1966 VW "roadster" project car

[atye]

As a lot of you may already know, I traded my turquoise '63 Beetle's body with Bryce for his dad's red and white 1966 2-seater (w/rumble seat) body. I had tried unsuccessfully a while back to get the shell before Bryce did, but now it's sitting in my driveway, ready for the next phase of it's journey.

I've been wanting to build a VW-based street/rat rod for a few years now and hopefully this will be the right car for the job!

Here are some "before" pics as it sits now. I removed the interior for outside winter storage of the body. I don't plan to do much to it until spring 2011. I'll accumulate parts and make some plans between now and then.

(Click thumbnails for larger image)

What it originally looked like when Bryce picked it up. I want to get this hood or a similar one eventually


Interior pic


Interior pic of rumble seat area


At Bryce's house - finished and painted


At my house 08.28.2010


At my house 08.28.2010 - I have the decklid, too, but there are no mounting points for it (yet)


With fake convertible top removed (I have removed and stored all of the interior parts inside for the winter)


Picture of the rumble seat area . . I plan to do a lot of metal finishing work back here


Right-hand side rumble seat mechanism - very clever, very simple, and it works great


Left-hand side rumble seat mechanism


Possible outcome #1


Possible outcome #2


This car is actually not made from a fiberglass kit. That is why I have never seen a similar rumble seat set-up. It's all homemade, backyard stuff. The removed upper roof section was used to make the rear area and then the rumble seat lid was just cut in place, right out of the roof's sheet metal. There is a large gap between the rear firewall and the body that I would like to seal up and a little rust to patch here and there, too.

I'm excited to take on this project and I hope that I can make it turn out like what I envision in my mind...LOL
More pics to come later as I get to work.

[Cambur]

i'll be watching this one...

can we vote? im for outcome #2
of course im slightly biased

[zabo]

i like one- if you use some of those forward exiting exhaust
http://www.gdownusa.com/

you def need to get that new hood


some on samba - link

bgwspectre

[bumblebuggy]

I like outcome #1.

[atye]

Thanks for the input... I like either outcome, and there are many variations either way, too.

I am definitely going to:
• Chop the windshield
• Add stock wheels (red) and smoothie hubcaps
• White-wall tires
• add the '40 Ford style front hood
• Fender skirts

We'll see how it takes off next spring. I'm excited about it.

[BKiller]

I vote you paint it like this...

[63buggin]

Grease Lightening ........ YELL I love it

[Bugman114]

normally i'd hurl chunks at the thought of one of those hoods being used, but on that particular car, it fits quite nicely. assuming you don't mind that its the only thing on the car that'll be fiberglass.

[Grifspop]

Flat black, Bright red wheels, wide whitewalls, 2 to 3 inches out of the windshield frame, that'd be my vote

Maybe some old school painted pinstriping

[bumblebuggy]

Flat black, Bright red wheels, wide whitewalls, 2 to 3 inches out of the windshield frame, that'd be my vote

Maybe some old school painted pinstriping

Meh...flat black is overdone IMO. Still cool though.

[VW12step]

x2 on the Greased Lightning paint. Score!!

[Grifspop]

Flat black, Bright red wheels, wide whitewalls, 2 to 3 inches out of the windshield frame, that'd be my vote

Maybe some old school painted pinstriping

Meh...flat black is overdone IMO. Still cool though.

I agree that flat black is the new gray primer, but this roadster would definitely look good with some Hot Rod black

[zabo]

ill 3rd the greased lightning - would be bad ass

[VW12step]

ill 3rd the greased lightning - would be bad ass

Something with a little attitude to compete with the Herbies at a show...slammed of course.

Not to get off topic, because that NEVER happens here, but what program did you use to come up with the concept renderings?

[vwtattooed]

if you wanted to use any color and have the "flat" look...just have the paint store mix it that way. if you base clear it ,flatten the clear. check out Rebel Rodders magazine, there is a company in there who sells "suede" paint...very sweet! all i ask is you retain that interior...i put alot of work in that!!!