Hi To All, very recently bought a basket case beach buggy as a project. The previous owner stripped it down about 15 years ago and was unsure of what it is /was !! we know it's a 1969 chassis and it's long wheel base. The previous owner thought it was a LWB GP kit. Spent some time online looking at images and the back end looks like a GP but the bonnet looks like Lido or El Lobo style.

Can anyone give us any advice on what it was before we start the rebuild as depending on what we have it may influence what body parts we repair or replace as we'd like to keep the kit original if it's a worthwhile one.

You can see some images here on google photos : https://goo.gl/photos/sEg79oYHXCpYm8kV8

I can seem to uplaod to the forum ?

Cheers and any help really appreciated - Mark

Hi and welcome,   Your buggy is LWB Fibre Fab Rat with the MK2 bonnet which I believe is the same design as the El Lobo . The leading edge of the front wings have been trimmed back by quite an amount.

THANKS VERY MUCH 

your going to struggle getting that front end back in shape,they,ve realy hacked it back. .

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To be honest, depending on your plans for the buggy, you may be better off forgetting about that existing body and buying a new one.

I know that sounds extreme but the likely time and effort needed to tidy up the body shell and then painting it means that buying a new body shell may be cheaper! Especially since that body shell you have has certainly been altered a bit to say the least!

To use that shell it will need the missing front wing sections making and grafting on. We did some on a gp that got rammed by a ford transit by cling filming a good wing then applying fibreglass over it, this would then act as a mould for a new wing section which was grafted on and filled/ tidied up before a respray but a lot of work.

You would need somebody with a rat shell to make a quick mould on though.

As suggested a new body is about the same price as a decent repair and painy job depending on how shiney you want it at the end and how much work you can do yourself.

Yep - the body is a bit of a mess, we may go for a new bonnet but we have a devious plan for the the rest of the body that MIGHT not involve any paintwork at all......the Body MIGHT end up wearing it's own WETSUIT as I am in that business and it could be great advertising ploy. Lots to decide....first step is to get the bug up and running without a body, see what we've spent and then decide the next moves.

Thanks for the advice Guys 

OH - does anyone know how to work out what model of beetle this was originally given a number on the floorpan ? the V5 has it as G reg (1969) and states 1200 beetle, body type : Sports (beach buggy?). We've got a number of engines and parts to choose from with the deal, one supposedly a rebuilt 1600cc...

CHEERS Mark ( www.northcoastwetsuits.co.uk )

 

ps....we do have (with us) access to another bug to check out the bodywork and get some ideas - can anyone tell us what model this one is too / see the red / yellow one in these images - the back looks just like ours!

See https://goo.gl/photos/sEg79oYHXCpYm8kV8

I cannot see the pictures on those links 

here it is the link (below) again, they are mixed in with the blue bug shots, can see them fine here, try a browser refresh perhaps....if no good let me know and I will move them to a separate album, cheers Mark

https://goo.gl/photos/sEg79oYHXCpYm8kV8

Got them - probably Google playing silly buggers, as it was timing out before I could see them

Have a read in the Newbie section about posting pictures on here and it will explain how to link those photos on here 

http://www.beachbuggy.info/index.php/topic,190.0.html


Cannot wait to see a Neoprene Buggy - Brilliant Idea 

the yellow and red one is also a fibre fab with the front wings cut but it looks like a mk2 or 3 GP buggy bonnet has been fitted.

The chassis number is on the top of the chassis tunnel infront of the gear shift coupling access hole, a quick web search will come up with beetle chassis number and years listings.

69 could well be the beetle year as fibre fab were not in business then if my memory is right.

a wet suited buggy very different and pedestrian friendly in accidents.

The second yellow  / Red one is a RAT too with modified front wings and a GP mk2 bonnet and screen combo.
In fact did the same thing on my old RAT in 1992 

  Thanks Guys for the chassis info - did decode and it is a Feb '69 Beetle chassis - good to know for spares.

Also nice here two positive response on the idea of a Wetsuited Neoprene covered Bug. I think we are going to part paint and part cover with Neo 

Cheers for the ID on the second Bug - we thought it was also a Fibre Fab, quite like the GP bonnet screen combo.. it's seriously low at the front - NICE LOOK plus been told that is handles well too.

Does anyone know if 'sports' body type on the V5 means it's been reg'd as a Buggy previously ?

What year did Fibre Fab start making their kits ? it would interesting to know how long ago this was originally built but I guess other than the date LWB kits were first made it's mission impossible ?

Need to check the newbie file upload link too - thanks !!

Now the hard work begins..........

Thanks for the photobucket tip - can anyone ID this Bug I owned in the late 80's

The only photos I have were taken after some idiot crashed into the back of it when it was parked and smashed up good and proper