There may be a thread from years ago but Anette wants to get back into the buggy scene so many years of standing unloved on a drive it has now arrived here for recommissioning.
Last seen pre covid where the hole in front of the pedals where water had collected was the worst now looking like a body off job with a rewire and safety check over.
(https://i.postimg.cc/zG1zzZFj/IMG-6632.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/LnNKDW7Y)
(https://i.postimg.cc/WbZpcbgD/IMG-6633.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/0b81pvtx)
Well it is already looking better than how I recall seeing it with you pre Covid...
I still think 'recommissioning' is an understatement of what you face yet we will all watch and admire as you progress through the challenges.
Body nearly ready to lift off due to random bolts and rust, 2 new pan half's required as the minimum pan repair the water and condensation have killed everything, Annette will be back on the road a bit later than hoped.
(https://i.postimg.cc/RFFY397s/IMG-6634.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/McC54CrV)
(https://i.postimg.cc/4yHF55F6/IMG-6635.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/4HZ54zGy)
(https://i.postimg.cc/hvQ3rr39/IMG-6636.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/kR9cMxC4)
I am sure snoopy can fix it like he recently did mine 😂
When you scrape laters of paint off underneath the job goes from pan half's to include a frame head assy.
(https://i.postimg.cc/vB3tQWJF/IMG-6643.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/340v1Drn)
That does look dangerously crumbly.
It seems you haven't yet got right to the end of making a shopping list. I hope the engine is better preserved after a few years sitting ...
Dave came over today to see the extent of the rust and spend some time working on the buggy to see how it is assembled then lift the body off then make noise with the disc cutter to remove the pans as it has had two lots before one but wekded to the tunnel lio the other plug welded on top of the lip.
(https://i.postimg.cc/fWrV0TqN/IMG-6665.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/23nksmfc)
By failing light pans were off and front beam removed and stripped for overhaul, Dave set off home with a car full of parts for shot blasting and coating/ painting.
Credit to who put the previous new pans on if they were cleanly re moveable. Tunnel looks solid enough but I guess all the brake pipes need re doing so you are yet at the start of the rebuild.
After no play on a wet friday Graham is sorted awaiting parts to be refurbished and other brought. Other parts have gone vacj to Wales for refurb.
(https://i.postimg.cc/PJvg3xKL/IMG-6668.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/sGyH13kyb)
(https://i.postimg.cc/WzqBW3SB/IMG-6669.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/hQgZhKks)
(https://i.postimg.cc/Y0L5n98n/IMG-6670.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/dZvNDJbr)
(https://i.postimg.cc/XqBRHJQM/IMG-6671.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/8fDXsT2w)
Nice work Snoopy ;-)up
Warmer today so started on the massive holes in the dash then the aluminium plate can go in the bin. Fibreglassed up then filler on the front just awaiting delivery iof a new sander as mine cannot be found but it may have failed many years ago and been binned.
(https://i.postimg.cc/6QsY2PBk/IMG-6698.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/qNL8Wjhw)
It`s one of those "things" snoopy....... Probably the number 1 mashed up sections of a beach buggy a dashboard is. Holes everywhere and then covered up with wood, aluminium and more holes.
Quote from: Paul1953 on November 24, 2025, 08:16:18 AMIt`s one of those "things" snoopy....... Probably the number 1 mashed up sections of a beach buggy a dashboard is. Holes everywhere and then covered up with wood, aluminium and more holes.
Or often just replaced with a sheet of steel that'd make a really good guillotine in the event of a crash :-\ :-\ :-\
Been out today collecting parts due to excessive corrosion and the cost of the best floor pan halves and other bits needed I had an offer I could not refuse this one needs a few tweaks and converting to RHD but it is solid and factory fresh 20 odd years ago, strange a late injection pan has a pre 72 gearbox mounts. Zero rust to treat is a bonus and this buggy is a keeper that the owner wants to get a lot of use out of it.
(https://i.postimg.cc/XqccqktR/IMG-6699.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/SYRztCSd)
(https://i.postimg.cc/QNpqfjVb/IMG-6701.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/yW89d4mg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/mZQSmTh7/IMG-6702.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/DmwsZkrz)
(https://i.postimg.cc/wxhkw932/IMG-6703.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/CdxD1TGn)
Who'd not want an almost new set up like this given the choice. Great you have such useful contacts for buggy parts.
Those chassis were Mexican so a bit of a mash up as far as parts are concerned.
S/A and ball joint though so easy enough for parts.
I think most of them originated from Beetles UK (long defunct company) who used to import Mexi Bugs and swap them to rhd (sometimes quite shoddily) but a friend of mine did buy a complete body and a chassis just like that off them decades ago. Lucky they came with no chassis number stamped.
What is the round frame thing for on the framehead bottom plate? Something to do with furl injection return system?? Of for putting your kettle on maybe 🤔😁
thats to hold the electric fuel pump
Quote from: Buggybaggy on November 25, 2025, 12:35:55 PMWhat is the round frame thing for on the framehead bottom plate? Something to do with furl injection return system?? Of for putting your kettle on maybe 🤔😁
The fuel pump was huge on the fuel injection ones.
(https://i.postimg.cc/BQ2NCRMQ/Screenshot-20251125-153451-2.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/rKFSVnBv)
😲
That's bigger than the pump for my central heating system!!
I guess the pump also has a swirl pot in it to be that big but that bracket has gone and there are now holes for the master cylinder, never really looked but they also have no pedal holes on the right of the tunnel so more cutting done only then to find the fuel pipes need reshaping to get the pedals through. The bracket in the left rear I assume is for the FI control box but that can stay under the back seat.
The person the other side off the Atlantic on the pan got carried away with seam sealer a wire wheel in the angle grinder removed 4 dustpans full off the top surfaces it was even on the sheet metal far from a seam. But the first coat of U pol raptor 2 pack in on and looking good whilst the weather is slightly warmer.
(https://i.postimg.cc/LXKfY3Jv/IMG-6725.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/VSg52MBb)
(https://i.postimg.cc/d1Pdkj7t/IMG-6728.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/hJshNxbH)
Looks like your having a similar day to me Keith, knotted wheel in the grinder keep up the good work ;-)up
I recognise that chassis....
Some years ago Heritage brought over the last of the VW original chassis units from Mexico. Heritage had a photo of the group of them on their website. They were offering them for sale at, I think, just over £2000. They eventually sold off and I hadn`t seen one again until just very recently on ebay where the photo showed one propped up against a wall. What makes me as sure as I can be that this one is as sold by Heritage is that the colour and mastic at joints/welds etc is identical.
It is one of those that was purchased for a future buggy build possibly 20 years ago that never moved into build so ended up stored in a container then offered to myself, it has the Mexico stamp where the chassis number should be, it did me a favour saving a lot of rust removal and treatment above all the dressing and welding.
The repair to roadworthy job is changing now as the new floor has inspired the owner to splash the cash and do lots of other changes and upgrades.
So the newer Mexican pan has pre 72 gearbox mounts so I swapped the order to early mounts but forgot to add a nose cone to suit so now stuck for gearbox fit and the powder coaters to do the front beam.
(https://i.postimg.cc/sx2qT0Tx/IMG-6740.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/CBWc1JTp)
With other things on and awaiting parts the build is slow but the back end is all together just needs a frint beam and the engine tinware.
(https://i.postimg.cc/FFJWzcXn/IMG-6774.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/w3gcb1vh)
Very impressive and without the body it looks quite a narrow or slim vehicle.
This buggy has had 30 years added to its life expectancy.
I thought slow builds were the law? ;D
Its coming along nicely
completing the rolling pan was down for last saturday as the owner delivered a new front beam and all the powder coated parts on friday but a slight hiccup when the trailing arms were removed from the boxes, they went away and had ball joints removed then powder coated before new ball joints fitted, unfortunately the top ones were fitted in the bottom arms and the bottom ones were upside down in the top arms so a visit to a friends garage this morning loaded with muffins and short breads as a payment I had use off the press to put things right.
The next stopper was the castor nuts are still 2 hours away in Wales so getting there but slowly.
As it sits awaiting castor nuts and an inlet manifold
(https://i.postimg.cc/13LMq3Dh/IMG-1058.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/2174pmH2)
Missing suspension parts arrived so all back together and body bolted down onto a rubber seal not a open sponge type that was found on strip down causing the rot.
Dave turned up with a cage from a lwb rat buggy but the upright front hoop needs some bends and angling to match the screen but a good buy for the money it is just dropped in to save storing it..
(https://i.postimg.cc/qMtSyHdM/Whats-App-Image-2025-12-20-at-21-08-14-795756ae.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/RNBgx8Fj)
Great stuff. The body on starts to give out the buggy personality.
Certainly that roll cage looks suited to tall occupants who wear top hats !
Well the Christmas period is over so got a few hours in, bonnet has been glassed and filled for the new petrol tank and filler along with the w/s/w jet hole as the wiper motor mount kept pushing the original out just needs smoothing off fully.
the reworked dash is in and wiring looms are in place the GPS boat/quad speedo has multiple input wires and shows a speed sender unit for the tacho but the paperwork is like a hand drawn unit with no info, only the word sender and an arrow pointing to it so thinking connecting it to the CB terminal of the coil may kill the unit.
(https://i.postimg.cc/zGywLNwr/Whats-App-Image-2025-12-28-at-16-54-19.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/jDrn9Gkg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/52X5HJ54/Whats-App-Image-2025-12-28-at-16-54-20.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/pmt57g14)
(https://i.postimg.cc/zGywLNwJ/Whats-App-Image-2025-12-28-at-16-54-21.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/pmt57g17)
Looks like it has an Oojamaflip high irritant air horn system. Does that need a compressor or leisure battery ?!
nice work Snoopy ;-)up
Well Graham took a lot longer than anticipated but it is now back together and useable so it will be going home to get some more jobs done like trimming and a back box/seat fitted. The rear of the brought roll frame fits but some Welsh company with a pipe bender needs to rework the front so it is near the screen.
The split axle boots one worked the other leaked from the box end but cleaning and resetting it 4 times it may be ok but use will tell a first as they normally seal ok.
Heated mx5 seats are in and wired. Should be good for a fair few years with nearly everything new on the brakes and suspension once the body is prepped and painted in the better weather he should be seen at a few meets.
(https://i.postimg.cc/qMnk8K6S/IMG-6859.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/tYqQbY5N)
(https://i.postimg.cc/jSbRvjzt/IMG-6861.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/crFqL09b)
(https://i.postimg.cc/jSbRvjzK/IMG-6862.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/BXmWn4Yw)
That looks a delightfully clean, tidy and honest functional buggy.
Yet another buggy rolls out of the Snoopy factory.
Quote from: Hugh on January 12, 2026, 05:04:24 PMThat looks a delightfully clean, tidy and honest functional buggy.
Yet another buggy rolls out of the Snoopy factory.
We got to keep them on the road Hugh and Dave is looking at events to attend so depending on dogs n puppies Anette will return to the buggy crew.
Keith you are a force of nature when it comes to keeping Buggys on the road !
But Dave and Annette can surely get to the kit car show in Malvern, then Ashbourne, Dubs in the Valley and no doubt other concert car shows in the West Midlands.
Keith Keep the buggies coming.
Are you any good at fixing age related issues with vintage knees ? ;D Am struggling with my left knee in particular at the moment. Have days when all ok. Others, out of the blue, when i can barely hobble. ( Have been quoted a 6 year waiting list for replacement via the NHs :'( :'( )
Cannot help with knees Paul but would suggest moving to a warmer climate in a country that accepts buggies.
A 6 year wait is a joke that must be in your area I know folks down this way have had them done a lot quicker without paying privately.
As we get older the body degradation becomes more noticeable but you have to just carry on.
Tough one Paul.
There are buggys with doors in them...