AP's 1962 Beach Buggy Resto - Mk5 Volksrod

[Shaggy]

Don't use stainless on the chassis suspension it's not got the raising for it ..... 8.8 for some and 12. For the front beam to front clip. The stainless will either stretch or shear under stress loads

[apmaman]

I'm not using it on critical area's like suspension or anything like that. Just on things like bolting the lights through the shell, the interior stuff like the fuse box. All that kind of stuff. I had real trouble as almost every nut and bolt was totally buggered and rounded off cause of rust.

I was thinking about stainless bolts for holding the shell onto the chassis but I duno. Dont know if they'd be strong enough. I would think so as I've got 7 bolts per side and 4 at the back, 2 at the front and 2 in each side above the wheels as I have little seating plates that line the shell up.  You can see them on the pic of the buggy on the road just before I got towed to get welded. beside the rear wheel sticking up and on the front suspension. They're held in with the same bolts that hold on the shocks.

I think they'd be ok as there are so many of them all taking the strain.

[Shaggy]

they should be fine for bolting the body on to the pan and securing other simple bling stuff to the body
Its just that some folks think a bolt is a bolt, they end up using stainless bolts on stuff that they really shouldn't, like bolting the front beam on to the floor pan or on the suspension or braking system.... to me that's a no no as they can be put under stresses that stainless bolts are unable to take.
Just letting others know 

[apmaman]

Yeah there could be some serious issues if someone were to swap in bolts that weren't up to the stresses placed on them.

Good to hear they'd be up to the job on the shell. Thats where most rounded off as I think the carpet held in water over the years and it took its tole on some of the bolt heads.

I got some stainless steel seat sub mounts and double locking seat slides off flatlands engineering today, so I'm going to see if I can fit my old seats to them for just now before I can get new ones. They are in real need of re-trimming but I think it might be cheaper just to get newer ones instead.

[apmaman]

So with my first day off I've had in a while that I've not spent with the Mrs I made an active effort to get on with the bug.

I got some stainless steel seat wedges from flatland engineering and some seat runners too.

All bolted up.. Yum Yum



Aww shi... The holes are just a tad too short! 
]

A little grinding work and TaDa!


Just gotta measure up the floor pan to drill now! and get new corbeau seats, but I cant afford them at the mo...

Still waiting for the dash to come back though as thats holding me back from starting the re-wire...

[Shaggy]

would have thought about 250 quid would cover them comfy looking seats...

[apmaman]

looking into it. id like to keep them for keeping the bugs history.

[Steve]

So with my first day off I've had in a while that I've not spent with the Mrs I made an active effort to get on with the bug.

I got some stainless steel seat wedges from flatland engineering and some seat runners too.

All bolted up.. Yum Yum



Aww shi... The holes are just a tad too short! 
]

A little grinding work and TaDa!


Just gotta measure up the floor pan to drill now! and get new corbeau seats, but I cant afford them at the mo...

Still waiting for the dash to come back though as thats holding me back from starting the re-wire...

were they pr-drilled? if not were they easy to drill, stupid question I know, but I need a pair at sometime in the future as my seats sit smack on the chassis and are a bit uncomfortable without them being angled backwards.

[apmaman]

the stainless wedges were pre drilled from flatlands to the seat runners they sell. they bolt together well with m8 bolts.

my seats however were a tad too 'long' between bolt holes so i had to grind the last oval slot in the runners a few mm more to fit.

[Steve]

Hmm. I think they do undrilled ones,  I need them to line up with the holes I already have in the floor.
they look nice with the runners you have though

[apmaman]

im sure they would if you asked them too.

[apmaman]

Ok so finally got my drivers seat 100% fitted into the car.

Took the plunge to drill some new 12mm holes in and I've used these plates under the floor so if it does go all horribly wrong at least the bolts wont pull through the floor and leave me in a right mess.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181045684531?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

I also go the seat sliders to work really well. I set them so that I can move the seat forwards up to 10'inches from its maximum backwards position. With the seat forward gives me a place to hide some goodies then move the seat back so they're hidden.

[apmaman]

Got the dashboard back! Looks amazing with the deep crease's in the fabric. Can't wait to get everything mounted back up and soon to be rolling again!

[apmaman]

Petrol Tank, bonnet, dash and front lights all fitted and routed through the front... It almost looks like a real car again! Just the dreaded re-wire to go...

I'm gonna have a bash at cleaning up the speedo gauge.. Might re-paint the metal ring as it looks a bit tired. Coming along nicely

[apmaman]

while ive been away in Amsterdam for a few days with the mrs a few things came for the buggy iv added today...

new land rover lights and a type 3 motor alternator.

fitted up
 

 

all i need to do... wire wire wire and paint the tin wear ;-) which im gonna do just now. got a week annual leave now so gonna get it done. deadline is 13th july!