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AMT Der Beetle Bus-OOB Version Completed

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  • Member since
    March 2012
  • From: Corpus Christi, Tx
AMT Der Beetle Bus-OOB Version Completed
Posted by mustang1989 on Sunday, September 18, 2016 7:53 AM

I picked this kit up a couple of weeks ago because it was IMO just too dang cool. This one will be a sideline build when I either get stumped on or waiting for paint to dry for my current aircraft project, in which right now I'm waiting on paint to dry and trying to figure out some fit issues with it so I figured I'd start this thread. I'm not going to get as crazy as I did with my '54 Chevy just because I don't want something that in depth. But I do want to have some fun with this one so here goes.

Der Beetle Bus:

Image

Now when I opened up the box I looked at the body and knew right away that this body was not going to fly at all. The wheel base is ridiculously short for my tastes and it would look more like a cartoon van than an actual vehicle. Here's where we start:

Image

and I just couldn't leave it like that so I bought another kit and went to work:

Image

Cutting the bodies at just the right points yielded a wheel base that I could live with

Image

Top view of the difference it made:

Image

and the side view :

Image

and so it starts. Here's the set up I want to go with. Slicks and skinnies with my favorite kind of wheels. The ol' Weld Draglites:

This..................is more like it.

Image

Image

Image

Body work and smoothing things out will commence shortly. I have to lengthen the roof and the chassis to follow suit with the body so stay tuned..............

                   

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  • Member since
    June 2014
  • From: New Braunfels , Texas
Posted by Tanker - Builder on Sunday, September 18, 2016 8:02 AM

Veddy Interesting ! T.B.

  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: N. Georgia
Posted by Jester75 on Sunday, September 18, 2016 9:05 AM

Well this should be fun! Reminds me of one of Gas Monkey's creations.

Eric

 

  • Member since
    May 2013
  • From: Indiana, USA
Posted by Greg on Sunday, September 18, 2016 10:03 AM

No rest for the weary, eh buddy? Smile

  • Member since
    August 2009
  • From: MOAB, UTAH
Posted by JOE RIX on Sunday, September 18, 2016 10:51 AM

Oh, this is too funny Joe. heh, heh, heh..."I'm not going to get as crazy as on the '54 Chevy"..Ha Ha Ho Ho...So, you're immediately going start off by buying 2 kits and chopping the body to extend and chassis to get exactly what you want! WAHAHAHA...Oh my God! You're killing me here! WAHAHAHA...whatever! I'm sorry Joe, but I'm about to pee my pants. You will not be able to resist detailing this to the nines. I know you all too well.Wink

"Not only do I not know what's going on, I wouldn't know what to do about it if I did". George Carlin

  • Member since
    March 2012
  • From: Corpus Christi, Tx
Posted by mustang1989 on Sunday, September 18, 2016 12:12 PM

Thanks fellas! Yes

Eric: We'll see where this all goes.

Greg: No rest....lol

Joe: Man that has got to be one of the most hilarious replies I've ever read!! lol. I dunno about detailing it all out "to the nines" though. Money and another project are dictating that doesn't happen. I'll pull something out of the hat for you though. lol

                   

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  • Member since
    August 2009
  • From: MOAB, UTAH
Posted by JOE RIX on Sunday, September 18, 2016 1:14 PM

Glad I could give you a chuckle today my friend. I have to admit, I am a bit disappointed in the fact that your choosing not to detail it out because, as you well know, I have what is likely one of the greatest sources of reference to be found.

If I'm not mistaken, we're down to about 250 VW's left.

"Not only do I not know what's going on, I wouldn't know what to do about it if I did". George Carlin

  • Member since
    March 2012
  • From: Corpus Christi, Tx
Posted by mustang1989 on Sunday, September 18, 2016 1:18 PM

Wow!! Now that's alot of VW's!!!

Just so you know. The sectioning out and joining the halves only took about one hour and that's including sanding to fine tune the fit and to true everything up.Wink

                   

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  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: State of Mississippi. State motto: Virtute et armis (By valor and arms)
Posted by mississippivol on Sunday, September 18, 2016 2:40 PM
Now you know that when you change the proportions of the body, that it causes unexpected changes elsewhere. Meaning you're going to have to fix the antennae on the roof. 8P
  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Poland
Posted by Pawel on Sunday, September 18, 2016 4:34 PM

Hello Joe!

Funny thing - now we're both working on a Beetle bus - remember? Now mine isn't as cut up as yours, but it still isn't done. It's getting there, I think I'm going to post that build in a separate thread (not in the group build).

Now I think you and i we lost the ability to build OOB and do quick and easy projects... It happens, so to say...

Funny thing about that bus, though... Currently I'm working for VW in Poland, but many times I have been inside the old German VW works - Wolfsburg, where they developed the Bug bus out of a motorized platform used to carry parts around the plant (it's really big - bigger than the town of Wolfsburg itself) - and Hannover where they have built over a million of them busses.

Good luck with your build and have a nice day

Paweł

All comments and critique welcomed. Thanks for your honest opinions!

www.vietnam.net.pl

  • Member since
    March 2012
  • From: Corpus Christi, Tx
Posted by mustang1989 on Monday, September 19, 2016 8:29 AM

mississippi: Yeah I know. I'm fairly worried about all those extra mods that come with the first one.Indifferent

Pawel: Now that you mention it I do remember. Say, the Red Hot and Rollin' GB has been extended if you want to build it in there.Wink

                   

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  • Member since
    August 2015
  • From: the redlands Fl
Posted by crown r n7 on Monday, September 19, 2016 3:37 PM

This is going to be coolYes

 

 

 Nick.

  • Member since
    March 2012
  • From: Corpus Christi, Tx
Posted by mustang1989 on Tuesday, September 20, 2016 5:05 AM

Thanks Nick.

Started on the chassis this morning. Here's what we had to work with OOB:

Image

A couple of cuts and some trimming later yielded the correction:

Image

Again, clean up will happen soon but I've gotta make sure this all works before any cosmetic work gets done. I did, however, get rid of those bumps for foot pedals. I think I can come up with something better than that.

 

 

                   

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  • Member since
    March 2012
  • From: Corpus Christi, Tx
Posted by mustang1989 on Friday, September 23, 2016 8:06 AM

Ok. That extra long rectangular opening in the floor is gonna mandate an engine that'll fill it. Don't think I haven't "been there" in thought. I'll be using Rick Dobbertin's blown, turbo'd and nitrous fed small block 350 for this using the Revell Pro Street J2000 kit:

1986 Rick Dobbertin&#39;s Radical <b>J-2000</b> Pontiac <b>Pro</b> <b>Street</b> (1/25) (fs)

The engine looks somthing like this:

                   

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  • Member since
    August 2009
  • From: MOAB, UTAH
Posted by JOE RIX on Friday, September 23, 2016 8:54 AM

Holy Crap Joe! OK, for someone who claims that they are NOT going to go all out on this, well..this seems to me to be along the lines of not only an epic conversion but, also an epic level of engine detailing. I'm just simply making an observation my ambitious little friend.Big Smile

"Not only do I not know what's going on, I wouldn't know what to do about it if I did". George Carlin

  • Member since
    March 2012
  • From: Corpus Christi, Tx
Posted by mustang1989 on Friday, September 23, 2016 9:21 AM

You know.......................................somehow I just knew you were the first one that was gonna respond to that. lol.  Thanks Joe. Yes

                   

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  • Member since
    August 2014
  • From: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Posted by goldhammer on Friday, September 23, 2016 1:26 PM

SBC?????  Man this thing is just crying for a nitro blown big block to put some sting to go with the antennas and make them stand up straight.Cool

  • Member since
    March 2012
  • From: Corpus Christi, Tx
Posted by mustang1989 on Friday, September 23, 2016 2:16 PM

LOL!! With two blowers, two turbo's and nitrous plummed into it it's practically two big blocks plus!! Wink

                   

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  • Member since
    August 2009
  • From: MOAB, UTAH
Posted by JOE RIX on Friday, September 23, 2016 3:04 PM

mustang1989

You know.......................................somehow I just knew you were the first one that was gonna respond to that. lol.  Thanks Joe. Yes

 

Yeah, I know but,...well...I just couldn't help myself.

"Not only do I not know what's going on, I wouldn't know what to do about it if I did". George Carlin

  • Member since
    March 2012
  • From: Corpus Christi, Tx
Posted by mustang1989 on Friday, September 23, 2016 3:37 PM

I don't think there's laugh emoticon drastic enough for that comment Joe. All I've gotta say is............................you were right. lol

                   

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  • Member since
    August 2009
  • From: MOAB, UTAH
Posted by JOE RIX on Saturday, September 24, 2016 12:02 AM

mustang1989

I don't think there's laugh emoticon drastic enough for that comment Joe. All I've gotta say is............................you were right. lol

 

Aaaand I'm sporting a grin the size of Milwaukee. You crack me up Joe.

"Not only do I not know what's going on, I wouldn't know what to do about it if I did". George Carlin

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: East Bethel, MN
Posted by midnightprowler on Saturday, September 24, 2016 7:37 AM

If I were you Joe, I'd put a slant 6 in it.Whistling

Hi, I am Lee, I am a plastiholic.

Co. A, 682 Engineers, Ltchfield, MN, 1980-1986

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 1 Corinthians 15:51-54

Ask me about Speedway Decals

  • Member since
    March 2012
  • From: Corpus Christi, Tx
Posted by mustang1989 on Saturday, September 24, 2016 8:15 AM

Joe : I'll just bet you are. lol

Lee: If I were to do that it would end up with a dual turbo set up on that for sure. lol

Today I cut the roof to the desired length. Here's the two bodies side by side to show the length added and the difference:

Test fitted into place on the body:

and a couple of overall mock up shots:

 

                   

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  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: East Bethel, MN
Posted by midnightprowler on Saturday, September 24, 2016 12:09 PM

Dual  turbo slant 6, cool. 

Hi, I am Lee, I am a plastiholic.

Co. A, 682 Engineers, Ltchfield, MN, 1980-1986

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 1 Corinthians 15:51-54

Ask me about Speedway Decals

  • Member since
    March 2012
  • From: Corpus Christi, Tx
Posted by mustang1989 on Saturday, September 24, 2016 2:44 PM

It won't be for this build but a twin turbo slant 6 does sound like an interesting project. I'm getting to where engine builds are my most favorite part of the build. The more wild I can get and the more detail the better.

                   

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  • Member since
    March 2012
  • From: Corpus Christi, Tx
Posted by mustang1989 on Tuesday, September 27, 2016 9:01 AM

SNAGGED IT!!! $22.00 off of ebay!! Looks like we're movin' forward with that engine build!!!!

.

                   

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  • Member since
    August 2009
  • From: MOAB, UTAH
Posted by JOE RIX on Wednesday, September 28, 2016 10:09 PM

NICE!!! Very nice indeed.Big Smile

"Not only do I not know what's going on, I wouldn't know what to do about it if I did". George Carlin

  • Member since
    August 2007
  • From: back country of SO-CAL, at the birth place of Naval Aviation
Posted by DUSTER on Thursday, September 29, 2016 12:30 AM

 

JOE

OK I finally found your new build-(OK I was out of town and have just got back-geesh)

 

Any way as I see your OOB idea is shot to dbl hockey sticks, the progress so far is looking real good.

 

Hope you are going to install the antennas; I have a soft spot for bugs with bug ears. In my misspent youth I worked for a pest control company and we had antenna on the service trucks and after I moved into inspections I drove a VW bug with mouse ears, nose and tail.  Cut quite a fine figure if I say so myself (you do eventually get used to the stares and the good looking girls smile at you- so not too bad)

  and

 

HUMMM Wonder if this had any effect on my development????---Naw

Steve

Building the perfect model---just not quite yet  Confused

  • Member since
    June 2014
  • From: New Braunfels , Texas
Posted by Tanker - Builder on Thursday, September 29, 2016 9:23 AM

AHA !

 Caught you in a fib LOL ! I also knew you wouldn't settle for second best . Now that says you're gonna put in as much as you do in other builds . Nice choice , by the way . Watching You !  T.B.

  • Member since
    March 2012
  • From: Corpus Christi, Tx
Posted by mustang1989 on Thursday, September 29, 2016 11:09 AM

Steve: I dunno bout those antennas. lol

T.B.: True I'm going to put more than I first thought into this build but what's also true is that I've learned alot since my 56 F-100 build on just how crazy and how much cash I want to put into any given build.

                   

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