It’s been awhile since I updated anything about the 1965 Rat Beetle. Moving slowly forward but hopefully it can be ready for Safety Inspection this spring/summer.

All of the old (complete!) brake system was thrown in the thrash and replaced with brand new parts. New shocks all around too. New wheel bearings. New hoses, brakelines and every nut/bolt is new in the brakesystem. Fenders have been removed for clean up and new blackbody/ship paint applied to underside. Going to be re-installed with new bolts and seals, anti rust wax etc.

Engine have been worked on also, valves adjusted, new oilsump/gaskets, new: sparkplugs, dist.cap, ignition coil and wiring, rotor, condensator, restored Solex 30-pict carb, new fuel lines everywhere, new exhaust system and all gaskets, restored 12v generator and new Bosch charge relay and 12v generator stand, new fan belt and pulley, new throttle cable etc.

That’s it for now! Next up is transmission overhaul and then test start the engine for first time in 20 years…

Piece by piece it’s coming together! I Have been fixing with the bumpers and wheels lately. It have all been sandblasted, welded, epoxyed, sanded, primered and painted in same white as the roof. Really starts to come together now, some light in the tunnel. But still lots left to do, here is some new pics…

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So the Highroof is now painted at last, in Marino Yellow VW L20a, period correct for 1975. It have been a ton of work and to get that yellow color to cover the bus needed to be painted 4times/coats. That because all yellow (and sometimes red) colors have less pigment than all other colors.

Now the fun can begin, mounting on all new parts like lights, handles etc! Next step will be to start with the interior and begin with insulation in walls and floor. Would be nice to have the most done on interior and exterior until fall so the winter can be focused on engine build and install etc.

More pics coming soon!

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Lots of work have been done lately on the VW Baywindow Highroof! Whole roof have been finished  in California White color. All doors and lids have been painted on the insides and then fitted back on the body. All panels are now sanded in 800grit and ready for toppaint in VW L20a Marino Yellow!

#highroofbayproject

In the latest issue of Power Magazine you can read all about my 1963 Chevrolet Impala lowrider that I built finish recently. More build pics can be found here on the website under Rides & Projects in Menu.

www.powermagazine.se 

Sorry for late update! ALOT have been done to this project. Fueltank have been cleaned with citrusacid inside, looks like new now. Frame have been reinforced, all seams have been fully welded instead of factory spotwelds and rear swingarm have been boxed for the extra torque from the new engine. Rearend have been lowered in the suspension 40mm also for looks. Frame have got new engine mounts welded in place after alot of measurements and calculation, then frame was stripped and sandblasted then painted in 2k silver. A brand new engine have been installed, a manual 4 speed trans, 4-stroke 110cc Lifan (Honda copy). Carburetor have fullflow airfilter. Footplates and sheetmetal around the engine had to be trimmed to make it fit. Will be a fast rustbucket! To get the same power as the new engine have I would need 8 Ilo Piano engines. 🙂

Seat got new foam and a hairy touch. 🙂 Brakes is new, front and back, new bearings and grease. Also made some holes in the brakehubs/covers for better cooling the brakes at high speeds. New tires with whitewalls in place too. New chain and rear sprocket is 36 cog and front (engine) 14 cog (maybe change to 16 cog later on). Had to fabricate a own chain tensioner, plastic wheel with bearing, to get the right slack and to clear swingarm mount, similar like on a motocross dirtbike. Rear brake mechanism have been shorted and moved and welded 15mm lower than stock location, to clear the exhaustpipe. The old rear stock muffler is used again, but modified inside for better flow of course and extra outlet pipes. New wireharness is in for CDI box, coil, ignition, voltregulator, switch and front and rear lights etc. Managed to hide the most of the electrics on the inside of the front breastplate on the legcovers. Now also 12v instead of 6volts and electric ignition, no more adjusting points! Airplane safetyswitch to turn ON or OFF the engine. All new fueltap, fuellines and filters.

Handlebar now sports new handles and wires also a bicycle computer with speedometer. After 20km the engine oil should be changed and first after 1000km the engine will be fully “seated and runned in” since its brand new with 0 miles on it. So need to drive it nice and easy in the begining. Its now ready for start and test run. A new update will come soon!

#sleepermonarscoot

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It is time to get this beast out on the road again! A 1961 Monark Monarscoot with a 2 speed Ilo Piano engine. It was found and digged up in the forest/woods 15 years ago and have since then been resting in my garage. Still sporting cool old SpeedRiders stickers from back in the day (1998-ish). Needs lots of love, as picture shows, basicly everything is shot and need to be replaced with new parts.

Plan is to make it a ratlooker with a updated drivetrain with more performance. 🙂 Stay tuned for more updates, this is going to be a quick build, needs to be done before the spring, so its ready for all the mopedrallys this summer. Will be a fun ride!

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Slow with updates? Thats because I have been busy doing bodywork on the Highroof bus. A very boring, dusty and time consuming work. But now its in surffacer/filler/primer and ready for more sanding again, and hopefully thats it before paint. Paint for roof (white) and body (VW L20a Marino yellow) is bought. Still have all the doors and lids to do also! Got some new parts too, new lids for electric 240v hook up and fresh watertank filler with lock. A Vitrifrigio C60 fridge in stainless will chill the drinks and food nicely, its 60 liters and 10,5 liter is freezer. Danfoss compressor of course!

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Have started the bodywork on the Highroof bus, preparing for primer and paint. Lots of sanding to do, when that is done it’s time for a coat of epoxyprimer again, to protect bare metal, then a quick sanding before a coat of surfacerprimer is layer down. Then it needs to be sanded down all over again. Then probably another coat of surffacerprimer again and then maybe it’s time for topcoat paint in VW L20a Marino yellow. A lot of people think it’s just mix paint and spray, but it’s not like that…only in fantasy!

Built this VW Beetle from a empty shell, back in 2010. Custom frontbeam, 3 splines in the rear, new industrial engine and dropped on polished Torque wheels.