By Easter a 74 Superbug should be sitting in my carport. Still not sure why...
Can anyone help me with the history and info about these Sunbug labelled convertibles I can remember first seeing in the mid 90's. I'll add some photos later.
wombatventures ·
Here are some photos of the Superbug Convertible
donn ·
74 superbug convertible, oh what have I done!
Good question, I guess every car has a purchaser at the right $, what's that at the top hinge on the drivers door? damage or a reflection?
I see your from Peterborough, I went through there in the buggy on my way home from WA (or was it on my way to WA ? 🙄) in 2012, I seem to recall a statue of a dog that was a renowned train traveler, if I've got the right place.
wombatventures ·
I'm happy to say it's a reflection. Lets just say that thetrip to Sydney to pick it up will cost a lot more than we paid for it. If worst comes of it it may become a parts car, but I'd rather get it up and running for a bit of fun.
You would most likely have come through here on the way east west if you went via Broken Hill. Glad to here you spotted our local legend, Bob the Dog.
wombatventures ·
Well, about 3000km, a slightly cooked motor, a lot of junk food and some creative intersection manueveres, the sunbug is now in the yard. I'll put some trip pics up later.
A question for Sydney residents,... getting onto the south bound of the Hume from the Northern Road... no traffic lights! Across 3 lanes of traffic! WHAT THE FUCK!!! My appologies to anyone who had to deal with my lights flashing, hazards on, block each lane till they all stopped trick.
Craig Torrens ·
you drove to Sydney for THAT ?! 😵💫😂
wombatventures ·
My picture is in the dictionary under insanity. Despite the look of it, there may be a plan. Will let you know when I work out what it is.
Already have a good motor, who knows where to get a good gearbox. Preferably in SA.
ian.mezz ·
wow, isn't it just a chop job one , not a real vert ????
modnrod ·
wombatventures wrote:,... getting onto the south bound of the Hume from the Northern Road... no traffic lights! Across 3 lanes of traffic! WHAT THE FUCK!!!
That's pretty funny! 😂
I seem to remember using the "Force" a bit like that about 20 years ago, in exactly the same place........
And I'll second the "nice place Peterborough" thing too. Oh, and Morgan and Burra too.
I've always thought crappy unloved old verts would be good with a flat ally roof joining 2 roll bars together, and a baby Baja kit.
Then again I live in amongst the rocks like you do......🤪
wombatventures ·
Yep it's a Sunbug Conversion from the 90's. The beauty of it is whatever we do to it won't result in the changing of an original Convertible. It's already been changed from original so now it can be customised to what we want. I love restorations, I'm in the process of two at the moment, this one just gets to be different.
Hey Modnrod, Morgan's our camping hangout. Great Spot. I like the Alloy roof and the Baja idea. Not sure about this one but maybe another.
matberry ·
Good luck with your project.
Good idea Modrod
ps. yeah I know this ones a real vrt bt what the hey.. 🙂 Enjoy the build whatever you do
modnrod ·
Yep, like that! 😀 👍
wombatventures ·
Hey Matberry!
Now that rocks! My Missus driving to work in that would be a laugh! She'd love it! 😂
Park it in the main street! Cool!
If You Guys keep giving me ideas I may need a warehouse not a shed!
wombatventures ·
Thought I'd add some shots of the trip back from Sydney. Make this into a build thread.
wombatventures ·
Camped out on the Hay Plains. Before heading home to drop Becs Bug in the yard.
Should Be into the Carport by next week.
oldskoolguy ·
Nice photos, I love the morning mist over the paddock on the Hay Plain. Sleeping in the car, there's nothing like it!
wombatventures ·
Had the swag out Oldschoolguy, bloody beautiful night with the stars out and not too much dew. Rosie the Dog, see the first photo, gets the middle of the pillows every time. Travelling is the best part of owning a car, reckon on building a teardrop trailer for the bug and the kombi. Then the ute can stay the work bus.
oldskoolguy ·
wombatventures wrote:Had the swag out Oldschoolguy, bloody beautiful night with the stars out and not too much dew. Rosie the Dog, see the first photo, gets the middle of the pillows every time. Travelling is the best part of owning a car, reckon on building a teardrop trailer for the bug and the kombi. Then the ute can stay the work bus.
🙂👍
matara ·
Hey wombatventures,
Had a friend who was a panel beater who restored a Sunbug a few years ago. I'm into factory cabs myself but here is a link to some of the pics that might be useful to you. There are a few showing the extra strengtheners that were put in underneath, and the door tops.
Cheers
Steve
oldskoolguy ·
Neat 👍
You might have a little diamond in the rough there Wombat!
Rob.
wombatventures ·
Cheers Matara.
I've got the same Sunbug conversion sticker. I'll chase out the photo later.
Saw another one on trading post a few weeks ago.
If your friend knows anything about the conversion mob I'd be grateful for any info.
Who knows, oneday they might be rare enough to be worth something.
As it is we didn't go looking for this one, just ended up being a joking bid on ebay. We both want an earlier full bodied bug as well. And to get the Kombi on the road.
Reckon Rob might be right though. Could turn out to be the rough bug that that grows into a cool butterfly. If not just a fun way to get to the beach.
Deadpan ·
wombat do you any of the history of the sunbug, mainly was it ever a QLD car? I do remember in the 90's Gold Coast were cutting the roofs off Beetles,Suzukis,Minis and all sorts of cars 'To have Fun In The Sun', rental convertibles were all over the Gold Coast
wombatventures ·
No idea Deadpan. The bloke we bought it off does rubbish removal and got it as a scrap cleanup.
I've tried looking up sunbug conversions on then net but all that comes up is about the VW Sunbug which seems to have been a gold painted US promo version. Found some info on a mob on Paramatta Road who used to do conversions. Need to trace that one down further still.
I remember seeing these cut bugs in the 90s when I was travelling around, and I recall an article in a car mag about them. As I still have almost all of my old mags I hope to hunt that down soon.
Could be there is a Gold Coast connection. Although Steves' friends has t,he same Sunbug Conversion sticker in the same place.
Cheers
Terry
wombatventures ·
Parts hunting begins.
Drivers Window glass is smashed. is the Super Beetle door glass the same as the earlier glass?
wombatventures ·
Been busy with a million projects since the last post. The bug is in the carport, have stripped out most of the interior. Looks like the seats have come from somewhere else. The runners have been welded onto the original T shape runners. Debating whether to clean up and re-install or repair the runners and put original style seats in. Will reserve that for when I clean up the pan.
So far I've found a couple of rusty pinholes in the pan, will know more when I get it apart to and clean.
A couple of weeks ago I came across a youtube video of a roller frame a bloke had made for when he split his Karman Ghia from the pan. His was wood...
I've made one up similar from steel. Will be completed later this week. Will add photos when I get more time.
Over the weekend I've been knocking dents out of the old hubcaps for our Kombi, can anyone give me some tips on cleaning up the scratches and small dents. We're thinking of getting them re-chromed to have a good set. Have 4 old rough ones for when we go bush, that's in the future when it's back on the road.
Carl and Emily ·
It's cool that you're giving this thing a second chance.
Good on you.
Look forward to following your build.
wombatventures ·
Finally catching up with putting some of the build, or in this case Unbuild, photos on here.
So here we go...
First frost of the year hit before we got it under cover.
wombatventures ·
Got the back veranda empty enough to give the Dub a home...
Then Stripped Her top off.
wombatventures ·
While ripping out the interior I found the novel replacement seat mounts. A bolt and nut welded together and to the seat runner and base of the non standard seat....Hmmm! Dodgy or what!
wombatventures ·
Bought another Kombi the other day too... this one goes realy well, awesome for chasing the dog. Kinda cool way to deaden AA batteries...
wombatventures ·
Finally for today, Bec bought me a new MIG/TIG/Arc welder for my birthday. So I started looking up welder trolley designs. Think this one will work....
Hmmm.... Bigger workshop again...
Tell Him He's Dreaming!
wombatventures ·
Finally the roller stand for lifting the body off the Beetle is together. Would finish it today but our hardware store isn't open. Why is it the bolts you get to the original measurements you've measured are always one size longer than you need!
So tomorrow it's a coat of killrust primer over the rust converter and later a quick paint to make it look better.
May need to shorten the uprights later, they seem a bit high for getting under the carport but will need plenty of hight to clear the struts for the front end. I'm making a brace to go between the strut tops so I can roll the pan around to work on it.
May also need to make a bar to go between the bottom bars of the roller stand to stop it spreading. Will find out later.
wombatventures ·
Again we got distracted. I've done a few bits with the Beetle, removed the tank, working on getting tyhe guards off. Took a flight to Qld to see Becs folks followed by a fun drive home in her new Type 3 - already name "Frankie"!
Now back to working on the Beetle, Kombi, One Tonner, work ute, boat, carport, trailer, other trailer, and maybe oneday the house and the monaro! Wish someone would pay me to work at home!
2000km+ to home. So cool to have a car that runs when we buy it!
modnrod ·
Nice find, looks good. 👍
wombatventures ·
Thanks Modnrod.
Goes well too. 2200km - Sunshine Coast to Peterborough, No oil top up.
wombatventures ·
Today I got stuck into building the shed frame over the Kombi. Total attention the bug got was me lifting the trunk lid, grabbing some tools and walking off. Oh well, maybe tomorrow.
wombatventures ·
Ok, It's been a while, I know. The Dub has sat in the veranda with dust settling and not much done since mid year. I did strip some bits out but mostly it's been sitting. Then late last year I moved the one tonner out of it's hole by the fence and started working on it. The Hole has since been dug out, posts put up, concrete laid,some of the roof put on..... and.....
Tomorrow when the photo gets off of my phone I'll show you the result!😁
wombatventures ·
It's Alive! Mmmm No.
Actually its just moved into its own little carport where work can begin.
modnrod ·
HAHA! This is starting to sound familiar!
Get some dirt flat somewhere, flow a bit of concrete, raise a quick steel frame with shelter then roll it in.
I rekn right about now you're feeling very VERY chuffed. No more rolling around on sharp pointy rocks. 😎
wombatventures ·
😂
Yeah, pity about the other 3 projects still on the gravel. Reckon the next concreting will be from this slab to the veranda and a shade sail up so my tonner has a work bay too.
We've decided the bug is gunna be semi Baja, sitting a bit like it is now, perhaps a touch higher. There's no motor, box or interior in it at present, thats why its sitting up. No bumpers, probably the same wheels, and sports seats or late model coupe seats for comfort. The back seat is still pretty good so a clean up will do it for the dogs to ride in. Might even stick with a similar blue green. Now I can get stuck into splitting the pan from the body and work on it at my leisure.
Thinking a warm 1600, there's a single port in the kombi that I'll replace with its original twin port once that's overhauled. Just a box to get.
Hmm 2020....2040... Na. ASAP I hope.
wombatventures ·
Made this one up a couple of months ago as an idea....
wombatventures ·
Another weekend without actually touching the Beetle.
But...
Scored a square frame from the dump, needed some welding, added some wheels and castors...
Dump run for the pharmacy scored a frame that used to be the photo print computer desk....
Bit of drilling, welding etc....
oldskoolguy ·
👍
wombatventures ·
New welder trolley.
Now all it needs is some shelves and drawers and some hooks to hang crap on.
Perhaps over easter I'll work on a car.
wombatventures ·
Where the hell did the last 8 months go?!
Yes I have worked on a VW.
No it wasn't this one! 🤪
Notch is runing well so time to get onto the Bug
Anyone got a working IRS Tranny fo sale?
We've got a 1600 to bolt to it and CV joints and axles.