Spring

.......whew!

..........I'm so glad that I don't have this problem. It's still #$%^&*@~?* winter up here in NY and the few birds that jumped the gun on migrating north are frozen to the tree branches like ice sickles.

timmy

We new snow up to the wheelwells, but I never fret about birds, mice and all getting in.

I put mothballs in the engine compartment and all over the car. Birds hate it. So does Maudib. :)

Your bug must smell like my grandfather at my wedding - he hardly ever wore a suit so had it carefully stowed in mothballs. It still makes my eyes tear just thinking about it (the smell, that is

- not the wedding :)

It has been a steady 40-60 in coastal CT during the day. Bug is still totally apart so unfortunately don't have to worry about critters.

Remco

How did Scotland go ?

james

Scotland? Would you perhaps have me confused with Roger, James? :)

yeah, guess so. Too many people getting married. My bad.

Remco, for now you still don't have any idea when it will be ready. Are you working only on the chassis? I would glad to help you. Maybe we should do an international overhauling TV show on our beetles. We could win some money and get our beetles fixed.

Jo=E3o

Yeah, I'd love that!! Actually, I like working on my bug. Having so much fun so don't think I'd want to have Chip Fuss do my bug. Learning something new every day and very slowly getting better. I should have picked up a welder decades ago - I like it a lot!

Yup, doing my frame. Was actually reluctant to bring it up here but did some quite extensive frame head repair. (I got flamed over a year ago when I said I was doing extensive work on a late beetle.) At first, I didn't think that was necessary, but did find some rot along the side of the front tunnel. A welder friend of mine has been teaching me how things can be repaired and what not to do, etc. (funny enough, my buddy is certified for under water welding - how appropriate is that with a frame that looks like it has been underwater ??? :) Instead of welding a new frame head on, I cut out all rusty steel and repaired it using 11 gauge and "I beamed" some stiffeners inside. Looking at what replacement heads look like, he felt this would actually be stronger. I do the work and he inspects it once a week and then yells at me to to fix it - He is a great teacher.

It is in pretty good shape now. Last night actually carefully re-tacked the "napoleon hat" front cross brace - want to double check my measurements before I commit. I still need to put the bottom of the frame head back on and weld new floors in but want to repaint and protect the inside of the tunnel/framehead first. The floors just make it too bulky in my garage so will wait to weld them in (that is easy anyway). Am waiting for some consistently warmer weather, because paint usually needs above 40 degrees F to cure properly. I started on the body, welded a brace across the door opening to keep the door alignment correct and carefully am looking to cut one heater channel out.

Another friend of mine works for a large transportation company in the area. He mentioned he can probably get my body media blasted. If so, I might have the bug back together by the end of summer - maybe. If the weather is still nice, I might think about painting it at that time. I still have to pick a good paint system and learn how to paint - any ideas? :) I am thinking HVLP and practicing on old fenders for a while..

Not sure what I'll do after this one. Maybe look for a convertible or rag that is in dire need (so I can afford it) and start over..

Long story but that's the status. Remco

Don't forget to take a lot of pictures or you will regret of that later.

Jo=E3o

Darn i read the wrong posts at the wrong time...:)

Hey James, Scotland was GREAT. You remembered me asking for a little snow? We had 'bout 10 day's of snow, Schools were closed, roads too. They even advised not to go out on the roads for some day's in a row due to the excessive amound of snow. (of course i di'n't come to Scotland to watch the telly) Only the last evening i had to put on a snowchain because of the rain making the snow all moushy. Did about 3150 Km in a fourtnight. Certainly a country to come back to (imho) but then in may or so AND aircooled. Saw a german T2a entering the boat and a '68/'69 westy in Drumnadrochid James i envy you for living in such a beautifull and hospitable country. Where do you live? 300 miles south from Loch Ness? Is that still in Scotland?

Cheers, Roger

Ha. Love it. Nah, this island is tiny. 300 miles south of Scotlands is well inside England. Sorry to disapoint you. I do like it up there though :-). A Family friend is moving to Edinburgh tomorrow, so should be able to blagg some weekends.

James