My Baja Bug Rebuild

[Edmond]

Thanks for this, Edmond. I'll keep it in mind the next time I do a similar job. The last time I did this, I made my own repair sections. In hindsight I should've just bought repair pieces, but I learnt a lot in the process.

If I had known earlier about the Autostyle repair panels I wouldn't have bothered to order the one from the uk the Autostyle ones are a absolute bargain. Autostyle have a wide variety of parts for our aircooled bugs

[Edmond]

Finally collected the door post-repair panel from the Post Office, really pissed off though apparently, it had been sitting at the Elsies River Post Office since the 25 Nov according to the lady at Capemail(I actually managed to get through to Capemail and was helped by a really helpful and friendly lady), , never even got a notice slip or nothing at least customs wasn't too bad at R62.50
The spare repair panel is going up for sale, I want at least R550 even though I paid the equivalent to roughly R732, it is exactly the same as the Autostyle one the Red HD Good Quality one.

[Edmond]

Passenger side heater channel is welded in along with the inner reinforcement panel for the lower door hinge, welds all ground down and given a coat of etch primer. Next time I will trim, fit and weld the outer panel of the lower part of the door post and finish fully welding in the heater channel

[Edmond]

The Baja got some gifts for Xmas in the form of a new master cylinder, brake hose clips and the special blue brake hose that connects the hard lines to the reservoir and master cylinder. As soon as the body is repaired sufficiently I will hang it from the garage rafters or use the trolley I am making and then start on the chassis sorting out the floors and brake system.

[Edmond]

Passenger side lower door post-repair panel all welded in, welds ground down, ran out of time wanted to paint some etch primer on to avoid rusting.

Body welding work almost done, just need to fabricate and weld in the front inner wheel well panels and weld in a patch panel on the side of the rear windscreen right by the rain gutter

[Edmond]

Got this nice cast aluminum fan belt guard from one of the facebook beetle groups

[Haans]

I like it alot,.......but,........you need to start interviews for the next "custodian",....perhaps rope he/she in to develope the "love" to appreciate what you are doing here. Hats off to you !

Haans

[Edmond]

I got some new front rubber brake hoses and a new battery earth cable from my local Midas Autoworld Midas in Bothasig they still carry a wide variety of beetle spares

[73type2]

Finally collected the door post-repair panel from the Post Office, really pissed off though apparently, it had been sitting at the Elsies River Post Office since the 25 Nov according to the lady at Capemail(I actually managed to get through to Capemail and was helped by a really helpful and friendly lady), , never even got a notice slip or nothing at least customs wasn't too bad at R62.50
The spare repair panel is going up for sale, I want at least R550 even though I paid the equivalent to roughly R732, it is exactly the same as the Autostyle one the Red HD Good Quality one.

Hi Edmond,
I see the panel you had available is LHS. I need a RHS one, but I see Autostyle only lists LHS. My other local SA option is Volkspares @ R1300. Do you know of any other SA shops that might have a RHS, or am I left with importing? Or should I rather go for the Volkspares part?

[Edmond]

73type 2 you can try Marian Motor Spares I think they are in kzn. I'm going to check Auto style quick. The LHS panel I had was sold two months ago. I checked Autostyle strange that they only list the LHS one. I know Flat Four Racing sell the normal black primed door post repair panel I think last time they were R475

[Edmond]

Got some more rubber seals from Pro Auto Rubber namely another set of front window scrapers and the window channels. I am going to try and fit the rubber part of the scrapers on the outside aluminum trim if I can get it off in one piece. I got both the felt lined channel for the vent side and combined top/side of door

[Edmond]

Stripped out the doors today, found out both my doors take the 7 clip inner scrapers so will use the 4 clip ones to replace the outside scrapers. Stripped out all the felt channels, vent windows and also managed to the outside scraper trim off in one piece

[Edmond]

Made a little more progress, moved the garage around so the Baja sits on the single side of the garage, it's much nicer more space to work around it. Gave it a wipe down outside in the driveway, the paint doesn't look bad at all. The new parts have been sorted out as well. I did uncover some major cancer in the driver's side rear fender attachment area, it looks like swiss cheese. Body dolley is also almost done

[retrovan]

Nice work so far,

Always good to get yet another thing done.

Soon you will be driving with joy.

Keep posting, love to follow your thread.

Herman

[Haans]

Edmund,........and jusst to rub it in,..... you seem to have some carpentry skills as well !!!

Getting there ! I think I am getting an itch!

Haans