Andy (following from message) well yours could be a first first rebuild back on the road for the new forum
It will get there its still bloody cold for rocking around in a new buggy

[My Youtube channel]

Cheers Neil, thanks - appreciate that 

Though following a visit to the workshop today seeing how much has been done on it, I am starting to very much doubt it!!!! My toys were very much thrown out of the pram with them.

take a chill pill Andy and get back to your crimping buddy and reassess the situation in the morning i understand your upset but wont make the situation any better chin up chap

[My Youtube channel]

  thanks Chris

Cheers Neil, thanks - appreciate that 

Though following a visit to the workshop today seeing how much has been done on it, I am starting to very much doubt it!!!! My toys were very much thrown out of the pram with them.

Its good to let your hair down once in a while and let others know that it does matter to you very much, tomorrow you can be a cool customer again and if they value your custom then i hope they will come good, fingers crossed it wont be long, if you fancy a beer i can get a couple of cans in on friday evening and watch the Burt Monroe film 'the worlds fastest Indian' and not talk buggies, Clare is out so baby sitting, otherwise would suggest a curry and beer out.

[Thanks,]

Its good to let your hair down once in a while  -

Oi! I will ignore that comment! 

Sadly, cant make this Friday but certainly up for the beer and curry you mentioned before 
Will give you a shout. Thanks, much appreciated 

[My Youtube channel]

OK... finally its getting close, there's still a fighting chance it will make it to Volksworld on Sunday. (If it doesnt it will certainly be MOTd and on the road early next week).

Right this is just a short minor update, will do a proper build log later when its all complete. Apologies for photo quality, many just done with my phone in low light.

The new dash plate housing the switches and stereo:


New SS steering column tube c/o Mike, though hardly seen, I needed it to mount my Acewell digital speedo dash pod (and indicator stalk)



Sadly the modified Flatlands tank had to be further modified further!


Couple of ebay buys - fuel gauge sender - changes the vw 75-0ohms to 250-0 ohms for Acewell dash and the under bonnet FM aerial for stereo


Fuel filler in situ  - that was £180 well spent 


Finally, the all new 1776cc engine is in, along with a second hand Pertronix dizzy and the ignitor 2 kit and the new remote oil filter solution.


And today, the boys working on the front wiring, I will be joining them in the afternoon.


Like I said, I will do a detailed rebuild log in a week or so....

That filler looks real nice, imo better than having the tank at the back, good move! Loving the teardrops too, they suit the back end. 

Good luck for geting it to the show on time 

[To this today.]

So as you might remember, it went from this......


To this today.... OK I know it looks a bit crazy at the moment but all the lights/engine and external stuff is wired so its just a case of wiring it all up onto blocks for the "fuse board", "dash panel" and the Acewell digital speed and indicator stalk. To be fair they are making much better progress and am quite pleased with it. Had to do a quick emergency order to CBS for some new numberplate lights. So I do think there is JUST a fighting chance I just might make it to the SDBC stand for Sunday - but its going to be a very close call!



Oh and a big thank you to Dave (DND) for the swift delivery today of the connector blocks for the stereo!!!

Any updates? 

[Running....!]

Well..... It's Running....! 

Click 'The Rebuild' link at the bottom of the album... Then.... 'Running the new engine' ! 

[Main List of things to do (now done!)]

OK so as the first part of the rebuild is complete (Just have a few finishing touches to add during the summer months whilst its on the road) thought I would put together more info on the rebuild. Its a bit wordy am afraid but lots of photos will follow

Main List of things to do (now done!)
Renew brakes - decided to stick with drums all round but had to re-new rear drums, shoes cylinders on the rear. The leaking cylinder at the rear was the reason the buggy was taken off the road in the first place. And its good practice to renew all items at the same time. Yes could have gone for discs but would have made quite a difference to the overall costs - would have been discs all round as front brakes were sound. (I've got chevy 5 wheel pattern)
Replace Wheel adapters. Each of the old ones had a broken thread. Yes stuck with adapters as position of the wheels were fine.
Replace engine - Initially, there was a blown valve on the older engine but having stripped it down further, there was too much end float. heads were a bit of a mess. At least one of the pistons had been installed back to front (little arrow wrong way). And various other question marks. Safest thing was to ditch that engine and start fresh. So next question - what and where do I get it? In the end I got a great deal on a all new 1776cc semi race engine from Heritage, you know what you are getting and if treated well to begin with are solid machines!
Wiring - replace all of it! Although the initial build was fine, the very last owner had a load new dials installed but these were hard wired in, and had very poor (if any!) earthing plus I wanted to add a 12volt accessory charger, Stereo, CB radio so the safest thing - rip it all out start again. So with use of peters diagram, a load of Trailer cable, I put together the wiring plans for it. (with a few changes later on). All bonnet to body wiring was to be on block connectors to make it easier when taking the bonnet off. Lots of fuses used - 22 in all. And by using the trailer cable meant that all lighting earths at the rear were fed to the front to a copper earthing plate.
Petrol Tank. the old Alloy spun one was way to high before - couldnt see any cars behind me! Plus As I intend to use it as much as possible I wanted more storage at the back so wanted to move teh tank to the front, also its better weight distribution.
So if I am rewiring it, nows the time to replace the gauges. The old ones were pretty trick - I did like them BUT they only worked in viewed straight on. But the angle of the dash meant that didn't work so went for a complete digital dash set up from Acewell. Of course that meant I needed to get a new dash plate in brushed stainless steel made up. So designed the layout I wanted for the switches and stereo and got it sorted. Oh and such luxury - I've never had a fuel gauge on a buggy before but just had to have one!
Stereo - wanted something a bit different and had to be completely waterproof as I didn't have a roof. So got the waterproof marine speakers from DaveDND and found this lovely little unit from the web which is an FM radio, has a USB plug at the back to put a stick in with your MP3s loaded and also can stream the music from your iPhone via bluetooth. It didn't break the bank either. Also means I have loads of music and no need for CDs. Got a stick on aerial from Ebay, fitted that to the front bodywork under the bonnet.
Upgraded the Dizzy - OK so now I'm on a roll! Wanted to move over to electronic ignition for overall reliability - went for the Iginitor II system from Pertronix (coil, leads and module) and managed to get a rather nice second hand Pertronix billet dizzy too.
Seats - put these on runners so my short little arse could reach the pedals properly!
Wipers - well it had to be done after the last journey was in torrential rain for a hundred or so miles with zero visibility thought it would be a good idea. So got a 2nd hand motor and mechanism from Ben and these work a treat. At the time of writing these we are just working out the actual wiper arms as the screen is so small - but there is a cunning plan which we think we have sorted.

Things to do once on the road again.
Box the rear seat area in and create storage - loving what Testa has done to both his buggies (though I know he is currently changing one of them). Inside this will house the CB radio box (with the control/handset mounted on the plastic moulding at the bottom of the gear stick). Will be probably covered in vinyl too - the only issue I have is the way the rear of the roll cage comes down and how exactly the this will be surrounded. CB aerial will be mounted onto of the box section. Again have some ideas on this but not sorted it 100% yet. (I already have the CB, aerial with quick release mount for underground carparks and artificial  ground plane.
Tonneau cover. Having decided a roof won't work for me unless I change the height of the windscreen and I don't want to do that as it will ruin the whole look of the buggy. So decided knowing how I use the buggy, to invest in a tonneau cover as per westfields and like. I have most of that in my mind already. Just need the right folks at the right price to do the right job.
Rugs for Bugs - will very shortly get these guys to do the floor rugs for both foot wells and tunnel.

Exhausts??? I hear you cry? Well am going to stick with these for the time being, OK I know they aren't ideal for performance etc. BUT I do have a cunning plan and one day in the future, Mike will be getting a call from me for something just a little different to what he has produced before... 

[Heritage]

And of course I couldn't have done it all by myself.....( No wise cracks folks!  )

Heritage via House of Dub* - Engine, ignition system & HT leads, new brake drums, shoes, cylinders, fuel pump, external oil filter mount, wheel adapters and new nuts, various air cooled odds and sods. All bought at a significant discount via House of Dub.
Just Kampers - New alternator
Flatlands - modified petrol tank (though still needed further modifying!) - plus 2nd hand wheel adapters and monza fuel filler not used.
Brasscraft - for a very beautiful if somewhat pricey fuel filler - lockable and fully vented with machined screw thread top.
Car builder solutions for various electrical items (fuse boxes, wiring heat shrink, savage switches etc.), seat runners
Marine AV - waterproof stereo unit
Lichfield Trailer centre - for the trailer cable
B & Z Metalcraft (LB)- for the laser cutting of the dash plate.
"Spiyda" - from ebay - for the fuel sender resistance adapter
"EmilyandLilly" - from ebay for the stick on aerial
Radiozing - from ebay for the Venus CB radio unit
4x4CB - for the CB aerial and mountings
Oh and I suppose Halfords for any last min /urgent nuts/ bolts/ fuses etc.

And now for the important folks:
DaveDND for the waterproof speakers and Acewell digital dash unit and especially for the last min stereo connector.
Ben W for the wiper motor and mech
Mike / Bezzledub for the Stainless steel steering column sleeve with mounting for indicator stalk and ace well pod.
Neil / Inigio - for his mate who polished the carb manifolds
Brian / Wolverine for the second hand savage switches
Andy  / Chimp - for the copper earthing plate
Aaron - for the 2nd hand oil filter pipes
Peter for helping with the cad drawing for the dash plate.

Hope I have missed anyone else out. If I have, tell me and I will add you. Not forgetting of course all the advice and bantering I get from you all and those not here.

And finally..... To Spike and Zoe at House of Dub. My local Aircooled specialists who are good friends
Yes its Spike who put most of the buggy back together and has done a great job (and yes I was known to get my hands dirty at times too whilst at the workshop) But also by buying the items through them have saved a fortune. Spike really does know his stuff and often did more than I thought was needed to get the job done properly. Highly recommended - Actually though he did enjoy doing the buggy, he is worried that he may get requests to do a load more so may be I shouldn't be recommending him after all?

OK so it took a tad longer than I would have liked but its not a problem - look at the weather, what have I missed? Oh and the question about I should have done it all myself, we its making best use of whatever skills we have - so I've been doing their website updating all the vans they sell and design and print whatever flyers etc they need.

[My Youtube channel]

And here's a few in progress photos for you (only iPhone snap shots am afraid)

The brushed stainless steel dash panel for the switches



The modified Flatlands tank - with further mods - to be fair the buggy is quite low so therefore needed the additional bit cut out for the bonnet


The polished stainless steel steering column sleeve from Mike to mount the Acewell pod and indicator stalk.


The re-wiring in progress (all colours have been logged and we have our own wiring diagram for future reference)


Wiring almost complete (The fuse box board has easy access below for the fuses and drops down to footwell if needed. As well as the relays shown, is the fuel sender/gauge resistor wizard box)


Dashboard complete (well nearly - just missing a single screw at the bottom right)


The FM aerial at the front (hidden under the bonnet)


Engine back in (ignore the extra earthing wiring - we were just testing something) - waiting for the engine cage to go back on.


First start up - 25mins run at 2000rpm approx - went fine, no oils leaks of course! oil and filters ditched and replaced, valve clearances adjusted, then run for 500miles before next oil service.... then good for 2k miles and onwards....

A few minor tweaks but otherwise pretty much ready on Monday evening!


MOT booked in for Wednesday 3rd April (tried on Tuesday but couldn't fit us in) - so then if all goes well there...... fingers crossed, we are off to Elemental!!!