My 65 Bug A.K.A The Ugly Duck

[1low65vw]

I bought this bug last April for $500. Drove it home from where it had been sitting for over a year which surprised me. Drove it bone stock for about 3 weeks then slammed it with a 4" narrowed beam with 2 outer clicks in the rear. It had been resprayed the stock sea blue from a previous owner and converted to 12 volt with a 1600cc engine. Here are some pics after i lowered it.








Then in September the unthinkable happened. I ended up rear ending a ford focus and crushed the whole front end. These where taken just minutes after the accident.

[rabbitnothopper]

dude...learn to drive

[1low65vw]

After the accident the bug sat for 2 months in the driveway until my dad and I cleared a spot in the garage for it. It had been in an accident prior to me owning it and the whole front was replaced and was done poorly, so i picked up a hood and front clip from a guy in New Mexico and some fenders from a guy in Florida. As soon as i had those parts the work began.

[1low65vw]

dude...learn to drive

thats just it. i was 2 car links behind her when she slammed on the breaks half way past the stop bar as soon as the light turned yellow. I had cars on both sides and had no where to go.

[1low65vw]

After the front was fixed i decided to bag it. It now has a cantilever setup up front with the modified 4" narrowed beam and 2 1/2" drop spindles and a 1 3/4" shortened panhead.












This is where i stand at now until i receive the parts for the rear setup. As for the plans for the rest of the bug, it will be getting painted white with white interior, full role cage, 2332cc turbo engine with polished and white Der Steiner Rads.

[Schell R32]

cool thread dude....nice to see you taking it on and owning it!!


2332 ey?....make sure she's built right and spend the cake!!! it WILL send south if not built the right way!

[1low65vw]

cool thread dude....nice to see you taking it on and owning it!!


2332 ey?....make sure she's built right and spend the cake!!! it WILL send south if not built the right way!

thanks. oh yeah, i know to build the 2332 nice. i wont run anything cheap in that one. since it will be a weekend ride i will probably have over a grand just in the valve train setup.

[zzzdanz]

dude...learn to drive

What kind of azzhole comment is that man?....you never had an accident before?

[Schell R32]

zz i just caught that!!

man...his comment was hard core.

1 low..good call on spending the money on the vlavetrain...not sayin you dont know what your doing at all.

..but that's onty the surface. the bottom end is key and a REAL set of heads...from crush gaskets to deep block studs all the way to the pistons rings etc...remember you can toss EVERYTHING you know out the window in the turbo world when it comes to air cooled...and this also goes for N/A motors too...the principals are the same but the motors make thing difficult for sure.

you can't put power to a cyl head if she ain't gonna hold to the block or not make excessive heat.

to build a REAL 2332 draw thru or a fuel injected blow thru, your gonna spend and easy 6-8k on parts...the crank and rods alone should be in the 2k region for real power in excess of 400 hp


i've seen go for well over 20k and as cheap as 3k but each is different in it's own way...not to mention a stout 2 liter turbo will destroy even the best pro street trans...when razed and lauchin hard


but either way that might not be the way your going with it anyways...just a nice stout turbo'd 2332 with some air ride and presence is killer too!!

good luck and keep us posted!

[1low65vw]

What kind of azzhole comment is that man?....you never had an accident before?

thanks danz.

[1low65vw]

zz i just caught that!!

man...his comment was hard core.

1 low..good call on spending the money on the vlavetrain...not sayin you dont know what your doing at all.

..but that's onty the surface. the bottom end is key and a REAL set of heads...from crush gaskets to deep block studs all the way to the pistons rings etc...remember you can toss EVERYTHING you know out the window in the turbo world when it comes to air cooled...and this also goes for N/A motors too...the principals are the same but the motors make thing difficult for sure.

you can't put power to a cyl head if she ain't gonna hold to the block or not make excessive heat.

to build a REAL 2332 draw thru or a fuel injected blow thru, your gonna spend and easy 6-8k on parts...the crank and rods alone should be in the 2k region for real power in excess of 400 hp


i've seen go for well over 20k and as cheap as 3k but each is different in it's own way...not to mention a stout 2 liter turbo will destroy even the best pro street trans...when razed and lauchin hard


but either way that might not be the way your going with it anyways...just a nice stout turbo'd 2332 with some air ride and presence is killer too!!

good luck and keep us posted!

i see you know your engines. i will probably have close to 6k-8k in the engine and 3k-4k in the trans. it will mainly be for show but i will take it down the track also. just something to show up the honda and mustang guys someimes.

[Schell R32]

atta boy! now your talkin.


nothin's better than beatin the holy hell out of a BB chevy and still dving it on the street.

here's mine...if ya haven't seen the toilet before:



keep us posted on your progress...and hell save the drivetrain til later on...roll her clean,low and slow for now

[trbodubn]

Good work man

[1low65vw]

Hey schell, did your bug used to be black and burgundy with the drag wing on it? If so i have a couple of pics on my computer of that beast.

[1low65vw]

Good work man

Thanks trbo. Somthing to keep me out of trouble for now.

[Schell R32]

yep..redid it in June of '11.


what happened to the front of your ride?...somebody clip you? or did you tag somebody from behind?

kinda funny how much damage there is when you think about how fast you were going ey?

i did the same thing at 50+ into a gaurdrail on interstate 95 south after some d--k hit me from behind and got me sideways ...no way in hell i was gonna save it...lights out.

at least your is fixable

[1low65vw]

yep..redid it in June of '11.


what happened to the front of your ride?...somebody clip you? or did you tag somebody from behind?

kinda funny how much damage there is when you think about how fast you were going ey?

i did the same thing at 50+ into a gaurdrail on interstate 95 south after some d--k hit me from behind and got me sideways ...no way in hell i was gonna save it...lights out.

at least your is fixable

you'r bug is badass. i rear ended a lady when she slammed on her brakes as soon as the light turned yellow.

[Schell R32]

bummer at least is had good take off!!

thanks it's a wild ride but will NEVER do it again..could have built 4 daily's for this project.

[rabbitnothopper]

thats just it. i was 2 car links behind her when she slammed on the breaks half way past the stop bar as soon as the light turned yellow. I had cars on both sides and had no where to go.

you'r bug is badass. i rear ended a lady when she slammed on her brakes as soon as the light turned yellow.

true true...happened to me also, and i was carrying 900lbs of car parts in the rain

bastards just wanted free insurance claim

[1low65vw]

got some more parts today. now it is time to remove the body to do the rear air setup.

[1low65vw]

Well i finally got the bug on all fours to see how the front setup works. Still needs some tweeking to be perfect. Taking the body off soon to do the trans raise and rear setup. I will be posting pics up tonight. But first have to get my 1962 chevy belair ready to be shipped to Sweden.

[LooseNuts]

be watchin. looks good so far.

[1low65vw]

Thank you LooseNuts. It has been a fun build so far.

[1low65vw]

Got some work done this weekend.







Just waiting on the trans raise kit to come in to start on the rear air setup.

[rabbitnothopper]

MOAR LOAWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!............

[GEETi]

[1low65vw]

MOAR LOAWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!............

That is on the way my friend.

[1low65vw]

[BEANS]

Who manufacturers this rear kit? I'm curious to see how the back will go together, specifically the top bag mount.

Car is coming a long nicely

got some more parts today. now it is time to remove the body to do the rear air setup.

[1low65vw]

Who manufacturers this rear kit? I'm curious to see how the back will go together, specifically the top bag mount.

Car is coming a long nicely

thanks. i bought all of the rear set up parts off of thorbros.com. the top cups are actually for an S-10. it will be a one off setup. the bottom bars will be similar to the airkewld rear kit.

[1low65vw]

a teaser shot with the notched spring plates.

[1low65vw]

well i will be pulling everything off of the pan this week to fix previous screw ups and build the rear setup. i give it a month or so and the pan will be done. i hope.

[1low65vw]

Well my dad and I got more done to the pan. Cleaned it and the trans up. Also got the 2" trans raise done so now the fun begins with the rear air setup. Enjoy some pics.




Nice to have a niece to help

[1low65vw]

Trans all nice and some what clean with the new bus nose cone.







Trans raise all done.






More to come so stay tuned.

[LooseNuts]

Comin along nicd man. Love the trans raise..