Cal Look to Resto Cal

nomates wrote:

He's only buying them cos' they remind him of me

twat

Well folks as promised i have some pics and an update....but you will have to wait for pics as photobucket is not working at them moment

I stripped the old gearbox out of the bug today......i took off the stub axles and the race axles as i planned on sticking them on the GT box

I re used all the solid mounting hard ware just because i could'nt be arsed to change it......however i did cut off the mid mount brackets

I borrowed a set of modified long nose pliers from crewkid to get the gearbox circlips out.....worked fine on the GT box circlips but bugger me the ones on the built box were much tougher and i managed to break the pliers (sorry dude).

So i popped to wickes bought another set and modified to work as circlip pliers which i'll pass on to crewkid

They worked a treat so i built the GT box up.....all went fine....before i refitted the box i dropped the rear suspension again thanks to crewkid for the 'how to'

Now i dropped it 2 splines which i think is too much......even with no engine in its seriously low

I'll fit the engine first and then see how it is.......did'nt manage to sort my smarts this weekend so the front is higher than the back

ordering my gasburners this week so i'll fit the smarts to those.....the gold empis have been sold to a chap in belgium whos paid up and collecting in a couple of weeks

I do have a major snag after bolting the gearbox in and tidying up i found the plastic flower which goes on the gear box before the stud axles go on.....it turns out that i forgot to put one side on

so the gearbox will come out in the next couple of days and i'll fit it

engine/ wheels and ride height to sort and i'm done

'lower' but this just after letting the jack down



whoops.....front end is higher than the back



started to roll the car back and it got even lower



all tucked up for then night....even lower

Nice work dude... By the time the engine's in, the rear end will be spot on. Just gotta wind the front down!

last pick looks sick buddy, nice work!!!!! i'm getting excited!

thanks lads.....tis fooking low..... i'm looking forward to rolling low soon....the gas burners and the smart tyres will do the trick on the front end just got tom figure out how to get it off the driveway

so is that 2 splines dude

Now thats looking fooking ace mate..

that looks spot on Spence......is gonna be a cool ride reborn

Nice subtle camber, tasty!

i need more pics spence!

soon young padawan.....be patient.......

Right folks I have anotherb update......

Took the gearbox out again tonight and installed the plastic flower got it all bolted back up so that I could roll back into the garage, while the rear axle was out I raised the rear suspension 1 spline.......it was far too low even without the engine in......so the plan is to finish the bug with a 1 outer spline drop.......once all in and settled engine/interior etc.......i'll take a view on it abnd probably go for 1 inner spline to get the stance spot on

so the next things to do are refit the axle gaitors, install clutch cable, run fuel line through, refit all brake hardware, tighten hub nuts and fit split pins


I reckon i'll get all that done in the next couple of days......and maybe fit the engine on sunday

then its onto the front end, lower it fit freshly powder coated fuel tank, wind the front down

then back to the rear and tune the carbs etc and get it running........

then decklid to fit, rear valance to repaint refit bumpers and bumpers and bumper bars and then fit the rear seat and seat belts

voila resto cal


within a month i reckon

cool .....nice one dude .......can't wait to see the transformation

Progress sounds as if it is going well Spence-meister.

yep i'm getting there.....going to try and do a little every night when the weathers good......not many big jobs to do really just lots of small fiddly ones except for getting the engine in and running

spennyp wrote:

yep i'm getting there.....going to try and do a little every night when the weathers good......not many big jobs to do really just lots of small fiddly ones except for getting the engine in and running

Sounds like my 71. I'm kinda fed up with it being in the way. Going to make a start on it next week, run it round for a couple of weeks then decide if I am going to sell it or sell the Polo and use the Bug as my daily.

Cracking on with it then buddy..

nice one dude, keep it up

right then....been out there again.....managed to bolt back up the disc brake calipers, torque everything up, tightened up all mounting bolts.......it got dark while i was tightening the axle gaitors......i'll finish these off tomorrow night......


so next is the engine i'll have a go over the weekend

been off work today due a mystery illness which has stopped me drinking strongbow hopefully back on the bug foir a few hours in the morning.....prepping for engine install sunday morning

Right folks.....

Saturday morning was spent tidying the garage and sorting out all the bits which need to be reused on the bug......I managed to get the engine from the back of the house to the front on a dolly (thanks for the castors nomates)

All organised and ready for the engine install

I started this morning at 9am and finished at around 2pm.....i had a fooking nightmare......first off....my jack was not tall enough.....managed to get the engine under the bug and then lowered the bug down to enable the jack to reach......managed to get it all offered up but it was not going home for love nor money.....rang nomates who could only suggest turning the engine over to align the splines

which i did.....but the bugger was still not going to go.....as it turns out the reason the bottom 2 studs would not go into the bell housing was that some numpty had managed to get a nut and bolt stuck through the hole in the bell housing with the engine balanced on the jack i had to get the dremel out (i could'nt get in with a grinder) and cut the fecker off.......as soon as that was off it went in as sweet as a nut

I have to say it was far easier than installing the big motor......so i bolted it up but came across another problem......

I tried to bolt the starter motor up the bottom was fine where the starter motor attache's to the bell housing, but at the top where the halkf moon bolt goes through the gearbox and the back of the engine case was a nightmare......for some unknown reason the engine case hole has been tapped meaning i couldnt get half moon bolt on there and do it up

I think i'm going to have too fit a thinner bolt that will pass all the way through and stick some locktite and a lock nut on there


so now the fun parts begin....most big jobs done.....just a case of all the small fiddly jobs which i can do when i have the odd hour here and there

no pics i'm afraid.....you'll have to wait until its finished now.

oh and i also lost my woodruff key for the alternator

nice buddy, pleased for you dude

looks like your on it dude.....sorry I couldn't help in person ....but sun = beer ,plus I had my own problems

Sorry to hear you had a few problems dude but you seem to be on top of them........
Looking forward to seeing Java on it's arse.