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Beetle fibreglass body
scoobyis2cool - 29/3/05 at 03:53 PM

Not locost related as such, but does anyone know where you can get hold of VW Beetle bodywork in fibreglass? I'm itching to get on with another project and am considering a mid-engined, spaceframed beetle, and I don't particularly fancy making all the bodywork myself seeing as I have no experience with fibreglass at all. If I could find someone that sells it, that would be ideal.

I know you can buy wings etc but wasn't sure about a full body. Couldn't find anything through google either.

Cheers,

Pete

[Edited on 29/3/05 by scoobyis2cool]


Andybarbet - 29/3/05 at 04:18 PM

A company called Honeybourne Mouldings, make fibre glass bonnets, doors and boots etc for quite a large range of older cars, not sure about a full body though ?


scoobyis2cool - 29/3/05 at 04:52 PM

Thanks Andy, I managed to find their website and they do seem to do some parts, but not an entire body shell.

Maybe it's not common for companies to sell full bodywork? Unfortunately I'm new to this so I don't really know!

Cheers,

Pete

[Edited on 29/3/05 by scoobyis2cool]


stevebubs - 29/3/05 at 05:30 PM

The silhouette beetle racers are all fibreglass...can't remember the name of the series just now, though....


scoobyis2cool - 29/3/05 at 05:41 PM

quote:
Originally posted by stevebubs
The silhouette beetle racers are all fibreglass...can't remember the name of the series just now, though....


That sounds like a good place to start, can you remember any more details such as where they race or who runs the championship?

Pete

PS - They are original beetles aren't they? That's what I'm after as opposed to the new one

[Edited on 29/3/05 by scoobyis2cool]


Volvorsport - 29/3/05 at 06:05 PM

wizard rods used to do them , but arent around anymore . Volkskraft are right next door to me , they got loads of beetle stuff .

i believe the wizard rod was £999 - so - figure that in plus 10 years of inflation .

im sure the chaps at volkskraft told me there was a bloke at the bug jam selling bodies at about £1300 .


scoobyis2cool - 29/3/05 at 10:23 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Volvorsport
wizard rods used to do them , but arent around anymore . Volkskraft are right next door to me , they got loads of beetle stuff .

i believe the wizard rod was £999 - so - figure that in plus 10 years of inflation .

im sure the chaps at volkskraft told me there was a bloke at the bug jam selling bodies at about £1300 .


Thanks for the leads, I found the Volkskraft website so I've sent them an email, will also have a look at some VW magazines next time I'm hanging round in Smiths

Sounds like the shows could well be worth checking out too.

Cheers,

Pete


andyps - 30/3/05 at 08:47 PM

The race championship with silhouette beetles is the Uniroyal Beetle challenge or something similar.


thekafer - 31/3/05 at 03:15 AM

There are some folks over here that do a chop top split window (pre 52) hot rod bug with a v-8 option....I believe they are called The Glass Station.... Good luck!


scoobyis2cool - 31/3/05 at 10:22 AM

Thanks for the replies, the race championship is the Uniroyal Fun Cup, looks really good and the cars are just what I was thinking of designing - mid engine, central driving position, fibreglass body etc. Will have to go and check them out some time.

I've found the company that supply their bodywork as well, not cheap but looks good, would like to see it in the flesh.

The Glass Station also look good, not sure what it'd cost me to get one shipped over here, probably an arm and a leg

Oh well, it's just a pipe dream at the moment, I can't even weld yet!

Pete

[Edited on 31/3/05 by scoobyis2cool]


Simon - 1/4/05 at 11:02 PM

Pete,

Girl who works for us is mad on bugs, and she's off to a VW thingy for the weekend.

She is quite sure that whoever took over the manufacture of Wizard Rods kits is also doing standard shells, and will find out what she can over w/end.

HTH

ATB

Simon


scoobyis2cool - 1/4/05 at 11:09 PM

Hi Simon, that'd be awesome, thanks a lot. Any idea what event it is?

I'm off on holiday for a week from early tomorrow morning so won't be able to get on the site until next saturday, but I'll catch up when I'm back!

Thanks again,

Pete


Simon - 1/4/05 at 11:59 PM

Pete,

I do believe it's Esher way (but, of course, could be very wrong - I have trouble staying awake when she starts talking vw).

Anyway, have a good holiday - anywhere interesting?

ATB

Simon


mangogrooveworkshop - 3/4/05 at 08:47 AM

Rorty has the design all done for the v8 beetle. Why reinvent the wheel when its all done for ya.
Besides building is the real fun.

Having been a beetle man in the past I would get a manx beach buggy bod and drop the body on to a rorty type chassis.............
A lad that lived a long the road had a rotary in one with a 2 litre combi box..........and that was some traffic light dragster.

[Edited on 3-4-05 by mangogrooveworkshop]


mangogrooveworkshop - 3/4/05 at 08:54 AM

http://www.prostreetbug.com/ = glass station

6,250.00 USD
United States Dollars = 3,321.72 GBP
United Kingdom Pounds

[Edited on 3-4-05 by mangogrooveworkshop]


http://www.jprmotorsport.com/ local body supplier

[Edited on 3-4-05 by mangogrooveworkshop]


http://www.rorty-design.com/content/beetle.htm

[Edited on 3-4-05 by mangogrooveworkshop]


Rorty - 8/4/05 at 08:20 AM

In my Beetling days back in England in the early '90s, I wanted a fibreglass body for one of my tube chassis and at the time, the only fibreglass Beetle body was the Wizzard one. It wasn't quite what I wanted; it was a roadster and had the most humumgus, ugly gert sills.
So, I decided to make a plug and mould my own 3/4 body (the main shell, but no bonnet, engine lid or wings...they were all available from other manufacturers anyway). I completed the plug and in the process, did away with the little moon-shaped vents (behind the rear side windows on some models) and also did away with the multi-slot vent under the rear screen. I de-seamed it too, but apart from that, it was virtually a stock looking Beetle. I even made up sets of hidden hinges for it all. The whole thing was a beautiful job....even if I say so myself.
Then I left for Australia (big mistake) and left the plug and many Renault transaxles and Rover engines etc. behind in Somerset.
A bloke called Jim who used to come around and drink all my coffee adopted the residue of my workshop, so if you were to venture down to Somerset and start shouting around for "Jim", he may be interested in parting with the plug. I must dig out the photos for a trip down memory lane.


Volvorsport - 8/4/05 at 10:50 AM

id be interested in aquiring that plug , do you have any contact numbers ?


Rorty - 8/4/05 at 12:36 PM

I contacted "Jim" when I was in the UK in 2001 , but I can't even remember his surname now and I don't have a number for him.
If I do remember his name, I'll look him up and find out what happened to the plug.


scoobyis2cool - 10/4/05 at 11:54 PM

Thanks for all the replies, sorry it's taken so long to reply, been busy working on my tan (yeah right, it was only cornwall...)

Just had a quick look at the V8 bug on Rorty's site, looks really interesting so will have a proper read through tomorrow after I've got my annoying uni work out of the way

No need to go on a search for the mysterious "Jim" on my account, it's just an idea at the moment and seeing as my welding skills are non-existant at the moment it could be some time before I actually get round to it!

Thanks again for all the help,

Pete


JamJah - 11/4/05 at 12:35 AM

In send or ripley near woking there was a VW restorer. They had fiberglass shells chained to a lamp post at one point.

Shipping from states to Uk is expensive. Youd need a container: probably share for bout £200 if you get the right brokery person. Then the customs man wants between 10 and 25% depending what it is eg parts or complete, them I believe you may need to pay VAT on entery to UK. being an american car i think it needs SVA ing. Only ball park as I was looking at importing a 1953 Chevy. Not feasible as I only wanted it for a fiberglass mould!


trevorc - 21/8/06 at 03:58 AM

Does anyone know the web address for the builder of the Beetles in the Uniroyal series. Apparently they are done by Dubois Racing in Belgium.

I like the idea of using one of these bodies with the Rorty chassis.


Spyderman - 21/8/06 at 12:40 PM

Scooby,

Give Kingfisher Kustoms a call or pop over there. Not very far from you.
I heard that they aquired the Wizard moulds, but am not sure if it is true.

They certainly know there stuff about VWs though!


Kingfisher Kustoms