These running boards are killing me

Some parts are almost always missing on vintage Volkswagens. I believe the OG running boards with the reinforcement made for splits and early ovals fits  nicely into this category. It took me lots of research to find out what they should look like and what material to use. Parts was bought from both Sweeden and US and then they came together after a while . Finally I when I was stupid enough to believe that every piece of these beauties had found its right place in vw-history, new evidence turned up proving that my rubberchoice was all wrong. Great! 

The ambassador

Her is one "barnfresh" pic of my july 1950 model. Splitboy and Oval57 got one day off work and gave old VW all our attention. The 34 hp engine got out and throwed behind the barn. Crap! The split is rusty, but I think it can be worth saving as a original patina-car. All fenders are original, as well as the bonnet and engine-decklid.

Original suitcase-set

Oval57 always look for new items and gadgets for his collection. But the best for him is option wich can be used with his highly beloved oval.

This "Polaris" set with suitcases comes from ca. 1958 and has been in the same family until now. The same weekend I also got one more "Stabburboks" picnicbox from Stabburet with a split VW on two sides.

In the dark winter nights

At this time of year the summer season is almost forgotten. To refresh the good memories from the 2006 season, I found some pictures to "share the moment". This was the first official club stand the 6V Outlavws put together, just hours before we headed for Mantorp Park. A few of the outlavws good friends are also shown in the pictures.... Next time (2008?) there may be four split window beetles parked in front of our tent...

Split-kit-boy

Not everyone can see the happiness of owning a trailer full of metal pieces. Split Boy says it's the best thing he ever bought. Well, looking trough "beer-glasses" can fool the best of us. But against all odds, put toghether according to the factory manual from Wolfsburg, the pile of metalpanels is starting to look like a car. It can't be said enough, but this car is going to be a sick ride... Nothing beats an aged bordeaux =)

Progression all over

The garage "crew" is really getting warm, and the cars progression is visible everywhere you look. Fursten welded in his outer channel, after quite a heavy straightening job on the door sill.

He is also very happy with our newest tool, a mini-grinder. It may look as he has cut out all his teeth with this tool in the picture, but luckily that is not the case.... Did he mention something about buying a newer and rust free car next time??

Zwitter milestone

A personal milestone for Knechten was reached last night. One corner of the car is now welded rock solid. More details on the Zwitter Blog.... 1/4 of the welding job is done =)

Outlavw times

Some of the Outlavws are a little addicted to the spirit and looks of a 70ies Cal-look beetle. We often dream about how it was to live back then and cruise around in a true Cal-looker. Little did we know about how people REALLY drove around in their beetles in the mid 70ies. Here are two links to Youtube showing some "outlavws" action starring a couple of VWs as well. The key words are Nordschleife and Adenauer... Respect to our parents generation =)
Part 1:
http://video.google.nl/videoplay?docid=640695539059738855&q=Crash+Adenauer
Part 2:
http://video.google.nl/videoplay?docid=-9013601544189146673&q=Crash+Adenauer

Fürst-Parts

When Fürsten is involved in something related to VW (and that happens from time to time), the level of details are often unlimited. So when the old capitan split needed new outer heaterchannel replacement, no shortcuts was considered. The result shown in the picture is very good, and as close to original as possible for the eye to see. Concidering the amount of hours spent on one piece of replacement channel, I think Wolfparts and others don't have to worry about competition for some time yet. But it's all in the details =) When Fürsten is happy, everyone else are happy...

All for one

Last night in the garage saw splitboy's bug being worked on by all the members present. Starting with most of the panels up front butchered out - the body had started to look like a bug again when we left the barn in the early morning hours. This would not have been possible to do alone... =)

This night, we also made the welder work properly for the first time - with the gas bottle attached to the welder - this started to be real fun!

Taking it a step further

After a day of welding lessons, the skills were tested on real Wolfsburg material. Seeing the result of this fender welded, Splitboy (new nick name) has a fair chance of bringing the gorgeous boureaux back to life. Receiving a hard package from Wolfparts today, we will see some real progression in the Outlavws garage the next weeks =)

Back to basics

We are not all born world champions, and allthough the Outlavws boys are hard as nails, they seem to have a hint of common sense now and then. This time a golden opportunity to learn the basics about MIG welding with a real and very exsperienced teacher, was too good to turn down. We all had a blast during a full day under the supervision of Sr Solberg. As we all know, it always pays off to be the teachers son, and this time was no exception when it came to the welding exams. Someone had taken private lessons and kept his mouth shut...

Happiness

Luckily we discovered that anger can cure anger. In this case the anger someone exspressed through his Mig welder years ago, was possible to cure with heavy hammering many years later.
The best psycological theraphy for both?? A so called win win situation?? Anyway, we left the garage smiling last night =)

Back on track

After being visited through the autumn and winter by lots of "know how" friends, the poor split wagon has got the death penalty more than once. Fürsten had one too many nightmares after each visit in the garage, and evrything from Hebmuller replicas to placing the car behind the barn has been considered. To prove that this is just a big misunderstanding, Knechten and Fürsten undusted their ultimate tools last night; "Stor vinkelsliper" and "Slegge". To everybodys surprise, this was all the medicine needed to bring the split back to life.
Nothing can compares to the feeling of letting all your anger out on a vintage Volkswagen...

New territory

Last night some of the Original-jugend started working on something they never seen before. Take a close look at the manifolds and you see that these guys are way off base trying to figure out modern VW technology. Having only exsperienced changing oil on a 25 hp engine before, the 1600 DP engine seemed to scare them a little bit. But after stripping down the tinware, and fitting the engine with 25 hp fanhousing and generator, the boys looked more relaxed. More pictures to come of this "wolf in sheep-clothing" engine build.

Oval55`s VW-service

Here is a seldom picture from the garage. Yes, he is a proud member. But did we see him so often?
Yesterday he did some VW-service on his Jungel-green machine. New oil was put into her heart. And best of all, the old 356 engine did start (with help from my battery). Oh, what a lovely sound!

25 HP tuning by Oval57?

Yesterday I finally got my winter-motor-project inside the garage. It is a 25 HP engine for one of my splits. I have desided to sandblast the steel and paint it with powder-coat in Sweden.
I miss some parts on the engine, but I will find them. And, of course, I will have the correct K-manifold on it.
Beside me Knechten and Oval55 was working on their splits or ovals.

Mr. Metalshaper

A new metalshaper is born =) During an afternoon in the workshop, Fürsten handcrafted some nice weldingparts with his bare hands. A detailed picture will follow after another afternoon of shaping. The piece under production is the rear end of the heaterchannel and inner channel. Small things can make a simpel man happy.

Two for the price of one?

Some people can`t get enough. The most of us buy one car at a time, but Oval57 think that will be to less. When he this summer had collected splits, he picked they up one-by-one, with good help from the 6V OutlaVWs. This weekend he was "fed-up". "Let`s bring home two!" he said. And so he did. Today he is the new owner of TWO 1950 model VW bugs. The papers tells that they where imported to Norway as new cars. The cars is of course objects, but the "yellow" is quite nice.

Another pic

Here is the yellow one painted several times....