Whitebrow's 65 Bug Full Restoration

Need help welding the pans and stuff first bud so you can use TODS for alittle while

Back on the Bug resto after a few months way from it.

Spent last weekend prepping for the new pans and struts to be welded in.

Made sure I got rid of two layers of pans and used 3M Zinc primer to prevent any surface rust appearing.










Then I dry fitted both the pans to make sure everything all lined up.

I was well chuffed with the result even with my OCD.    

I then booked a mobile welder from Birmingham who was recommended to me by a classic car restoration company in Devon.

They charged me £38 per hour with a minimum of 4 hours so £152 which I thought was a bargain.

They turned out to be very professional guys, 2 of them turned up in a mobile home (like on Breaking Bad) with a massive trailer with all their equipment in it.

They turned up on time, did an hour of measuring and marking points on the chassis and then got to while telling me how and why they were doing stuff. Perfect for a novice like me.




We then carefully removed the body which was solid anyway.




And then we dry fitted the pans and struts again for me to show them my holes id drilled.

They then left after 3 hours.

They even sorted a few other things out for me.

This is the finished result.

I then ground down the welded and caked it in cheap primer on both sides to protect the seal.








I found it difficult to get along the seat rails so I bought an over sized disc and removed the guard on the grinder. That worked a treat.

hope you have put the guard back on the grinder or you might loose some fingers.
whats next ?

I know you say the shell is solid but those channels look F**k*d

WizBizMartin wrote:

I know you say the shell is solid but those channels look F**k*d

The welders saw them and said they were solid and i've put the doors back on after the work was done and it all lined up ok.

WizBizMartin wrote:

hope you have put the guard back on the grinder or you might loose some fingers.
whats next ?

Yeah mate, guard is back on and I made sure I wore two layers of gloves for some protection.

Next things to do are small welds:

1. Weld in accelerator bracket.
2. Weld in battery lip as my epically expensive pans didn't have them   
3. Find and weld in the heater channel cable tubes

Body is being stored in my neighbors garage for a few months so I can then.

4. Strip the chassis down.
5. Wire brush or possibly sandblast the chassis and parts.
6. cover in paint prep and then paint with POR15

Are there any other options for paint or ways to remove all the paint and gunk from the chassis? I read a thread that mentioned Raptor paint or maybe epoxy primer first?

por15 I find is good sticking to old metal that's was once rusty, not as good on fresh metal like your floor pans. Just a personal experience with it, its all in the prep with It and you need to spray a chemical over it before paint if I remember correctly. Ask Joker as he has painted his floor pan in POR15, he will be able to tell you.

When I do mine, I'm having it rust protection powder coated, then powder coated, then adding seam sealer, then few layers of stone chip and then some satin black.

It'll be twice the weight after that lot!

Quote :

When I do mine, I'm having it rust protection powder coated, then powder coated, then adding seam sealer, then few layers of stone chip and then some satin black.

Jesus Christ mate, its going to be 5 inches thick! you might as well galvanise it lol

Why so much? All the threads i've read all use the chemical paint prep which you then wash off with water and then the POR 15.

As martyn said por 15 does not like new metal much, unless it's been blasted so it has a good surface to bond too.
If I was doing it again, shot blast ,powder coat, seal up joints then sand it and paint in 2k black.

Don't forget to put a new fuel line in now, as you may need to cut some holes in the tunnel.

Thanks Joker, that's exactly what I wanted to hear. I'd read about the 2k a while back.

Found this thread about replacement of fuel line:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=380724

any updates

this cracks me up everytime : I know you might think im mad for taking on such a gorgeous Bug got a full resto, but I wanted a good honest (solid) bug and have been watching it for about a year.

in all seriousness how is it ? What's next

I'm too busy restoring your mums ass!

WizBizMartin wrote:

any updates

this cracks me up everytime : I know you might think im mad for taking on such a gorgeous Bug got a full resto, but I wanted a good honest (solid) bug and have been watching it for about a year.

  

are you selling this now?

Yes he is