VW Cabriolet Project for the wifey

I’m really trying not to, but I just can’t help but like the idea of project cabriolets. :stuck_out_tongue:

How did Shrives’ end up turning out?

Its hard not to like b/c the Cabriolet is a freak. Its an A1 chassis built in the 90s… in this case 93. Plus they were all made in Germany, which adds to the coolness :stuck_out_tongue:

Not sure on Shrives. I recall it a little bit, right after I joined here. I think I missed most of the build.

Dan

shrives car is running. just needs to be buttoned up and it’ll be ready for the spring :tup:

siqq

Im hoping this is ready by spring too. However, Im realy torn as to what to do about paint as I will have the top off soon. I really want to do a color change, which with the top off would be the ideal time. However, that could create and even bigger snowball than I already have :-\

Dan

nice job:ohyeah:

I picked up a few new (used) things from a local buddy of mine.

small spline column with switches and a nice 4button wheel
one front fender trim strip (im still short the pass side fender one)
swaybar mount to replace the one I broke
a non scratched glove box lid
manual axles in pieces

Looks like all of the other parts I ordered, minus the springs are due on monday. Springs are due next thursday.

With any luck im going to drop all the suspension parts off for powdercoat monday and should have them back late next week /crosses fingers.

Dan

Yesterday’s progress:
I got the wheel bearings and the control arm bushings pressed out. Everything is now torn down and ready to go to powder coat tomorrow am.

I also got the calipers off and attempted to get the soft brakes lines off the car. They wouldnt budge so I thought id let them soak for a day or two. The calipers are pretty beat, so I figure ill just replace them with some rebuilt units
I dropped all the parts off at the powder coater this am. Hopefully Ill have them back fri/sat.

Tonights progress:
I got the TT front mount installed along with the starter and all of the wiring that I unhooked to get the trans out. So basically the motor is back where it should be. I just need to press out and replace the trans mount and reinstall the lower and the motor and trans will be all set.

Next, I thought Id try to get the soft lines off and clean up the wheel wells. I managed to strip the hard line nut on the pass side, even after soakng it and using the right sized flare nut wrenches. So now I need to find a new M10x1mm bubble flare nut (anyone have a p/n http://www.vwvortex.com/vwbb/smile.gif).

FInally, I scraped a ton of dirt and aftermarket, waxy like, undercoating off, cleaned it up with a ton of paint thinner and rags, and put some black spray on bed liner over the factory undercoating. I know its a little hack , but the factory coating seemed pretty intact and removing it isnt on my hot list. At least its clean and one color now.

I got another pile of parts in today as well. Now IM just missing the springs which wil be in on thrusday.

Todays pics:

TT front mount, was a nice tight fit, comared to the sloppy ripped stock one.

New stuff

Orig wheel well

After scraping and scrubbing

All paitned up

Tomorrow or wed’s plan is to get the new trans mount in, clean up the other wheel well and paint it, and try to fix the one brake line (if I can get the right nut). If so, I should be able to get the new ss brake lines on and be ready for the supension to go back in sunday or early next week.

Dan

Awesome dude!

Coming along nice.

Didnt get too much done tonight. I finally finished disassembling and scrubbing and reassembling all the nasty vents.

Original

All apart

Cleaned up and back together

Next update should be a bit more exciting.

Dan

ur a good husband.

ur even better at life.

YOU’RE YOU’RE YOU’RE YOU’RE YOU’RE YOU’RE YOU’RE

i apologize for jacking the thread. keep up the work on the vee dub. did it come with inner fender liners made from plastic? regardless, paint was a good precaution.

Very cool thread. Can’t wait to see the finished car based on the attention to detail you’re giving it.

Ya, it has plastic fender liners but they dont cover the area I painted black (which I only did to make it look “nice”).

You can see the liners in the dirty picture.

I cant wait to see it done either! haha

Tiny update:

I got the foam for the vents “doors” in today. Maybee this week sometime Ill cut it out and finish putting them back together. I also got some new hardware. And I talked to the poweder coater, who said the parts wont be done til mon/tues. oh well.

Dan

this is an awesome read! she’s gonna love it :slight_smile:

i would love to eat something off this car when it’s done. it’s swiffer clean!

Progress has been slow as of late as I am still waiting on the poweder coat stuff to come back. Now they are saying thrusday, oh well.

I did have a chance to get the new foam put on the doors of the vents and get them all back together as well as clean up a few more interior plastic parts. I think all I have left is the various dash switches and the column trim and a few parts around the top near the back seat.

Vent foam

Cleaned up dash pieces

The dirtiest window switches ever, even dirty inside.

and cleaned up

I also painted the edges and hub section of the new rotors, the tops of the new strut mounts and the ball joints. Hopefully to keep things from rusting as long as possible.

I just need to fix the one brake line and clean up the other fender well before thursday and I should be able to get alot of the new suspensin and brakes in by the weekend.

Dan

Modified by juicedz4 at 1:34 PM 1-22-2008

so, who spilled the popcorn butter on all the window switches?

lol keep it up. is just one brake line in need of repair? i had trouble with one of mine a few years ago, and i ended up just having them all done at once while i was in there for preventative maintenance. just my 2 cents. great build!

I think it was all tobacco flakes and nicotene paste. Damn car is just covered in the nasty shit.

The brake lines are mint (hardlines). I just twisted up one trying to get the soft line off. I had it soaked for days, used flare nut wrenches etc. Luckily its the driver side front, so its only 15" long or so.

Dan

Picked up a few goodies today. All but the front strut tubes which will be ready sat am. Im hoping to have it all back together sunday.

Dan