Cleggy the Spyder Man Posted September 9, 2009 Author Share Posted September 9, 2009 Ok again it has been a while since my last post but a little progress has been made I have managed to get my hands on a SIP migmate welder via Chaz - seems to work well enough but have been unable to properly test as I left the gas on and had an empty bottle the following night when I went to use it me build stands arrived and are more than up to the job I have also purchased a Ryobi chop saw which is a mental piece of kit I have been finding bits of metal to cut just for the fun of it I picked up the front axle today - the adjusters have been fitted so tonight's job was chassis onto the stands and front axle temporarily re-fitted I keep changing my mind, but the plan is to re-build the car with new floorpans and rear subframe - get the bodywork to sit on correctly and then un-assemble everything and sandblast/paint before the final re-build chop saw doing it's bit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike H Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 Good morning, Remind me again what exactly is up with the rear of the chassis and why you can't just get new VW floor pans? Nice saw ! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleggy the Spyder Man Posted September 10, 2009 Author Share Posted September 10, 2009 Hi Mike The chassis has been shortened by 19" so if I did decide to go the VW floorpan route I would have to cut em up anyway I would also have to chop off seat mounts etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
housebeautician Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 chop saw doing it's bit what a pretty picture, aaaah good shot with the camera in your left hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleggy the Spyder Man Posted September 10, 2009 Author Share Posted September 10, 2009 Proof I am not loosing my hair well at the back anyway jago with the camera Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammy Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 A question you might be able to answer; the bug chassis never looks too rigid to me as its just a flat floor pan and a fake tranny hump - people seems to use them like this in beach buggies, but do they flex a lot or really need extra bracing ? Great build thread BTW- much more interesitng than those westfield ones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
housebeautician Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 Great build thread BTW- much more interesitng than those westfield ones someone hold back chaz!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Loudon - Sponsorship Liaison Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 I think I saw on Wheeler Dealers on TV that you can get a new chasis ready to go for not too much money. They bought one when they did their beach buggy conversion. Just my opinion - scrap it before you spend far too much on it as it will never be worth much more than you paid for it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleggy the Spyder Man Posted September 10, 2009 Author Share Posted September 10, 2009 A question you might be able to answer; the bug chassis never looks too rigid to me as its just a flat floor pan and a fake tranny hump - people seems to use them like this in beach buggies, but do they flex a lot or really need extra bracing ? Great build thread BTW- much more interesitng than those westfield ones hammy - they do flex a bit but not enough for me to worry about kicking out 50 bhp - many people have highly tuned engines strapped onto these chassis - the overall design is incredibly old and with the suspension set-up they have a bit of chassis flex is the least of their problems I shall be building in a little extra crash protection so this will give a little extra stiffness John - I did look into a new chassis, but at 500 plus the cost was way too much - it would then have to be jigged up and shortened adding further costs the chassis does not need any patching up; just the modifications as detailed previousley anyway i quite like the job of doing it TBH I am not really doing the job to make money - I do expect to cover my costs, and have already had two offers to buy it when it is complete Has anyone in here enjoyed the experiance of building a westfield and got their money back when it is time to sell it - I doubt it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slater Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 beetle chassis do flex a little but the body when bonded on makes for a very rigid set up, as for power I saw a spider in the states with aSuberu engie pushing out over 200 bhp Cleggy the offer of the suspension book stands just PM your address. lewis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleggy the Spyder Man Posted September 10, 2009 Author Share Posted September 10, 2009 PM sent Thanks chap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleggy the Spyder Man Posted September 30, 2009 Author Share Posted September 30, 2009 Lewis- book arrived yesterday - thanks m8 again it has been a while since me last update - lots of crap going on ATM still finally got some steel today for the floorpans - I have decided to use 25x50 with 2mm wall for the edges of the floorpans and for all cross runners and triangulation I decide to do will be done with 25 x 25mm the job tonight was to start spot welding to the chassis a jig to help line up the new floorpans nice and level - the existing floorpans were badly out of shape to I have located some strategic points on the existing chassis that can be used as points to tack on the jig the first piece of 25 x 25 goes under the framehead at the front of the chassis - it is tacked onto two nodes underneath the second piece of the jig is tacked in place at the rear of the chassis onto the under side of the floorpan support - this is located onto the rear chassis tube so as long as the chassis is straight I have chosen a good place to use as a reference point ? the old floorpan is rested in place so that I can follow the line of the outer edge before tacking the next piece in an engineers square is the first thing that comes to hand with a straight edge - this is used to align the two pieces of the jig so next job is to make the edges of the floorpan - I shall probably lay the two pieces of 25 x 25 onto the old floorpans, work out the angle and then cut using the chop saw with one piece made I can then make an identical one for the other side and just flip it over - in theory the same piece should fit both side, I wonder if that will be the case Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike H Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 Hi Cleggy, IMO for adding strength to a bug chassis without a bug body you need to replace the strength of the heater channels with something. Then have a look at how the convertible bugs add some rigidity back in with an extra cross member under the rear seat area. I can't remember if they have some extra cross member up front too - probably not because the front bulkhead would be the same as a normal body I guess. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleggy the Spyder Man Posted October 1, 2009 Author Share Posted October 1, 2009 we are thinking along the same lines Mike I shall be adding some framework and triangulating where I can Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LocoR1 Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 About time!! was wondering when the next update would be Looks like you have a plan!..... nice idea with the box section as a jig even your spot welds look good! keep up the good work Cleggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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