the Brasili'air
the Brasili'air
Hi guys, after searching for a while, back in October i finally got my hands on a VW Brasilia! It was a right adventure getting it, but well worth it!
After finding the car through Portugeuse classifieds, a mission in itself as i don't speak portugeuse, i phoned the seller, and again the language barrier caused serious problems, as he spoke no English.
Sometimes, things just seem to come together, and the following day, a customer of ours put us in touch with his sister who lives in Portugal, and through her translation, i felt sort of confident enough to book flights and start the challenge to get it back to the UK....
We flew ryan air to Porto, caught the afternoon train to Valenca, all seemed good. The owner was at the station to pick us up, and it all seemed rosy! Until we got to see the car....
The car was in good condition, but hadn't been driven for a year, had no portugeuse MOT, and had a brake pedal harder than mahogany! Somewhere in the translation this had all been omitted, as i was going on the understanding that it was good to drive, as we planned to drive accross Spain to Santander to get the ferry back to Plymouth.
We were determined to still drive it back, so a trip to the drive through Portugeuse MOT, many hours at a mechanics getting the brakes sorted and we were finally on our way... hearts in our mouths, as we had no idea how far we might get...
To keep it simple, the drive to Santander was awesome, beautiful scenery, good food, and the car didn't give any trouble. A really good road trip.
So an overnight ferry ride back, and the short trip from Plymouth to Cornwall, and we were ready for the work to begin.
With the Volksworld show as my deadline, there's a lot to do... and not much time to do it, but so far....
Stripped, then arches cut out...
then ball joint beam ditched and framehead modified to fit a link pin unit...
Some reinforcement TIG'd in...
arches removed at the back for some tubbing...
16 inch fuchs offered up... different, and bigger rims actually being fitted though!!!!!
oh yeah, nearly forgot, 2 inch gearbox raise thrown into the mix too!, Switched the nose cone to a bus unit, that way the linkage runs through the tunnel as normal....
Got the wheels this week, just waiting on the tyres.
The body is coming off the pan, and then work can start on the air ride system, and all the prep for paint....
I'll try keep updating as i go, or check out my blog for updates on all our projects....
http://www.autostyl.blogspot.com
After finding the car through Portugeuse classifieds, a mission in itself as i don't speak portugeuse, i phoned the seller, and again the language barrier caused serious problems, as he spoke no English.
Sometimes, things just seem to come together, and the following day, a customer of ours put us in touch with his sister who lives in Portugal, and through her translation, i felt sort of confident enough to book flights and start the challenge to get it back to the UK....
We flew ryan air to Porto, caught the afternoon train to Valenca, all seemed good. The owner was at the station to pick us up, and it all seemed rosy! Until we got to see the car....
The car was in good condition, but hadn't been driven for a year, had no portugeuse MOT, and had a brake pedal harder than mahogany! Somewhere in the translation this had all been omitted, as i was going on the understanding that it was good to drive, as we planned to drive accross Spain to Santander to get the ferry back to Plymouth.
We were determined to still drive it back, so a trip to the drive through Portugeuse MOT, many hours at a mechanics getting the brakes sorted and we were finally on our way... hearts in our mouths, as we had no idea how far we might get...
To keep it simple, the drive to Santander was awesome, beautiful scenery, good food, and the car didn't give any trouble. A really good road trip.
So an overnight ferry ride back, and the short trip from Plymouth to Cornwall, and we were ready for the work to begin.
With the Volksworld show as my deadline, there's a lot to do... and not much time to do it, but so far....
Stripped, then arches cut out...
then ball joint beam ditched and framehead modified to fit a link pin unit...
Some reinforcement TIG'd in...
arches removed at the back for some tubbing...
16 inch fuchs offered up... different, and bigger rims actually being fitted though!!!!!
oh yeah, nearly forgot, 2 inch gearbox raise thrown into the mix too!, Switched the nose cone to a bus unit, that way the linkage runs through the tunnel as normal....
Got the wheels this week, just waiting on the tyres.
The body is coming off the pan, and then work can start on the air ride system, and all the prep for paint....
I'll try keep updating as i go, or check out my blog for updates on all our projects....
http://www.autostyl.blogspot.com
www.autostyl.co.uk
- Danny Lord
- Posts: 2395
- Joined: 26th May 2005 - 8:57pm
- Location: Gillingham Kent
- Contact:
...edit... change of tack
Hi guys, thanks for your kind comments, this car will make Volksworld show, I am prepared for lots of late nights!
Danny - not sure what KPZ wheels are, but these are OG brasilia steels, and they're for sale if anyone wants them....
So, onto tonights offering...
pulled the box, again.... switched the nose cone back to standard as i'm going to ditch the 2inch gearbox raise idea...
going for 4inch raise instead!!!!!!
Got the box all back in, on new rubbers and raised!!!
Looks crazy, but will mean less ridiculous camber when dumped on the floor....
So my job for tonight - draw up first draught of air bag support frame, so out with the sketch pad....
till next time.....
Danny - not sure what KPZ wheels are, but these are OG brasilia steels, and they're for sale if anyone wants them....
So, onto tonights offering...
pulled the box, again.... switched the nose cone back to standard as i'm going to ditch the 2inch gearbox raise idea...
going for 4inch raise instead!!!!!!
Got the box all back in, on new rubbers and raised!!!
Looks crazy, but will mean less ridiculous camber when dumped on the floor....
So my job for tonight - draw up first draught of air bag support frame, so out with the sketch pad....
till next time.....
www.autostyl.co.uk
tonight
just a quick update for tonights antics...
Got me an air set up through today...
so this evening got busy with the grinder and TIG welder, and knocked up the bottom brackets for the rear bags....
they're now on the car, no photos yet, hopefully get the top plates and some of the mounting frame done tomorrow night....
Laters....
Got me an air set up through today...
so this evening got busy with the grinder and TIG welder, and knocked up the bottom brackets for the rear bags....
they're now on the car, no photos yet, hopefully get the top plates and some of the mounting frame done tomorrow night....
Laters....
www.autostyl.co.uk
bagtastic
ok, ok ok, here's some more pics.... does take time to actually do the work though....
Got top frame made and mocked up on the bags...
Cut down the spring plates to run with the Airkewld heim joint ends from Retrodubs.
Then cut and TIG'd on the down pieces, One more leg, and the assembly is complete and can be welded to the frame horns and torsion bar housing. Ran out of steel tonight tho, so it'll have to wait till tomorrow...
Once thats in, it might be time for a test run!
Laters...
Got top frame made and mocked up on the bags...
Cut down the spring plates to run with the Airkewld heim joint ends from Retrodubs.
Then cut and TIG'd on the down pieces, One more leg, and the assembly is complete and can be welded to the frame horns and torsion bar housing. Ran out of steel tonight tho, so it'll have to wait till tomorrow...
Once thats in, it might be time for a test run!
Laters...
www.autostyl.co.uk
- nitro_warrior
- Posts: 217
- Joined: 3rd April 2007 - 1:41pm
- Location: Edinburgh
bagged up!
Well, got the steel needed to finish the welded part of the bag mounting frame, and couldn't resist cracking on until i could try out a bag...
So welded the frame onto the torsion bar housing and frame horns. Clamped on the top bag plate for now, to check if there are any clearance issues or bag binding or excessive twist- but all looks good.
none of these are at the extremes of movement. In fact the bag has over 8 inch range, and these pics only show perhaps 3 of it.... so can't wait to get it on the floor to try it propper!
Which reminds me - really need short axles, tubes and bearing caps.... anyone?
So welded the frame onto the torsion bar housing and frame horns. Clamped on the top bag plate for now, to check if there are any clearance issues or bag binding or excessive twist- but all looks good.
none of these are at the extremes of movement. In fact the bag has over 8 inch range, and these pics only show perhaps 3 of it.... so can't wait to get it on the floor to try it propper!
Which reminds me - really need short axles, tubes and bearing caps.... anyone?
www.autostyl.co.uk
aaaaggghhhh....
Ok, so we had a lightening strike at the workshop, which blew out any battery charger plugged in, so i've lost camera facilities until the new charger arrives.
On the plus side i have managed to get a short axle set up, fit it, and get the box back in the car. All good, the rims finally fit in the arches!!!!!! Stoked!!!!
Main drawback is that the rims are touching the trailing plate on the Airkewld heim joint springplate units. So i'm going to 'flip' them round and run the mounting part further inboard. So thats my job for tonight.... can't wait... should have pics up soon.... laters!
On the plus side i have managed to get a short axle set up, fit it, and get the box back in the car. All good, the rims finally fit in the arches!!!!!! Stoked!!!!
Main drawback is that the rims are touching the trailing plate on the Airkewld heim joint springplate units. So i'm going to 'flip' them round and run the mounting part further inboard. So thats my job for tonight.... can't wait... should have pics up soon.... laters!
www.autostyl.co.uk
- Lambretta-Tom
- Posts: 11
- Joined: 20th August 2007 - 7:19pm
- Contact:
update...
I'm afraid the bulk of what i'm doing now will not be published online before the Volksworld show... although i'll take some pics tomorrow - trying to minimise a total giveaway as to how it will look.... glad you like it though!
Check back tomorrow and i should have something...
Check back tomorrow and i should have something...
www.autostyl.co.uk
no rest...28 days to go!!!
Excuse my lazyness - no time to chat - sneak a peek of progress at
http://www.autostyl.blogspot.com
gotta fly only 28 days to go!!!!
http://www.autostyl.blogspot.com
gotta fly only 28 days to go!!!!
www.autostyl.co.uk