WRX RA powered VW 1303 beetle cabrio with a bit of Porsche

WRX RA powered VW 1303 beetle cabrio with a bit of Porsche

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ricola

Original Poster:

468 posts

278 months

Saturday 18th December 2010
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It's coming back together now but it's all in the details which take time but not particularly visible. I've mounted and made up the brake reservoir fittings/pipes, cleaned up, painted the back sides and fitted bumpers and also fitted new body trim and wing beading. I'm on a bit of a push as we are in the middle of a house sale/purchase so soon I'll have a double garage to play in but I need to get the car in a good state to transport it round there somehow..

skatty

491 posts

191 months

Saturday 18th December 2010
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I hope the double garage is double wide way's and not long way's

Don't know how you do it in that narrow garage

ricola

Original Poster:

468 posts

278 months

Thursday 23rd December 2010
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Time for an update! There's been a lot done and most is in the details now it's coming together. We are due to move mid January so I'll finally have a double garage so I want to assemble as much to the car as possible to make it easier to move...

A hell of a lot of pipework has been completed and the chargecooler repainted and fitted.


Radiators in and piped up, you can just about make out a steel pipe I made which incorporates a bleed point at the top which connects to the header tank at the back via the original fuel line.


I welded on a heater return pipe and also connected up the fuel lines


Brake reservoir (911) fitted under bonnet and supply lines pipes down to the master cylinders. The system is now all bled and seems to work OK with no leaks...


New false floor...


I modified one of the front bumper brackets to take a removable towing eye.


All body trim now fitted, you can just about make out mesh in the radiator opening, I'll sort out the airdam later..


Just to give an idea of how the intake looks.


I painted the rear light housings satin black which I think gives the lights a slightly darker look without looking aftermarket..


paulrhodes

1,810 posts

223 months

Thursday 23rd December 2010
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That's looking amazing now. Have a load of that 'win' crap that people keep banging on about around here.

What's the plan for the interior? Some biscuit leather would look lovely.

Vidal Baboon

9,074 posts

216 months

Friday 24th December 2010
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clap

toast boy

1,242 posts

227 months

Friday 24th December 2010
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Absolutely brilliant engineering going on here, I take my hat off to you! Can't say a Beetle is one of my favourite cars but what you're doing here is fantastic and everything just looks so 'right'. Looking forward to seeing it finished. thumbup

Harry Flashman

19,375 posts

243 months

Friday 24th December 2010
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I love the fact that, apart from the wheels, to the casual eye it will look standard. And yet be a howling beast underneath.

Givebn their propensity to swap ends anyway, methinks this will be a handful in the wet...

911 Turbo LE

266 posts

204 months

Friday 24th December 2010
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Harry Flashman said:
I love the fact that, apart from the wheels, to the casual eye it will look standard. And yet be a howling beast underneath.

Givebn their propensity to swap ends anyway, methinks this will be a handful in the wet...
Love this car but the wheels
May be something like this would look better

ricola

Original Poster:

468 posts

278 months

Friday 24th December 2010
quotequote all
The plan for the interior is to either finish it to match the seats I´ve already sourced (Porsche savannah beige) or retrim the lot in a chocolate brown leather kinda like the new Porsche 997 classic..

I´m not a fan of fuchs detailed like that, bit too ´80s. I could be tempted by some 17"/18" fuchs style wheels but detailed like the old ones were

G-P

244 posts

180 months

Friday 24th December 2010
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Don't change the wheels they look ace!

Shaw Tarse

31,543 posts

204 months

Friday 24th December 2010
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ricola said:
Loving the thread, but (I know it's been said before) right hand rear tyre looks wrong.

ricola

Original Poster:

468 posts

278 months

Saturday 25th December 2010
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Tyres ARE the right way around...

Wheels are most definitely staying, I´m just half thinking a slightly smaller set with some semi-slicks might be nice when going to the real numbers as a second set.

ricola

Original Poster:

468 posts

278 months

Monday 10th January 2011
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Here are a couple of update pics for the time being, I'm concentrating on the move for the and the cab is stuffed full of parts/tools ready!

Chargecooler pump is a bosch one and is said to be very quiet and efficient, I think it's the same one as used in the Ford Focus RS. It fits with plenty of space under the back seat. Luckily the 16mm heater hose just stretched over the pipe fittings (which are 17mm on the chargecooelr and 19mm on the pump) with the heat gun and a bit of lubrication.


I made a small stand for the pump which is bonded on to the floor, depending on how noisey it turns out to be I may wrap some rubber around the pump for better isolation.


Ground level view shows that there is a decent direct flow area available for the radiator.


Roof and interior loosely fitted for the house move. The outer roof will get replaced by a nice mohair one later on..


Just the running boards and front air dam to finish off the look...


Life Saab Itch

37,068 posts

189 months

Monday 10th January 2011
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Brilliant!

*Al*

3,830 posts

223 months

Monday 10th January 2011
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Amazing! just stunning, can't wait to see the finished item.Can you post a clip of it on You Tube when you get it running?

ricola

Original Poster:

468 posts

278 months

Monday 10th January 2011
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I plan to sort out a bit of a video tour round the car when it's done and will stick it up on youtube..

Vidal Baboon

9,074 posts

216 months

Tuesday 11th January 2011
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Seriously impressive work, you must be very proud. smile



KMT

70 posts

183 months

Friday 21st January 2011
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It's all been said before, but what the hell... I have watched Wheeler Dealers, all the "Crisis" programmes, "A XXX is born", Overhaulin' etc. etc. and have to say you beat the lot. The detail, patience, tenacity and Olympic-standard professionalism is jaw-dropping. All that with humility and a hatred of short cuts has made this thread a "must see" for all PHers. Well done and thanks!




Xenocide

4,286 posts

209 months

Friday 21st January 2011
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KMT said:
It's all been said before, but what the hell... I have watched Wheeler Dealers, all the "Crisis" programmes, "A XXX is born", Overhaulin' etc. etc. and have to say you beat the lot. The detail, patience, tenacity and Olympic-standard professionalism is jaw-dropping. All that with humility and a hatred of short cuts has made this thread a "must see" for all PHers. Well done and thanks!
Here here. I'd like to say thankyou for taking the time to post it up. Amazing thread. I love seeing a craftsman at work. Very impressive!

CoolC

4,218 posts

215 months

Saturday 5th March 2011
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Any news sinse the house move? It must be nearly finished now!