Aircooled VW South Africa

Pine ! great to see you have started with spraying, you will find your confidence level increases with every job you do , 90% preperation 10% spraying, awsome work and great attention to detail, BAB !!!!!!!!!!!!

Update 2 June: Cables



In a nutshell - for any shortened buggy chassis, (shortened by 381mm in my build for the SWB shell), you'll have to shorten the:

- Gear shift rod, by 381 mm
- Wiring harness, by 381 mm
- Main brake line from master cylinder to rear brakes, by 381 mm
- Hand brake cable (left), by 381 mm
- Hand brake cable (right), by 381 mm
- Clutch cable, by 381 mm
- Carpet set (if you wish), by 381 mm
- Heater exchanger cables, by .....aaaaaaaag, nevermind (it IS a buggy, after all! )

I went to clients in Vereeniging today for work. The work was finished earlier than expected, so I went to an Indian VW shop called Helmut VW where I got two new Beetle handbrake cables and a clutch cable. Of course, they needed to be shortened (by 381 mm) - because, after all, HW2 is a SWB buggy, right?

I had no idea who to ask to do it for me (a guy in Bloemfontein did those of HW1 for me many years ago, and I had to wait 3 days for it )

So I thought I'd post 'Who knows where to shorten cables in the GP area' on here tonight, but I stopped at the Post Office in Bedfordview to send off a few parcels this afternoon, and low and behold I got a new copy of the 2009/2010 YellowPages, so I Googled ...uhm....er PAGED to 'cable manufacturing' and Cable Works CC in Trichardt Str, Boksburg North seemed to be the closest option.

Was I in for a surprise! Extremely friendly service (I was even allowed into the workshop to see what they do), and in no less than half an hour and a mere R 50.00 later, I walked out with a pair of handbrake cables and a clutch cable, shortened professionally by 381mm....

This is a 60 TON hydraulic press, used for the crimping of the cables



Got back home, installed the handbrake lever, (shortened by 381mm) handbrake cables on the chassis of HW2, trial-fitted the rear drums - spun the drums, pulled up the handbrake lever - and THEY BRAKED (or 'broke', is there a past tense for brake??)

Allow me to reccommend Cable Works CC in 48 Trichardt Street, Boksburg North phone number (011) 917-3888 for all your cable requirements - thanks guys for the friendly, fast and extremely affordable service!!!

Pine Compliments to you for walking the extra mile it will be worth every drop of sweat when finish

Gear shift rod, Yes
Wiring harness, Just loop it above the tank / under dash board.
Main Brake Line, Just loop it above the rear axle.
Hand brake cables, Yes
Clutch Cable, Loop it with small U clamps at the gear box.
Carpets, not at all. standard fit, remember your rear feet go where the battery use to be.
Heaters, Once you have driven on a cold winters morning with warm air wafting around you, you will want to fit heaters.Experienced this in my 181.
Accelerator Cable, Just cut it shorter at the rear.

Update 8/6/09 - First breath of life!

On Saturday evening Armand helped me to start the engine of HW2 for the first time - after some swearing to get the end float of the flywheel correct (and the swearing seemed to help ), putting everything together, and on the stand - HW2's engine was ready for its first start after the fitment of the new heads, pistons and rings and twin Webers. This was just a trial run for a few seconds to check the compression, but without any silencers - what an awesome few seconds it was! Although it sounds pretty mean, keep in mind that it is a standard 1600 t/p but....... CHECK DAAI SPARKS!!!

Nice vid,awseome sountrack,but what does the engine look like?

LOL.... really cool video Pine.

Love a build when it starts to come alive.

Progress on the buggy is good, exceptionally good to be exact, once again thanks for all the compliments and words of encouragement!

...but it has been a tough month so far, with a lot of expenses to get everything together Perhaps that is one of the biggest mistakes I have made with the entire project is not spreading out the finances evenly. To put it mildly, I have been through A LOT of bucks the past few weeks where I have spent not even a cent a few months ago (and obviously not stuffing the piggybank as well). Nothing big, but all those small things like nuts, washers and bolts (I am replacing everything new with the VW factory equivalent), chemicals (Loctite, copper slip, grease etc.) and even the odd tool here and there that I don't have, adds up to the bill. From day one, I have made a point not to keep invoices of expenses all together. Simply because I am afraid that one day in a moment of weakness, I will add it all up - and perhaps it wouldn't make sense?

I am careful not to get impatient at this point, and that is exactly what I tend to get. I am sticking to my initial progress dates, namely to have the chassis completed by Ferdi's Swop Meet in August (and put it on display), and the entire buggy by mid-December this year (and take it on holiday to Mossel Bay). Hopefully I will meet the target dates, so keep you fingers crossed.

State of the Buggy report, Tuesday 9 June 2009:

1. Chassis - shortened, powder coated, semi-assembled (aluminium floor plates not fitted yet)
2. Engine - assembled, carbs & distributor fitted, trial-started (exhaust not fitted, not tuned yet)
3. EMPI valve covers - not fitted yet
4. Rear suspension - spring plates & trailing arms assembled, (rear shocks not fitted yet)
5. Rear brake system - assembled (brake hoses not fitted yet)
6. IRS Gearbox - dry-fitted (not disassembled and seals replaced yet)
7. Driveshafts & CV's - not fitted yet
8. Front suspension - lowered, painted, handed in at Werner Alker for king & link pins, awaiting refurbished steering box as well
9. Front brake system - not fitted yet
10. Wheels - 75% completed (still need to paint one rear wheel)
10. Electrics - non-existent at this stage
11. Bodyshell - nothing done so far
12. Seats - new adjustable rails purchased, awaiting re-covering of seats
13. Instruments (Porsche) - refurbished and completed

I managed to get a 4-into-1 stainless steel buggy exhaust in Witbank today in good condition, but it needs two J-pipes. For the time being, it should do (till I get my stolen trumpets back )

I also need to give some serious attention to my working space in the next few days. At this stage I am working in the evenings on HW2, and when I get tired, I lock the door, take a shower and go to bed. I am finding it increasingly difficult to find my tools in the subsequent chaos, so some urgent garage-housekeeping is urgently required

The title of this thread will also from tonight no longer be

Pine's Buggy (Hot Wheels 2?) thread

I have decided that the new buggy will officially be known as Hot Wheels 2 (or HW2) from now on, at the beginning of this thread I was not quite sure I will pull it through but it seems like all systems go, so from tonight this thread will be called *drummroll* -

Hot Wheels 2 - Pine's new buggy build thread

HW2 will have a dash plaque in memory of HW1, once she is completed. Oh, one last thing - whereas HW1 was generally regarded as a 'HE', HW2 will definitely be a 'SHE'

....stay tuned for more

Pine the buggy is definatly looking great and would love to be at Ferdis swop meet and be able to actually see the effort that was put into it as im sure pictures just arnt the same as the real thing

now about the new name ............................ its great

Good stuff Pine. I must say that you build has given me a tremendous amount of inspiration, and this thread is very informative as well. And it has nice pictures as well. Now if only i can put the inspiration to good use

The odd R100 here and there and the monies add up. Its the finishing work that costs. Dont bother keeping financial records. It spoils the build. Its your hobby, enjoy it.

Its good to have target dates but dont stress over them. Better to miss a build date than to have slap dash work trying to put something together quickly for a target date.

I received these pics of HW1 from Bienie (thanks, Dude! ) last night, it was taken at the Air Cooled Day in Silverton, 2007. I didn't have the Puma wheels and chromed tail light housings for a very long time on the buggy before the accident. What a trip down memory lane

Many of HW1's features will be replicated in HW2

Oooo! I smakk the headlights and the tail lights!!