project ugly betty

[gt37jim]

hi stf,
i've been hanging out long enough, i decided to start a build thread. i got my bug about a year ago and have been storing it while i learn about vw's and collect parts. my new years resolution was to drive my bug by the end of the year.

i bought my bug from a coworker for $100 two days before he was sending it to the wreckers. it needs lots of work, bent bumpers,both right side fenders rubbed a wall, left rear and engine lid crumpled. window seals shot, interior disintigrating, and rust through both footwells, under battery, and through package tray. a really bad smell too! it had been parked for no brakes, and stored outside for six years.the good news is the po had the engine rebuilt 20k ago, and i got it to run enough to pull into garage.

sounds like fun huh? i won't feel bad about modifying it. my twisted brain pictures something combining a german look with influences from american short track racers.

i didn't think to take pictures when i started, but here are some pictures from a couple of weeks ago. i took out suspension & removed damaged apron. i'm going with early fenders and hood so, new early apron has been modified to pick up air for vent system.

[david58]

Keep the pics coming. Glad to hear you saved her from the evil crusher. The car really doesn't look that bad. The problem areas are normal. You know a friend was at my shop this week end with his bus. We cut off the flange on his new muffler and re-clocked it to fit his bus, and welded it back on. I was snapping pics the whole time. He says I wish I had taken pics of every thing I did on my bus. Pics are like memories, only with pics you can show someone your memories.

[Sneaks]

Welcome to the madness. What are your plans?

[gt37jim]

this is what i got done two weeks ago.started with dirty steering bay



used a mcculoch portable steam cleaner to break up grease and dirt, then used spray on bed liner in bay and trunk





turned out good. here is new adjustable beam, i welded shocktower seams for strength, modified steering stop bracket so i could use lower beam braces. new torsion leafs,full length urethane bushings, and long travel ball joints



beam installed, new trw steering box,urethane steering coupler, quick steer kit,new tie rods.


cb dropped disc spindles, and lower braces installed. i also hit fenderwells with a roll on bed liner.

[gt37jim]

i was sitting down planning work on bug for this weekend and realized i goofed last weekend. i installed steering box and never checked if it had grease. does anyone know if they come prelubed? i bought it months ago, and the dog ate the box! i think it said, but i don't remember. it was a new replacement not rebuilt.
it comes out tomorrow if no reply. thanks jim

[gt37jim]

well i worked on betty this weekend. first i pulled steering box, and it was pre-lubed, so that went back in. then i got discs and calipers on. held up the empi shocks and those were way too short, so i stuck on the wheels so i could put it on the ground and check ride height.


wheels are 15x 6 centerlines



tires are 195/50 15 toyos



max turn lots of clearance, two turns lock to lock



move battery tray to spare well for better weight bias





couldn' resist trying fiberglass fenders, tires are about 1 1/2 inches farther out but these cover the well



also my plates showed up saturday

ended up getting stock shocks,others were fully extended at this ride height. dust cap rubs on spindle clamp nut too, have to replace nut. next weekend hard brake lines, making double flares will be a new experiance. thats all folks! jim

[gt37jim]

gee, i thought i'd get at least one response on the plates, oh well i like them.

i worked on installing the front sway bar on bug today. its a whiteline nonadjustable from aircooled.net. the first picture shows the attach bracket that comes with the bar. i didn't like how it only contacts tube at a small area of pad. sway bar also rubbed on edge of shock tower.


after reading the threads on whitelines in the suspension forum, i bent up some .090 301 1/2 hard stainless steel into a 1 1/8 wide u channel at work, then shaped it to look like muffler bracket clamp. setup on left is from kit, center and right is what i made.


here is sway bar installed. after car drives and i see how it is set up i will probably tack weld it to beam. it might need to adjusted up or down.


last picture shows the shock attach bracket is now shortened, and no longer needs clearancing around shock. sorry brake line got in the way.


tomorrow is my racing fix(nascar and nhra) i probably wont do much. later jim

[gt37jim]

i got out and cut rust out of package tray today. about 50 pin holes in this section


this what i see with panel out. i like access, i may try to make this a hinged panel if i can figure how to seal it.


i hope i can find a good section in junk yard around here this weekend. jim

[gt37jim]

hi guys,
i went junkyard hopping on sat. and at the second one i found a stripped super that still had a clean package tray. 20 min with a cordless saws-all and i had the part i needed.

still need to get some hinge and maybe some quarter turns to hold it down.

here's some pics of rust in the foot wells.



i took out the pedal cluster for clean up. it is a little bent, and mine has grown hair.


i couldn't do the hard brake lines because vw uses bubble flares (i had never heard of them) not the double flares i thought it needed. i had to order a flaring tool that does them, metric too.

so instead i decided to install the hood. now i know all you restoration and og guys will not approve but... during the summer i picked up a fiberglass hood and engine lid off craigs list. they had some cracking and hood pin holes but i got them for $35.00. i traded a weekend helping to reroof a house to a friend who works in the composites shop at work. while fixing the damage he said he could stiffen them up with some carbon fiber. now don't think ricer, think more german tuner, like amg mercedes, or ruf porsche, or ac schnitzer bmw. they are not as good as mfgd parts (minor pitting, and some discoloration of resin) but not bad for a garage job.


only problem is we didn't use a fixture to hold hood straight, and i discovered today that it has a slight twist. i hope i can adjust latch to suck it down tight.


i added hood emblem to convey image i'm going for.


hey, maybe the ac origanally stood for air cooled. jim

[namelesswonder]

That hood is cool, looks like you got a great deal. My fiberglass hood was also warped when I got it, but much worse off than yours (mine is like somebody managed to flatten it...it must be pretty old).

[gt37jim]

thanks for the positive comment on hood nlw, i hope it adjusts enough to keep out water.

i didn't get to work on bug itself last weekend, but i cleaned up pedal cluster. accel lever was bent, but straightened easily. i was amazed at wear on clutch lever hook, easily 70% worn through. i guess after forty years it should be expected.



i'm glad i caught it now and not on the side of the road after it broke. definately something people should check after buying a car. i had a welder at work fix it for me.



i guess now is time to replace clutch cable. i hope to get time for project on sunday.

[david58]

Nice work on the clutch cable hook. Be sure and check the guide tube, I am replacing mine.

[gt37jim]

well i decided to pull clutch cable and check clutch tube today as david58 suggested. it's amazing how bentley manual makes it sound like a straight foward process but on a 40 year old car it's not at all like reality.
guide aft end of cable into bowden tube then pull from front.

yeah right. cable end is tight fit into tube, tap gently with hammer and it goes in. pull eight inches out front and it locks up tight.tap deeper into tube with punch,another 4 in. locks up wont go in or out. ended up using high speed cutter on cable between bowden tube and chassis.




pull cable out front, take bowden tube to bench to knock out end. tube liner comes out with end, large worn area in center and busted wires in cable. need new tube. cable end at pedal assy also worn almost through.


checked front of cluch cable tube in tunnel.it still feels round, with no sharp edges, and is firmly attached.
how does rubber plug at back of chassis come out to check aft end of tube ?

do they sell a replacement? mine feels like it will disintigrate. what is its name?

i did get pedal cluster parts blasted primed and painted, i want a new brake return spring before assembley. that enough for this week

[gt37jim]

aircooled.net has tube grommet, cable and bowden tube. i love getting parts in mail.

[VICTIMIZER]

Your work is outstanding, very nice! will be watching this post until it is finished. Nice pictures and a great working guide, you may not realize, but I bet many are learning from your build. THANK YOU and I will be following your work! Dan.