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Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 18, 2017 19:31:57 GMT
I then carried on reassembling. This way i can check that everything is there, it all fits, and that it all works! I had to drill out and retap a few fixing points so im glad i did it this way, much easier while its still all in primer and then when i come to reassemble after the respray i know there won't be any issues.... Seems odd having it basically together and working. For an MOT, it needs: The interior putting together and seatbelts installing. A washer pump A front tyre A speedo cable A bootlid Then after its passed an MOT, i can think about the Heater which is bypassed at the moment as it leaks. I need to sort out the doors as they are pretty much wrecked although theres enough to use as a pattern. I need to clean up and polish the alloys i bought at Beaulieu for it too. At some point it will get painted but as thats being done as a favour it will happen as and when.
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Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 18, 2017 19:32:30 GMT
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Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 18, 2017 19:33:05 GMT
Couple more items on the list ticked off: Seatbelts. Which were a pain in the arse. The original ones mount to a threaded loop that screws into the centre console area. You can't buy belts like this now so i had to settle for universal ones. Which, on offering them up, would not fit. Luckily, Zephyr6Boy was on hand and came up with a sensible solution - take the new belts to a trimmer friend of his and get them modified to fit the original loops. This involved cutting the webbing and re-stitching. The stitching thats been done has been done with the correct strength of thread and is at least as strong as it was before, so although its not the ideal solution im happy with it. At the end of the day, they mount to a GRP bodyshell thats pretty weak anyway, so you have to be realistic with regards to the amount of crash protection you actually have...... The soft trim that surrounds the steering column - vinyl ripped, nasty aftermarket dial pod hacked in, a mess. I had a go at retrimming it with some stretch vinyl and as you can see it worked out fairly well: The washers are working as well, i ordered a Mini type manual hand pump to sit in the vacant hole in the dash as this was what would have been there originally. But, it was just too bulky as the switch panel on mine now has an additional gauge let into it. So ive put a neat, period push button switch in the hole and mounted an electric washer motor on the bulkhead, which, really, is going to be better than a hand pump one anyway. Still waiting on a speedo cable but its in the post, hopefully. Ive also started on the seatcovers, which although filthy dirty are not actually damaged and may well clean up ok:
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Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 18, 2017 19:33:40 GMT
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Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 18, 2017 19:34:20 GMT
Quiet weekend this time, frankly i needed a rest! Few little jobs done: Deep clean of the underneath and removal of all the bodyshop dust. T cutting and polishing an axle feels strangely satisfying.... Rear lights - i had 6 used ones in various states, all with Chrome bezels - the Bug should have black ones. So i picked the ones with the worst chrome, ground it off, skim of filler, and resprayed them gloss black. Then chose the best set of lenses and gaskets, and found some new screws to hold it all together. Looks quite good i think. Mark Zephyr6boy came over, and got busy with the scissors and paper templates to come up with a neat set of ribbed rubber floor mats and a boot mat - nice job, ta...
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Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 18, 2017 19:34:57 GMT
Few quiet weekends on this, not achieved much, just little odd jobs. The seats are finished, headrests done and fixed in. The vinyl engine cover has been repaired and altered to fit. There will be a little pod tacho to fit into the top of the engine cover once its been repaired. Few shots of "the fleet"
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Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 18, 2017 19:35:31 GMT
Rear parcel shelf: Nasty dusty orrible shelf. When it arrived, the Bug came with this radio installed like this, but in a nasty hardboard panel that looked awful. Ive recovered it, and my mate Ben fixed the radio. Some carpet on the shelf and it looks a whole lot better. Just need.... ..... a nice period speaker for the other corner. This came direct from Dolomightys Parts Emporium on the Isle of Wight. Note it says "Stereo" on it - but ive only fitted one.....
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Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 18, 2017 19:36:03 GMT
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Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 18, 2017 19:36:39 GMT
Still plodding on..... Wheels are done. They are slotmags i picked up at Beaulieu, original plan was to polish them but the surface was just too poor, so i had them powdercoated instead. I'll find some centre caps at some point.... Stickers are on (horrible job) and the chrome gutter trims are on (really horrible job) And after being about for weeks by some chap on the Bug forum who promised to sell me an original steering wheel, i gave up and found this suitably period wheel on eBay for £25. Much nicer. That leaves sunvisors and mudflaps to source, im waiting on the tacho to come back from Joe in Anglesey, got the heater box to repair and fit, and the doors need sorting out.
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Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 18, 2017 19:37:17 GMT
Managed to escape Christmas for a few hours and made a start on the doors. The upper doors ( the bits with the windows ) slide on and off as you want them, like side screens. They might be saveable, ill have to have a play. More pressing are the lower doors, they have a frame that bolts permanently to the canopy and a half height vinyl panel. With these missing its just too cold and draughty, with them in place and the heater its going to be quite civilised...... The vinyl panels are wrecked, brittle, ripped, and melted where someones tried to weld the steel frames inside without taking the covers off :roll: With the vinyl removed carefully to use as a pattern i could get at the steel frames inside - and they needed welding and a new hinge pin making and fitting, plus lots of straightening and fettling. Im off to the shotblaster tomorrow with them and the disassembled heater box....
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Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 18, 2017 19:37:53 GMT
All the bits are back from the blasters, powdercoated black and looking good.. Ive started on the heater: The blower motor is a modified Dolomite one, its slightly bigger than the standard motor so needed adapting a bit to fit. But it was free, as i had it already, rather than buying a replacement! Its wired into the car and works well, plenty powerful enough. All i need now is the Matrix to come back from the radiator shop and i can plumb it in and finish the job. Ive got some period mudflaps coming and found a company that do repro centre caps, so ticking them off one by one... Matt.
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Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 18, 2017 19:38:36 GMT
Little more progress: Heater matrix is back, all repaired. Ive fitted it and plumbed it in, and the heaters nice and toasty! Excellent. Fabulous 70s Kumfikar Karspat mudflaps, new old stock off eBay..... Centre caps for the wheels arrived, and i decided they needed the slots highlighting in red... Think they look pretty good! The lower door panels are at the trimmers, Joe in Anglesey has the tacho to repair, so that only leaves the sun visors to sort out. I might have to start scouring eBay for my next project shortly.
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Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 18, 2017 19:39:30 GMT
IT HAS DOORS! The trimmer did an excellent job. Fitting them was less fun, and took me and Mark most of a day. Nothing lined up, and had to be fettled. Holes had to be drilled to coincide with the metal reinforcement inside the canopy, which of course you cant see..... Much swearing! Ive used Tiger Seal to attach the bars as well as the screws, which hopefully will spread the load and avoid some of the cracks in future. Im literally waiting on the rev counter to call it finished... Unless i decide it needs a headlining.....
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Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 18, 2017 19:40:09 GMT
It has a sort of headlining, a carpeted section let into a moulded line in the canopy. Like this: Was a fiddle but im fairly happy with it...
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Post by Matt of the Vivas on Feb 18, 2017 20:00:54 GMT
Sunvisors came out ok: They are ordinary Robin ones sprayed black...
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