The Polished T*rd

flat4fanatic · 13-02-2009, 01:25 PM

This is the latest project - a 68 bug.
Its called the polished t*rd for reasons youll see below

A mate bought it off tinterweb.
The advert described it as I quote:

full resto disc brakes painted texas yellow paint mint most parts to finish rollin project 1500 box nos bonnet wings this shell is mint I dont buy sh*t cars and the most laughable bit: you will not find a more solid bug - Liar.

Sadly, the reality was a lot different and unfortunately my mate found this out too late. It was destined for the scrappers but I thought it was too good to die so decided to save it. On first glance it looks nice & solid. The paint has been done well and some parts have been fitted well e.g. front clip.

However, below the surface the mint shell actually consisted of 2 rotten heater channels with outer cover plates badly fitted (only a few tacks), badly patched inners, pigeon poo everywhere and channels welded to the floor on both sides inside & out.

Will have to get some better photos to show how bad they look.

Framehead bottom plate was rotten all the way across (it had been disguised)

Floors were both badly repaired using sheet metal welded over rot. About 1/3 of the drivers side and half the passenger one

Nice straight filler work on the rear quarters

New door pillars panels not fitted properly held in only by a few tacks at the tops (haven't investigated the bottom yet)

Dodgy inner corners they hadnt even bothered to weld half the patch on top of patch panels I could get hold of the rear seatbelt mount area and move it by hand - same on both sides

More dodgy welding and a nice bit of undersealed rot on the rear inner wing

Bottom lip of the doors are rotten (why paint over rot???)
The beam also had some very dodgy pigeon sh*t welding done to the uprights and adjusters welded in far too low, the steering stop had rotted off and been replaced by a bit of thin sheet that came off in my hand so that's getting scrapped. The so called NOS wings and bonnet were in fact repros made by IGP (labels still on them)

Moral of the story dont be fooled by shiney paint, go over it with a fine tooth comb and be careful who you buy from.

Right,
On with the project. Want to get this one done quickly so will see how it goes.
Current thoughts are possibly a colour change to ruby red paint, 4 bolt brms, black stock leather seats from my loft, black carpet.

Bodywise its going to need: 2 heater channels, 2 endplates, 2 front inner wings, 2 inner rear corners/crossmembers, 2 floor halves, framehead bottom plate, front beam, door bottoms repairing and a couple of door hinge pins. Also a vented engine lid as a 1600 is going in

Starting with the d/s first. Got a couple of days off next week so hoping to get both channels in, maybe floors if I'm lucky & the baby plays ball

thmpptrck · 13-02-2009, 01:50 PM

Got a vented lid your welcome to steve...
blooming good un....

**Roadrunna** · 13-02-2009, 03:12 PM

Steve,

Is this the one you're on about in the references to Dodgy Sellers on Volkstorque ?

Just wondering cos the wording you quoted at the top wasn't even in the advert on here

vw beetle 1969 1500 restored and painted

It was however on the ad on Volkszone.

69 bug for sale 1500 fully restored shell - VZi

The ad on here makes no mention of it having had a resto. Seems that also for the price of £1,000 it'd be daft to expect a 100% solid and restored car.

Glad you've posted this so I could finally get to the bottom of things seeing as no other fucker would give me full details of it so I could be in a situation to be able to warn others.

For those that are unaware, it appears the car was bought based on a description on Volkszone (from seller Tinman\Desi Yates) that is now not what it seemed. Unfortunately, the people involved did nothing to allow us (me) a chance to sort anything out out, offer any warnings to others or even prevent the seller from using the site. Instead, it was only picked up through vauge comments claiming that Dodgy Sellers were on VT

So there we go.
Make sure you check what you're buying.
Bargains usually aren't.
If you do a deal, with someone you met via an internet site, and it goes sour then at least have the decency to inform the site owner(s) to give them a chance before making snide comments. After all, if they don't know then what chance have they got if you don't tell them

flat4fanatic · 13-02-2009, 07:47 PM

Thanks Pat, but I've already got one.
Roadie, ygpm

flat4fanatic · 16-02-2009, 10:25 PM

Can't really comment on behalf of the previous owner but it'd be fair to say it certainly wasn't as advertised.

Got some time over the w/e to get stuck in. Started with the d/s heater channel. Went a bit an*l and took the new channel apart and painted it (theyre bare metal inside).

Once that was back together, bit of measuring off my other bug to check everything was square then welded in some bracing so everything stayed put. Chopped out the old channel, found a rotten original under the cover plates and the end plate fitted using stickytape disguised by underseal & the rear crossmembers too.

A post had been welded over the rotten original so luckily I was able to get the old one out from underneath. New channel was taked in place and measured before being welded in fully. Front inner wings were trebble skinned so that was chopped out and replaced. Got as far as getting most of the d/s floor out before it was bath and bed time for the muppet.
Hopefully tomorrow, rear crossmember, end plate, bit on the b post and the d/s floor.
got to get my finger out, it's supposed to be being painted this w/e.

orange912 · 17-02-2009, 01:01 AM

good work steve, too good as i need to get over before your done, looks worse than when i viewed it, real piece of shit

flat4fanatic · 17-02-2009, 10:53 PM

Got a bit further today.
Heater channel endplate and rear crossmember fitted.
My mate Reg made some crossmember repair panels that fitted spot on. Pics not the best though. D/s floor in too. Gone for a later seat mount as have some specific seats in the loft I want to use. Little bit on the b post and then it's on to the other side tomorrow.

orange912 · 18-02-2009, 12:06 AM

looking good steve, i've been so busy since being laid off the chances of me poping over to learn anything seem to be impossible, have to pick up another bug tomorrow, narrow a linkpin beam and get it to paint, narrow 2 puma beams and get my ass into gear for dubfreeze and i have 4 days, would appreciate your imput on my car one day tho, till then i will get up off my ass and not let this credit crunch iterfear with daily life

flat4fanatic · 24-02-2009, 09:22 AM

Made it to my mates for paint on time.

p/s channel, front inner wing, endplate and the rear crossmember in. Some more interesting suprises - bonnet drain under the dash had rotted out, was sellotaped up and painted over

Didn't get time to do the other pan half but got to take the body off when it comes back anyway to flip the chassis to do the framehead bottom so will do it then. Pics later

flat4fanatic · 25-03-2009, 01:13 PM

After a few weeks break whilst it's been away for paint & I've been finishing this off for a mate,

it's back and ready to get going on it again. Colour is Ruby red but doesn't showup too well under artificial light.

Next step is to lift the body off the pan so I can do the bits on the framehead and the 2nd pan half i ran out of time with. Will also run the new brake lines and refurb the chassis whilst it's split.