[DK Bug]

Got a little crazy and Sold this nice solid 1302 which had been in the same family since new. Not my own family, but a car with a good history!

Realized after a while, that I missed getting my hands dirty messing around with some old car again.

Found this abandoned 1973 1300 cc. 1303 project and couldn’t resit the temptation.

The car has had a fair amount of work done to it, not everything up to my standard. The PO had disguised some bad welding jobs with filler and seamsealer and some of the mechanically work is done with a paint job.

Nevertheless I got the car for a fair price and not everything was that bad. Most of the front of the car, bulkhead and forward, are new panels..

The last 10 weeks I have been removing filler and seamsealer. Has corrected the worst fuckups and done some of the remaining welding jobs. More details in the following posts.

Where is this going to end?
At the moment I am thinking a GSR theme, like the one below, with a sporty ride and a lightly upgraded engine. Not heavily tuned, but maybe 1776 cc with a stock carburettor and a homebuilt / modified exhaust system.
Or maybe a German look light.
BUT.
All this can change along the way!

I don´t have an immense amount of money, therefore the resto will have some limitations, and my first priority is therefore a solid mechanically running car, which I have started collecting parts for.

Progress will bee as fronds allowing it ...

For now I got all new bushings for the wheel suspension and I got a nice set of Bilstein dampers for the back at my birthday.

 

[DK Bug]

Remowing deadly foam with a powerdrill and a length of stee lwire.

Patching inside the moon and below.
I have made a bigger drain dent at the botom of the moon vent. The plan is selaing it inside after epoxy painting.

 

[Brian Burrows]

Good luck with it all.

 

[DK Bug]

The PO had repaired the windscreen corner’s with filler... I have replaced the filler with steel patches.

Both crossmemberes were rusty in the outer corners. The PO had just welded a patch over the rusty parts...
The crossmembers is now repaired, the heater channels is welded to them and the reinforcement part one the outside is repaired.

A little patching in the rear inner wings and a new sub frame mount has been welded in.

The new bulkhead were for the most part “welded in” with seam sealer...
The bulkhead were cut at the ends, probably to fit it in place, and were only welded a few places, and most of the welding did not stick because the primer was not removed beforehand.

Spend several days removing seam sealer, fabricating patches, removing primer and welding it all together.
After that I mounted the body on the frame and welded the centre support bracket in place.

A little patching in the bottom of the A posts.

Welded the front quarter panel and the scuttle panel together.

New bumper brackets and rear valance has been fitted.
The valance is an IGP part with some small cut outs for the tailpipes. Considering if it is necessary to enlarge these small cut outs as I am going to fit fatter tailpipes.

Anyone have problems with the small cut outs in the IGP valance and larger than stock tailpipes?

For now Is the only remaining welding jobs the doors and finishing welding the front valance in place.
Need to check the bonnet in place before finishing welding the front together!

After that the body will be bolted to the floorpan to check door fitment and if any of the bolt holes need a little help to fit.

 

[DK Bug]

Good luck with it all.

Thanks

 

[DK Bug]

Not much fun working in my uninsulated cramped garage today.

Global warming.....??

Had to dig this out.

Did the doors over the last few days and offered them up to the body today.

I know I cant rely on the fit before the body are bolted to the floorpan, but it were nearly the same fit as when the body were on the pan last time.

Before I stated out there were some sagging in the rear corners, due to wear in the hinges.
I have fitted 8,2 mm oversize hingpins.
Could have used some larger because all the rust in the hinges were not removed when they were drilled out to 8,2 mm, but all the play have now gone.

Both doors have got lower part of the frame and 5 cm. Of the skin replaced.
The frames had 2 layers on top – below- the original frame!

The driver door – left side- had some cracking at the top where the post for the vent window sits and in the door skin over the top hinge.

I have fabricated some reinforcement and welded it in behind the cracks.

 

[DK Bug]

Made some adjustment and the fit came out quite satisfying with around 3,5 mm at the front and 4 – 5 mm at the back for the right door.

Just a light load as it the window were in the door!

The left side were a little tricky getting the rear gap in line with nearly 10 mm at the top and 2 mm at the bottom. Got it nearly sorted out with some persuasion and will look more into it when I test assemble the car on the frame before painting.

Have enlarged the slots in the door skin where the hinges sits. My plan is to paint the doors before fitting the hinges and don’t want the hinges to rub the door skin.
Maybe I will paint the hinges satin black, so I do not have to look at rust coming out of them!
All the trim, mirrors and bumpers are going to bee painted satin black.

There is a problem with the Klokkeholm rear lower quarters the PO has fitted. It seems they curve out in the middle.
I don’t know it it is the part or the fitting, but suspect the part and the PO not corrected it when he welded them in.
Could replace the parts, but don’t know what condition the new parts has and have therefore decided to try to do some shrinking.

shrinking.

After shrinking.

 

[DK Bug]

Opened up the hole for passenger side door mirror.
Have to get some original mirrors to try the fit and get a nut to weld in the door.

Another picture of the cavity where the foam used to bee. Don’t look to bad.

Opened up the rear corners of the gutter to clear out some surface rust.

Removed the rust trap sealing strip.
Considering gluing the seal in place.

If I am lucky, the body will bee done before Christmas.

Oh and the brown stuff on some of the newly welded parts.It is not rust. It I conservation waxoil.

 

[gojira]

I'm intrigued by the shrinking with a wire cup. How does that work?

 

[Zebedee]

Are you going to refill the C pillars with something after paint or leave them empty?
My bugs is noisy as hell without the foam in there.

 

[DK Bug]

I'm intrigued by the shrinking with a wire cup. How does that work?

Yes it seems strange shrinking that way.
What happens is, the steel gets hot and the twirling motion pulls the steel together.

You have to put some pressure on the grinder and keep it the same place until you get the felling of some resistance. You can hear the grinder has to work a great deal harder when it happens.

After the shrinking the steel looks beaten up - curled up - and you have to straighten it with some beating. Here is a little dilemma. The more you beat the steel, the more you stretch it so it is a balancing act between shrinking and panel beating.

I am not an expert and will never get it perfect, but instead beating the outgoing curve in and put maybe 15 mm, or more, filler on to get the shape, I can now get it straight with 2 – 3 mm. 😁

 

[DK Bug]

Are you going to refill the C pillars with something after paint or leave them empty?
My bugs is noisy as hell without the foam in there.

I will put some other stuff into the cavity in the C pillars.

Thinking of putting some foam, like foam in foam mattress – don’t know the correct English word for the material – in there.

To prevent corrosion I am going to soak the foam in some thin cavity preservation oil /waxoil or some filteroil used in foam oilfilters.
All cavities of the car are also going to be treated with the same thin preservation oil.

I know there is the risk that the foam will degenerate, but I will make a experiment, putting a sample I a jar with oil, and leave it for some time.

If the foam in the future turns bad, it will always be easy to get it out with a hook.

In the early eighties I had a Ford Escort MK 2. I stuffed the dashboard with the same foam, and it made a huge difference to engine noise in the cabin.

By the way I have gone trough the whole of your restoration.
What a epic journey..

 

[DK Bug]

Not much done the last two days.

Today I have helped an acquaintance who has a workshop in town, putting winter tyres on a bunch of cars. He let me use his workshop when I am in need, so it was a return favor.

A little more panel shrinking, welding up a little crak in right side door skin and trimming the lover edge of both doors.

 

[Zebedee]

I will put some other stuff into the cavity in the C pillars.

Thinking of putting some foam, like foam in foam mattress – don’t know the correct English word for the material – in there.

To prevent corrosion I am going to soak the foam in some thin cavity preservation oil /waxoil or some filteroil used in foam oilfilters.
All cavities of the car are also going to be treated with the same thin preservation oil.

I know there is the risk that the foam will degenerate, but I will make a experiment, putting a sample I a jar with oil, and leave it for some time.

If the foam in the future turns bad, it will always be easy to get it out with a hook.

In the early eighties I had a Ford Escort MK 2. I stuffed the dashboard with the same foam, and it made a huge difference to engine noise in the cabin.

By the way I have gone trough the whole of your restoration.
What a epic journey..

A restoration that realy should have been given up on after a couple of years but it seems i don't know the meaning of defeat.

I made a couple of triangular vinyl cushions filled with horsehair (old seat padding). Like the sort that early bugs used, and stuffed one into each C pillar. It quietened it down a little but not greatly as there was still spaces for sound to get through.

I was thinking of spraying some expanding foam into a couple of plastic bags shoved in there but i've never had that good results working out just how much the foam expands. I have the feeling it could get very messy really quickly.

I've got an old memory foam mattress sat waiting to go to the tip so i might give a bit of that a try first.

 

[DK Bug]

A restoration that realy should have been given up on after a couple of years but it seems i don't know the meaning of defeat.

I made a couple of triangular vinyl cushions filled with horsehair (old seat padding). Like the sort that early bugs used, and stuffed one into each C pillar. It quietened it down a little but not greatly as there was still spaces for sound to get through.

I was thinking of spraying some expanding foam into a couple of plastic bags shoved in there but i've never had that good results working out just how much the foam expands. I have the feeling it could get very messy really quickly.

I've got an old memory foam mattress sat waiting to go to the tip so i might give a bit of that a try first.

Always nice every time one is salvaged from the scrapyard.

Think memory foam is a better choice, it has a higher density – weights more Pr. Cubic cm. and therefore should absorb more sound.
Expanding foam will not harden if it is kept away from air and if the bag burst in the cavity you are back at square one..

 

[DK Bug]

Not done anything to the Bug today, but received this nice 1968 80 mm VDO tachometer.

Also planning getting an oilpresure gauge and an oiltemperature gauge.

If funds allow it I will buy VDO gauges. If the money is tight I will buy some cheap Chinese crap or try to find something second-hand.

Have also been looking at an cylinder head temperature gauge, but the only one I have found, is at a ridiculous high price tag.


There is not an obvious way to fit more gauges in a 1303 dashboard.

The 52 mm gauges could go into the centre panel alongside the switches and radio, but the 80 mm tachometer is difficult.

I do not want to make irreversible changes to the original dashboard which is in very good condition.

This leaves me with two options.

1. As I am going to fabricate a centre console, I could put my gauges in there. It will be a good place for the 52 mm gauges and the 80 mm tachometer could fit there also, but I would like the tachometer to be in eyesight alongside the speedometer.
   
2. Buy a spare dashboard and chop it up and make my own design. Have an idea of a veneer instrument panel to fit all gauges including the speedometer. All blended into the original dashboard with a new home-made fake leather surrounding and top pad.

If it is going to be option one or two. Time will show.

Maybe a third idea turns up before I get this far.

 

[Zebedee]

I never thought about the bag bursting. I definately don't want the hassle of trying to get escaped foam out of the cant rail.

That rev counter looks nice.
Kamei used to make a 1303 centre console that would fit an 80mm and two 52mm guages in, though as you say having the rev counter in you eye line is better.

Makes accessing the fusebox a little more difficult but how many times do you really need to access the fuses? Not on a daily basis.

Or modify the binnicle for porsche style gauges (a bit like a 914), though the cost of the porsche guages adds up.

 

[DK Bug]

I never thought about the bag bursting. I definately don't want the hassle of trying to get escaped foam out of the cant rail.

That rev counter looks nice.
Kamei used to make a 1303 centre console that would fit an 80mm and two 52mm guages in, though as you say having the rev counter in you eye line is better.
View attachment 296825

Makes accessing the fusebox a little more difficult but how many times do you really need to access the fuses? Not on a daily basis.

Or modify the binnicle for porsche style gauges (a bit like a 914), though the cost of the porsche guages adds up.
View attachment 296826

Yes a 914 instrument cluster would be nice... But think it will be to expensive so have looking into a design like this.

A little wider with the tachometer on the left side and the 52 mm gauges to the right.

Or something like this, but still with the veneer surrounding.

The centre console and the veneer instrument cluster will be home made.

I have the opportunity to do some woodworking.
Actually I have a fairly large wood turning / woodworking hobby workshop.

I will make the veneer instrument cluster and a gear-shift knob in cherry. Have just been given a cherry trunk.😁

Regarding the fuses. I will make the centre of the centre console easy removable.

But maybe I am going to chose the easy "lazy"solution and put everything in the centre console.
It all depends on where the motivation is when I come that far.

 

[DK Bug]

The daughter is home for a few days.

She and the wife are gone shopping so I am left to fix a broken exhaust hanger on her Punto.
Working outside in the frost as the Bug is not going anywhere without suspension and wheels...

Not to happy them gone shopping. Fear there will be no money left for me and my Bug.

The Punto is fixed and I can go on with the Bug..

Tried the hood on. It fits quite nicely.

Also on the Bug.
Would have liked to mount it with the hinges, but could not find the circlips.

Test fitted the fenders and welded the front valance in place.

The body is now mounted on the pan with some of the bolts. Have to go and get some new bolts before I can fit them all.

After that there is test fitting of the doors, and the body is mostly done.

Then to the fenders.
There are only some minor work on them, but a lot of grinding work before painting.

 

[Zebedee]

Front end panels look like they all match nicely. The joys of using genuine panels?