Hi all  I said I'd start a build thread so here goes..............

Gru was found in a sorry state looking very unloved and un roadworthy....





He was then picked up on a trailer and brought home to start a new life with me.....


Being very unhappy with his rear end I decided to remove the unsightly Jag XJS Rear lights that had been installed in his previous life.....



To reveal the horror that was lying underneath..........


Gru is a 1200 and is running 5 wides at the rear but unfortunately his front beam is too badly corroded to repair (and the previous owner has misplaced his front wheels and all the drop links and torsion bars.......


Chassis and pans are in good condition albeit covered in SHULTZ!!!!! (I hate that stuff)


The body was taken to a friend of a friend who does fibreglassing to sort out the gaping holes in his arse and fill the hundreds of holes that the previous owner had drilled to put cable ties through to hide the wiring.  And also to reinforce some areas of damage.

So that was how he was a couple of weeks ago.  Today I got some free time this afternoon after going to work this morning and got to set about Gru with some Traffic film remover, pressure washer, rotary wire brush and polisher........



I like the look of the wire brushed gearbox so I think is gonna get the full treatment then a coat of laquer to seal it up 

Then I got a call from said friend of friend, Chris Patrick from Unique Customs in King's Lynn  to ask me to come and pick up the body as he had finished it..... Happy days!!!
So I grabbed the trailer and shot off to see what he had done.






Well happy with that  now just lots more sanding and lots of high build primer.

Ive decided to go with a black pan with white details on supension and bits.  Then all white paint inside the tub with a metallic blue 3M wrap vinyl over the top of the tub.  Have been keeping an eye on Ebay for parts and came across this which I won.

The guy also had a manx body seal which I also won 

Oh BTW Im in need of a few parts namely full front beam with everything on it.........some side pods.........any thing considered as Im on a budget (thats what the Mrs keeps telling me anyhooo)

Well thats all I have done so far but will keep it coming.

Nice project there. Will be interesting to follow.

Looking good

Great to see the evolution of a project like this, and shall follow it with interest 

Hi Wesler I've got a complete front beam with every thing on it steering hubs , shocks the lot bar wheel cylinders only thing is I'm in North Wales !

Let me know if your interested.

T

Hi Wesler I've got a complete front beam with every thing on it steering hubs , shocks the lot bar wheel cylinders only thing is I'm in North Wales !

Let me know if your interested.

T

Damnit! I was in Ashton-Under-Lyne last Thursday and could have just skipped across.  I'm interested but its a bit far to come unless I'm "Working" out that way 

a nice little project. strange how some folks decide on tail lights then try and fit stuff that clearly does not fit the tub in any way shape or form.

a nice little project. strange how some folks decide on tail lights then try and fit stuff that clearly does not fit the tub in any way shape or form.

I totally agree.  I think they must have been sniffing Tippex at the time lol.

Had a little time to myself on Saturday so I set about cleaning up the beam I collected a couple of weeks ago.

It's got adjusters on it and looks quite low where it is at the moment. Ling the rake thou lol.

Should have some more time this week to clean up and paint all the engine shrouds and parts that I also removed.

Progress is good 

Gearbox and hubs off.....

Wirebrushed,  Rubber down, Zinc primered and gloss black rear end.......

Tinware off and off to the blasters......

Managed to get some time on Gru last week.  It was plonked on to a trailer and we headed over to a friends workshop for the much needed welding of the main spine (where the previous owner had cut a piece out to try and get to something in the tunnel)?  On opening it up we realised that they had managed to snap off the clutch tube    Now welded back in place.  I didn't take any photos of it thou as I was too busy with the welder and grinder.



Also cut out the seat frame runners and welded all the corners of the pans up and a few holes in the pans.....







Gearbox cleaned and lacquered and a new set of shiny poly bushes fitted.....


Something that is lurking in the friends workshop....... can you guess what it is?

Beetle on steroids  last beetle I saw with bulk head behind seats had a large audi lump in it 

good to see GRU coming alomg and Clem beat me to the vw/audi turbo beetle

Looking great so far