SKAR
New Member
Posts: 41
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Post by SKAR on Mar 2, 2008 15:54:50 GMT -5
Im new here and to the whole idea of V8 Beetles,
Last week I bought a 68' Bug thats in need of a floor and engine as well as a lot of other work.
The other side of the idea is, Ive been working on building a 84' Mustang, it will have a 351w and T5 with a 8.8 rear.
My thinking is, the wheel base between the 2 cars is exactly 6" off, so I would like to trim off the body of the Mustang and cut out the floor of the Beetle, then shorten the floor of the Mustang by the 6" and get a shortened drive shaft, then trim away at the Mustangs bottom until the Beetles body fits over top then attach the two, and then cage it, idea would be to use the firewall or most of it from the Mustang, that way I will have my steering column, pedals and master cylinder all ready.
Does this sound like it might work?
My only big worry is whether the strut towers of the Fox will stuff under the beetles shell without having the body of the beetle sitting like a monster truck.
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SKAR
New Member
Posts: 41
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Post by SKAR on Mar 2, 2008 21:54:01 GMT -5
Ive also found that the 8.8 rear is 54.25" wide and the beetle is 50.7" wide
so the rear tires shouldnt stick out too badly
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Post by hellraiser on Mar 3, 2008 0:48:16 GMT -5
im not sure what a fox body mustang is but it sounds like it would work
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SKAR
New Member
Posts: 41
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Post by SKAR on Mar 3, 2008 6:27:07 GMT -5
Ill try to figure out how to post some pictures, I used ms paint on pictures of the shell when i got it to think about how id cut the body odd anf keep some strength to it until it gets shortened and caged (unibody car but does have almost full length frame rails)
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SKAR
New Member
Posts: 41
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Post by SKAR on Mar 3, 2008 6:30:31 GMT -5
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Post by V8 Super Beetle on Mar 3, 2008 9:47:46 GMT -5
Welcome, sounds like a cool idea / plan.
I know that the floor and firewall would work after cutting, but you'd have to measure the width and height of the strut towers to see if they'll fit in the truck area / under the fenders.
BTW, I'm not sure if you know, but the beetle body easily comes off after removing all the bolts that attach the body to the pan / floor. You could probably cut where your picture shows, place the body on the mustang pan, drill some holes so the body bolts to the stang pan, and then trim away the excess flooring / firewall.
Hope that helps.
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SKAR
New Member
Posts: 41
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Post by SKAR on Mar 3, 2008 18:00:55 GMT -5
Thats about what the plan is, the rear shock towers will fit back there without a probelm, they are really low and close together, the front strut towers however might have to be shortened or something, i think i can get them to fit but I dont know if the front fenders will sit right
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Post by V8 Super Beetle on Mar 3, 2008 18:06:00 GMT -5
I'd just measure it to see. The suspension on bugs are kinda close to the front and rear of the vehicle and their body tappers down, as you know.
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SKAR
New Member
Posts: 41
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Post by SKAR on Mar 3, 2008 18:18:36 GMT -5
Yeah, well with the Mustang having a 6" longer wheelbase hopefully ill be able to place it all in about the same spot, and the cage after will stiffen it all right up
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Post by hellraiser on Mar 4, 2008 0:06:49 GMT -5
it seems like it would work to me. just measure how far appart the struts are in the stang and the bug. thats what my bug looked like when i got it, minus the snow lol
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SKAR
New Member
Posts: 41
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Post by SKAR on Mar 4, 2008 6:45:21 GMT -5
Well the snow will hopefully be gone soon, Im in Ontario.....
Also I have now dragged in one of my buddys whos been building hot rods for about 25 years during the summer.....
So now Im glad that I have someone with a lot of experience with this kinda thing.
Im 17, and a full time apprentice, working full time and going to college, so im good with the mechanical side, just the fabrication Im new too when it comes to this stuff.
And I love your cars, I cant wait to have my own.
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Post by V8 Super Beetle on Mar 4, 2008 9:25:25 GMT -5
There's a bug in the snow picture? j/j
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Post by racerman51 on Mar 4, 2008 22:22:22 GMT -5
amazing that a guy from Houston knows what snow is... ;D..I'm thinking I know that beetle...was it for sale on kijiji on the St Catharines page?..just a hop,skip and a jump from me,St.Kitts is...shoot me a PM skar with where you're at..and I'll see if I can find ya a buyer for all that Mustang sheet-metal that you're going to be left with..I'm sure there's some mini-stock guys that could use it... ;D...
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SKAR
New Member
Posts: 41
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Post by SKAR on Mar 4, 2008 22:56:19 GMT -5
The people had I think they said 5 Beetles for sale and this is the last one.........
Ive always wanted one to just restore/ restomod
But with living at home, having cars around is hard to get away with so combining the 2 projects will be perfect......
Now my big question is, how hard is it to lift the front wheels?
I know on a fox, a mildly modded 351 with 4 cyl. springs in it (which is what I have) SHOULD pop a wheelie, im thinking it would be even easier as this will be even lighter......
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SKAR
New Member
Posts: 41
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Post by SKAR on Mar 4, 2008 23:04:26 GMT -5
Well also, I bought a mig pak 15 and am using argon, and I have a arc welder, I have my sawzall, bench grinder, different angle grinders, drill press,
those are about all I have as far as doing fabrication, friday I plan on picking up a 14" chop saw which should be about all the things im hoping to need for this
(i have all my normal tools at the shop, just this stuff that i think ill use quite a bit for the frame and cage)
the only other thing I can think of is a tubing bender, but one of my friends familys owns a Midas so I think it would be easiest to get it bent there for hopefully free
Are there any tools (hand tools, power tools, anything) that will really come in handy for this?
I just recently learnt how to weld using oxy-acetylene, so I wish I had that at the house too, and cutting with it would be nice.
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