DDK - Die Deutschen Klassiker

Had to open the packages and test the new seats for it...

Now then! Got some small cagetubes corrected prior to start fitting the rearfloorpanels permanently.

Also got the engine and transmission lifted. I modified the rear mount so it lifts 50mm and changed the front nosecone to a Erco Type-2 nosecone, where the shifteraxle is 30mm lower allowing a raise of about 35mm in the front. Engine was thanks to this mod lifted about 6cm in the rear.

The exhaust will still be replaced. I will be building an exhaust that dont limit the clearance to the ground as much as this one.

Before:


After:


Looks way much better now too in profile when the engine don't hang below the bodylines as much..



Rear transmissionmount after modifying.

Kristian, clean look from behind but did you trial fitting the engine complete with tinware and the carbs? I see you are using outside hinges but at my Intermeccanica the airfilters had about 0,5 cm clearance with the body ... I used Kadrons. This car and my Intermeccanica were moulded from original cars. I know a Coupe has a little more room under the decklid but I can not imagine that you have another 6 cm extra clearance. Just curious...

The enginebay in this empty body is as said, empty. The enginebay will be scratchbuilt tinware for the purpose. The final engine will get the very low fuelinjection throttlebody assemblies and they fit nicely. But for the first registration inspections the engine must be with original specs so I will use the original centermounted carburator in combination with airfiltersystem from a baywindow with type-1 engine.

Like this. Tested the connection hose for bus on the carb with enginelid and it fit nicely under the box under the grille.

All the aluminium firewalls and sidewalls made by the previous owner seen in the picture will be replaced with more "factory looking" panels... These were just popriveted in....



Just be patient, you'll see soon enough... As in many previous projects "I allready see in my mind how things fit together"...

ronalddejong wrote:Kristian, clean look from behind but did you trial fitting the engine complete with tinware and the carbs? I see you are using outside hinges but at my Intermeccanica the airfilters had about 0,5 cm clearance with the body ... I used Kadrons. This car and my Intermeccanica were moulded from original cars. I know a Coupe has a little more room under the decklid but I can not imagine that you have another 6 cm extra clearance. Just curious...

Also an other thing I have noticed is that it appears that the speedster kitcarbodies have been slightly modified to avoid the issues I have tackled my own way by making the rear slightly "fatter".. And also stretched the rear apron lower to the same line as the sides under the doors as compared in the picture below.

An other thing that I dont know is if the kitcarspeedster floorpans are mounted so the reartorsionbars fit perfectly through the original hole in the bodysides? My body is.

Nothing to show at the moment but planning and collecting parts and ideas to work out a working heatingsystem from original type-1 heating... As soon as I get stuff together I'll post pics and ideas.

Just want to wish you all a Happy New Years and a safe new years eve! :D

Not many of the rep's even have the torsion bar hole/cover. Had to cut mine out, used an original to mark the location and they don't line up exactly with the Vw pan as l found out when l removed the torsion bars with the body on... Not sure on the rear valance though as mine is somewhere in between you pic's. l know a lot of kits over here, reason being the back end is higher so to comply with the IVA with the light height restrictions. Otherwise the lights would be to height on the body and would look crazy

Yes, the different regulations in different areas are probably also a reason for slight modifications in bodies. Nothing anyone notice until you start comparing very close though.

The beetle rear upper shockabsorbers was in an early stage of the projects life lost. In the beginning it even had the torsionhousingtubes shortened but was returned to stocklength again shortly after..

The towers were removed in the same process because I was told that they limited the lowering of the suspension due to the IRS crossbars..

I had to try out an other solution today.
I used a pair of cut of torsiontubes with towers for making a jig so I can get the upper shockmoung in correct position. Welded it all on an old torsionplate cover to make that mount the easiest way...







Then fitted the jig on the 356



Then cut just the top of the loose shocktower including the original bodymount. Was planning to weld a new bodymount for it when I finish the floorpan.



Noticed that the bottom of the cutdown shocktower still was very close to the IRS crossbar. Decided to try out how it works so I mounted a wheel and lifted the wheel and suspension as much as I thought necessary.

At this "stance" there was just a millimetre or two between the tower and the crossbar...



So I decided to discard this option and make the upper mount as the previous builders allready had planned. Just making it my way. In other words. A bit more factory looking... :D

Found out the hard way that the IRS shocktowers are shaped differently to Swingaxle shocktowers....
Oh well, nevermind that now. The shockmounts are better without the stock towers anyhow..

Today the donor 1302 beetle was cut down some. Just the front remaining. I will be slicing up it so I can use the shelf behind the dash, (bottom of luggage area under fronthood.) and the firewall infront of pedals from this. Also will be reusing the upper shockmounts from this..

Butchering continues. Ready to start fitting it under the bonnet...

great idea Heb