My parent's 1960 VW Beetle

[250 Testa Rossa]

Looks good

[Ich_Will]

Great project Kurt. I’ve been a lover of the Beetle since I was in diapers...and generally a VW fan. My parents weren’t cool enough to own one (we had Ford Pintos during the gas crisis years) This is gonna be fun to watch. 

[89AKurt]

On 1/19/2019 at 12:05 AM, MrObsessive said:

I love how this is coming together and with a Tamiya, these kits are notorious for simply 'falling together'! That's how well engineered they are.

As far as a gloss coat, you might want to check out Tamiya's X-22 acrylic clear. While Future is good for some things, IMO it's not all that great as a clear. Airbrushing it is tricky at best and then you might have the issue with it pooling and running in spots. Tamiya's clear acrylics while they can take a bit to dry (dehydrator works wonders) are rock hard when it's fully cured.

At least that's been my experience.

Thanks for that advice.  Since I never tried Future, don't care to learn the hard way.  I haven't sprayed Tamiya except one time to try the 'smoke' which was a joke, but will consider this.

On 1/19/2019 at 1:24 AM, 250 Testa Rossa said:

Looks good

Thank you!  Got the Hasegawa 250TR kit last year, just because.

19 minutes ago, Ich_Will said:

Great project Kurt. I’ve been a lover of the Beetle since I was in diapers...and generally a VW fan. My parents weren’t cool enough to own one (we had Ford Pintos during the gas crisis years) This is gonna be fun to watch. 

Thank you too!  You were lucky nobody rear-ended it.  

[89AKurt]

Started on the accessory parts.  I love to use Corian (kitchen countertop).

Cut to size with the table saw and cross cut saw, and got to basic shape with the bench disk sander.

I used this wine bottle foil because it's like lead foil, to make the edges.

I still have the Samsonite suitcase my parents had, used for reference.

I wanted to use real wood for the skis, think this is Cherry from my stash which has no obvious grain.  Again, Corian is used for the form.  Usually wood is steamed, I boiled it.

Then clamped.  At this time, I'm not thrilled with the result, so who knows.

Pet peeve of mine, the giant lip on the back of the wheels, *had to* grind/file/sand off to a realistic width.  I do this on every Tamiya, Fujimi, Hasegawa, and Aoshima model.  These are resin from Best Model Car Parts, think they are copies of the Hasegawa '57 kit.

Have begun the ruin-a-pefectly-good-model stage, by backdating the windows as discussed prior.  I use super glue because the edges are so thin, didn't want model glue to melt the plastic, and shrink over time.  I also use baking soda to quicken curing, and basically do for filler, but I know the risk is when the body is washed, little chunks of baking soda dissolve and leave tiny voids, just need to really look and putty before painting.  My plan is to file/sand to contour of the body, then make the opening size, then add moulding strips by making a solid blank and glue in, then cut the opening.  I think..... 

[89AKurt]

Couldn't go to bed until I knew the ski idea works!  Had to keep the wood clamped for about half the day.

Looks like a toboggan.  LOL

Divided into quarters, made several passes with the knife.

Sanded to shape with nail sanding sticks.  Taped together to double check the profiles.

Think this is close, but am going to make them narrower now that I see how it looks.

[Ich_Will]

Wow! 

[Bob Ellis]

And who can't remember NO HEAT! Have to put rust holes in the heat ducts.

[89AKurt]

40 minutes ago, Bob Ellis said:

And who can't remember NO HEAT! Have to put rust holes in the heat ducts.

I'm confident that car was brand new.  They seemed to have had the first one several years, but not many pictures of this one.  My mom hit black ice and rolled it.

About 30 years ago, I went with someone to going skiing at Snow Bowl in Flagstaff.  He had a VW Squareback.  All I can remember was freezing the whole time, especially on the return home, I sat crunched up in the back, he was flipping the lever to get mouse's breath front or back, couldn't do both.

[Bob Ellis]

2 hours ago, 89AKurt said:

I'm confident that car was brand new.  They seemed to have had the first one several years, but not many pictures of this one.  My mom hit black ice and rolled it.

About 30 years ago, I went with someone to going skiing at Snow Bowl in Flagstaff.  He had a VW Squareback.  All I can remember was freezing the whole time, especially on the return home, I sat crunched up in the back, he was flipping the lever to get mouse's breath front or back, couldn't do both.

I was never in a new VW bug or Ghia.  Freezing and a 36 hp struggle up New Hampshire hills to go skiing is all that I remember. I am surprised that nobody offered retrofit heat tubes fo old VWs

[89AKurt]

8 hours ago, Bob Ellis said:

I was never in a new VW bug or Ghia.  Freezing and a 36 hp struggle up New Hampshire hills to go skiing is all that I remember. I am surprised that nobody offered retrofit heat tubes fo old VWs

There was an aftermarket gasoline fired heater that could be retrofitted.

[MrObsessive]

14 minutes ago, 89AKurt said:

There was an aftermarket gasoline fired heater that could be retrofitted.

Hmmm..........ask any early Corvair owner about those heaters! One needed to be careful with those!

[89AKurt]

Major work today, backdated the body to 1960.  So glad superglue exists, using model glue would have been a PITA.  Seems like I did a bunch of work that made little difference, but the rivet counter in me is happy.

First step was grinding the openings to a very rough shape, leaving 1-2 MM to remove later.

Then I used the new sanding stick to get the new plastic flush.  Thought I better put masking tape below so I wouldn't make more work for myself.  I also saw something needed revision.

First stage is done.

Nice thing about flat glass designs, easy to create the molding.  I made thick paper patterns first, then cut out the .02" plastic a bit bigger all around, then did a lot of trial fitting and sanding to get as perfect a fit a possible.  I got each panel to friction fit, then dabbed superglue on the inside, starting at the corners, then gooping it all along the seam, then I dumped on baking soda, very lightly spreading with my finger.  Paper patterns will be used for the new "glass".

Used the Dremel to cut into the center, then went around within 1 MM of the finish profile.  If I have any good advice, that spiral bit is the most useful one you can use on plastic, the more common ones melt the plastic and gum up.  Then I used the sanding stick if it fit, and files, and little sandpaper.

The '60 vent window divider is different than the '66 too, so that was carefully cut around.  You can see the first plunge into the windshield.

Mostly done sanding, then I washed the body so any baking soda that is exposed, dissolves.  Added putty to finish up.

Final touches, and I thought this was all I needed to do when I started this project.    It also tested my dexterity with holding onto tiny round parts, and when I dropped them to find them.  The taillights only needed to be profile sanded to remove the lens/housing line, and the face of the lens to remove screw and divider line.  Made the turn signals from the clear sprue (why didn't Tamiya make them also clear?), they are smaller than the '66.  I polished the lens surfaces by burnishing on a paper towel.

[89AKurt]

On 1/15/2019 at 5:53 PM, Oldmopars said:

I don't know how set you are on making it accurate, but one thing to keep in mind is that the size of the side and rear glass changed in 1965. [...]  Carefully compare the size and shape of the windows.  [...]

Thanks for talking me into doing this!  It took about 8 hours total, most of today, but I'm sure it will be the only accurate 1960 Bug at a contest.    But every time I read that Volkswagen Beetle Spotter's Guide, I see something else to address.  

[MrObsessive]

Lookin' Good Kurt!

And yes, when it comes to things like this, there's nothing wrong with 'rivet counting'. It's the subtle things in body shapes IMO that can make or break a model. It's also interesting how VW did those subtle things to those Bugs throughout the years.

Keep up the great work and yes, us 'rivet counters' will see and appreciate the difference!

[89AKurt]

9 hours ago, MrObsessive said:

Lookin' Good Kurt! [...]

Keep up the great work and yes, us 'rivet counters' will see and appreciate the difference!

Thank you for the encouragement!  I've dealt with fixing lousy kits before.  A someday project is going to require massive fixing to look good, because no other kit exists.

[250 Testa Rossa]

Do any of these modifications apply for a '63 Beetle?

[afx]

Impressive project Kurt.

[Oldmopars]

19 hours ago, 89AKurt said:

Thanks for talking me into doing this!  It took about 8 hours total, most of today, but I'm sure it will be the only accurate 1960 Bug at a contest.    But every time I read that Volkswagen Beetle Spotter's Guide, I see something else to address.  

I think you did a great job. This is one reason I have not done any VW kits. I know them too well and all the corners they cut to make the kit bug (pun intended) me. It has been years, but at one time I knew them so well, I could look at parts at a swap meet and tell you what year range the parts fit, even crazy little obscure parts like an E-Brake sprag or a trim clip. I was ill.

12 minutes ago, 250 Testa Rossa said:

Do any of these modifications apply for a '63 Beetle?

Yes, most of the mods he did do apply to the 63, I think the window change happened in 65. However the kit tail lights are right for a 63 I think, but not the front turn signals. The book he refers to will be your friend, that and Google.

[Lovefordgalaxie]

Super nice work on the windows. Always thought the smaller windows looked way better. Here we never had the bigger windows. Even the 1995 Bugs had te small side windows. 

I had a '73 Beetle, bough with just over 15.000 kms on the clock back in 1994 from the first owner.

1500cc engine, factory stock paint, and a cool black interior with a wood grain dash cover (stock) and more wood grain on the door cards and side panels.  The car had zero rust anywhere, and even had the 1973 tires still on with a never used spare.  The heat boxes on the exhaust still had the gray paint on. 

Personally, I didn't like the car a bit. It was noisy, slow, and the carburetor was always giving me trouble. Found a VW nut, that gave me a 1991 Chevrolet Kadett with A/C, and less than 20.000 kms for it. 

My mother owned a brand new VW Brasilia when I was born, and it had a 1600cc with two carburetors. It was supposed to be a secondary car, as her '75 Maverick GT was thirsty to say the least. That 302 V8 loved some fossil fuels... Never the less, my mom had the Brasilia for 6 months and sold it, saying she would drive the Maverick, thank you very much. I guess my "love" for VWs is genetic, LOL!!!

[89AKurt]

4 hours ago, 250 Testa Rossa said:

Do any of these modifications apply for a '63 Beetle?

Take a look at the link to the Spotters Guide in a previous post.  There were many subtle changes over the decades. Or ask Scott.  

4 hours ago, afx said:

Impressive project Kurt.

Thanks.  But only if I pull it off (read below).

3 hours ago, Lovefordgalaxie said:

Super nice work on the windows. Always thought the smaller windows looked way better. Here we never had the bigger windows. Even the 1995 Bugs had te small side windows. 

[...]   I guess my "love" for VWs is genetic, LOL!!!

Thanks!  But.... see below.  I knew they were manufactured in Brasil (not Brazil?) long after they stopped in Germany, but didn't know about the windows.  Wonder if VW sold the "old" body stamps.  Fun to read about more memories.

[89AKurt]

GRRrrrr....   A little embarrassed to show this, but here goes.  I know if putty isn't treated first with either superglue (not this time) or paint, it absorbs paint and shows up.  So I brush painted primer, then sanded before airbrushing.

 No matter what, it's difficult to see how bad it is, until I spray primer, then it jumps out at me.    But I did narrow the skis, and varnished, so far so good there.

Not happy with this!  Thinking about making special tiny sanding blocks with new sandpaper.

[MrObsessive]

Kurt, if it were me doing those mods on the body, I'd be using a barrier coat of some sort before any kind of painting. I had the same thing happen to my stillborn '55 Ford Victoria, but it didn't rear its ugly head till later on with the color coats.

More work, but in the long run less headaches!

[Lovefordgalaxie]

On 1/23/2019 at 2:29 AM, 89AKurt said:

Take a look at the link to the Spotters Guide in a previous post.  There were many subtle changes over the decades. Or ask Scott.  

Thanks.  But only if I pull it off (read below).

Thanks!  But.... see below.  I knew they were manufactured in Brasil (not Brazil?) long after they stopped in Germany, but didn't know about the windows.  Wonder if VW sold the "old" body stamps.  Fun to read about more memories.

No, they didn't sold the old stamping tools, as the Bug was made here since 1960, or late 1959, something like that. They just never modified the car with bigger windows. Also, never used the McPherson front suspension on bugs. A modern suspension was used on the Variant II (the same front suspension as the VW Passat, just without the front traction parts). 

People tened to think the old stamps were used here in Brasil, for multiple cars, but 99% of times, new stamping molds were manufactured for this market. 

A Good example is our Galaxie, manufactured here from 1966 to 1983. The 1967 model year was the very same as the U.S. '66, but the car had being in development since 1964, and the '66 body was manufactured at the same time here and in the U.S. during a few months. Another example is the Mavrick, that was manufactured with the same body here and in the U.S. at the same time.  We never got the huge bumpers tough...

[Oldmopars]

If you follow the history of the VW bug from the first one to the last one that came out of Germany you will find that they were never the same 2 years in a row, every year they changed something. Excluding the cars made in Brazil and Mexico, the only part that stayed the same from day one to the last German Beetle was the metal strip that holds the rubber gasket on the trunk/hood. Every other part on the car changed over time.

So, armed with this info if you are a sick and demented VW fan/Addict you can walk up to any Beetle of any year and figure out what year it is.

[MrObsessive]

10 minutes ago, Oldmopars said:

If you follow the history of the VW bug from the first one to the last one that came out of Germany you will find that they were never the same 2 years in a row, every year they changed something. Excluding the cars made in Brazil and Mexico, the only part that stayed the same from day one to the last German Beetle was the metal strip that holds the rubber gasket on the trunk/hood. Every other part on the car changed over time.

So, armed with this info if you are a sick and demented VW fan/Addict you can walk up to any Beetle of any year and figure out what year it is.

When I was in high school (late '70's) I can remember reading a book at our school's library about the history of VW. There was a chapter in the book that listed all the changes and yes, there was some sort of change each year. Some were very noticeable, some not so much.

Of the '60's VW's, I can spot a '67 for instance in a millisecond. That was the last year of the bumper 'over-riders' and the first year for sealed beam headlights. Also that peculiar little backup lamp in the center of the bumper. One distinct thing I can remember about the rear engined Bugs was the exhaust 'tweet' or whistle which was noticeable (at least by me! ).