The Hidden Glasgow Forums

I've been logging on every day and checking to see progress (I think this is the only thread running on here now from what I can see, what a difference from the past). Anyway, I've been desperate to see the wheels and tyres and lo and behold, they are presented tonight in all their splendour.

You of course realise that once this project is done - you're going to have to have an HG open day to see how many HG's you can get into the restored vehicle....

Delmont St Xavier wrote:I've been logging on every day and checking to see progress (I think this is the only thread running on here now from what I can see, what a difference from the past). Anyway, I've been desperate to see the wheels and tyres and lo and behold, they are presented tonight in all their splendour.

You of course realise that once this project is done - you're going to have to have an HG open day to see how many HG's you can get into the restored vehicle....

As have I.

The wheels look fantastic Dave, and having the weights on the inner face was totally the right choice. Good work.

Looong time since the last update but work is still progressing. Johnny and Ed are doing all the prep work on the wings, bonnet and doors and while it is an important part of the work it dosnt lend itself to lots of pictures so the updates have been thin.

I thought I would add to the thread with an observation on the terrible quality of some aftermarket parts.

Around the handbrake lever is a rubber boot hiding the handbrake cables, the hinge and the heater control levers.

A few years ago I bought a replacement boot for my fastback and at the time I could see the pattern wasnt quite right and the rubber went grey after a while but it was pliable and close enough to look good.

This is the boot in question;





Now fast forward to last month and I was buying some parts from Heritage. By spending another £4 I would get free postage so I thought I would add a handbrake boot at £7.50 and I had the order sent straight to Ed's.

When I was next at Ed's he said "your handbrake boot is here but I'm not fitting it". I thought he was referring to the fiddle it takes to get it on or that he had noticed it was a replacement like the one fitted to the Fastback but this is what had arrived in the post.

See if you can spot the issues.......





What an absolute piece of sh*t. Not even close to the correct texture, it looked more like these than a VW handbrake boot;



Thankfully Heritage refunded the £7.50 or I would have had to burn it to rid the world of it but quite why a major parts supplier would stock something so bad is beyond me and there must be people out there that accept this crap and fit it to their car.

At the moment I will be trying to re-use the original.

Right, rant over and hopefully normal updates will resume soon.

Dave.

Before a month passes between updates I thought I better add some progress to the thread.

I was down at Ed's on Sunday to drop off a battery (45Ah, 2 year guarantee £45), some of the seals and the fuel tank.

The body is now coated in a full layer of dust but safer to leave it dusty than try and clean it off just now;

The continuing adventures in Beetle restoration. by Dave Campbell, on Flickr

Doors and deck lid looking super smooth and in satin black primer;

The continuing adventures in Beetle restoration. by Dave Campbell, on Flickr

And after a lot of work the wings are also in primer and resting on Franks van;

The continuing adventures in Beetle restoration. by Dave Campbell, on Flickr

At this point, Ed was thinking it would probably be ready for collection before Christmas but due to work I wont be available to help with the fiddly bits or collect it so he has agreed to it being ready early in 2017.

Dave.

Awe man, I've been watching this site at least 3 times daily to see what, if any progress is being made and now you're going to delay us to 2017.... I mean, c'mon Dave that's weeks away!

The paint prep takes hours, thats why the updates have been few and far between then the actual painting will take an evening. At that point it will be all go for the assembly but as I am a postie its a bit of a busy time for me the next few weeks and I really want to help with things like attaching the chrome and assembling the doors so I'm afraid the final reveal will be 2017, just in time for the cars 50th birthday.

It's great to see the progress and these things take time, just desperate to see the final product as I'm sure you are. However, in saying that, I will saddened when it is finalised because it is just such an enthralling thread. To see an old car, truly stripped down and totally stripped down at that not a partial or pretend refurbish. This has nothing on a Haynes manual!

This may be your project and your wife's car but for those like me who are following it, this has been just truly amazing. I think you'll need to do a grand unveiling of the car and invite your HG's along to sit in it. I'll need to get passed Doorstep though....



And on a different topic - you're a Postie, my brother's been in the service for over 30 years and I wonder if you've ever crossed paths

Delmont St Xavier wrote:
And on a different topic - you're a Postie, my brother's been in the service for over 30 years and I wonder if you've ever crossed paths

I have been doing it 22 years next year after saying I would stick it for 6 months after college. Im in G44, where is your brother?

He's based in Wishaw (I think) he hates the job! He's now with the side that's been sold off, as far as I'm aware - not Parcelforce but he drives the HGV's, I think it's probably nearer 40 years now and I think he'd go if a suitable package was to be offered. He used to work in Lambhill, then George Square when he first began and Springburn but I don't follow his career as closely as I follow your Beetle restoration...

Delmont St Xavier wrote:He's based in Wishaw (I think) he hates the job! He's now with the side that's been sold off, as far as I'm aware - not Parcelforce but he drives the HGV's, I think it's probably nearer 40 years now and I think he'd go if a suitable package was to be offered. He used to work in Lambhill, then George Square when he first began and Springburn but I don't follow his career as closely as I follow your Beetle restoration...

::): ::): ::): ::):

That'll be the SDC round the corner from me and where my wife's nephew works on the 16:00-04:00 shift on the HGVs. Massive place with it's own rail connection and platform.

Back on topic, this has been a tremendous thread and it's been fascinating to watch. Bedrock autos round here used to specialise in all things VW but don't know if they are still going.

Didnt do anything Beetle today but did put the Golf to good use;

Holidays are coming 11 by Dave Campbell, on Flickr

Dave

I finally finished the edit on my seat re-trim video.

Proof that the TMI covers are so good that even a bodger in a messy garage can get good results.

Classic!

I watched it twice! I have to ask the question (sorry but I do). How many sweary words did you edit out and mute during the editing of that video?

You have some amount of patience, as you made that look easy but I know differently as I've covered seats before and it only takes one screw or errant piece of fabric and you're *@***^&$!!!!!

Fantastic work and fantastic video...

Quite a few expletives were muted from the video including the bit where I slipped when pulling the cover over the front seat back rest and hit one of the metal prongs so hard with my wrist it hit bone and bent the prong.



Dosnt look much but **** me it was painful.

Amazed you watched it twice, I thought this one would be quite boring. Part of why I nearly lost the will to finish it and when I did I spent the last two weeks trying to think how I would add music.

Merry xmas everybody by Dave Campbell, on Flickr