Electric Vehicle Conversion | File037 » VW Beetle Resto

Flip forward VW Beetle front bumper

voltswagen — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:49:14 +0000

I didn't have a front bumper and saw this flip forward bumper at JC Whitney... first thing don't buy parts at JC Whitney! This bumper isn't that bad, but it take a lot of time to mount and adjust.

I put a coat of POR 15 rust preventor on it first then roughed it up, primed and painted a satin black. It turned out OK.

Primed

Final paint

Re-indexing “Lowering” VW Beetle

voltswagen — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:12:16 +0000

The previous owner had raised the rear of the beetle for 31" tires. At first I thought maybe there was something rusted together, because it was so stiff. Now, I know that they just didn't know what they were doing. There are tons of VW Beetle service manuals that tell you how to lower/raise the rear end. I found 4 videos on YouTube that provided me with enough info to get the job done and only took about an hour (not including the time to remove rusted/broken bolts!).

Here is the video link:

My spring plate bolts were rusted on and then of course I broke some of them. A lot of Liquid Wrench, heat and repeating and they came right off!

Trying to remove broken, rusted bolts

The new old VW fenders for the Beetle

voltswagen — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:52:36 +0000

My project didn't come with rear fenders and I think I have spent the last 3 months trying to find some locally. I couldn't even find crappy ones. But all that changed yesterday as a guy going to school at Iowa State had some left over parts from a build. But for $20.00 and I got some used, good condition rear fenders for the VW bug. So, I immediately got them home and cut them up into bits. Hindsight, I might have trimmed them a bit short, but I wanted to clear a nasty dent on one of them... and I didn't want them to extend too far back from where the body had been cut. I'm sure the local police will let me know if I don't meet the street legal requirements.

Buying locally

voltswagen — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 22:40:40 +0000

I give every effort to purchase locally. We are a small town of about 1500 people (census 2000). And we are about an hour from what I consider the "big city." So, it makes sense to buy locally vs drive time and gas just to save a buck.

But... I am already boycotting one of the two auto parts stores in town, mainly due to the owners attitude after I wanted to return a fan belt for a Jeep I had. My Jeep had an aftermarket AC unit so the stock belt didn't fit. So I returned it. He gave me grief because I waited a day before returning it. Then harped even more after he realized I paid with my debit card (I understand he probably got charged a fee, but from my knowledge he should get it returned from the bank). So, there's one business I refuse to do business with. But still I try.

So, anyway I got to the local farm store (which is part of a larger chain). *cough*Orscheln*cough* And I needed to get some bolts for the rear swing arm of the Bug. So I grabbed some lock washers, flat washers and nuts on the bolts, and threw 6 sets of them in the little nuts/bolts plastic bag (2 washers and a nut on each bolt). At checkout the lady rudely told me that the lock washers are not the same price and that "you almost got away with it" because I had washers and nut on the bolts. Even though the nearest sign to the lock washers was $1.79. So, as I was leaving the difference in price if she would have charged them all the same was 9 cents.

How does that ballgame heckler chant go... oh yeah, Nuts and bolts, we got screwed!

VW Bug rear brakes

voltswagen — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:25:10 +0000

Got to looking at the brakes today. Upon purchasing I knew I would be redoing the entire brake system. Since the majority of the electric vehicle weight is batteries it is usually a wise idea to upgrade the brakes as well. Since I am only planning on a 48 volt battery pack I am going to use the stock VW Beetle drum brakes. The battery pack should weigh about 280 lbs. If I end up changing to 72 volt or even using multiple 8 volts I will most defiantly be added front disc brakes to the front.

The brake hardware kit I purchased contained 2 different sized sets of retaining spring - neither of them fit. So, I cleaned up the old ones as best as possible. Also, need to get new star adjusting bolts, but for now they old ones will work. Adjusting them will just take a bit longer as I will have to pull the drum and adjust.

Here are the before and after shots. Riveting I know!