Beetle Concepts

 Tried some Khaki green paint having panel beaten, cleaned back and primed one of the old damaged wings. The head lamp ring is a cheap and rusty one.

 Quite like the idea of going a bit crazy on this one, washes, stencils, scratches, rust, n all and then 2K lacquering it. But a kinda Cal Street Military fusion.

 If I go military I still want that street feel so low slung and alloys like black Fusch or BRMs would finish the look. I think the satin matt type paint really brings out its military origins.

 Its got to be one of these colours, I believe:
Khaki
Beige
Neptune Blue
Or Mouse Grey............I don't want to run a stoker so anything goes with this one.

Stripping the interior out now, evaluating what stays and what goes, there's one hell of a lot of latter modifications to these beasts but most seem so unnecessary! There is also a lot of expanding foam towards the rear, This could be Expanded Upon, excuse the pun, to increase sound proofing.

Split Panel Cargo Floor

Made some new closure plates for the inside of the two new front wings. These sit on the far upper inside of the arches.

 Seam welded the floor plate, and spot welded to under side.

 Floor inner rear edge spot welded to side wall.

 Inner stop plate edge welded.

 Inner front edge of wheel tub repaired and welded down to cab floor.

 Repairing cargo floor with good bits of cut out old floor (cargo door side)

Cut to fit then tack weld in, tap to adjust, including using a floor jack to push the floor back level, then seam weld. 

 Just one more section needs doing visible on the left in the first floor picture.

A multitude of additional welds here and there as I move around, anything I have missed I go over or add. Same applies to grinding on the visible sections, ground and or sanded.

The beak

Split Screen Restoration

 Its starting to look serious in here!!

 So lower cut and inner sliced in, acid and solvent cleaned, then inner primered.

 Offered up a couple of spot welds and hey presto.....It does not fit!!!!! copied exactly the original profile and the door bent because of damage. So remove the few spots adjust and weld up.

 These doors cost a fortune for a set, so despite the need for further work it is worth paying to get your old stuff repaired.

 Just a repair to the rear bulkhead on this side only.

 Solid, remember the gaping holes and the view of the ground???

 Wheel arch closure details, and seam welding the cab floor.

 I think the seats upside down but i really enjoyed a beer in there the other night.

Wheeel arch closure detail....need more welding yet....Also seat belts????? are we welding mounts in,,,,,just order a set of stock plates.
Cab doors just need lower inner plate repairs........3 cut holes in rear floor to do, a couple in engine bay, one in inner rear wheel arch, 2 outer rear wheel arch patches....................and a day of final crawling around adding extra weld here and there and were done. Danny is coming over soon to quote on sandblasting, hot zincing and painting inside, underside and top side!!!!!!!! You could have a Split Screen Panel Van by Xmas????

Beetle Body Roll

 Body rolled using a single bed mattress and a few tyres.

 One heater channel (top) is sound other than side repairs to sill and rear closing panel, the other is shot.

 Rear underside of body is solid but bitten in a few places.

 Cut out and cleaned.

 Make new repairs from 1.2 gauge.

 Salvaged a plate from the other closure panel and made good, cant see where it joins.

 Just the rear edge of the upper panel is rotten so again make a repair panel from sheet and jobs looking sound.

 Drilled and rear welded a nut for the side rail again all these details have been missing since the 1980s!!

Trying to resolve the dilemma of running with tatty dented wings as I have all of them, coat of primer a top coat then hammer and scratch then polish done for lacquering???? Or just buy some new wings the ones I have are not originals.......mmmmm.

 Front wheel arh inner on this side is complete original and clean, with only a simple repair to the very lower edge.

Rear cross members are all clean.