This is a read-only archive of the old Madabout Kitcars forum. New posts and replies are no longer possible, but every thread is still here to browse and read.
Basically Jennette has opted for a 550 to replace the old 66 car she recently sold.
I part exchanged a 67 Beetle against a Sammio Spyder kit from a chap in Blackpool...we allowed £400 for a running , driving but tired Beetle , £180 fo get her home and £230 recovered by selling off the parts we could offer out ...
[SIZE="5"]SO THIS .....[/SIZE]
[SIZE="5"]HAS BECOME THIS....[/SIZE]
Front frame section is made , waiting for rear at present - hopefully in next few days get the chassis shortened .....Revival this weekend , so not going to have much time at weekend , so probably update next week...
I have removed the engine / box , driveshafts etc as one unit ( will split them off the car to flip the diff/shafts )
Those rear horns that normally support the gearbox will be coming off....
Now the floorpans , excess cables , gearshift etc are removed....I have cut out the gearstick hole to access the throttle cable tube...the gearshift will not be used and I am hoping to save the throttle tube when I shorten the car to re-use it. The first one I just hacked away and replaced with a camper cable and new tube - giving this one a bit more thought !!
tomorrow I shall remove the rear horns and trial fit the front frame section to help me get the shortening right - its 16.5'' from memory. If I get a chance the tunnel will get shortened as well.....
Didn't remove the horns but did get the tunnel shortened....
First I cut the top curved section off leaving the base for stability and to have a look...
Then the botom was removed as well as the two redundant tubes....one is fuel and I am re routing that and the other is clutch cable - we are going hydraulic due to the mid mount....The one tube left is the throttle cable....I cut around its spot weld on the tunnel allowing it to flop around...when the tunnel is shortened the throttle tube is free to poke out the hole I made an extra 16-17''
Using the frame as a jig , I pulled the tunnel back together , checked wheelbase twice ,it was spot on and then measured my diagonals...did this 3 times from 3 different points as even production cars have variables , we got down to a bit less than 2mm out on the diagonals - that is very acceptible...welded the tunnel back together , pushed the throttle tube back against the tunnel , chopped about 17'' off the end and tacked it in place with a little bit of extra steel to close the hole down I had cut....so now I can use the stock accelerator and cable - making things easier / cheaper...
Managed to seperate the engine and gearbox so my buddy can turn the diff and swap the shafts round for me ....I have a mate who works on Beetles all day , every day , so it would be rude not to use him !!
Tomorrow , inbetween G46-ing I will remove those rear horns and the rear shock mounts and get the adaptor plate for the rear subframe fitted....then its wait for the rear frame and gearbox to come back....
managed to get the pedals sorted ....did this a few weeks back but realised I hadn't mentioned it...
By welding part of the brake pedal to the clutch pedal and cutting through the pivot tubes , I have managed to create a clutch pedal that activates a master cylinder in the brake cylinders location. I have welded an extra plate to the Napoleons hat section to take another cylinder that will now operate as the brake master.
This gives me the oppurtunity to run dual brake cylinders , not all Beetles have them and a single cylinder to actuate a hydraulic clutch to replace the old cable one....routing a cable to the new position would have been a nightmare. A simple slave cylinder will now operate the clutch - simples !
Accelerator is unaffected as this car will remain RHD.
Handbrake will operate using the stock but shortened cables and a Morris Minor handbrake that I have also fitted since last time...
Oh....have created front floor sections and welded to the frame as well....
Jennettes car is now back on its wheels , rear framework nearly finished - just gearbox mount to sort out.
New EMPI Gas shocks fitted and extended spring plates on.
The rear bulkhead is in and glassed , the floors are fully bonded in and the drilled cill sections are in the car. Door plates are fitted to the A and B pillars and welded to the cill sections.
I know Jennette likes red , but although it looks fantastic on the prettier Sammio's ( ) having seen a red 550 at the shows last year , it didn't work for me.......
Jennette is thinking maybe a slightly different colour interior with the pale blue - a shade of grey perhaps ?
Looking good, certainly coming together now.
What thickness ply did you use for the bulkhead & floors?
The updates on this project are very interesting. Keep em coming.
Jennettes 550 has been moved on ...someone expressed an interest in the car and Jennette decided to let it go......She wasn't keen initially but I offered to replace it with something more befitting the mum of the original Sammio.......
Heres a little teaser of what I am doing to replace it......13/60 based
VERY MUCH A WORK IN PROGRESS.....Rivet detail needs a bit more work and will look more convincing when painted , but we are pleased so far.....
Theres about 500 rivets on the car !!
We have extended the dash back in the centre to give more of a double cockpit feel as well...I didn't want a split cockpit and its a handy perch for the mirror !
The car will have 2 seats and 2 sets of belts but has the option of 'going solo' as well....
They are steel rivets bought from my local nut and bolt suppliers ...they are 1/4 x 3/16 sized...we pay about 6.50 per hundred locally.
We have held them in with a combo of sikkoflex / tigerseal sticky stuff and some superglue in places....its quite time consuming working out the spacing and then drilling and pinning 500 odd holes !!
I need to sand them back and tickle them a little ( create flattened heads ) and then by the time the car is primed and painted , they should blend in nicely....
) having seen a red 550 at the shows last year , it didn't work for me.......
