It's been too long, almost two years I think. You know how it goes, you have other things to do. I made a How to "Chop a Model A Ford" DVD, almost cut my hand off, stuff like that. But now I have been back to work on the "Baja Bandeeto" for a little while now, about one or two hours after work every day, and I had a good solid weekend to really get some work done. I cut the pedal assembly down quite a bit so it would clear the body and column. Not having much room to work with, I did what I had to do, and worked with what I had. I used 1/8th plate steel to make up the floor pan starting up front in the "foot area".
The major floor pan area is also 1/8th plate steel. I dropped it down as far as I thought was good, so my head wouldn't be banging against the bubble. I spent a lot of time climbing in and out of the car, and making cardboard templates to get it all in the right neighborhood. All the steel is tack welded into place and it seems to be placed fine. I set a fiberglass bucket seat in there, and slid the bubble on just to be sure.
I bought an 8 foot length of 1 x 1 1/8th inch thick angle iron to make a battery box. It doesn't look like much, and you'd never know I used up most of the 8 feet either, but it does work.
I'm thinking the gas tank will go on the drivers side, and an electric screw motor in between, to lift the bubble up and down.
I know it must not look like I have a bunch of time in what I did but, add up all the test fitting, cardboard templates and what not, you get the idea. A hand made car is just that "hand made" every piece, wire and bracket. It all takes time, so if you are building stuff at home, just keep at it gang. A little at a time and you will get there. Look at me, after two years, I am back on it, and making it happen, so can you !
Now, get back out in the garage and build something!
FRITZ
After I got it out I loaded it into my truck and drove around to the house garage. I bolted it up to my engine stand with a VW engine head my Dad gave to me a while ago. See Kids, when I was growing up in Long Island, NY my Dad was the Volkswagon go to guy! He started out building Dune Buggies in the late 60's as "HoBo Dune Buggies" and then later became "L&F Volkswagon Repair". When I was about 11 or 12, dad would give me $12 bucks to install a muffler, and so much to do brake jobs. Later on, after I got home from high school, I would rebuild engines all day every day. Pull 'em out and put 'em back in. So here I am, almost 30 years later, standing next to a 1968ish 1500CC flat four about to tear it down for a rebuild!
I guess things have come full circle, so this is what I am doing in the garage. what are you guys up to?
Get out in the garage and build something!
FRITZ
Greaser Mike sitting in the "Baja Bandeeto" when he visited me last week.