Cragar S/S Super Sport

I would love to get a set of these, as all the old adverts and catalogues I have found for the Kyote's show them fitted with Crager S/S alloys and I think a replica of the red one below would be a good way to go.

The good news is today I found them for sale here. Maybe one day!

BVF 2010

My very own VW38

It always nice getting a parcel in work, even better when that box contains a teeny tiny volkswagen.

It's actually a Wiking model of a 1938 prototype Volkswagen, VW38 no 006, the real car was found in an awful state in Lithuania last year and is now in the process of an amazing restoration.

Full details can be found here. If your short on time I would recommend reading the first couple of pages and the last couple as the story is now up to 123 pages!! 

It will be joining my small collection of Wiking models in the sitting room.

Workbenches

Just a small update, I spent a couple of hours yesterday morning getting some timber and building a couple of new work benches off of the existing bench in the corner of the barn.  Now I have plenty of space to finish stripping the variants engine. At some point I need to get a parts washer as well and the plan is to put that on the low bench, I may just get an old sink and use that. At least now I can start tidying up my tools and bits which are all crated up at the moment. Photos are a bit fuzzy due to the extreme heat in my tin shed of a barn!
   

         

Serious? Damage to Variant engine

Long story cut short nearly ten years ago the engine in my '68 1600L Variant seized solid having been previously "profesionally" rebuilt. Having not had her on the road long and thinking I had done something wrong I stashed her in storage and bought my type 25 Kamper. 
So now that I have the workshop space sorted, last night I decided to strip the engine down and open up the case. There was a fair amount of metal fragments and one of the main bearings looks to have been fitted wrong. One of the dowels is missing, there was a lump of silicone in the oilway the bearing is chewed to bits and the case is damaged around the other dowel.





So now what I have to find out is if I can save the case. It's the original engine for to the car and I really can't afford to cough up for a new case for the sake of one tiny area being damaged. I have tried searching online and in the manuals/ books I have as to if this damage has destroyed my case. For now I have a post on VZI to see if I can get some opinions and next I will try speaking to a machine shop.
Fingers crossed it can be saved!!

Camping in Austria

Whilst browsing the local second hand shop today a surprise Karmann Ghia caught my eye on a really cool map of camp sites in Austria dating from 1960. Not the most practical car to take camping but looks great all the same.

 Click above image for a larger version.

This find reminded me of an A2 sized print I picked up at a car boot sale years ago, its a great image and I would love to know the history behind it but sadly the seller could tell me nothing as he had found it when clearing his garage.

Full House

Big day today, I have now moved out of my old barn taking the '72 convertible and buggy chassis as well as a few engines. Managed to take a quick picture of the whole lot loaded up before I followed closely behind.

All of my toys are now in the one place for the first time ever, I have to say it's a great feeling.

The silver tape was just to hold down the bonnet to stop it blowing up.

Just a couple of engines! From left to right: Junk engine from buggy, spare type 3 1600, spare reconditioned engine possibly 1500 and the partially dismantled engine from the Variant.

Another thing I did yesterday was to get the buggy up on timbers so I can move the chassis in and out from underneath it. I forgot to take a picture then as I was knackered and only have this fuzzy one I took today for now but it gives the general idea.

I have a bit more cleaning to do (it never ends!) then it's Bristol Volksfest next weekend where I plan to start buying up some of  the panels and parts I need.

Spring Clean

 

Had fun yesterday afternoon dragged the buggy outside to give it a good clean as the rats had previously decided to make it their home.

Had to balance the front on a plank on top of a trolley making it fairly easy to move around, a bit like a giant buggy shaped wheelbarrow. Ohh and that's not dirt on the front wing if you see what I mean.

 

 Ahhh so much better now, nice and clean and sparkly, I had to pressure wash the insides of the side pods as they were full of nesting materials I'll be so glad when I have everything cleaned up and can start working on the cars.

Finally I cleaned up the spare wheel for the convertible and gave it a spray of tyre dressing I know it doesn't really help with progression but it made me feel good!

Just a couple of updated barn shots

During a rain shower last weekend I cracked out a couple of cans of primer and mocked up the back of the '66 just to see how the red and black would work, gives it a bit of a split personality at the moment but like I say it's just a trial run.

Years ago I sprayed a model with the same colours so the plan has been in the background for quite some time. If I can find it in the loft I might stick a photo on here.

Here's my rather dirty Kyote II in all it's glory more to come on this later. I might even do a separate piece on each of my cars and bikes at some point.

Project '66

The plan for the '66 is to eventually get it finished in a black and red dual colour scheme with full chrome, fender skirts, whitewalls and red interior. I've loved this look for years and a set of fender skirts are on the way to me right now.






















 Little bit of work required first though!