Spraying the 'pan

The floorpan is finally ready for a blast of primer - YAY!!
A quick blow down with the air-line and a wipe with some thinners and we're off.....















Matt has a go













I concentrated on spraying the underside as there's still a small amount of work to do on the central tunnel.
As the car is a semi-auto it has no clutch, also no provision for a clutch ie: no clutch cable conduit running inside the tunnel - BOO!
I've got to cut a small window in the top of the tunnel and weld in a metal tube for the clutch cable.
This modification can be easily spot primed when done.
It's more important to protect the whole 'pan and repaint a small piece later.














Looking good eh?














The upper part of the 'pan has received just a light dusting of primer to keep the air out and corrosion at bay.....that and I have used the entire litre of paint I bought.



















Health & Safety at work

















NICE
The 'pan will be having two more coats of paint after the white Anti-Corrosive primer coat.
Second coat will be a healthy dose of silver MIO, tougher than old boots - this is the barrier coat.
Third will be gloss black for that "finished" appearance.

The reasoning behind the different colours is simple, if the 'pan is scraped or the paint gets chipped off it will be easy to know how close to the metal the damage goes.
Start worrying if you see white!

Removing jacking points

The semi 'pan is solid and original apart from some replacement jacking points.
One of those is hiding a small amount of rot.














Now I don't like the factory jacking points, never have - they are far too flexible.
I prefer to lift against something solid like the torsion beams.
So I decided to remove them and use some of Matt's discarded panels to fill the gaps.

Repair panel laid over and position marked













Cut on the lines!
Second line is where repair panel will fit to, panel is overlapped and "joggled" or stepped.














new panel in place, requires welding on underside, finishing and dressing back














What a difference a grind makes - after a little dressing with the flap disk

Blasting the Semi

Stripped the semi floorpan down, borrowed a sand-blaster and set about cleaning.
The 'pan really is as solid as a rock, I've never seen one this good.
It will be nice to start from a totally clean base.
I'm sure the neighbours won't mind me chucking shit-loads of sand about the place.....It's like Skeggy beach out there now.
You don't get that just anywhere.

Dismantling the Semi

Time to take the body off the floorpan and see just what I bought.














Another unsuspecting arse-end shot, "Bug, brace yourself for a proper Rogering!"














We soon got it lifted off - EASY



Floorpan exposed














Gutted like a fish














Underbelly

Engineers

Understanding Engineers

The graduate with an engineering degree asks, "How does it work?"
The graduate with a science degree asks, "Why does it work?"
The graduate with an accounting degree asks, "How much will it cost?"
The graduate with an arts degree asks, "Do you want fries with that?"

Choghurts

I've just had a brainwave - Cheesy yoghurts!
Why don't they make savoury yoghurts?
Imagine a stilton yoghurt with a crispy bacon corner....MMMM!
The new Muller Bacon Corner Choghurt.
You heard it here first.

Ian's got a Semi....oooer!

So, I bought myself a 1968 semi-automatic beetle.
Another one ??
Just the same as my original '68 semi, even same colour but just a rolling shell.
This means I don't have to butcher the 33,000 mile car I've had stashed since 1986 and I can also use those cherry bits I've been hoarding just as long.
Of course this also has the most desirable chassis, torsion bar front with discs and IRS rear like the 1302/03 models.
It's sweet, looks a fucker in red-oxide but the chassis looks as good as new and the car is solid too.
It came with a rake of semi-auto specific bits like gearbox, control valve, vacuum and ATF tanks - all these bits will make good spares for the original semi.
Big plans for this monkey.........16V Golf engine, bus 'box etc. A real sleeper if left with rough bodywork (like I do so well).
This is it