Alex's Rabbit Project: Take-Two

[aeffertz]

Ahh, shoot. That's what I figured, but it was like that when I picked I up. I think the PO just replaced them too... Ha.

[aeffertz]

Looks like I got my work schedule mixed up and I'm back home already. Since I'll be using the window seals with the chrome trim, the existing seal needed to go. This was a glue-in type and a nightmare to get out. I almost got the windshield out in one piece...


It was an aftermarket windshield and I don't know when it was replaced, but there was rust hiding beneath it.



Nothing major at all, but would've only gotten worse if it was left untouched.

[djghia]

What takes you to Missouri and where at? I'm in Springfield. I'm going to miss watching the massive rust repair on your first Rabbit, however I'm sure you won't!! Dave J

[aeffertz]

Work. I'll be all over Missouri next week.

I put in a few hours into it tonight, got a few things accomplished.

First I removed the core support and shipped it off to it's new home in England.


And I decided to just pull the trigger and do the same style of bay shave as I did with the old project. Thanks to whoever talked me into it, definitely would've regretted not doing it now. Just smoothing out the main seams. I'm not a fan of super shaved bays, I still like to see the original lines and flow of the classic bay. The late Westys definitely have the seam sealer caked on compared to the earlier ones. Went after it with the 4 1/2'' grinder with a wire wheel and got what I wanted stripped.


Another thing that had me a little worried with the simple shave was how much thicker the strut towers are compared to the earlier cars.


I'm not a big fan of just caking filler on, I'd like to use the least amount possible. So I got a 36 grit 4 1/2" flap disc put onto the grinder and massaged the area where it attaches to the body with it to slim it down and make it fade into the body smoother.


The passenger side also got the same treatment.


I got the seams just about all welded up now, will finish it up tomorrow. Hope to put a nice long day of work into it tomorrow.

Oh quick question. Does anyone know the difference between the earlier and later steering racks? I have the one off my '79 all cleaned up and looking good, but it looks to be a little different than the one I pulled off this car. Are they interchangeable?

More to come, thanks for looking!

[kyleromero]

I wish you would of kept the westy but not my car looks good so far

[aeffertz]

Yeah. I'm sure it'll piss a few people off but at the end of the day, I'm building my car for me.

[rabbidmk1]

what do you do for a job in Missouri? I happen to be a sales rep for a bicycle company and my territory is also MO...

Keep up the good work!

[aeffertz]

what do you do for a job in Missouri? I happen to be a sales rep for a bicycle company and my territory is also MO...

Keep up the good work!

Thanks! I'm a carpenter and get to remodel post offices all around the US.

[aeffertz]

Spent most of the day welding holes closed in the bay. This thing looked like someone went after it with a machine gun; holes everywhere! Also finished up seam welding the strut towers and and frame rails.


New headliner showed up today as well.

[rabbitnothopper]

Thanks! I'm a carpenter and get to remodel post offices all around the US.

that sounds like a nice job
need a hand? haha... ive been slowly working with a realestate company doing part-time renovations

[Shaggy]

Nice work.

Where's the headliner from?

[rabbitnothopper]

Spent most of the day welding holes closed in the bay. This thing looked like someone went after it with a machine gun; holes everywhere! Also finished up seam welding the strut towers and and frame rails.


New headliner showed up today as well.

right click -> save as


you sure you have the vinyl headliner? or do you have the cardboard backed cloth type?

anyhow interested in process for the vinyl one
mine amazingly has enough holes in it.....

[aeffertz]

Originally the car had the board/fabric headliner but I'm switching it over to the vinyl type. Also switching it to the early dash as well.

[aeffertz]

that sounds like a nice job
need a hand? haha... ive been slowly working with a realestate company doing part-time renovations

Yeah, it's a pretty cool deal. However, I'm not sure how much work is actually left in it. Traveling on someone else's dollar is definitely cool, though.

Nice work.

Where's the headliner from?

Thanks! I purchased the headliner off of another member on here that just had it laying around. D-bot, I think it was. Digital K. on here has one just like it in that green bunny, so I'm guessing it should fit well and look good.

Does anyone know where to buy the little insert and cap for the timing hole on the transmission?

[Shaggy]

I hear they're a PITA to get in correctly, but having a brand new bow liner in there is well worth the trouble in the end. Thanks.

[aeffertz]

Unfortunately, that's what I've heard too... Should be interesting. Also, I guess I got a package in the mail today...

[35i 2000]

looks great youre making great progress

[djghia]

There is just something missing without the massive, invasive rust repair!!! Like the looks of it so far, keep up the good work! If you get close to Springfield in your travels drop me a line and stop in. Dave J

[aeffertz]

looks great youre making great progress

Thank you.

There is just something missing without the massive, invasive rust repair!!! Like the looks of it so far, keep up the good work! If you get close to Springfield in your travels drop me a line and stop in. Dave J

Tell me about it! It feels so weird to not see rust anywhere or not having to cut it out. Almost seems too easy.

Just got home and figured I'd do a little parts update list before I head out to the garage.

Got a new set of Classics, 13x7 all the way around wrapped with some new Dunlop 175/50-13's. I love these wheels even more in person.


New vs. Old


Also got a new Van Wezel core, grille, and small duckbill in, as well as some Dure-Block sanding blocks. Oh yeah, and new VW window seals, the chrome trim to go along with them and a set of new VW chrome metal body trim. Still need to find a new set of the lower rocker trim.


But now it's time to go get dirty. Will have a real update later.

[oneunder]

I have some of the lower rocker trim in the Northern Burns of Minneapolis. Pretty clean, and with small amounts of work it could probably look really good.

[aeffertz]

Made a little progress. Test fit a wheel out of excitement. I'm really glad I chose the 7" wheels they sit exactly as I wanted. So pumped.




Then I made a piece to fill the blower hole in the rain tray, welded it in and smoothed it out.


Started it on fixing the rear quarter but didn't get too far.

[simon_C]

looks like the whole quarter out to the wheel arch got pushed outward in the hit. you may have a lot of hammering ahead of you.

[aeffertz]

I don't think it's really that bad. From what I saw, it only looks out of shape for the first couple inches. Unless my eyes are just that bad if you can tell just by looking at that picture...

Hmm, we'll see.

[deathhare.]

[sk8ordie]

wheels look rad

[simon_C]

I don't think it's really that bad. From what I saw, it only looks out of shape for the first couple inches. Unless my eyes are just that bad if you can tell just by looking at that picture...

Hmm, we'll see.

well, get a puller/hook of some sort and a slide hammer behind that crease and start to pull it back out, see if it straightens itself out. looking at it , it should

[djghia]

Do yourself a favor and pay to have the windshield installed. You can have the seal and trim already on the glass for them if you like. Just went through that process recently and have to say that I wish I had the five hours back that my son and I spent trying to do the install ourselves. Yes, I finally called in the pros and it still took them over an hour!! Back glass not so bad, but if they are already there...? Oh, I love the wheel/tire combo, nice fitment!! Dave J

[aeffertz]

Thanks Dave! That's what I hoped to do with the windshield and rear window. I just didn't know if the glass people would install a seal that wasn't there's.

Put some solid hours into it today. Finished welding a few things up in the engine bay and seam sealed everything on the other side of the firewall. Then I got my kitty hair filler out and laid on the first layer.


While I let that set up, I decided to tackle the damage in the rear. So I here's where I had left off from the night before...


So I got a new piece cut out from another car, trimmed it to fit and welded it up.


That was the easy one. So next I moved onto the dent on the quarter panel and cut out a chunk.


After trying to get the new piece fitted for a while, I realized something wasn't quite right. The rest of the fender was fine but the bottom of the quarter panel, where the bottom of the hatch/top of the tail light sit, was pushed back also. So I got in there with a hammer and pried it back out as best as I could. This brace or whatever you want to call it was collapsed a bit but I got it straightened out well enough.


So I got the new piece in place and welded it up.

Overall, I'm very happy with how it all came out. After a little filler, it'll be good as new. One thing I had to keep checking was how the tail light matched up and had an even reveal all the way. Think I got it pretty good.


Then just started sanding away in the bay until I called it a night.


Thanks for looking!

[aeffertz]

If you guys have any input or ideas for this, let me know. Since there's no rain tray, I've started thinking where to mount the ignition coil. I'm rerouting the whole harness so that's not an issue, just wondering where people have put them in the past.

[rabbidmk1]

Build a bracket and insulate it from vibrations with a rubber washer so something similar and mount it to the backside of the engine. All will be hidden and then there will not be more holes going through the fire wall

[aeffertz]

Cool, thanks for the idea. I was thinking about it last night and was thinking about mounting it back to the intake. IIRC, there's hole that's already threaded that might be in the perfect spot.

[rabbidmk1]

Only thing I would make sure to do is also protect it all from heat off the header. Might no be a big deal but could be an opportunity to make a cool piece : )

[kdeboer]

following..

[35i 2000]

looks great!

[aeffertz]

Thanks guys! It's going to be a bit boring for a while. Forgot how fun this shaving business was.