Author Topic: '59 Beetle Project  (Read 17459 times)

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Offline Jeremy

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'59 Beetle Project
« on: August 03, 2007, 02:26:58 PM »
I've been lurking around this site for about a year and a half know and thought I would give a proper intro. My name is Jeremy but I am logged on under the name Brodie. Thats my oldest boys name. I tried to use my real name but was denied so I just went with that.

These are a few pics of a '59 project beetle I have been working on for quite a while. I bought the car when I was nineteen and started a pan off resto/custom. Then lost interest for about 12 years and finally after buying a house in Coquitlam with a garage I had Liquid towing tow the car from my parents house to casa Kent. From there realized my welding and fabrication skills have matured since then (ticketed steel fabricator now)  and I was going to have to fix most of my prior work. So I've stripped the body off and stripped the pan and started again. I wanted to go with an IRS set up so I cut in some trailing arm brackets and bought a used built up SSC  trans from Samba. I've tried to keep the cost down buy doing all the work myself and buying swap meet parts. I left my fab job to stay home full time with kids (we had 3 kids in 18 months, a single and twins) so it's hard to talk the wife into letting me buy shiny new stuff but the odd swap meet/samba/airspeed classifieds deal she can live with. I bought an IRS rear end from a guy up the street and took the trailing arms cut the axle housing out and narrowed the arms an 1\" each side. I also readjusted the angle of the housing by 2 deg. to take some of the negative camber out of the tires when the car is lowered. This was a little tricky with getting the angles right but it turned out pretty well. I went with Thing stub axles to run bus CV's. From there I had to cut pockets in the frame horns to clear the Thing drive flanges. I fabbed my own torque bar set up with tabs that bolt directly to the shock towers. Clevis one end heim on the other. I added a couple stress bars that are probably over kill but what the hell. I also had the modify the spring plates so a wider tire wouldn't rub on the adjusters. No point of narrowing the trainling arms if I'm going to run spacers for the wheels. Other than that. 2\" narrowed front end, dropped spindles, disc barkes front and back, drilled for a 5 x 130 bolt pattern, self made trans mid mount with soft mounts, 28mm SAW torsion bars and SAW 15-5/8 axles. I thought I was done but now I saw a cool fuel line install in Hot VWs so I've got some more chassis work to do.























 
'59 Beetle
'59 Single Cab

Offline Chris

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'59 Beetle Project
« Reply #1 on: August 03, 2007, 03:09:53 PM »
Seems so familiar!

Looking good Jeremy

Russ

'59 Beetle Project
« Reply #2 on: August 03, 2007, 04:24:07 PM »
looks good comming along nicely

Matt

'59 Beetle Project
« Reply #3 on: August 03, 2007, 04:30:00 PM »


Whats with all the round tube?

Offline Jeremy

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'59 Beetle Project
« Reply #4 on: August 04, 2007, 08:21:36 AM »
Ya, I went I little overboard with the frame horn bracing. The cross bar is to tie the shock towers together. The other four I figured would just stiffen things up more. I have never seen this done but figured it's not in the way of anything and only added a couple pounds. Not that I'm worried about the weight. If I was I would give up the beer and cheeseburgers to compensate. :blush:  
'59 Beetle
'59 Single Cab

Offline Jeremy

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Re: '59 Beetle Project
« Reply #5 on: May 19, 2009, 09:35:39 PM »
Bit of an update. Its only been a year and a half. So I wasn't to happy with the stock trailing arms I modified/narrowed so I decided to build a pair from scratch. Bought some 4x2x1/8" HSS tube a bit of 2x2x1/8" angle. Cut the old ones apart for the bearing housings and the pivot bushings. Took a stock arm and made a jig and came up with these. I guess you could call them narrowed/dropped trailing arms. I narrowed the track 1.5" a side and offset the bearing housing up 2" off center. I'm trying to get the car pretty low without the tire camber. Sort of the same idea as a 2" trans raise in a swingaxle car. Close to stock springplate angle when the car is on the ground just 2" lower. The 1.5" narrowing put the tires about a 1/4" from the springplate. Tires are 205-60-16. Also put a grease zerk in both the pivot bushing and the bearing housing for future lubrications. Put a couple fuel lines down the tunnel with two jic fittings up front and one in each frame horn. Re seat covered the seats as well. They came out pretty good for my first time. Cut a lot of body metal in as well but won't bore you with those pics.






















'59 Beetle
'59 Single Cab

Offline Geoff

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Re: '59 Beetle Project
« Reply #6 on: May 21, 2009, 10:18:15 PM »
Nice work! Keep the updates coming!

Offline Jeremy

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Re: '59 Beetle Project
« Reply #7 on: May 27, 2009, 11:46:13 PM »
So I put the wheels and tires on and put the pan back on the ground. Put the fenders, doors and hood on to do a little mock up on the pan and get the ride height set. Came out pretty well. I thought I would have more clearance in the back fenders but with the tire not as cambered in at the top the tire sits pretty close to the fender lip.  With the narrowed rear trailing arms and a 2" narrowed front beam, the front track is actually wider than the back by an inch. I fabbed up a 4" beam the other day so might try that next to see how that looks. Going to make sure the bumpers fit well then take it back apart for some body work. Sorry about the picture size. I can't seem to figure out how to make it smaller. ??? :P









« Last Edit: May 27, 2009, 11:47:54 PM by brodie »
'59 Beetle
'59 Single Cab

Offline Hansk

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Re: '59 Beetle Project
« Reply #8 on: May 28, 2009, 09:32:25 PM »
Looking good Jeremy. 
Big fat black fastback

Offline Jeremy

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Re: '59 Beetle Project
« Reply #9 on: June 21, 2010, 03:39:55 PM »
Here's some new pics. Just have to finish the hood. Its just metal etch primer but it looks sorta straight. Going to try and spray the trunk tonight and maybe the interior too. The old Powerfist 1.5 hp compressor got quite a work out.












'59 Beetle
'59 Single Cab

Offline 72vwtype2

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Re: '59 Beetle Project
« Reply #10 on: June 23, 2010, 12:31:10 AM »
Lookin good Jeremy PDT_Armataz_01_37 !!!!!
1958 deluxe Beetle (project in progress)

1972 Kombi
1964 Vespa 150

Offline Jeremy

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Re: '59 Beetle Project
« Reply #11 on: June 23, 2010, 10:44:52 AM »
Thanks Phil. Getting there. You should stop by one day and take a look.
'59 Beetle
'59 Single Cab

Offline Geoff

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Re: '59 Beetle Project
« Reply #12 on: June 23, 2010, 05:54:11 PM »
Lookin good!

Offline Jeremy

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Re: '59 Beetle Project
« Reply #13 on: June 24, 2010, 08:59:11 AM »
Thanks Geoff. Takes a bit of time being a one man show but it is getting there.
'59 Beetle
'59 Single Cab

Crank

Re: '59 Beetle Project
« Reply #14 on: June 24, 2010, 01:31:25 PM »
Looking great! Lovin' the thread on your build. Thanks and keep it up.  ;D

Offline Jeremy

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Re: '59 Beetle Project
« Reply #15 on: June 25, 2010, 10:10:48 AM »
Walked out of white and peters with a bunch of paint products yesterday. Got a lot of chemicals in the garage right now. Hope to spray some high build tonight and block it out tommorow. Nothing fancy. Just a quick sanding with some 320grit. Maybe by Sat night I might be ready to try and spray some color. Family is going away so hopefully no distractions. Could be wishfull thinking but I am going to fly at er anyway.
'59 Beetle
'59 Single Cab

Offline Jeremy

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Re: '59 Beetle Project
« Reply #16 on: June 26, 2010, 02:52:52 AM »
Just finished a marathon high build priming session. It's 2:50am and I am beat but the whole car is in primer and ready to be blocked. Going to start on that tommorow if the 2k is dry enough. I'm going to bed.
'59 Beetle
'59 Single Cab

Offline Jeremy

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Re: '59 Beetle Project
« Reply #17 on: June 27, 2010, 12:51:12 AM »
 PDT_Armataz_01_37

Great day today. Sanded all day. 400 grit doesn't sand to fast. Thought I would get the whole car blocked but only got the removable stuff done. (doors, fenders, decklid and hood) My buddy came over and we cleaned the paint booth and decided to spray some color on the under side of the fenders, hood, and deck lid. They came out great. I'll try and get some pics by the end of the weekend. Early night tonight. Only 1am.
'59 Beetle
'59 Single Cab

Offline Jeremy

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Re: '59 Beetle Project
« Reply #18 on: June 27, 2010, 11:42:54 PM »
New pics. Friday night prime session. My buddy Mark is in the green shirt. I don't know who that other fat guy is.  :O0:  but his headress has a crown on it and it says "Princess".  :wub:  





























« Last Edit: June 28, 2010, 12:26:26 AM by brodie »
'59 Beetle
'59 Single Cab

Offline Jeremy

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Re: '59 Beetle Project
« Reply #19 on: June 28, 2010, 12:16:48 AM »
And after 18 years finally some paint. Sanded all day Sat. and then some test shots. The undersides of the fenders and hood were our test spray pieces. They didn't come out quite right. A little too shiny. Turns out you really have to shake the shit out of the flatener before you mix it with the paint. Got the doors, fenders, hood and decklid done. Top side is more what I was looking for. Paint flowed out super nice. Sprayed a light first coat followed by two more moderate coats. So far so good for my first paint experience. Just wish some of the bodywork under that paint was better.  ::) Oh well.



Dont look to close. Good thing thats the bottom.
























That's it for now. Going to try and sand and paint the body this week. Another early night.
« Last Edit: June 28, 2010, 12:23:59 AM by brodie »
'59 Beetle
'59 Single Cab

Offline Jeremy

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Re: '59 Beetle Project
« Reply #20 on: September 23, 2010, 04:10:00 PM »
A lttle update with some pics. Paint turned out just ok. I had it looking good and then went to touch up some areas and the overspray settled over the whole car leaving quite a rough finish on the flatter surfaces. Rookie mistake i guess. I see why the time should be taken to mask shit off. Bought some more paint and am going to try again.





I painted some of the pitted chrome pieces gun metal. Some of the dash and other small pieces as well.













Went with flat head stainless socket head screws and anodized aluminum washers for all my 8mm bolts. Even plugwelded and re-tapped to 8mm the upper beam mounts. ::)






 
« Last Edit: September 23, 2010, 04:11:42 PM by brodie »
'59 Beetle
'59 Single Cab

Offline dawerks

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Re: '59 Beetle Project
« Reply #21 on: September 23, 2010, 08:13:03 PM »
Very inspirational for all those painting/resto'ing in our garages!  I'm scared seeetless of when I have to paint, but posts like this make it bearable!


Offline Hansk

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Re: '59 Beetle Project
« Reply #22 on: September 24, 2010, 08:41:16 PM »
Awesome!!
Big fat black fastback

Offline Jeremy

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Re: '59 Beetle Project
« Reply #23 on: October 08, 2010, 09:00:08 PM »
Some update pics.













Bought 100 of these (M6 x 10mm) for all the M6 bolts.














'59 Beetle
'59 Single Cab

Offline Jeremy

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Re: '59 Beetle Project
« Reply #24 on: October 08, 2010, 09:02:17 PM »
Here's some more.

Fabbed up a 4" beam to replace the 2" that was in there. B/J shocks with heim joints to try and not have so much angle/stress on the shocks. Took some calculating to figure out how long to make the shock towers.



















So the kids all headed off to a birthday party Sunday so I thought I'd take a break and have a little "safety meeting". Hit the garage door button and just before the the door closes.... crunch,scrape, fuuuuuck. I just closed the garage door on my rear fenders that were on the floor. Drivers side came out unscathed. Passenger not so lucky. Small dent now covered by this convenient emblem.



'59 Beetle
'59 Single Cab

Offline Chris E.

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Re: '59 Beetle Project
« Reply #25 on: October 09, 2010, 07:36:10 AM »
Looks great. The color reminds me of my old 59 rag, especially with that plate.

Offline Jeremy

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Re: '59 Beetle Project
« Reply #26 on: October 09, 2010, 09:03:21 AM »
Thanks Chris. I think those plates came from you.
'59 Beetle
'59 Single Cab

Offline Jeremy

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Re: '59 Beetle Project
« Reply #27 on: October 20, 2010, 11:47:37 PM »
Got the beast back on it's feet again. Pans all bolted up. Wheels need a polish. It's a little too low. The front tires rub on the headlight buckets. The back looks cool though. Low without the camber. Just what I was trying to achieve. Have to figure out the wiring and brakes then try and reserect an old 1835 I built close to 20 years ago. Windows need installed too. All in all I'm pretty happy with how it is turning out considering i've done 99% of the work on this rig by myself.













'59 Beetle
'59 Single Cab

Offline Jeremy

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Re: '59 Beetle Project
« Reply #28 on: October 20, 2010, 11:48:59 PM »
Here's a couple more.



'59 Beetle
'59 Single Cab

Offline HotSauce

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Re: '59 Beetle Project
« Reply #29 on: February 12, 2011, 09:36:31 PM »
Spring time is just around the bend so how about some updates
Luke I had your father