Betty the Oval - Donovan D - ex-MINCE

[Donovan D]

The car has been sprayed already....too slow on this one.
Will have to see what I can do. A few have suggested to just glue it on.

[Donovan D]

These guys have really done a lot the last few weeks, hopefully she's coming home this Saturday.

[Donovan D]

The old girl is finally home. Now my work starts and the first hurdle has almost let me to leave the beetle at the painters.
Got the gearbox and front beam in on Friday to get it rolling and ready to roll out onto the trailer on Saturday.

The rear tires are right up against the springplate and unable to move. Went down to the local automotive store to get some spacers and they dont clear the centre of the drum.
Im guessing I just need some spacers, or would the long axle tubes be a better bet ?

So in order to get it rolling I had to put the front wheels on the back and vice versa
Fronts are 165 and rear 195.







Safely in the garage


The color on it is straight from the gun, once Ive assembled it and done all my work it needs to go back for a 3000grit sand and polish and a fixer upper of all the scratches thats yet to come.

[Riaan.N]

Makes me jealous

Did you had it sprayed with clear cote and what brand of paint was used?

What front brake disc conversion did you install? Are you keeping it drums in the rear?

[Eugene]

Looking dope Donovan!!

[Donovan D]

Makes me jealous

Did you had it sprayed with clear cote and what brand of paint was used?

What front brake disc conversion did you install? Are you keeping it drums in the rear?

I was told it is sprayed with base and clear.
The front discs are from Dave at FFR, he made them up for me to accommodate the 130pcd of the wheels.
I am keeping drums at the rear.


Anybody know the size/width of the rear drum for an oval ? I had a look at the rear wheels again and cant figure it out.
Currently it has the 165 tyres on the rear and it just misses the spring plate. The 195's wont move when I get them on.
Is running a spacer my only solution ?
Also looking for the spring plate rubbers as the empi ones are too big and does not fit.

The rear drum as not been tightened yet.




...give or take without tightening

[Donovan D]

Anybody know where I can get the rear torsion arm bushes with the 48mm inner diameter locally ?

I do have the polyurethane ones but they are 44mm ID, unless I can somehow get the ID to 48mm.
Not too sure about machining them as it might take chunks out or start melting ?

[retrovan]

should be safe to fly cut it in an housing.

Herman

[Riaan.N]

Seems you can have it custom made https://www.polyparts.co.za/

I’m sure there will more places.

[Donovan D]

Seems you can have it custom made https://www.polyparts.co.za/

I’m sure there will more places.

What do you know, around the corner. Going there today, thanks !

[73type2]

I had some mountings done at Polyparts for my Mercedes pontons some years ago. They already had the moulds for it so the cost wasn't too bad. Chances are that they've already made this part for your Beetle.

[Riaan.N]

Seems you can have it custom made https://www.polyparts.co.za/

I’m sure there will more places.

What do you know, around the corner. Going there today, thanks !

[Donovan D]

Went to polyparts, they cant do anything to the existing bushes but can mould new bushes for about R100 ea.
I was able to return the bought bushes. On the shelf they had what I believed to be the correct size bushes after scanning thesamba.
Got home and they still wouldnt fit, very tight and needed to be pressed in with the springplate cover.

Ended up filing the polyurethane bushes down to a snug fit.


Got the gearbox and still need to sort the spacers on the rear wheels.
Hopefully the body is coming off the pan next week so I can start getting all the rubbers on the pan.

[retrovan]

You wanted to see what my Beetle lights look like well here you go

Herman

[Donovan D]

Are these wires on the wiring diagrams on thesamba in mm2 or diameter ?

I bought a generic beetle wiring harness and intend to take it apart and make a new one with all the wires I need.
Now the main power supply wire is too thin, according to these wiring diagrams I need a 6mm.

Went to Goeie Hoop and got a 6mm wire. When comparing this to the one in the loom its still very thin for a main supply, the diameter of this wire including the casing was about 3mm.
Comparing this wire to the main one on my kombi its about half diameter size.