Coupe (re)build

Most of what I want to do is on the interior. 

For seats I chose these. They'll be polished before installation:

This is the shifter:

I decided to do some exposed polished aluminum in parts of the car, detailed with cosmetic rivets. I picked up replacement 356 panels etc and will adapt them to my purpose.

Luggage deck. It is riveted, trimmed, not yet polished or installed:

I found this piece for the tunnel. It will need to be trimmed, cut and then welded. Welding is beyond my skill set, fortunately I have a friend who is a top level fabricator. This and 2/3 other items will be the next step, the car will go to him in two weeks.

Very cool project!

That car looks familiar. Anyone here remember who built the one with the exhaust ports like that?

Some more interior thoughts. I got the idea to rivet signs together from the rat rod culture, I've seen license plates used in rat rods.

I decided rivet european road signs etc together and use as the roof liner. I took pics along the way of the process, no I can't seem to locate them. I'll shape and trim them further. The idea is the will be "wedged in" between the roll bar and the roof as well as glued in.

The larger piece is partially trimmed and shaped hard to see the rivets on the big piece:

I'm not sure what the current pedal setup is, but it is going:

To be replaced by these. Pics are  on the workbench at Pedal Works. The mounting up of the new pedals will be part of the fab work done by my friend

@edsnova posted:

Very cool project!

That car looks familiar. Anyone here remember who built the one with the exhaust ports like that?

Thanks!

I don't know who built the car, I bought it from a dealer

I bought this to be part of the roof liner, but it was too large. It will fit under the hood, I'm thinking of putting it there. Or maybe I'll just hang it on the wall in my garage

I have a set of these HRBB rims, not yet installed. I like the look of the black rims. I'll try these as they sit in terms of finish, but I'm thinking I may darken them up, maybe a smoked dark chrome or something.

I was too lazy to get all four down:

Another fab job for my friend will be to make a gas tank like this. I poached this pic from another thread on here. We will use the base of a stock tank and he'll fab up the upper part.

The exhaust on this car is definitely not someones (or probably anyones) best work, so part of the fab shop trip will be to rectify this current state of affairs:

@edsnova posted:

Very cool project!

That car looks familiar. Anyone here remember who built the one with the exhaust ports like that?

I don't know who built it but I remember that car as well, Ed, although I couldn't tell you much about it.

@vegas356- Lovin' the holes in the pedal cluster!  Are the rims aluminum or steel? And my apologies- I don't remember your first name?  Al

@ALB posted:

I don't know who built it but I remember that car as well, Ed, although I couldn't tell you much about it.

@vegas356- Lovin' the holes in the pedal cluster!  Are the rims aluminum or steel? And my apologies- I don't remember your first name?  Al

Al my name is Frank, excuse my manners for not properly introducing myself!

They are aluminum, here's the link to where I got them  www.alloyreplicas.com

The holes are cool!

I'm still going back and forth with myself on taking out the dash and replacing it with something this:

I do think it would be cool to have a polished aluminum dash. It also would be a lot of work. I haven't bought the dash yet, so not fully committed to this part of the project.

I bought these stopwatches to mount on the dash, just because i like the look:

When I went to remove the headliner I saw it was wrapped around the cage. I the first pic you can see the remnants of the foam layer the was put on first. The dilemma then was how to get the foam off the cage and not ruin the paint. I figured out saving the paint wasn't an option, so I stripped it down to bare (mostly) metal and cleared it.

I need to grab a pic of the finished product, here's a few of the process:

I also decided to embark upon sound deadening. I went ahead and did the entire cabin, not uin patches like I've seen recommend. I did the doors as well, no pictures of the doors.

I really like where you’re going with this.

@Lane Anderson posted:

I really like where you’re going with this.

Thanks Lane, I just hope I get there 

Lotta work for sure. fwiw I like the coup dashboard. It looks good already.

Re the pedals: if you swap in the modded VW set you'll probably have to move your clutch master cylinder closer to the brake MC.

Keep those pics coming!

@vegas356 posted:

 

I bought these stopwatches to mount on the dash, just because i like the look:

I have loved those Rudenmeister clocks since I first saw them-- they're stupid-cool, and really expensive.

Do you have a link where you bought them?

PS: your project is fantastic.

@edsnova posted:

Lotta work for sure. fwiw I like the coup dashboard. It looks good already.

Re the pedals: if you swap in the modded VW set you'll probably have to move your clutch master cylinder closer to the brake MC.

Keep those pics coming!

Good point, Ed.  @vegas356, it looks like you've got something along the lines of a Wilwood pedal set up, which I would consider superior to the VW-based one, regardless of the "cool factor"  Your choice, though.

The car was built by the now defunct Carrera Coachwerks in the San Diego area if I recall correctly.

@edsnova posted:

Lotta work for sure. fwiw I like the coup dashboard. It looks good already.

Re the pedals: if you swap in the modded VW set you'll probably have to move your clutch master cylinder closer to the brake MC.

Keep those pics coming!

Thanks for the pedal advice!

@Stan Galat posted:

I have loved those Rudenmeister clocks since I first saw them-- they're stupid-cool, and really expensive.

Do you have a link where you bought them?

PS: your project is fantastic.

Stan,

I bought them here https://www.classiccarseats.com/watches.php.

And thanks on the project

@Lane Anderson I realize the current pedal setup may be better, but I can't shake the idea of the cool factor of the new pedals. That and I already have them, so I'm committed.

@vegas356 posted:

You are probably already on this-- but the oil lines touching the exhaust is something you'll need to rectify.

Oh yeah.  As me how I know. 

@Stan Galat The oil lines and a few other things are on a list, but thanks for pointing them out

Beautiful job you are doing there.  That is going to be one fine outlaw coupe.

mine melted thru 1x, there was smoke everywhere, luckily shut engine down in seconds and coasted to a stop, it was in BFE naturally..

Neat project, Frank, you're doing some very cool stuff.  Those aluminum rims are the bomb at 11 lbs a piece!  They'll look great on your car darkened up, polished or as is.  Instead of chroming (which is always questionable in terms of durability on aluminum) have you considered dark anodizing them?  Is there enough room in the back fenderwells to widen them 1" to the inside to run wider tires? 205's would look pretty outrageous!

Is that a 356 tunnel section? It will be interesting to see how your buddy does with that.  Is the car built on a modified Beetle pan?  As said, the Wilwood pedals are considered superior (I've never driven a car with them so don't have any experience) but the drilled pedals look great.  I've been known to drill the odd hole in a few parts but haven't touched the cluster yet- it's definitely a future project.  Were things by chance weighed before and after?

Here is my parking brake (and related pieces)- if you're going for the drilled look it would look stupid cool in your car.

I'm paying attention to weight lost in the things I drill as well (which is why I asked above)- the handbrake itself went from 346 to 234 grams, the ratchet plate from 81-54 g and the pivot pin 42-21 (you can't see it but it's hollow) for a total weight reduction of 160 g (5.64 oz.). FYI- the ratchet plate is surface hardened (on both sides) to a depth of 30 or 40 thou; you'll need carbide bits (which are not cheap) to drill into it, and be gentle when transitioning from the (relatively) soft middle to the harder other side- you'll break the bit if you're not careful. I broke a few drilling transaxle parts and I"ll let you guess how loud I yelled when I broke a $50 ¼" bit.

I may have gone a wee bit overboard on the handle- we'll see how it holds up.  Al

@edsnova posted:

Very cool project!

That car looks familiar. Anyone here remember who built the one with the exhaust ports like that?

Dr. Kleber from Kitman Motors built his own car with the exhaust through the body.

https://www.rcnmag.com/garage/wisdom-teeth

Re the pedals: if you swap in the modded VW set you'll probably have to move your clutch master cylinder closer to the brake MC.

The stock VW pedals use a cable for the clutch engagement.  Your appears to be by hydraulics.  I'd just put nice billet petal pads on the existing setup.

On the dash.  I greatly prefer the existing one with the glove box.  It makes it look less kit car-ish.

Great interior choices.

This is the Carrera Coachwerks show car.  Here is some history and pictures.
https://www.speedsterowners.co...t-carrera-coachwerks

-=theron

@vegas356 posted:

Thanks for the pedal advice!

Ed pedals advice and makes pedals Too

I only made three.

Here is another picture of the car circa December 2012 at the san Diego Car Show. My kids were working ride and drives for Chrysler.

Larry

@WOLFGANG I'll probably do the pedals anyway, even if it is tech step backwards, in this case function will follow form. I found a metal dash that is exactly like mine, I think I 'll go with that one, although these are kit cars anyway, no?

@Theron @goofer thanks for the pictures& history, helpful

@ALB the hand brake currently in the car is somewhat drilled already, but nothing like your work of art. I really liked the handbrake Seduction Motorsports made, if anyone has one they'd like to sell, I'm a buyer.

Yes, Carrera Coachwerks Coupe verified.  I have driven it

Dr. Chris

@vegas356 posted:   @ALB the hand brake currently in the car is somewhat drilled already, but nothing like your work of art. I really liked the handbrake Seduction Motorsports made, if anyone has one they'd like to sell, I'm a buyer.

Do we get to see a pic of your drilled handbrake?

@ALB posted:

Do we get to see a pic of your drilled handbrake?

After all, he did show you his...

@JMM (Michael) posted:

After all, he did show you his...

Yes, yes I did.  If anyone would like to see it again, I'm not shy- just scroll up.

Oh I'm loving this................so much nice touches and details..............love it, love it, love it. 

@ALB posted:

Do we get to see a pic of your drilled handbrake?

You did show me yours after all....