Not a G, but a project in the making

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06-18-2007, 09:45 PM

pdjafari

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Not a G, but a project in the making

So I've had a car my father bought me when I was 15. It was great at the time, but I didnt have a license or permit. I was unable to drive until the following year, but decided to begin working on it. I knew it would be a tough project, but I was 15 and determined...

A year later, I could finally drive except the car my dad bought wouldnt run. It needed a few things, new brakes (complete rebuild), tune up, tires, battery, wipers...

How many can guess from this pic what car I'm restoring??

Let me apologize to GW, AHero, Gdupsedan, ABQ, Canuck in advance for the PS camera, I'll be spending so much on this that I dont have the funds to pay for a $800+ camera

This whole thread might appeal more to the West coast peeps vs East coast. Not too many East coasters are into this sort of thing...

So at 15, I spent my life savings (about 800

) on all the parts I needed and together with the help of my dad installed them all in about 2-3 weeks. Well, things changed as my sister left for school I took over her car a (1986 Olds cutlass supreme). I wish I still had that car althought it was a V8 and a boat. I would definitely ride around in the Olds today, whereas when I was 16 I hated that car (hindsight is a b1tch). Over the summer in the 90 degree heat I would sand by hand the entire car only to be let down by rain which would then rust over all my work

and so I gave up angry...

Eventually I moved on from car to car, and neglected my vintage auto sitting in the garage for 12 years. Suddenly, a few months back I decided to get to work again...this car will be my daily driver/beater so to speak. Except the money I put in, I should mostly get back meaning I may spend 8-9k, but at least I can sell this one day for 5-6k. Whereas I spent 8k on my G35 but the value of the G is still what it is...

Anyways I have set a budget of around 8-9k for the project for all the bits/pieces. In the coming months, it should all come together and I figured I could share the progress pics with some of you (whom care..). Before you guys post away about this/that, just want to let you know I'm going to try to keep everything OEM (original) for the sake of resale. Those who know vintage cars know when you change to aftermarket seats, body, wheels etc etc, you tend to lose value. I am going to keep it mostly OEM (paint, interior...) except I will

1. Slam it down to the ground - major rear camber problems (meh, OEM tires are $40...

)
2. Install a narrow beam to tuck the front tires in (unlike G's, the VWs look much better w/ the tires tucked, vs having them flush w/ the fenders)
3. Install earlier bug bumpers vs the 1969 year model - I like the 66 models better
4. Aftermarket exhaust that'll take advantage of larger engine (larger displacement, more aggressive cams, lightweight pullies, dual carbs

)

I plan to paint the car a pearl white/white similar to the VW below

Overall budgeting is as follows:

Engine - $3500 (Complete Turnkey motor: Already dyno tested/tuned brand spankin new 1776cc, about 115WHP on a car ~ 1800lbs =

) www.steelbuggin.com - recommended by many in the industry as one of the better engine builders (except for Gene Berg whose engines run in the 5k+ territory (no thanks..)

Paint - $3300 (real good quality paint job like 2-3 coats w/ a clear coat). About $700 of this goes to having the entire car blasted (aluminum oxide, plastic beads) D & V autobody, worked on my G 3x for my kit and 2 accidents, also worked on Mike Wassers (G35 from Evolution Auto)...great guys, good work.

Interior - $1500 (High estimate, keeping it original brick red seats and door inserts. Black german wool carpet from wolfsburg west, seats and headliner from sewfine) www.sewfine.com and www.wolfsburgwest.com

Misc. Parts - $1000 (small trim pieces, chrome pieces, brackets, bolts, hubcaps, wheels/tires

Here are the pics, teardown front/rear fenders and bumper and applied some OSPHO which I applied on some of the bare metal which I grinded down w/ an angle grinder (nice $80 investment). OSPHO is amazing on rust...

Here are some of the pieces soo rusted they must be replaced...

Kind of cruncy like cereal when you step on it...

Dropped the engine this past weekend (3-4 hr job taking frequent breaks)

Yes thats actually a philips screwdriver holding the gas in the fuel line

OEM exhaust

Some interior shots (Stripped the entire interior a few weeks back, all remains is the drivers seat)

Badly rusted rear luggage area (will be blasted away and primed)

Look, no amber in the tails, kinda like a G35!!

Trunk (in the front of course) and the rusted *** gas tank which will be blasted/primed and powder coated!!

Bench rear seat and passenger racing seat w/ harness

j/k

Last couple of shots...

OEM hubcap..used to be chrome, now its polished aluminum

Here's a teaser for what the engine should look like once I receive it

One thing I am having a hard time debating: Which rims to get?? Keep stock wheels, powdercoat the inside spokes to match red interior like this, OR throw the chrome Empi 5's on which are hot on VW's

These wheels are the OEM wheels, except they are powdercoated red w/ an OEM chrome hubcap. I am keeping my car white like this one, and since my interior is OEM red as well, I could do something similar and use whitewalls give it that 'vintage' look

OR I could give it the new school look and get the EMPI 5 spokes...these will require more $$ since I'd have to change up my OEM brakes to fit them. VW's use a 4 lug setup, these only come 5 lug so Id have to buy new drums just to fit them including the cost of the wheels...They are nice though...