Crazy Idea? Photoshop?

Okay, just pondered this one a little while ago. Has anyone ever thought about using a VW beetle body for a low buck modified body? I'm not talking about keeping the beetle pan or running gear, just using the body lose the roof, cut it just behind the front door, and fashioning in a firewall and floor. I was looking at my '58 vw and pondering the idea (not cutting mine up, but finding a donor), seems like the proportions would be pretty good with the trickiest part being the firewall and footwell area, I was thinking you could reuse some of the metal behind the doors and move it to the front of the doors (the fenderwell starts immeadiately forward of the door and the hood is right in front of the windscreen).... Am I completely mad for thinking this???

 

www.volksrods.com

They go for ideas like this.

 

someone has done that already, did look a bit hokey IMO. There are many different versions of this idea, you gotta do it just right to be accepted by the crowd. also note that if you creat this you must be happy with it no matter all the **** storm you'll get.

 

Been done many times. I have yet to see one that didn't look like a ****ed over VW. But hey, maybe you can be the first to sucessfully make **** taste like ice cream.

 

hmm sounds like the concensus for this idea is "bad ****ing idea holmes" I still think it would be a fun one to try at some point, given a freebie beetle shell, sawzall, welder and beer. **** it if don't turn out, just pile it up for the s**** guy.... I've seen the volksrod guys and it is just another rendition of a volkswagen, I was leaning for more of another rendition of a hotrod, small block up front sort of thing.

 

Okay, found this pic, I think it's a little long behind the door, but the back half is the basic idea, the front would need some,,,,, something.......

someone come shoot me.....

 

Do it! It doesn't seem any more nutty than a modified Crosley or any more imported than a Fiat. Bob

 

PBR,
My only gripe with this type of project is, once you start chopping up a bug, you gotta make a custom frame of sorts. Why don't you just start with the intention of building a model A frame for a hot rod? Your going to end up wishing you had, then try to sell off the volkrod.
I can see where one builds the model a style frame and happens to have a model a cowl and hack a part a bug body to make some sort of body to run. butby then your fabbing skills should be enough to fab up a roadster pickup cab with the cowl you'd already have. I think part of it is there are people that want to be a rodder NOW and not just wait s****e up dough and buy parts or pieces to build a model A or actual 30's something vehicle to hack up. I think this volksrod would fall in the edge of the category that most of those hotrod pickups everyone is now fabbing up from late forties truck cabs. But I not saying its a bad thing it those are your original intentions as a dream rod. Its just your thing.

 

abelugo,
I see your point and it's a very valid one, it's something I don't think I'd build, it really was an idea I was just throwing out there to see what kind of response I got. I allready have a '40 pontiac 3p*** coupe that's midway through, and I hope to be choppin' it by summer time, plus the "A" sedan parts I've been collecting that are sitting in my rafters. The VW modified project was something I came up with while staring at my daily driver/parts hauler, and I thought "people seem to be building modifieds out of some pretty odd stuff lately, I wonder how this would work". I don't think it would take big investment, I mean any parts you bolted on it could easily be used on something else, like engine/trans, suspension, rear end, etc. Really in the end, if you didn't like it you'd just be out the body and possibly a simple custom frame, which, if you're handy in fabrication sense, won't cost you much coin.

just my $o.o2

 

you posted a pic of that roadster pickup so I ***ume thats what your looking for pics of, if thats the case go hit up the guys on www.volksrods.com and look for hotrodheb, Steve and Ray-Dean in the members project/intro area and you'll find a ton of pics. Theres a few renderings around there that might get you in the right direction as well. Here is my buddy Jermey's truck that was just finished like 2 weeks ago.



BTW: For the record, I'm not a VW guy, I'm a car guy...

 

Here's a little something I created last week. The way I see it: why try to make a bug look like something it's not, thus having a weird end result, when you can make a pretty decent looking bug that looks like a custom bug?

 

For those of you that haven't been around the HAMB too long, just a heads up: VW threads tend to turn ugly and get locked down.

 

I thought about building this awhile ago. I would put a flathead V8 int he front of it, I think it would look bad ***. Haven't gotten around to it yet though.

 

PBR,I like the idea .Utilizing the VW Bug body to create a two seat modified all steel body. Use just the Foot Well area,dash,and doors, cut off the windshield posts and fill. Cut out floor and channel over tube ,front engined frame .Lop off behind front seats add new rear body cross section in front of Diff. Leave diff exposed or cover with turtle deck. Add Speedway track T nose and hood.
What you get from VW Bug, really nice tall doors and cowl section that combined with new rear body section,would be a great Modified style body with solid dashboard ,rigid doors that work that seats two comfortably and a unique look that is sorely needed in this cookie cutter hot rod scene. The only thing that would be very obvious VW is if you left the door handles stock ,fill them and have inside door latches.

 

Really not any of my bussiness but I say it would more easily be made into a miniature 48 Ford sedan by using a 50's Volvo frt clip on a Bug body

 

I agree that this is bad ***. I like the idea

 

I love that look, truely something different. Here are some pics of one that was up on Ebay for a while, i don't like to chop but it's still kind of a cool idea.

 

This one was at Billetproof in 2003


Oh and here is my little truck

At least until I can find a cheap model A. I've got about $2500 total in this truck including the gas in the tank and the insurance!

 

I think most volksrodders would love to put a v8 in front. I know I would. Here's mine.

 

10..9..8..7..6..5..4..3..2.......wait for it.................

 

Gasit hit the nail on the head! exactally what I was talking about! Now if we could combine Heb's car (from the dash back) with the V8 tub he posted I think it would be money!!! speaking of which, Heb, do you have any pics you could email me showing what you did for seats and the back panel for the cab?

 

is this the countdown until a mod burns my VW based thread??? HaHa, I'm surprised it made it this long!!!!

 

here is a pic of my v8 bug. has a 383 magnum an ran a 11.5 at the drags.
my first hot rod an still have it after 20years.

 

Don't mind the fat guy with the black shirt...

 

I've been a member here for a while, but never post because my ideas and the ideas of this forum are not the same. I know that you don't like VW's and I respect that. But by viewing the posts here and reading this and that, I have been turning this...



Into this...


Hate me if you want, burn me if you must, but that is just how it is.

 

Here is the best pic I could find of the back section. It was first formed with some tubing and then just skinned with sheetmetal. The corners were rolled and then beat into submission to form the body line.

Hmmm... Yeah, my truck would be sweet with a nailhead up front! Maybe someday if I get bored!

 

Didnt you plan on putting a cadillac motor in yours at one point?

 

I sold my V8 Beetle hotrod panel last year, kinda what you're talking about . . .

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/TeamEvil/Panel Truck/ae3c2bef.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/TeamEvil/Panel Truck/db9fc762.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/TeamEvil/Panel Truck/bfeef0ae.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/TeamEvil/Panel Truck/8b247298.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/TeamEvil/Panel Truck/200bc9ef.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/TeamEvil/Panel Truck/5cb988fa.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v136/TeamEvil/Panel Truck/155ca357.jpg

It was really not much different from an Anglia or Thames or that kinda thing. Fast and loud and crude and brutal to drive, but fun as can be. Like rolling down a hill in a metal barrel full of bowling balls . . .

TC