Our BuddyBug Project

[buggyman]

 
Can't get much closer than that


 
Maybe offset-hilight-accent-contrast-camo it with some code KH2 Gun Metal Gray?
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_search.php?search_keywords=gun+metal+gray
http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/Paint-Code-Needed-t84957.html
http://www.paintscratch.com/
My 57 bug was apparently a special edition that came in that color & not listed on The Samba & I never got around to taking a pic of it ,original code no longer listed in my Fiche ,but when I get back to work on Tuesday I can check the old '72ish era book we have stashed there ,just a thought to complement the overall theme .

"Buggyman and others told me what to do...I am very satisfied with the result. I will be able to dial in exactly what I want. Cool!"
  Just took a little Hippy Tippy to get ya to stand on your hands like Kimbo always does waaaay down there where things just happen topsy-turvey .

You & the whole extended family rock out loud!
 

[andeez01]

Thanks buggyman. I like the idea of gunmetal gray to accent. I just can't figure out how to use it. I will consult the crew at VMAQ-1 for some ideas.

[andeez01]

Some more family and friend pics....

Matt, Buddy's friend working on the turn signal/ignition housing...


Christina, Buddy's wife. She is working on the steering column tube.


Winston, a friend of the family working stripping paint from the inside of the door post...

[buggyman]

 
"I just can't figure out how to use it."
I was thinking along the lines of something a little more subtle than these



Just havin a little fun with it
from
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&um=1&q=camouflaged+vw+beetle&sa=N&start=0&ndsp=20
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&um=1&q=camouflaged+vehicle&sa=N&start=0&ndsp=20
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&um=1&q=camouflage+vehicle&sa=N&start=40&ndsp=20
Just using the GMG on peripherals like the engine shroud-bumpers-interior linings as opposed to black in order to create a less stark contrast,GMG is a mix of mostly green-some blue-on a gray base,kindof a handshake between the earth & sky when combined with the Flint if you kick back & close your eyes for a minute ,don't think I've seen it done quite that way before so it'd be pretty unique .
 

[andeez01]

Will this part:
Seat Mount Drivers BUG 56-70 [C380T]
http://www.chircoestore.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=318_668_714&products_id=12646

replace the existing seat tracks and allow for the mounting of my stock 69 seats?

Also, does anyone have a diagram of the front defroster and fresh air system on a 69 bug?

[buggyman]

 
"a diagram of the front defroster and fresh air system on a 69 bug?"
The A pillars

The fresh air box & controls

from
http://www.vw-classic.net/pcat1200/index2.html
from
http://www.vw-classic.net/vwcd_neu/content.pl?src=cp_technik
from
http://www.oldbeetle.com/
That's the electronic version of the same VW microfiche I have here ,just pick an illustration#(86 & 87 shown here)& a key#(like #11 in illustration 87-the fresh air box = p#113-819-511-A)I can help you search down just about anything on the car .
Another spot with a lot of the pics & some part #'s + tips & tricks is http://www.vwhelp.com/  .
 

[andeez01]

Don.... question for you, but first the issue. Santa Clause aka UPS showed up yesterday and brought that huge chirco order.
But here is the problem. My wheels,

are about 3/4 an inch to small to fit the chrome center caps:


I have tried every way possible to save money and use these wheels, but I have had it with these wheels and am going to buy some. 

I was looking at these:

So my question is an you verify, or do you already know, that these wheels will accommodate the center caps. I have also thought I might get the white version of these you have and paint them buggyman's suggested gunmetal gray. Do the center cap fit these??

Everything else was packed well and looked great coming out of the box!
Thanks!

[70bajavw]

sure looks good put partly back together,    

[andeez01]

Got my answers. Called Chirco today and they assured me that the wheels and centercaps work. I messed something else up too.
The exhaust I ordered eliminated heater boxes and I meant to get with heater boxes. Here was my mistake



I should have read the detailed description. The "eliminates heater boxes" only appears when clicking the details.
I  made my list and checked it twice but still managed to mess this one up!

Shipping it back today and getting the other.

Oh! and there is another mistake too. Mine is a 69 bug. It is four 14 mm lugs per hub. So those of you wanting to go to wide 5 lugs on late model, the 5 lug hubs you purchase for the rear are likely to be 14mm, and in my case, I used 67 front hubs with 69 inner bearings. The front 67 hubs are 12mm lugs and the rears are 14mm. I think these rear hubs are the "thing" hubs which are compatable with irs rear ends. So prior to finding all of this I ordered 20 12mm lugs!  Don....  couple more exchanges coming your way. More pictures tonight.......

[Don]

Andy I sent a note to your e-mail.
Lets get the exhaust exchanged for the correct one.
Exchanges are no problem.

Great thread, Love it.

[andeez01]

Andy I sent a note to your e-mail.
Lets get the exhaust exchanged for the correct one.
Exchanges are no problem.

Great thread, Love it.

Thanks Don. Talon and others over here would agree, we feel like we live on the wrong coast! 

[Don]

Your welcome Sir.

[Neil]

Thanks Don. Talon and others over here would agree, we feel like we live on the wrong coast! 

You live on the wrong coast, and I live on the wrong border!!

[andeez01]

Here are a few updates. Steven - below is a US Marine and friend of Buddy's. He spent a couple days and a couple wire wheels stripping paint out of the trunk and other places. He, Matt and Christina have been doing alot.



Here is a couple of pictures of the coilovers a got from Chirco. They are very nice! The boost from the springs is significant and will probably keep me from having to do another spring plate adjustment. They look good too!

[andeez01]

Here is a question. I inquired a few posts about the defroster system. I have decided to go with a naked dash. Is there a vent for the right and left fresh air vents without a dash pad? Otherwise I may have to weld them closed and just go with the center one.

[badassdubs]

Not that I am aware of. You are going to have to weld them, unless you want to run the padded dash vents. I have seen it done but it looks odd. Keep the center vent. Bugs need all the help they can get in the defrost area.
Keep up the good work. Baja's were always my favorites.

[andeez01]

I was thinking of widening the outside ones to accommodate the center size vent and putting the center vent in all three. I would just have to rig the vents to work from the under side.   Then I wouldn't have to deal with trying to get it level for paint with bondo and all that. At the worst, I could slip the vents in sealed up just for looks. 

[VIN]

i fiberglassed my vents closed in the baja

[badassdubs]

I would weld them up. I would avoid fiberglass since resin won't adhere to steel and will eventually crack. I had quite a few more holes to weld than you since I was dealing with a '73. I will be worth it in the end.

[andeez01]

Ok I'm convinced. I will weld them up and use system in my donor car. Our goal is to get the body bolted to the pan tomorrow and get the doors mounted.

Oh and check this out!
This guy at the rhino linings place wanted a website.


I created a template he liked here:
http://www.racollison.com/rhino/

He was so happy with the result he will do all the work on the buddy bug for free!!!

So we plan to rhino line the bottom three inches of the body and doors, the fender wells, the side bars, the light bar, bumpers and the inside of the trunk!

Thanks Doug... You rock!!!!

[Rob 57 Oval (Talon)]

Sweet!!!   

[andeez01]

Time to work on the engine cage.


Also, back on the first or second page I talked about the solid mount and the noise it makes. Someone suggested this and I think it works. The transmission shifts ok and everything. The only thing that concerns me is the increase angle on the CV joints. It looks good so far.


Ok here I wanted to do something different with the deck lid opening. I took some cardboard and made a template for this piece and cut it out of the door on the old donor car. I am going to use this piece as a pattern and cut a piece of diamond plate to match and have a diamond plate firewall.


We couldn't resist adding the side bars and light bar to see what it looks like. I LIKE IT!

[buggyman]

 
"Also, back on the first or second page I talked about the solid mount and the noise it makes. Someone suggested this and I think it works. The transmission shifts ok and everything. The only thing that concerns me is the increase angle on the CV joints. It looks good so far."
http://www.chircoestore.com/catalog/smf/index.php?topic=4879.msg33414#msg33414  .

The thing to watch for here is how your nosecone fits up to the front chassis mount,straight flush or juuust a little off kilter making you have to tweak it straight into place which could lead to the nosecone eventually if not immediately breaking .
The solution to that & the added height to the CV flanges would be to create a "shadow"-\_/- shaped cradle from a piece of ~1" x 1/8"or3/16" flatstock steel or angle iron tucked & welded up under the existing -\ /- then remove the existing left \ & right / of the solid mount.
That would drop the bellhousing ~back down to it's original solid mounting level while also allowing the extra room for the added in gaskets .
Fit the like & kind gasketed trans nosecone flush 1st with it's mount using carpenter shims or a floorjack to support the bellhousing perfectly in line,then drill the 4 new bellhousing mounting holes in the shadow cradle because those holes will be stepped back by the thickness of the nosecone gasket .
You could also use some insulative 8mm ID sleeves cut from tubing like http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&ei=VNpKS_29EIjEtAPY7s31Dw&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=8+mm+id+tubing&spell=1&start=0 slipped in over the threads to center them & 8mm rubber washers like http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&ei=id9KS93UJIT-tAOEu7XLAQ&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=1&ct=result&cd=1&q=8mm+rubber+washers&spell=1&start=0 under the steel ones in order to ensure that the bolts & studs themselves don't transfer noise through the frame also .
It all adds up to a still solidly mounted trans with little or no noise transfer to the interior of the car .
 

[70bajavw]

Free rino for a web sight thats a hell of a deal,  good job

[andeez01]

"Also, back on the first or second page I talked about the solid mount and the noise it makes. Someone suggested this and I think it works. The transmission shifts ok and everything. The only thing that concerns me is the increase angle on the CV joints. It looks good so far."
http://www.chircoestore.com/catalog/smf/index.php?topic=4879.msg33414#msg33414  .

The thing to watch for here is how your nosecone fits up to the front chassis mount,straight flush or juuust a little off kilter making you have to tweak it straight into place which could lead to the nosecone eventually if not immediately breaking .
The solution to that & the added height to the CV flanges would be to create a "shadow"-\_/- shaped cradle from a piece of ~1" x 1/8"or3/16" flatstock steel or angle iron tucked & welded up under the existing -\ /- then remove the existing left \ & right / of the solid mount.
That would drop the bellhousing ~back down to it's original solid mounting level while also allowing the extra room for the added in gaskets .
Fit the like & kind gasketed trans nosecone flush 1st with it's mount using carpenter shims or a floorjack to support the bellhousing perfectly in line,then drill the 4 new bellhousing mounting holes in the shadow cradle because those holes will be stepped back by the thickness of the nosecone gasket .
You could also use some insulative 8mm ID sleeves cut from tubing like http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&ei=VNpKS_29EIjEtAPY7s31Dw&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=8+mm+id+tubing&spell=1&start=0 slipped in over the threads to center them & 8mm rubber washers like http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&ei=id9KS93UJIT-tAOEu7XLAQ&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=1&ct=result&cd=1&q=8mm+rubber+washers&spell=1&start=0 under the steel ones in order to ensure that the bolts & studs themselves don't transfer noise through the frame also .
It all adds up to a still solidly mounted trans with little or no noise transfer to the interior of the car .
 

Thorough as always! I didn't notice any unwanted tension but I don't doubt it for a minute. Come to think of it, the shifter seemed a little tight. I thought it was the after market shifter but I am betting it will loosen up after fixing this. Thanks again buggyman.