SCC 08 - What a blast

Barely recovered from the best VW weekend I've ever attended. As a SCC and NKVW (vintage lounge) organizer almost a week of work went in to this meeting. But I had a blast meeting all these nice people of the whole european VW community. Unfonately I did not get the chance to be everywhere and see all the cars. BUT I got to see most of it, and also had a dream come true. I got to ride and swim a type 166, and riding along in the sunshine in a 42 kübelwagen.

My own zwitter was not driven for the whole weekend, but Olaf of the german DFL club got a few nice shots of it. Enjoy his amazing album!

www.olafalbers.de/gallery

A break from beach life

Every day cannot be spent at the beach with the family, most due to Norwegian weather. Then it's good to have some alternative activities for bad weather days. Last weekend I got a tip about a "mid fifties" single cab. So when the rain hit, I had to check it out. It all looked like a mess when I came there, but it turned out to be able to help me with some donor bits. No, not for my zwitter, a new project is on the steps, before the zwitter is even done. But the new project will make the zwitter welding look like kindergarden work. So for now I'm just collecting pieces parallell to finnish off my zwitter, not starting with anything new for a good while. The forest-wreck turned out to be a sealing-wax-red 59. It supplied me with a complete front beam, complete trans and axles, and some small useful pieces. It takes an enthusiast to see the gold...

Some more pictures

Took a couple of shots of the car last night. This time also from the interior. Function before comfort?

Correct wheels Part. 2

How correct are the wheels and stance of the zwitter, claiming to be a mid 50 ies race car? Well, the trendsetting for cars over the years have more or less been influenced by the factory premium racecars. So why do the zwitter has cal-look stance? And where did the cal-look stance come from in the 60 ies? Here are a couple of photos showing Formula 1 and Indy 500 cars in the year of 1952. That's tireporn right there, and they sure have a nice stance too... Me like a lot =) (that BRM burnout is something else or what?) I'm not saying the zwitter is authentic and that there ever was built such a car this early, but then again, why not?

Different pictures

After the maiden voyage to Bug Run 25, I've attended a few get-togethers with the zwitter in the nearby area. One of the few benefits of living close to Oslo is the distance to the VW happeinings during the summer. Here are som pictures from the Oslo VW club forum:

Cruising in Drammen, june 08:

http://www.oslovwclub.no/prat/display_topic_threads.asp?ForumID=9&TopicID=2092&PagePosition=1

Hot Shop barbeque, june 08:

http://www.oslovwclub.no/prat/display_topic_threads.asp?ForumID=9&TopicID=2095&PagePosition=1

In the picture our good friends from "Screwdrivers".

The driver - getting wet

Here is a shot of the driver... Enjoying himself quite a lot these days as the zwitter is turning relatively reliable. As you can see it's a sunshine car, because the wipers ain't worth shit, not flying the freeway anyway. And the car has the OG rubber and moldings since new, so what else to expect than a little leakage. Both front lower corners of the windscreen is dripping when driving in rainy weather. It's all part of the atmosphere, huh? Thank you Oval 57 for the picture =)

2000 Hits

Thank you for visiting this blog. To celebrate I give you porn to watch, hope you can take it =) Some interesting things are still happening in our garage, so stay tuned for more sechs volt fun and "old speed".

Chasing a split

This is a little clip from my phone... But the quality was better than expected so I have to try this more =) Not difficult catching up with Fürsten, having three times the power at hand. We were headed for a gathering at Hot Shop in Norway (se more on the Sechs volt site)

Cruising a "self built" car

Well, as somone said before; there is not much that can reach up to cruising along in your self restored car. It's been two hard years from the day I sold my 66 cal-looker and bought this piece of rusted junk. To finally have it on the road, after two years of not having a drivable vw, sure add something to the satisfaction. Looking foreward to a summer of cruising and troubleshooting, before the car goes in for the winter... Here are a couple of excellent drive by photos by Fürsten.

The wheels

I've had some questions about the wheels. Nothing complicated there, just plain 5 stud OG rims. Drilled for ventilation like they did in the old days. The rears have got new outer rims in 5,5" size at Sunnaas in Oslo, and the fronts are stock. The choice of tires are Firestone bias ply 5.60-15 and 6.40-15 (correct for T2). The whole thing set up with Porsche A-Brake dummies from CB Performance until the real thing some day will be mounted. The bias ply sure gives a different driving experience, but not as bad as expected =) The main goal was to get the "Old speed" look, what do you think?

Racing the zwitter

Found these old racing photos of the zwitter from back in the early seventies... Photos shot by opponents co-driver. Overtaking a straight out of the dealer 1303 in a steep hill, no better feeling for a 52 race car =)

Ready to rumble?

No, the first trip out is going to be quiet... For the car that is. There are new things that need attention every kilometer I drive. And the big test is starting tomorrow morning as we head for Sweden. Last night we had a last meeting at the garage, and a nice cruise home into the night... Sechs volt rides again =)

Final testing

The last week I have managed some small testruns on the open road. With the usual set backs of course. But day by day I'm narrowing down the list of errors, and it has become close to drivable now. Everything regarding safety is top notch, and with some adjustment to transmission and engine, I really hope for a nice trip to Sweden in two days. Driving 1100 km with a car this "fresh", sure put some exitement to the trip... The car's now waiting for the final touches =)

Test pilot 1

Here is a little clip of one of the first test runs out of the garage. The engine only running on three cylinders, is quite obvious when you hear the sound recorded. The problem is now solved, and the engine should run OK after some final adjustment of the timing. Oval 57 looks a little stressed out behind the wheel, could be the clutch barely releasing??

One more back on the road

Another norwegian zwitter is now officially saved from the happy hunting grounds. Being one step away from ending as a demolition derby participant (bilcross) in the early eighties, and then saved by the bell and tucked away in an old barn, the car is now finally road legal again. On the 16th of may the car was tested on the open road with the new plates freshly mounted. I still have trouble getting rid of the grin on my face, several days after the incident... All nightmares about welding and old rust are long gone. Still lots of adjustment needed, but driving down to the gas station and filling the car up for the first time, sure qualifies for a VISA commercial... "For everything else you have VISA" Sorry about the pictures, but only BW until the car is ready at the end of the month. The trained eye will spot some details falling into place.

PS! The neon sign in the background show the current gas price in Norway, all time high... I couldn't care less at the moment =)

Testing and tuning

Out of the garage it was time for some tuning. Everything seemed to work quite well after we got the new fuel tap working. All body panels are only trial fitted, so the test run was only limited this time. But a short ride, sure gives the spirit to finish this car. A 50 ies racer is coming alive. The bare metal shell, sure gives the driver a racy feeling =)Mission completed!(almost)

Before the engine had made it's first turn, the 6v crew had already placed a startnumber on the car. A full picture documetation will come when the car is race-ready... stay tuned =)

Crank it baby

The driver looks a little confused and angry here... Not getting ANY reaction turning the key. Well, only owning a 66, will set you back in the world of splitwindow beetles. After finding the starterbutton, the smile was back on his face =) Cranking up the 1750 engine, and make some nice skidmarks on the driveway, sure makes all the garage hours worth it at the end...

... and it all started in the office as always =)

What else can you do in the dark winther nights when office hours seemes like days? Dream about summer action?

Recreating an atmosphere

The first idea of "theme" for this car, was to keep the fifthies atmosphere. As the car had some changes made early on, and still many of the correct pieces intact, it was no option to make it over restored =) The patinated paint applied in the 60 ies is preserved as good as possible, with the obvious color mismatches were new paint is added. The car probably had a few touch ups along the way as well, so getting it correct all around was out of the question. Having lived a tough lifte on the road, the car is full of batlle scars and small dents. Well what do you do with a car full of scars, and wanting a fifthies atmosphere? You could follow the common road and slam it, put on some chromed replicas and get your self a nice looking rat. But they didn't have slammed rats in the fifthies, did they? Well, as the picture of the half finished interior will tell, the "theme" headed another direction =) Less is more?

Spring is here

Well, as always, a little too early =) The time preassure has been quite huge the last weeks, as I am in the middle of building a new house, and that consume ALL of my sparetime. Luckily I have some easier days ahead now, and the zwitter definitely needs some attention again. When I broke off some weeks ago, the car was rollin', but brakes, wiring and some vital chassie parts were missing. Of course many body details still have to be taken care of. But after a long dark winter, the bright warm summernights ahead will suit me perfect. Still some rivers to cross, bringing a car back to life after 25 years.