[V8 Super Beetle]

It's been a long week and a short four day weekend, but it was great nonetheless. Me and the wifey went to Galveston island for the four day weekend so I didn't get as much work done as I would've liked. It's also been getting up in the mid 90's so I limit how much work I do to early mornings and late evenings.

Some progress pics.




This section has been taking up a lot of time trying to get it nice and straight. It's almost there. I need to do another skim coat of filler around the right side of the gas door and I need to fix the area above the door.




The old fuel door location hasn't been too bad. It needs a skim coat to fill the dark low spot by the rain rail and it'll be ready.




This fender needed a skim coat of filler and some blocking to make perfect. It's ready to go.




This fender was good as is.




This side of the car is ready other than the b-pillar posts that need filling from me cutting them out and welding them back in.




I started filling and blocking the rear apron, but I got tired and hot so I called it a day.




I'm hoping to have the car ready for it's first coat of primer by this weekend. I still have a lot to do but it's moving a long fairly quick.

[MRGM]

You may want to grab a cheapy dehumidifier, especially in Houston if you leave bare metal for a couple of weeks. Just a tip.

[V8 Super Beetle]

Originally Posted by MRGM

You may want to grab a cheapy dehumidifier, especially in Houston if you leave bare metal for a couple of weeks. Just a tip.

I hope to get it in primer ASAP. Hopefully this weekend, but we'll see. If it takes longer I'll look into one. I did notice a small piece had a little surface rust. Might be from me sweating and touching the metal.

[GMCTRUCKS]

To start off with congrats on the baby coming that's awesome. I was wanting to say also that the bug is sure coming out nice. Now on your exhaust system don't you think that it's to close to the oil filter just a thought. Also I know you have seen on some of the bug hoods where they tend to bend you might reinforce it there as well and finally look what colors I found for you.
Good luck! Roland

http://www.insideline.com/audi/a3/20...n-audi-a3.html

http://www.insideline.com/audi/rs-6/...7-fr-as_1.html

http://www.insideline.com/audi/tt/dr...ikes-peak.html

http://www.insideline.com/volkswagen...-scirocco.html

[V8 Super Beetle]

Originally Posted by GMCTRUCKS

To start off with congrats on the baby coming that's awesome. I was wanting to say also that the bug is sure coming out nice. Now on your exhaust system don't you think that it's to close to the oil filter just a thought. Also I know you have seen on some of the bug hoods where they tend to bend you might reinforce it there as well and finally look what colors I found for you.
Good luck! Roland

http://www.insideline.com/audi/a3/20...n-audi-a3.html

http://www.insideline.com/audi/rs-6/...7-fr-as_1.html

http://www.insideline.com/audi/tt/dr...ikes-peak.html

http://www.insideline.com/volkswagen...-scirocco.html

Thanks, GMC truck. She'll be here in a couple months and we're very excited.

What you saw was the radiator return (cool) plumbing. The radiator is in the back and I had the exhaust shop run aluminized tubing for the radiator plumbing.

Thanks, I'll look into that!

[V8 Super Beetle]

Still plugging away on the bodywork. The area around the relocated gas tank door, the front passenger side quarter panel where the gas tank door was, and the roof has taken up quite a bit of time. Basically where ever I had to cut out some metal and weld it back in. Next time I weld on the body sheet metal, which wont be anytime soon, I'll be sure to take more precautions to keep distortion to a minimum.

These areas needed the most attention to get straight. The rest is cakewalk. It seems like just when I thought it was straight, they needed another skim coat to fill in a low spot. These sections are pretty much shaped / flat, but need to be skimmed over with some glaze putty to fill in pin holes, feathered a little more, then sanded with 100 and 150-180 grit to get ready for its first coat of primer.




This section here had the most distortion and it had a nice whisky dent next to it which required the bondo to be feather even further. PITA.








I still need to sand down the little bit of untouched filler you see. Other than that, it'll finally be nice and flat.




I can say this area has taken the most time. I still need to work on the area above the gas tank and around the door some more. It's almost there.




The rear clip is ready to go. Now I just need to smooth out the transition of the sheet metal around the "radiator shroud".




This area just needs to be sanded with finer and finer paper, glazed and repeated.




I have definitely missed my mark to get it in paint early this month. It's looking more like the middle to late next month it should be in paint. Body work is taking long then expected and I have to build one of these (the copper tubing which collects the moisture follow by an air filter / trap) to make sure I have no moisture in my lines when I go to put down any paint.




More soon.

[V8 Super Beetle]

Yesterday I pulled the bug out of the garage to sweep up a little, knock some dust off the car and to drive her around a little cause she's been sitting for a few weeks. I decided to take some pics while the car was out cause I just mounted the new fenders and to take a look at overall progress.

The new fenders are pretty decent. They'll be perfect for when I upgrade my rear with a 8.8 explorer unit which is a direct bolt in upgrade for S10s (the rear is 3" wider). I think the car would look even better if I do about a 1.5-2" drop in the rear. So I'm going to look into some SOLID drop blocks from JTR.

The body and the fenders will need some work to make them fit right, but not too bad. There were some cracks in the center of the fenders and I'm guessing it's cause they flexed during shipping. They were just plastic wrapped / bagged and tagged. They seemed to do fine packaged that way for the most part.


















Here are the cracks I was talking about, which I have already filled and blocked sanded after I took these pictures. Below you'll see some gaps that'll need work on both fenders.










Over all, they're decent fenders. I have nothing to really compare them too, but I would think they're a little on the thin side, but that's probably cause I have no paint on them yet.

Fitment was OK. I guess it could be worse. I drilled where they had dimples molded into the fenders for the bolt holes. They weren't exactly spot on, but close enough. I had to widen about half of the holes so the bolts would line up.

I'll have more after this weekend.

[speedfoos]

You sir, have just provided me with more motivation to get off my dead arse and put forth more effort to my Volvo. I thank you for that!

[IHRodder]

Originally Posted by V8 Super Beetle

Got a few things done this weekend. Really just testing things out and tweaking (checking valve lash, snugged up the headers / collectors and played with the fan in push / pull mode) to make sure everything is is running right before I move onto paint. All seems well except the alternator.

I wired up my alternator and took the car for a test drive. After driving around the neighborhood for about an hour, I parked the car in the garage, turned it off, and attempted to start it back up. Well, it was very slow to turn over and it wouldn't fire back up. I did let the car sit and cool for about 15 minutes and it fired back up. ???

So I'm not sure if the battery was drained some and the alternator isn't wired correctly or if there's another reason the engine wouldn't turn over while at operating temp, which has never been a case. I did have my electric fan running the whole time and it draws some amps.

................................

Great project. Should be a rocket and a lot of fun.

Is it possible that you are experiencing starter heat soak? You said it was running for about an hour, you cut it off, it turned slow and wouldnt restart till it cooled off. Sounds like a textbook case.

You may want to install a heat shield between the header and the starter, and/or install a remote solenoid.

Looking forward to seeing it in paint.

Mike

[V8 Super Beetle]

Originally Posted by speedfoos

You sir, have just provided me with more motivation to get off my dead arse and put forth more effort to my Volvo. I thank you for that!

I'm glad to have inspired you!

[V8 Super Beetle]

Originally Posted by IHRodder

Great project. Should be a rocket and a lot of fun.

Is it possible that you are experiencing starter heat soak? You said it was running for about an hour, you cut it off, it turned slow and wouldnt restart till it cooled off. Sounds like a textbook case.

You may want to install a heat shield between the header and the starter, and/or install a remote solenoid.

Looking forward to seeing it in paint.

Mike

Thanks! It's definitely a handful, but lots of fun!

Thanks for the advice. I think I have it figured out though. I didn't have my alternator wired right and I had the fan running which draws some amps. Once I wired it up right I haven't had that problem since. I'm thinking the battery was drained.

I do plan to install a heat shield though.

Thanks again!

[V8 Super Beetle]

Still doing body work. It's been tough lately cause of the heat. It's been 95-100º. So I try and do as much work in the morning and the evening as possible.

I have the hood just about ready to rock. There's one small low spot that needs taken care of.




The b-pillars are pretty much ready. Just need to glaze and sand up to 150-180 grit.






The doors had so holes drilled in them I'm sure for some accessory. Don't quite know what. So i had to weld the holes up, grid, and tap them down.

There was also a rusted corner on the driver's side door that needed fixing. So I cut out the rust, welded in new metal, ground the welds, and filled the low spot with bondo.

The doors are ready other than some glazing and to be sanded with finer paper.






Almost there. Thing left to do are:

1. Radiator area.
2. Engine bay.
3. Front clip.
4. Finish detail work around the gas tank filler door.
5. Finsh driver's side front quarter panel.


The whole, where body work has been done, still needs a paper thin layer of glaze to fill in pin holes. Then I need to sand the entire car with the DA working my way to 150-180 grit.

Then we can paint. That's not too much more to do, right? LOL

[V8 Super Beetle]

Almost there! I know this stage has seemed to drag on, but I'm trying to make sure it's as perfect as possible so I'm not using filler during the primer stage. It seems just when I have a section done, I run my hand over it and I can feel just the slightest wave or imperfection.

This gas door has been the biggest PITA because of the body line just above the door. Once I get the shape right it'll be on like Donkey Kong.




I have the radiator area nice and flat. Just a couple more spots that need work and it'll be good.




The front clip needed some help. Some high spots and lows.




Just about finished with the other front quarter panel. Just a little more blocking. And another skim coat to make sure it's flat.




I'm hoping to have the remaining body work done by this weekend and to have some primer down. I have a 3 day weekend and the wife is working late tonight so I should be able to get it done. We'll see.

[MRGM]

SAAAWWEEET!!!

[MrPhotographer06]

Awesome man!