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My 1969 Beetle - The Highs and the Lows (lots of them)

mrbig West Midlands Semi-professional Procrastinator Posts: 506	My 1969 Beetle - The Highs and the Lows (lots of them)mrbig @mrbig
	Apr 28, 2022 15:30:51 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	With all that out of the way... a lot more work than anyone involved anticipated... it was time to get it ready for paint. Guide coat going on... the wings and doors were pretty much spot on anyway. Lee and the team did a huge amount of work tidying up seams and joins and it really shows in these next few pictures Evidence of prior bodgery, but this time I have to blame 18 year old me trying to fit additional gauges Soon cleaned up and significantly improved! I asked for a couple of extra mm of clearance around the speedo hole too. The reason for this will become clear later on
	Last Edit: Apr 28, 2022 16:17:01 GMT by mrbig 1969 German Look Beetle - in progress

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horrido Posted a lot Posts: 1,065	My 1969 Beetle - The Highs and the Lows (lots of them)horrido @horrido
	Apr 28, 2022 18:13:01 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	Wow, you're all in on this thing! Little German Look inspiration - I saw this one at the weekend.


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mrbig West Midlands Semi-professional Procrastinator Posts: 506	My 1969 Beetle - The Highs and the Lows (lots of them)mrbig @mrbig
	Apr 28, 2022 20:51:47 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	Next step was to get an engine in to ensure all the rear end all lined up. Of course, it didn't Some minor tweaking required! This was the biggest issue, the strips that retain the engine bay seals didn't line up. So these had to come off. Front end was pretty good Close! Cleaned up and ready to go back on, sadly I don't have any pictures of them back on and cleaned up. This edge was tidied up too And with that it was pretty much ready to start painting
	1969 German Look Beetle - in progress

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mrbig West Midlands Semi-professional Procrastinator Posts: 506	My 1969 Beetle - The Highs and the Lows (lots of them)mrbig @mrbig
	Apr 28, 2022 20:52:45 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	Apr 28, 2022 18:13:01 GMT horrido said: Wow, you're all in on this thing! Little German Look inspiration - I saw this one at the weekend. Nice that, ironically looks like a factory steel sunroof
	1969 German Look Beetle - in progress

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mrbig West Midlands Semi-professional Procrastinator Posts: 506	My 1969 Beetle - The Highs and the Lows (lots of them)mrbig @mrbig
	Apr 28, 2022 21:11:13 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	So for those of you that are still reading (you probably deserve a prize) but I can only offer you paint. Glorious, wonderful, beautiful paint... Lee painted inside the cant rails and pillars before the roof skin went on for the final time Painted inside the vents too before they went on Raptor under the heater channels And in the inner wings more raptor in the engine bay and in the spare wheel well Hopefully the raptor will keep it in good order for many years I intend to use the car as much as possible so its not full show spec, under the bonnet is not a full gloss, but still looks good lovely shine You've no idea how good it was to see it looking like this Very happy at this point
	1969 German Look Beetle - in progress

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metalshapes Posted a lot Posts: 3,159	My 1969 Beetle - The Highs and the Lows (lots of them)metalshapes @metalshapes
	Apr 29, 2022 4:31:24 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	I love this build. Huge commitment to see it through, even if that means correcting sub standard earlier work.


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mrbig West Midlands Semi-professional Procrastinator Posts: 506	My 1969 Beetle - The Highs and the Lows (lots of them)mrbig @mrbig
	Apr 29, 2022 9:30:13 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	Apr 29, 2022 4:31:24 GMT metalshapes said: I love this build. Huge commitment to see it through, even if that means correcting sub standard earlier work. Thank you. The problem is that its become a weight around my neck now. Really not done my mental health any good these last few years, but I've got to get it done. I just want it finished so I can enjoy driving it and then get another project where I can enjoy the build process. I'm still hoping it will turn a wheel this year, but we'll see! Trying to get on here for inspiration and motivation
	Last Edit: Apr 29, 2022 9:30:30 GMT by mrbig 1969 German Look Beetle - in progress

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horrido Posted a lot Posts: 1,065	My 1969 Beetle - The Highs and the Lows (lots of them)horrido @horrido
	Apr 29, 2022 10:49:58 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	Shiney! Is that an anthracite colour? It's a little hard to make out under the lights. Up to date with photos at this point?


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mrbig West Midlands Semi-professional Procrastinator Posts: 506	My 1969 Beetle - The Highs and the Lows (lots of them)mrbig @mrbig
	Apr 29, 2022 12:16:01 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	Yes, its a dark flat grey. Think of Audi Nardo grey but a few shades darker. We're not up to date yet, another update or two coming over the weekend. Then hopefully we will be onto real-time updates.
	1969 German Look Beetle - in progress

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mrbig West Midlands Semi-professional Procrastinator Posts: 506	My 1969 Beetle - The Highs and the Lows (lots of them)mrbig @mrbig
	May 18, 2022 19:07:22 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	Few more pictures from the paint shop:
	1969 German Look Beetle - in progress

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mrbig West Midlands Semi-professional Procrastinator Posts: 506	My 1969 Beetle - The Highs and the Lows (lots of them)mrbig @mrbig
	May 18, 2022 19:10:01 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	And finally; home: Just in time for me to lose my job...
	1969 German Look Beetle - in progress

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mrbig West Midlands Semi-professional Procrastinator Posts: 506	My 1969 Beetle - The Highs and the Lows (lots of them)mrbig @mrbig
	May 18, 2022 19:35:58 GMT Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top
	Luckily?!? while the body was in the paint shop, I had the chassis over at Redditch Powdercoating and it came back looking like this: Once home, I made sure all the joints were suitably sealed with black tiger seal Thats a bit of crappy masking tape, not powdercoat peeling off! I lost my job towards the end of 2019, so progress was immediately halted in order not to splurge funds which might have been needed to pay the mortgage. This turned out to be the correct course of action, because brexit hit and then Covid. The week we went into lockdown I had 3 second interviews arranged... one by one they all cancelled and I never heard from them again. Took me 6 months to find a job, and of course then I had to get back on my feet which took some more time. Anyway, this almost brings us up to date... body is still on the donor pan and I'm building up the chassis to rolling. Hopefully, this weekend I'll get some garage time and update the thread. I'm banking on some better progress now, but I've said that before
	1969 German Look Beetle - in progress

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