My VWs...

[Fish]

The Fish Tank is a 1972 crossover Bay which has been owned by me for over a year now. Originally purchased from a Volkszone member in Manchester, the bus runs a 1641cc twin port engine and 17 inch Mercedes rims. The steering box has been converted to a late bay box for better handling

http://retrocustom.com/portal/images/stories/BlogPics/15_9_08/FishTank1.jpg

http://retrocustom.com/portal/images/stories/BlogPics/15_9_08/FishTank3.jpg

This bus is my daily driver and sees a lot of road use throughout the year.

Future plans are to take the bus off the road once the Mexican Crewcab hits the road and replace the front panel, remove the belly pans and replace the current incorrect import doors. Also on the cards is a bigger motor and a 2 litre gearbox. The bus currently runs a TV DVD system with games console and also a 1100watt bass amp driving two huge Xplod drivers with another amp running Clarion crossovers into PA tweeters, two 6x9's by JBL and two 4 inch speakers, putting out close to 3000watts! ! The bus will shortly be kitted out with more speakers and yet another amp!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LExJJnO_oOg&feature=related

Next up is my bug

http://retrocustom.com/portal/images/stories/BlogPics/14_9_08/Fish67_5.jpg

I bought this in 1993 when it was just a bodyshell with no heater channels and a metre long hole in the roof. The car also came with a decent floorpan and gearbox and the next two years were spent gathering the right parts to get it back on the road.

Two years later, the car was on the road as a Savannah Beige '67 with a standard motor.

After 5 years of happy motoring , a load of cool parts have been amassed to take the restoration into the next stage, ranging from windscreen vent chrome trims to a genuine Hella speedo cable reverse light switch. Unfortunately shortly after, the car suffered an engine bay fire which wrote the car off. I bought the car back for £200 and proceeded to rebuild the car.

However, personal circumstances dictated that the car needed to be sold, so the car was reluctantly sold on to a new owner. As luck would have it, 6 years later I got the chance to buy the car back after the current owner honoured a deal made when the car was sold to offer me first refusal. I jumped at the chance and bought the car back.

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa185/cyprus-holiday/01062008060.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa185/cyprus-holiday/01062008062.jpg

and heres a rare chance to see them both in action together with my other (significantly better) half Driving Hilly

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1HzKATPYDw&feature=related

next is my Crew, I bought this after seeing it at VW Action..

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa185/cyprus-holiday/crew%20cab/059-4.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa185/cyprus-holiday/crew%20cab/061-3.jpg

I started the first steps towards getting the Crew cab on the road. I started by chopping back ALL the steel affected.

First were the passenger side sills and the remains of the rear cab step.

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa185/cyprus-holiday/crew%20cab/06092008361.jpg

Then onto the floor and this goes back under the bed as an additional storage space but as the tilt bolt holes in the bed were open this has allowed the water in that has caused the rot to this floor and the sills.
so all effected metal was removed and believe me some was like tinfoil mesh.

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa185/cyprus-holiday/crew%20cab/06092008362.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa185/cyprus-holiday/crew%20cab/06092008371.jpg

Moving on from there I removed the damaged rear valance outer skin as I had decided to replace the lot but after I had I decided repairing it would be better.

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa185/cyprus-holiday/crew%20cab/06092008369.jpg

then for the drivers side sills again badly effected by the water being allowed to come in off the bed.

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa185/cyprus-holiday/crew%20cab/06092008367.jpg

then onto the cab step and front panel so the door came off and out it came.

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa185/cyprus-holiday/crew%20cab/06092008370.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa185/cyprus-holiday/crew%20cab/06092008366.jpg

from there I went back to the rear arches and on a Crewcab there is an issue with the rear vents above the wheel arches letting in water and dirt. This is compounded by having panel damping strips where the inner and outer arch meet. basically there is a trough for dirt to collect in and it didn't miss this opportunity!

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa185/cyprus-holiday/crew%20cab/06092008368.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa185/cyprus-holiday/crew%20cab/06092008363.jpg

This is what came out of the drivers side!

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa185/cyprus-holiday/crew%20cab/06092008365.jpg

and then the passenger side was not quite as bad

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa185/cyprus-holiday/crew%20cab/06092008372.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa185/cyprus-holiday/crew%20cab/06092008373.jpg

Throughout the whole job I had a fire extinguisher and decent lighting and this is how I will continue.

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa185/cyprus-holiday/crew%20cab/06092008360.jpg

[B-boyblue]

Looking forward to seeing the crew cab slammed fish!
Hope all is good at RC.

[Illusion]

Some really nice looking vw's there, can see that crew cab looking very nice in the future.

[vwfish]

Looking forward to seeing the crew cab slammed fish!
Hope all is good at RC.


Best job I've ever had! Great bunch of Guys who I get on well with. :D

As the crew cab is the 4th car its getting done properly so it wont be rushed. I'm keeping or replacing the decals with fresh and it will be slammed on gasburners. Might even narrow it a bit..:rolleyes:

[vwfish]

Some really nice looking vw's there, can see that crew cab looking very nice in the future.

ThanQ, We bought the crew on looks and only when I started to dig around in it did I start to think it could become the nicest bay I have owned. ;)

Just wish I had some time to work on it :rolleyes:

[SlammedSixtyFive]

wicked crew cab!!

4 cars!!!???

[Fish]

wicked crew cab!!

4 cars!!!???

*cough* Corsa *cough* Mrs fish's Work runner :o

[mollycat1]

weird sore the crew cab up for sale glad its found a good home

[robster]

liking the collection very much, the bay looks good in black!!

[Fish]

weird sore the crew cab up for sale glad its found a good home

She who MUST be obeyed made me do it! Good on her :D

[Fish]

liking the collection very much, the bay looks good in black!!

Cheers, I love that bus so much and even when its restored I think it will stay mat black :cool:

[mollycat1]

did you need adaptors to get those wheels on the bay or did they go straight on

[Fish]

did you need adaptors to get those wheels on the bay or did they go straight on

Nope the merc alloys just need the holes drilling out and longer studs but I might add I didn't fit these to it they came with the bus but all in all its easy enough to do and most merc rims can easily be fitted to bays ;)

[mollycat1]

cool ya learn something new every day

[Fish]

cool ya learn something new every day

Carlton alloys are the same pcd and also only need drilling out to fit :D

[mollycat1]

think it makes a change finding wheels that fit as alot of vw are all riding the same wheels nowadays

[Fish]

think it makes a change finding wheels that fit as alot of vw are all riding the same wheels nowadays

I agree...

Find something you like but different ;)

[mollycat1]

here here lol