked from below
I would say we're now about a week or two away from the trial fitment of the body to chassis followed by the final attachment 😀 Still welding work to be done at the rear driver's side fender. Maybe a month and a half away from paint.
Also I have these for sale as well as some fenders if anyone knows anyone... Check the For Sale forum...
1971 VW Beetle
Currently being restored - click here
So don't get too excited. Yes the body is on the chassis but this is just the trial fitment. The rest of the bodywork will now be fixed and we'll make sure everything is aligned correctly before removing again to paint the chassis and then do the final fitment.
Test fitment of original bonnet (handle removed as it'll be remote-unlocked(!), bonnet vents also removed), new front apron and one of the four new fenders
Both doors are now fitted to test hinges and alignment
Original bonnet hinges which are only being used for trial fitment. New chrome ones will be used for final fitment.
With the body on the chassis it starts to look just that bit more real 😀
Level front and back!
1971 VW Beetle
Currently being restored - click here
The venting system pipes (and vents on bonnet) were removed about 10 years ago during the first resto. So no screen demisting (or water nozzle as that has been disconnected for the same amount of time).
Fenders and all other parts prices can be found on cip1.com. Fenders were about $150. Body work and welding depends on the work done per week. APPROX $1500 per week
1971 VW Beetle
Currently being restored - click here
mate, what a journey..
good stuff
the light is getting bigger 🙂
nice to meet up with you last night for the freight
thanks for rolling in the middle of the black
cheers pauly
fractal geometry; the inner most limits of mind altering abuse
So the lead-wiping was started this week and I took video of the process. Video here:
The progress has been great this week and I expect a similar amount of work to have been done by next Saturday.
The driver's side has been lead wiped and filed (will be sanded and smoothed just before painting)
Front apron welded in place and both front fenders fitting well. Yes, I am aware the bumper is upside-down. I told them 😉
Passenger side, rear wheel arch. Previous bad welding will be replaced similar to the opposite side. This shows one of the pieces for this side. The other one (shown by the texter drawn on the body) will be welded to this one, the cutout will be made and the single piece will be welded in place. Cutting this section out will also remove the rust that was seen in one of the images from the last update.
The completed section of lead wiping after the demo
This is on the passenger side near the front. The antenna hole was sealed (by the previous workshop) and it's hard to see in the shot but the result is quite concave. This will be lead wiped to blend in with the shape of the door.
This shows where the replacement section went in on the driver's side last week. The interior piece that was cut out will now be welded back in place.
1971 VW Beetle
Currently being restored - click here
This side still needs to have the lead wiping completed
But this side is done 🙂
Rear apron has been fitted in preparation for the mod to make it easily removable. Engine cover fitted but still needs to be properly aligned (and a bit of leadwiping where the lead-wiped area meets the engine cover).
The repair of the passenger side rear wheel arch...
aaaaand done!
The replacement piece for the interior has been made, just needs to be welded in this week
Rear apron
Where it meets the body. It will be modded this or next week so that it is removable.
1971 VW Beetle
Currently being restored - click here
Test fitting of panels completed so off they come and the rest of the bodywork is being completed over the next week or so.
Repairing some small issues with this panel
After the leadwiping, the passenger door goes back on AGAIN for test alignment with the lead.
The lead wiping has now been completed on the passenger side including this area just infront of the door hinge and smoothing the groove that the bonnet closes down onto. It all came up looking fantastic.
The driver's side lead wiping is nearing completion too:
And the driver's side rear guard panel has now been completed and smoothed.
The removable rear apron mod has been worked out. I have marked the four locations below where the bolts will hold it in place. The guards will not have to be removed to remove the rear apron. The rubber will be cut where the body meets the rear apron.
1971 VW Beetle
Currently being restored - click here
At this point it's all about final touches to the body so that the painter has to use less materials and has less touching up to do. Getting so close now 🙂
Infront of the hinge on the passenger side, the indentation along the door has been recreated on the front panel so that it flows
Passenger side has now been corked and aligned
Fair bit of tidying to the rear end around the engine lid and where it meets the body
Some more lead wiping around the gaps to make them even and aligned
Repairing any imperfections to the engine lid...
And to the bonnet
Before and after repair work, driver's side front end
The configuration for the gauges, just need to be filed away for a perfect fit
A Riley in the workshop had just had some of its panels sprayed this morning. Unfortunately the image doesn't do it justice. The paint looked stunning
1971 VW Beetle
Currently being restored - click here
baghall wrote:Looking forward to the end result!
The guys certainly do some nice work!
Ahh I CANNOT wait! I'm so pleased I found O&S.
hrastovica wrote:When do you foresee the car being ready?
Need to paint chassis then bolt permanently to body. After that point, about 1 month for prep and paint.
Then transported to another workshop where mechanic and I will fit:
-new Scat 1915cc engine
-new Scat pro street transmission
-new brake lines
-new suspension all round
-new brakes (with drums at the rear being replaced by discs)
-new wheels
-new handbrake
which will be about a month.
Then I hazard a guess at 2 more months back at O&S to finish the build. 5 months maybe?
1971 VW Beetle
Currently being restored - click here
Craig Torrens6 times Australian, 7 times State Hillclimb Class Champion
1303Steve wrote:Did you cut your rain gutters off, good luck getting it registered or engineered
Is it that much of a problem ?
I know of 2 cars that have done this mod and have been fully engineered and regoed.
I spoke to a body shop ages ago about shaving the gutters off and they suggested that you would need to weld brackets from the inside to keep it all rigid, before welding it up.
Does that kind of mod really need an engineers certificate?
