why are u using a miniature engine??

 

to save weight!



seriously, the block is fooked, cracked one side, so I use it as I can lift it (just) and it's better for working round.

Real engine is on the stand ready to be built, I'll put that together next just so that job is out the way

 

Looking Great Craig

 

proper mad drop on that goin to be amazing when fineshed

 

I've always had a soft spot for these - that is so damn cool I can't wait to see it finished.

Although to me this is a finished truck:

 

started to assemble the engine



block, 5.7 liter/350ci rebored, new bearings yadda yadda yadda.

got everything assembled ready to go, rings gapped, pistons in etc then I noticed a defect in one of the bores!!





so now I've taken two steps back stripped it all and have to send the block back to the machine shop probably so they can sleeve the bastard!!

what a pain in the arse.

But I've ordered two new rear wings for it, the ones I have are crappy.

Not doing any more just yet until the engine is built as there is too much stuff all over the place.

 

Meant to ask you to let me have a look-see when I came round the other days, and I forgot

Shame about the block defect though, how did that happen ?

 

don't know how it happened mate, maybe it was there all the time and no one noticed.


if i'd have left it i'm sure it would have smoked badly real soon.

bit of a loss as to what to do now, can't really start grinding as all the engine bits are laid out.

could finish the front shock mounts though and get anti roll bar fitted.....

 

mate your took is going to look the nuts!!

 

Or, you could put your feet up, crack a beer open or two and enjoy the good weather

 

WOW Just read it all for the first time and i love what you are doing! What sort of shows will you be going to?? I would be going to them all!!! Just for all the hard work done!

 

Dont you think Craig has taken long enougth (sp) with this truck already

Cant wait to see an update

 

Pot calling kettle black alan
Craig started with a rusty chassis and pretty much nothing else, he would have rebuilt your cossie from the ground up by now

 

Yer but no but whot happened was

I do have a good reson tho

1 i dont have a garage
2 i dont have a drive
3 i dont have many tools
4 i dont have the skills that Craig has
5 the missus was not working for the best part of 14 months so money was / is tight

 

Bet my truck runs before your sapph does......

 

OI a race hay ummm ok you may win that one

 

Looking like you rmaking good progress chap........dunno if you've already been on it but my mate runs an american car forum/website www.MuscleCarsUK.com give it a look...its still fairly new but growing very quickly and has a mag featured rolling road day organised for some time soon

Stu.

 

engine has got a nice colour!!

 

AWESOME!!!!

 

looks cool

 

got the engine back with a sleeve in teh bore, so I've assembled the bottom end, dead easy!

started into some rust repair of the floor, Loads of bodged up panels welded in with gas, chopped them all out. Could just bodge paltes in but I figure to do it right means I'll do it once.

so....

Chop crap out







make repair panel as no fooker wants to answwerr the phone or emails regarding repair panels.

Thank god I bought a bead roller, shear and folder.....







New rear wings should be here next week as well as a new servo master cylinder combo, sump goes to be dipped and de-crapped tuesday so I can finish the engine...

needs some more welding and grinding, but for now I'm going to drink some beer and stick the idiot box on.....

and if you thought this was an epic rebuild, I've just bought this for my eldest's first car, he's only 11 at the moment but I figure it'll need 6 years of rebuild.







and you thought S1's had some corrosion issues......

TBH the beetle is a piece of piss to rebuild

 

is that a proper early(oval back window) bettle shell or just one thats had the panel fitted?

 

it's a '55 real deal, going onto a '70 pan though.

 

thats going to be so cool when finished mate

i love the american hot rod trucks prefer the oldskool f-150

what colour you going to be having on it

keep up the good work mate

 

god you have some talent to take on restos like these
keep up the good work cant wait to see it finished

 

Nice work on the truck,start a resto thread on the oval

 

Didn't realise you had quite so much work to do on the beetle when we spoke on tuesday

At least you've got 6 years to crack on, good job you built that nice garage extension

 

I'm beginning to think you've got some issues you do like to keep yourself busy

Once again, hats off

 

seriously, the beetle is easy, you can still get 1/4's and complete sill sections, so I see no problems with it.

Did them for years, swore blind i'd never do another......

 

Excellent work on the pick up,

 

Sorry to hear the block went bad.

These thing just have to happen for some reason but keep at it mate!! She'll be one rare beast when your done!!!

 

wow!

i just read the whole thread and im shocked!

ive had my mk2 a year and all ive done is strip it down! Need to learn to weld i spose and put a new floor in!

 

How we looking on are race

Looks like your going to be Busy for some time

 

Ok, so it's been a while (3 months!)

better get finger out of my arse and crack on...

done some repair work to the cab floors, sorry for the angle, the cab is on it's fire wall.



repair to the OS corner, decent sized access panel made for the gearbox, even though there is little you could do. I figure it's batter to have it and not need it than the other way round

The tunnel now unbolts,



running out of space here...

New rear arches arrived in the meantime -$700 the pair vs Ł700 if I buy them in the UK, thankfully a mate was shipping a container sothey hitched a lift!

Thank god for a decent exchange ratye, they came in at Ł400



So still in need of some repair panels, I go on holiday to Florida where I pick up two cab corners for $35 each, way too cheap to even bother making them!

Cut off the rot, repair the inner section, slap on some primer.



Trial fit the outer section.



I'll zip them in during the week, finish the floor repair and get busy with the grinder.

Body can then go to be blasted and primed.

Meanwhile next chassis project is two anti-tramp bars for the rear axel, the NS front shock mount and teh front anti roll bar.

Can also get the master cylinder mount welded on.

Good job I've got some time off this xmas!

 

very nice your restoration !

 

coming along

 

WICKED WICKED WICKED cant wait to get a mustang in a few years

 

I fully recomend you to do so, they great value and very tunable.

Got a supercharger for mine, but I need to sort the chassis first.

 

Nice to see an update fella!

 

Cool thread keep us posted