225 replies to this topic

[dirtbag]

Yeah there's no VW left in that! : ) Me likey!

[Bart]

Yeah there's no VW left in that! : ) Me likey!

Its got a VW emblem

[dirtbag]

Cruiza, go to your room and take a long hard look at yourself!!!!! : )


Well I did a little bit more to this beast.


I started by drilling what felt like a hundred holes in each side panel to plug weld them in.





Then I welded them in : )





There's plug welds and stitch welds holding the panel to the top rail. I don't think it will fall off in a hurry!






I also plug welded the new panels to the original vertical support behind the cab.





Each end of the new panel is fully welded to the 75x50 RHS rails that run across the car.





Here's both sides welded. It's ridiculously rigid now. I was jumping up and down on the side steps like a monkey and nothing was moving apart from suspension. Really happy. Using 1.6mm zinc sheet doesn't hurt either : )





I then made up the top piece. This will sit over the radiator to direct air, and also be a storage bin.




I know people will rib me for putting the cross fold in it, but I don't know of a better way to make a panel stronger and less drummy. Besides, no one will see it soon : )


I then welded some 25x50 RHS to support the rear edge of the new panel.




Here it is in place. I've only welded the rear edge to the new support, as I ran out of day to do all the plug welding. The top of the radiator will be a bit more towards the back of the car once the top mounts are made.





I used a G clamp to position the radiator in the spot it will be at when the top mounts are done, just to give an idea of how it will all sit.





It's a good sized storage bin above it too. Both sides and the front edge have holes in them for plug welding. It's 1.6mm too so willl be strong enough to be able to support a lot of weight. The spare and a jack might even fit in here.

[dirtbag]

Yeah, that's funny. OK, it's excessively funny : )

You're a bad man Mr Cruiza!

[dirtbag]

Clint, you're a thinker! I'll seal it up for sure hahaha.

[dirtbag]

I've done a little bit more on the kombi.

I started by welding the top lid of the radiator chamber in. Lots of plug welds : )





These bits and pieces will be the top radiator mounts.





I had to trim the sides off the commodore radiator rubbers to make them fit.





All fitted.





Nutserts of course to mount it : )





I then started on the frame to mount the outer panels and tray.





I then added another piece of RHS along the back of the cab.





Then I folded up new rear panels.





This pic shows how much lower the new sills are compared to the original ones. Should make it look a bit lower.







Here's the top of the new panels trimmed off.







Next fun job was wire wheeling the tubs and old fuel tank mount.





The old tank mount is pretty stuffed, so I'll make a new one.





Choppie : )




I also hacked the back parts of the tubs off, as they were knackered. You can see a small portion of what I've cut out of this thing.





New piece tacked in.









Well I still have a bit of fixing to do before I can trim up the new rear guards and weld them on, but it's getting there.

[dirtbag]

Thanks Mick. Glad you're enjoying the read : )


Well I've done a little bit more on this, but not too much.

I had one more little rust hole to fix in the back of the cab wall.





Then I made a new piece to cover it all up and add some sound protection and a second skin for the storage bin above the radiator chamber.





I also welded the lid of the radiator chamber to the RHS that runs above it.





I also made a start of replacing the rusted bits in the engine bay. I started with the sides of the wheel tubs.

Edited by dirtbag, 07 August 2011 - 04:50 AM.

[dirtbag]

Well there's been a little bit more progress.


I fully welded the new piece in between the wheel tubs, and tied it into the rear crossmember that the bellhousing mounts to. I also added a couple more pieces of 25x50RHS to give the area some more support.





Everything is getting tied together, to keep it all nice and strong.




I still have to cap these parts though.




Next job was to make a new battery tray. The rear part of the wheel tub was cut off a while ago due to rust so I made the new piece into the battery tray.





I'm happy enough with how it fits now. It's always fun making weird shaped pieces with folded edges : )





Before I weld it in I have to fix a little bit of rust in the rear support where the old battery tray used to mount against.







Some new metal glued in.





I also welded the passengers side tray back to the chassis rail, as I cut all the tin ware off that used to go around the motor, so this part was just flapping around : )





Then the welding started




I'm not going to weld it where the tail light is yet because I'm going to change the tail lights to earlier ones, so these panels will be getting removed later.





All the welding is now done. I'm not going to fully weld it around the edge, as it's an external panel. It's tacked well enough and I'll Sikaflex it from underneath.





The old rusted support looks a bit better now : )





Then it was onto making more of the radiator chamber.

These middle pieces were a bit tricky due to the weird shape of the floor, but making them out of cardboard first makes it a hell of a lot easier.





When I marked out the shape on the steel I marked out where I was going to fold the top over, but I left it until the bottom part fitted properly and marked where to fold it against the top rail while the piece was in place, just to make sure. As it turns out I was about 2mm out on my initial mark out.





More holes for plug welds.





Weldy weldy : ) I still haven't fully welded along where it meets the floor, but I will. I just wanted to get the parts made and in place today. I can do a weldathon another day.





It's also stitch welded along the top of the top rail.





Then it was onto the engine bay part of the tunnel.








I then cleaned all the metal where I have to weld. I just like this pic because there's so much new metal in there : )




All welded.




Plug and stitch welds again.




Starting to look like an air tunnel now!






I still have to make the passengers side of the engine bay, but I ran out of day.

Plenty of storage on the outside of the radiator tunnel. This side will have a battery at the back, and a fuel tank in the middle, but the front will be just storage, as will the entire other side.





These pics are just here because they amuse me : )







Til next time : )

Edited by dirtbag, 17 August 2011 - 07:32 PM.

[dirtbag]

Thanks guys. Paul it will run an aftermarket gearbox based on a 2 litre kombi box, only stronger with different ratios. There are heaps of really strong boxes available thanks to the off road racing scene in the US.

[dirtbag]

Well today was a fun day. Got a bit done that I've been looking forward to for months.

The bad news is there wont be a 350 in this car any more : (


But anyway, I got the other side of the engine bay made.





Makes for a nice air tunnel.





I thought I should clean up underneath today as a mock up gearbox is going in.





Here's the box in and the adaptor plate fitted.





I also welded the engine bay side in properly. I would have done it yesterday but I ran out of mig wire.





So I grabbed an old 307 block off Jeff Barnes (thanks mate) to use as mock up. It fits, but it wont once the front of the engine goes on. I'll be extending the whole back of the body to make it fit.







So anyway, about this 350 business, something came up that meant we weren't allowed to have it so instead we've bought a late model vortec 305.


Why?


Here's why!





If it stayed naturally aspirated then we could use the 350, but forced induction cuts the capacity limit down. Boo hoo! Who cares when it's got pump action : )





It wont fit under the tray. That's good and bad, but mainly it's funny : ) The owner wants me to fit a shotgun scoop, so that'll be cool sticking up through the tray : )





It'll run an engine tube mounting system similar to what I use on hot rods, but there'll still be stacks of room for the exhaust.





Heaps of room for a decent dizzy too.





Apart from me having to extend the body 5 inches to make it fit, it fits like a glove hahaha.

[frash da bucket]

Thats a amazing job you are doing on this old single cab vw,

Its a credit to you of the skills that you have,and also a great read too.

Cannot wait to see the finished product,well done and fantastic work too make it stronger.

Cheers John.