BEETLEJUICE

[geemoney]

two front wheels please!

boring i know.

gas tank in front.

yes i loved the revell series way tooooo much!

[GrandpaMcGurk]

Got the engine wired, scratch built a distributor w/vacuum advance, the dual port intakes and carbs are getting close, belt is on.......gotta make a coil, fuel pump, exhaust and carb linkage.

Started bending up & shaping the torsion bar arms for the rear from soft metal.........dang, a lot of work for a model that will fit on a buck with room to spare!

Edited November 6, 2012 by GrandpaMcGurk

[GrandpaMcGurk]

Okay guys, thanks for all your suggestions....it's decided it wants 4 tires....not 3!

Here's a few pics of the progress.............

Sure hope that little bug motor has enough beans to turn those big honkin' dragster tires!

Edited November 6, 2012 by GrandpaMcGurk

[GrandpaMcGurk]

Did a loose mock-up to check the stance with the 16" inch cycle tires up front and to get an over-all peek as to what it's going to look like.............guess now I need a name for this puppy?

[VW Dave]

I like where this project is headed so far, and I must agree with the others who suggested cycle wheels up front; I'd run piecrust slicks in the rear myself, as opposed to huge tires.

I thought the same thing as Mike, stick the engine in the front!

I once decided that was the way to go as well

Edited November 6, 2012 by VW Dave

[crazyjim]

Looking pretty good, Don. Keep on going.

[Deathgoblin]

I like where you're going with this. Keep the rear engine.

[slusher]

Really cool project, going to look awsume

[geemoney]

name? perhaps C-Cabin Fever?

[crazyrichard]

lovinf this build

[GrandpaMcGurk]

Thanks gang.......I really appreciate your input and suggestions.

It's interesting that I haven't spent a dime on this build, time & scratch building for sure, but no coin.

It all started when the old woman came in the hobby room & said "good grief....clean this mess up & get rid of some of this junk that you're never going to use".

Okay, I understand that but she doesn't seem to understand that I might use this or that someday, maybe...maybe not, hee, hee.

So in an effort to humor her I figured I'd see if I could build a car from some of my stash.

Anyhow back to the build........

I cut down a '35 Auburn grille for the nose but wasn't really happy going with traditional buggy spring front suspension.

I decided to see if I could come up with a custom one off front set-up that was similar to the VW torsion bar unit but wider with disc brakes, dropped spindles along with rack & pinion steering.

Here's the goodies from the parts box and some scraps of plastic and tubing.

Here it is loosely assembled ready for some eyeballin' & more fabricating...........works for me.

Edited November 7, 2012 by GrandpaMcGurk

[GrandpaMcGurk]

Edited November 8, 2012 by GrandpaMcGurk

[FASTBACK340]

Here's the cousin to your build

http://www.showrods.com/showrod_pages/meter_cheater.html

BTW: Nice job on the body!

Edited November 8, 2012 by FASTBACK340

[bryan_m]

thats lookin wild! i love the name too..........excellent!

cheers

bryan

[GrandpaMcGurk]

Thanks guys.....

Here's the frame I started with....

and here's the finished modified frame painted in oil rubbed metallic bronze.....when the paint dries, I'll assemble a roller.

[Draggon]

Very nice engine! Was confused about the title of your thread, but now I get it. "beetle" engine

[bryan_m]

Lookin good don! nice work buddy

cheers

bryan

[GrandpaMcGurk]

I didn't want a bag of snakes & muffler hangin' off the back of the engine........got to thinking about it and here's what I came up with.........

4 header pipes........

into 2 with glass packs (tryin' to keep it legal).

[GrandpaMcGurk]

Have to tweak this stuff etc. and get it all attached, but anyway the exhaust will exit thru the chrome side pipes.

I think this is probably the 1ST 4 into 2 (with mufflers) into 8 into 2 VW exhaust system.

[GrandpaMcGurk]

Wouldn't hurt to check everything to make sure it's all going to fit.....

When the rear hatch door is on, you have to look to able to tell it's rear engined.....when I get the hood & side panels on it should look pretty much like a conventional front engined hot rod.

Edited November 24, 2012 by GrandpaMcGurk

[Dr. Cranky]

Love the way this one is turning out. Looking forward to more.

[blunc]

I like this "out of the box" thinking.

Maybe cut the header to three tubes instead of four, make people think it's a corvair eng.

[Deathgoblin]

Quite nice so far. I like it.

[Modelbuilder Mark]

Cool little show rod coming along.

[Gluhead]

Great stuff, Don. In 1:1, those flat4's make a real sweet special song when they've got long pipes like that to breathe through.