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Frank the '66 Deluxe project.
KalgoorlieGreg - September 20th, 2016 at 11:36 PM

Hey all,

I managed to get my hands on a fairly decent 1966 Deluxe. My kids have called him Kirby, but since I'm the one doing the bulk of the work, I'm calling him Frank!

The intention is not to do a full restoration, but to do a period sympathetic body off rebuild with modern updates for safety. Main updates are the front seats, and the wheels. Putting in a pair of BMW E36 coupe seats, and rebanding the wide 5's to 15x6 with staggered offsets to keep the tires inside the guards.

Engine is a 1300SP that runs but with low compression, so will get a rebuild along the way. Minimal rust, just in the rear of both front wheel arches and bottom door hinges, along with a few other repairs, which is to be expected in a 50 year old car!

I'll upload pics as I go, but here are some to get started with. And yes, I'm planning this to be at least a 3 year build.

Cheers, Greg.

nbturbo - September 21st, 2016 at 06:27 AM

Welcome to the VW restoration world.The 66 with 1300 is my all time favourite.Will look forward to see how you attack it.

KalgoorlieGreg - September 21st, 2016 at 08:31 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by nbturbo
Welcome to the VW restoration world.The 66 with 1300 is my all time favourite.Will look forward to see how you attack it.


With a couple of welders, a media blaster and a grinder!! 😎👍

KalgoorlieGreg - September 21st, 2016 at 04:06 PM

I've just uploaded pictures to my Imgur account. Feel free to check them out.

http://imgur.com/gallery/HvFxu 

Cheers, Greg.

nbturbo - September 21st, 2016 at 05:40 PM

Looking good- did you machine the centres from the rims?

KalgoorlieGreg - September 21st, 2016 at 07:41 PM

Manually with a 5" grinder and 1mm cutting discs, working very carefully. Took about 4 hours per rim to dissect both and combine the wide 5 centres and 6" wide bands.

KalgoorlieGreg - October 3rd, 2016 at 07:06 PM

http://i.imgur.com/aPq4xmA.jpg 

http://i.imgur.com/F96pmVM.jpg 

It's back on the ground now, and I started messing around with fitting the BMW E36 coupe seats. Real easy to make the mounts, and I'll be able to fold up a drawer for under each seat, on ball bearing runners, for a bit of extra storage. And there is just as much, if not more room to access the back seat than the original seats.

Bizarre - October 4th, 2016 at 12:17 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by KalgoorlieGreg
Manually with a 5" grinder and 1mm cutting discs, working very carefully. Took about 4 hours per rim to dissect both and combine the wide 5 centres and 6" wide bands.


GREAT work

have you had them balanced yet?
Heard they are buggers to get done.

Some one was selling special adapters for them to get balanced

KalgoorlieGreg - October 4th, 2016 at 07:49 PM

Was going to use the Dynamic Beads for balancing. Unless I machine up an adapter plate at work.

KalgoorlieGreg - October 4th, 2016 at 09:30 PM

I have a bit of a technical question. With my seat runners, I've tacked up a quick frame to get my heights and placement sorted. As you can see, I've run my frames across the seats, with the intention of folding up some drawers for under the seats.

Would it be better to have my frames running with the direction of the seat runners, with flat bar running across the seat to join the two halves? This way should give me more height for the drawer, I think.

http://imgur.com/a/NtcFW 

KalgoorlieGreg - October 5th, 2016 at 07:26 PM

Did a sketch today which should make a bit more sense!!

http://imgur.com/2cbjIWp 

KalgoorlieGreg - November 30th, 2016 at 11:34 PM

Got some more done tonight. Getting the seat mounts fabricated.

iob.imgur.com/uYGg/yjZg60X0Iy

Slowly getting there.

KalgoorlieGreg - January 16th, 2017 at 09:18 PM

Whoops! Meet Pig, the parts pig. Fibreglass wide guards and whale tail engine lid, jellybean mags and a healthy 1600 dual port. Some bits will be for sale.

Pig the parts pig. https://imgur.com/gallery/3oRAb 

KalgoorlieGreg - January 20th, 2017 at 09:06 PM

https://youtu.be/XEqfSqKhnnQ 

Just got Pig started up before it gets taken apart!

KalgoorlieGreg - February 4th, 2017 at 07:50 PM

Progress on Pig the parts car.

Pig the parts pig.
https://imgur.com/gallery/3oRAb 

Pig is almost stripped down. SO. MUCH. RUST! https://imgur.com/gallery/UPvPx 

Pig in pieces! Even more rust! https://imgur.com/gallery/81aDG 

Once Pig is stripped and gone, Frank will start getting some love!

KalgoorlieGreg - February 20th, 2017 at 07:45 PM

Floor plan of Pig. It was toast.

https://imgur.com/gallery/GfaLP 

KalgoorlieGreg - April 9th, 2017 at 09:13 PM

Custom seat mounts for BMW E36 coupe seats into 1966 VW Type 1 Beetle. https://imgur.com/gallery/sA9z3 

oldskoolguy - April 9th, 2017 at 11:56 PM

Nice looking seats, are you going to re-cover them?
Bit of an upgrade eh!

KalgoorlieGreg - April 10th, 2017 at 10:19 AM

Yes, going to get redone in brick red cloth to match the vinyl door cards. Vinyl seats in Kalgoorlie is not a great idea!!

KalgoorlieGreg - April 10th, 2017 at 08:22 PM

Guard removal and rust discovery on Frank.

https://imgur.com/gallery/xRTrw 

KalgoorlieGreg - April 11th, 2017 at 07:45 PM

Rear clip almost off and glass out.

https://imgur.com/gallery/SNq7f 

KalgoorlieGreg - April 12th, 2017 at 02:50 PM

Frank's heart removal surgery.

https://imgur.com/gallery/yTETU 

KalgoorlieGreg - April 12th, 2017 at 10:38 PM

Frank almost ready to split body from pan.

https://imgur.com/gallery/A6Uh1 

KalgoorlieGreg - April 15th, 2017 at 08:56 PM

Stripping the doors for Frank. Nice to have spares!

https://imgur.com/gallery/1JMjO 

KalgoorlieGreg - April 15th, 2017 at 09:13 PM

Stripping the doors for Frank. Nice to have spares!

https://imgur.com/gallery/1JMjO 

BlasterTheRedBajaBug - April 16th, 2017 at 03:31 PM

What did you do wit the original seats from Frank?

KalgoorlieGreg - April 16th, 2017 at 10:10 PM

Frank's passenger door needs love.

https://imgur.com/gallery/JWiSt 

KalgoorlieGreg - April 16th, 2017 at 10:11 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by BlasterTheRedBajaBug
What did you do wit the original seats from Frank?


Sold them to somebody in Adelaide.

KalgoorlieGreg - April 17th, 2017 at 07:57 PM

Frank's drivers door repair.

https://imgur.com/gallery/fKeot 

KalgoorlieGreg - April 17th, 2017 at 10:21 PM

The welding has started! It's all getting real now!

https://imgur.com/gallery/Jstii