Thread: 1964 VW Beetle - WIP

The engine cover is coming along great. I also like the idea of the templates to see if it is the same both sides well done

Originally Posted by Dalboy

The engine cover is coming along great. I also like the idea of the templates to see if it is the same both sides well done

Thanks Derek.
Not much excitement today - I prepared the stock for the guards and marked them out, then cut and edge-joined a couple of bits of Merbau for the base plate. Wasn't gonna post pics, but while I'm here:

bl. Rear guard and Baseplate stock.jpg

The Merbau should contrast nicely with the Tas Oak used for the main body. Should make the seats and steering wheel stand out better, too. I'll make the seats out of a white timber - Silver Ash probably.

These will be fun. (The bumpers, that is.):

zz. Rear Bumper.jpg zz. Front Bumper.jpg

I've seen pics of '64 Beetles without the extra tubes, with & without overriders, but I'd like to go the whole hog if I can figure out a method.

I've been having a bit of a think about it tonight. So far, I'm leaning toward making the main part of the bumpers and the overriders from solid hardwood, with the tubing carved from laminated 2mm Basswood ply, 4mm thick, similar to how I made the steering wheel.
Any ideas or suggestions are welcome.


On an aside, for some reason, under 'Manage Attachments', when I press the 'Select Files' button, nothing happens any more. It just started (not) happening tonight. (I'm using IE8 still, but haven't had any other browser version related problems for ages.) Luckily, the 'Basic Uploader' still works fine.

Originally Posted by Hermit

These will be fun. (The bumpers, that is.):

zz. Rear Bumper.jpg zz. Front Bumper.jpg

I've seen pics of '64 Beetles without the extra tubes, with & without overriders, but I'd like to go the whole hog if I can figure out a method.

I've been having a bit of a think about it tonight. So far, I'm leaning toward making the main part of the bumpers and the overriders from solid hardwood, with the tubing carved from laminated 2mm Basswood ply, 4mm thick, similar to how I made the steering wheel.
Any ideas or suggestions are welcome.



On an aside, for some reason, under 'Manage Attachments', when I press the 'Select Files' button, nothing happens any more. It just started (not) happening tonight. (I'm using IE8 still, but haven't had any other browser version related problems for ages.) Luckily, the 'Basic Uploader' still works fine.

Steve,

Are you really going to do a Beetle with a rotted front and bristol rear?...

Hardwood bumpers and attachments will really look cool. Wish I had an idea but you have great ones of your own.

Cheers,

Jim

Originally Posted by Script

Steve,
Hardwood bumpers and attachments will really look cool.

Cheers,

Jim

I will second that I personally like to see contrast in a wooden model car it helps to define different parts

The rear guards cut out:

bm. Rear guards cut out.JPG


and tapered to fit the body:

bn. Rear guards tapered.JPG


A quick test fit:

bo. Rear guards ready for shaping 1.JPG bp. Rear guards ready for shaping 2.JPG


So far so good. All ready for shaping later.
Before shaping them, though, I'll quickly finish the base plate first.


The 'Select Files' button during the 'Manage Attachments' process still doesn't work for me. Anyone else having this problem? I hoped that today after booting that it might work properly again, but no such luck. The 'Basic Uploader' is OK, but only allows one file at a time to be selected for upload.

Great stuphph!!

Really high praise will come your way when I see the rust on the bonnet and bumper replicated!!

Originally Posted by artme

Great stuphph!!

Really high praise will come your way when I see the rust on the bonnet and bumper replicated!!

I'm not real good at applying finishes - you might get to see your rust.

Actually, I was thinking of going one further. :

vw chook pen.jpg


I finished the base plate and cut some axles this afternoon. I still need to drill some holes in the axle-ends to attach the wheels. The flaps at the sides are where the running boards will sit. The three 2.5mm holes are for locating the seats. The big hole is toward the front.

bq. Base plate & axles.jpg

The plans said to drill a 2" 'lightening hole', but that would have only left about 10mm 'meat' either side, so instead I only drilled it to 35mm. I don't mind a bit of weight.

Back onto the rear guards next.
Before shaping, I need to work out where the taillight will go and drill a locating hole. The plans gave a vertical position for the hole, but no clue to it's horizontal position on the guard. I figured that the ideal spot is directly in line with the most protruding part of the side of the body, which locates it about 1/3 of the way out from the inner edge of the guard, not centred as you'd expect. (A ruler held flat against the parallel part of the sides, from the front doors, soon locates it.) The vertical position as per the plans looks good to me, so I won't change that.

Edit: Thanks to the photo, I just noticed that I forgot to file the last couple of edges of the base plate - the little inside corners that I couldn't get at with the disc sander.
(My eyes aren't real good - I can always see things better in the photos.)

Looking great Steve. The contrast you have in woods is going to look fantastic once you get a finish on it. If you can pull off the distressed look that would be quite a feat with wood! Looking forward to whats next.

Bret

Originally Posted by bj383ss

Looking great Steve. The contrast you have in woods is going to look fantastic once you get a finish on it. If you can pull off the distressed look that would be quite a feat with wood! Looking forward to whats next.
Bret

Ha. I already know that I'm not capable of a decent distressed look, Bret, so I'm going for a new '64, straight off the showroom floor.

What's next is a remake of the front roof section. I've been looking at it over the last few days and thought that I might have taken off a little too much when I tapered the front on the disc sander, so I did a bit more shaping to see how it would go. Yep, it definitely needs to be a bit fuller in shape near the front. (Arrowed in the pics below.) It's not real bad, but not good enough. I'd never be able to look at the finished model without seeing it. (Perhaps I could 'bog' it up for the distressed look. )

br. Bad roof 1.JPG bs. Bad roof 2.JPG

I can make the new one a tighter fit, too, and get rid of those gaps at the front where the pillars meet the roof.

It's a shame when you have put so much hard work into a model to realise that you have to remake part of it. I think many modellers on here have had this happen i certainly have.

It is still a great build keep it up look forward to the next instalment

Originally Posted by Dalboy

It's a shame when you have put so much hard work into a model to realise that you have to remake part of it. I think many modellers on here have had this happen i certainly have.

I don't mind. It gives me a chance to also make the top line of the front windscreen a bit more curved as well. I'll consider the first piece a 'practice run'.

I've been thinking about the wheels a fair bit. I was reading through Bret's '32 Ford thread yesterday and noticed how similar his wheels are to those on a VW. The proportions are slightly different, but otherwise the overall shape is good. I just need to make the hub caps and the rim itself larger and make it all skinnier. The hub cap needs to extend to where the line is on Bret's inner rim. Mine will be a bit simpler because they won't be whitewalls, too. I'll refer to Bret's pics when drawing up and making mine. (Thanks Bret, you made my job much easier. )

yy. 64 Beetle wheel.jpg yy. Brets Wheel.jpg

I just noticed - most VW rims are two-tone like Bret's, too, not all white like the one shown.

Very Cool Steve looking foward to this. If I had a spare set you know I would send them your way.


Bret

I got the new, improved roof made today, ready for shaping. I'm much happier with this one.

bt. New roof 1.JPG


I got a better fit this time, so there are much smaller gaps. Also put slightly more curve into the top of the windscreen opening.

bu. New roof 2.JPG

Back on track. I'll be happy if all my build problems are that easily solved.