Aircooled VW South Africa

knew you'd get that
Maybe it's because the Khaki Cruiser is such a Noble Steed

Opened up the rear of the buggy today for easier access to the engine. Started by measuring it out and cutting two large holes with a circular holesaw (to create the 'flowing' curve), then finished it off with straight cuts with the angle grinder. Those ultra thin 115mm angle grinder blades cut through fibreglass like a laser, with no chipping. Still need to smooth the bottom corners, and gently sand it for a final finish - but happy with the result so far

Before


After


The license plate will be mounted on a removable bracket, so that the engine can be worked on easily.

The license plate light in the pics above is not the final decision, will try a 70's Beetle license plate cover as well, this is the 'olde school buggy look' I am after:



But once again, there is no definitive 'right' or 'wrong', just decisions decisions decisions!

Nice work Pine, looking good!

70's beetle lisense plate light

Bet you were worried when you started to cut......very nice job and love the curves in the top corners...much better than a straight cut!

Yip, it kinda hurts to cut new fibreglass, but as they alway say: 'measure twice, cut once' - to date it has worked for me! Thanks for all the compliments and words of motivation.

I too like the Beetle license plate cover, I do not have one at the moment, but will find one to see if the angle fits (I think many used on the early buggies are actually from Karmann Ghias?)

HW1 had a chrome 'lip' from a 411L sedan above the rear license plate, I wouldn't mind getting one again, but can you say 'hen's teeth'?

















But...

as with anything in life, you get the 'out of the box' thinkers, and I would like to regard myself as one too, but thinking 'out of the coffin' is a bit too much for me, like this guy did






Some freaky stuff, yet expertly done... nice to see, but not my cuppa tea

That could work. I guess you'll have nobody rear- ending you at night when you "trap breeke"

Update 14 August 2010

The aluminium floors are rivited in, and I am happy with the result - however, as I said earlier, I am not very fond of the 'chequered plate look', so the entire floor and transmission tunnel will be carpeted later. I don't want the buggy to look like a Lexus from Lenasia or a Bantam from Benoni...



As I put the body and roll cage back, I covered HW2 with a tarpaulin for the dust (there are still construction workers busy upstairs). I noticed a little orange Ladybird on the back of the cover - checking out the scene - wonder if it was the spirit of HW1?

Must be sign form HW1 as there appears to be no bug in the system here!!
Looking really GREAT!!

Sign of Good Luck!

if you like the alluminium look but not the checkerd look, why not turn the plates the other way round

this might be a crazy thought but the more i see it (dificult to miss) i like it,
the rear brake light cluster on our busses have a good looking moulding that house three lenses (brake, reverse, indicator) with a resesed angle mould. its fibreglass so it would not be dificult to graft it on the rear of a buggy. (dont have pics )

just a thought

I strongly considered the Notch number plate light casting, very chromed. I have seen it on a buggy at a UK show, it was also in Volksworld... Can't find the right pic now, but this is it on a 1500S... This was the original nasty-ar$e POS "they" put on, off centre by an inch and a half... This is the new one from SSP in West Thurrock.

That looks good, Ron! Does it have LED's to illuminate the license plate?

I have found a Karmann Ghia license plate cover/housing (?) at Ferdie's yesterday, will see if it works on the buggy

Pine is that what you were holding when I shouted at you I take back my words, that will look good on the Buggy