Its the final countdown, progress thread Options

[type11969]

I've had this 71 for 3 years now and I've only driven it for 10 minutes before I bought it. I figure if I haven't made serious progress by the spring, she is getting stripped and scrapped. You'll see why. Its probably only a parts car, but I want to learn how to weld, and if I can get this thing back on the road, I think I will be well on my way. I'll start from the beginning:

The exterior, looks harmless enough:
(IMG:http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b188/type11969/914/914.jpg)

The interior, looks pretty good (wait, what was that saying about wrapping a piece of poo in a pretty package):

(IMG:http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b188/type11969/914/914012.jpg)

Long looks okay at first glance:

(IMG:http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b188/type11969/914/914009.jpg)

Wait, umm, is this factory installed golf ball sized hunks of epoxy and bondo:

(IMG:http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b188/type11969/914/111404015.jpg)

Yum:

(IMG:http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b188/type11969/914/111404010.jpg)

Delicious:

(IMG:http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b188/type11969/914/111404012.jpg)

Craptacular:

(IMG:http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b188/type11969/914/914-2018.jpg)

Brace yourself (also have another brace running to the drivers side door jamb, couldn't find that pic):

(IMG:http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b188/type11969/914/111404001.jpg)

Couldn't find any pics of the lovely riveting and brazing job a PO did with re-attaching the portion of the fender below the sail, but I hacked that focker off:

(IMG:http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b188/type11969/914/121304002.jpg)

Mmm, clean:

(IMG:http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b188/type11969/914/121304013.jpg)

Also found after removing the interior that the passenger side was once used as a pool, the entire lower inner corner of the long and bulkhead was gone. PO crappily arc welded a new floorpan in, but didn't fix any of the other damage:

(IMG:http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b188/type11969/914/Picture069.jpg)

(IMG:http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b188/type11969/914/Picture070.jpg)

(IMG:http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b188/type11969/914/Picture071.jpg)

(IMG:http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b188/type11969/914/111404002.jpg)

Quick break, then pics of the repairs so far . . .

[type11969]

Wow, haven't touched the teener in quite some time, I actually had to search for this thread to bring it back to life. Been working on the Beetle and enjoying the summer . . . got the Beetle is running reliably and cool (600 miles on her last weekend). Anyway, finally had some time to make some progress. First step . . sign the inner rocker before I seal this beast up again (hopefully for good):

(IMG:http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b188/type11969/914/DSCN1838.jpg)

Next, weld in the piece I fabbed using the old piece as one layer and a template:

(IMG:http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b188/type11969/914/DSCN1839.jpg)

My welding is a little rusty, as are the parts that I didn't treat back in feb/march. Good news is I decided to hold off on grad school for another year, potentially moving out to CO to get it done, so now I have another 10-11 months to get this thing going. Hopefully by the spring, but I think this will be the third time I said that!