Day 36

Yesterday was busy.  I ran some errands picking up a new pressure switch for the air compressor so I could turn it off at the compressor without having to unplug it.  I also got a drain extension and ball valve for the bottom of the tank so I can easily drain any excess water before using it.

I picked up my parts from sand blasting.

My car battery was the issue with the A/C...or so they say.  We shall see.

Last night I got a first coat of the rust preventative paint on the parts from sand blast.

This morning, I just wanted to get another coat of paint on them but ended up with free time, so I messed with the front end a bit.

I welded the end of one of the torsion bars because one leaf had broke free.  Grinded down, it looked good.  I then installed the torsion bars, torsion arms, bump stops, and shock absorbers.

Not a bad day's work...easy stuff really.

I hope to get a coat of black paint on the sand blasted items tonight or tomorrow.

Day 35

Well today I worked in the morning and got back at it in the afternoon.

I got the compressor hooked up and running.  Did an oil change, including some extra oil I overfilled that ended up on the floor.  It still needs an air filter, regulator, water/oil filter, tank drain, and the rubber mounts for the floor...but other than that, it's great! ;)

I also tackled getting the transaxle put back onto the chassis, mounted the rear shock absorbers, and connected the axle tubes to the swing axle arms.

I need to get a bigger torque wrench and 27mm socket to tighten down the last transaxle bolts.

I also mounted the front beam to get that out of the way.

Bad news is, the A/C went out on my car today.  So I'm off to the dealership tomorrow to get that looked at (under warranty?).  Hope to keep making progress before I have to leave!

Day 33 & 34

Well the last few days have been very productive ($$$$$$).  After Caroline left on Sunday, Mom showed up in the afternoon.  We've been doing the touristy thing in the mornings most days, taking it easy in the afternoons.  Mom has been very patient with me running errands here and there, making things happen while she is in town.

I dropped off some parts at the blaster, which should be the last time I do so because today I finally bought, had delivered, cleaned, and soon to be installed a used 80gal 7.5hp 2 stage air compressor.  This thing should handle anything I need in the future, including airing up tires ;)

Yeah, I could have totally done this by myself...NOT.

Talking to one of the guys, Dave, who had a 63.  His brother Ted had a couple too.  Old Vegas guys, good stories.

Tucked away.

 I ended up spending more than I wanted to, but its a good deal on a good compressor that will suit my needs well into the future.  I have some more wiring to do and plumb it out, but it should be good to go.

I also picked up the transaxle yesterday.  More $$$, but piece of mind knowing it has been refreshed is important to me.

Car ride home. 

Here are some before and after shots that the transaxle shop took and posted on their Facebook page.

outside before

outside after

inside before

after

Progress will be slow the next few weeks.  But I hope to get back to it and finish up the pan, move onto the body and beyond!

Day 32 - An extra set of hands!

This weekend Caroline was in town and she offered (errrr I asked?) to work on the bug.  We prepped some more bolts, nuts, and washers.  It was a tedious process, soaking them in Evaporust, wire brushing them clean, running through taps and dies to get the final grime from the threads out.  Then we cleared over them for some rust protection.

We also continued to blacken some bolts, including a new one we needed for the negative grounding strap.

Finally, we ran the clutch, accelerator, and emergency brake cables.

Transaxle should be done this week, but Mom will be in town and I leave for training the week after, so progress for the next 3 weeks will be nil to slow.

Day 31

Today I spent most of my time cleaning, degreasing, and clear coating the bolts used for my car.

I did this to make the bolts look good, keep the original ones, and protect them from rusting in the future.

I also put a "bluing" finish on some of the bolts that I had wire wheeled because they were too shiny and not original looking.  They turned out well.

I have a friend to see tonight, Caroline is coming tomorrow, and Mom on Sunday so progress will probably be slow.  But, fun nonetheless.  I am going to put on the front beam and do brakelines next.

Woohoo!

Day 30 - Assembly!

WELL, the day finally came (actually started yesterday) where I am finally rebuilding the bug!

I got my first and largest parts order yesterday and took inventory of the parts.  Everything was there, so I did some small things like install the inspection cover plate and the battery positive cable (yes it's black, the ground is actually a wound copper cable....cool!)

Today, I installed the spring plate and covers, which doesn't seem like it would take a long time but I had to take two trips to Lowe's to make it happen.  I had to wire wheel and clear coat the bolts, nuts, and washers.

To install the spring plates I had to use a turnbuckle between the shock tower and the upper bolt hole where transaxle attaches to "pre-load" the torsion bars.  This is tricky and can be dangerous if something breaks loose and you have all that tension.  On my first attempt, I used too small of a carabiner which broke.  Fortunately, the spring plate was already above a safety notch so it caught, but it could have been interesting.  I made a mad dash to Lowe's and picked up a bigger, stronger one....no problemo.

I also bought and assembled a 20 ton press so that is a great tool in the garage to have taking apart and putting back together certain parts like the steering box, pedal assembly (which I botched before), and the steering knuckles.

I also got another large shipment of parts from Pennsylvania, mainly brake components.  So, tomorrow I may tackle some of that.  Fun fun!

Day 29

Well, I've had the past few days off and had made good progress on the car.  Here are some more pictures of the painted pan and parts.

I also assembled the steering box, filled it up with gear oil, and currently testing it for leaks.  I still need to do a final adjustment on it before it is ready to be put on the beam.

I assembled the pedal cluster, but it got late and I got frustrated.  I should have stopped, I didn't.  Anyway, it is together, but not as pretty as I'd like.  I found another pedal cluster for $20 shipped to me and am going to go over it and try to put together a better example of pedals.  I just can't let it slip by...

I also install the shift rod and lubed up it's mounting point.

And today, I had a guy come over to quote me a price for a 220v outlet.  We'll see what he says.

I also started inventory for my parts to see what I have and what I need.  I kept it just pan related for now as that's obviously my primary concern.

nice living room, right?

Yesterday I went to a "real" hardware store in order to find grease fittings for several parts on the car.  These fittings aren't very typical and this store had a great selection.  While I was there, I quickly realized that I had been transported back to the 1950's and this was an old tyme hardware store.  It is a bit of a drive and a bit more expensive, but the selection and CUSTOMER SERVICE is the best.  I'll be going back for sure.

Finally, after doing my inventory I placed my first parts order!  $1420 credit card dollars later, I have enough parts coming to keep me busy for a while.

I go to training at the end of the month and mom visits for a few days, so progress may be slow but I'd rather have parts waiting for me than visa-versa. :)

Day 28 & 29

Well, after a week recharging my batteries in Florida...back to work I go!

When I got back, I sanded down the first coat of the silver paint because it had been so long since I laid it down.  I then put a 2nd coat of the silver which should seal everything and the claim to fame is "it won't rust beyond the scratch" which we will see if it holds true!

I then got all my parts mocked up and began to lay down the black top coat.  It went on very easy, finishing to a high gloss and feeling a bit like nail polish when dry.

Today September 4th is also the birthday of the Bug!  This is the day back in 1958 that the car was manufactured in Germany.  The next day it was shipped to Miami.  My goal is to have the car done before 10 birthdays from now :)

Tomorrow, I have to work in the afternoon so I'm going to wake up early and get the top side of the pan and remaining parts covered.  So far so good!