Author Topic: 1980 Mexical Look...  (Read 623 times)

kaferboy

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1980 Mexical Look...
« on: August 01, 2012, 12:36:20 pm »
Well, I have had this thread on the cal look lounge, but thouht I'd restart it here as this is 'home turf'...

Excuse me while I copy and paste to bring up to date:

Well I thought I'd start a thread on the progress of my most recent arrival.

Its a 1980 Mexican Bug and so far I'm really pleased with it. It was bought bone stock and the intention is to make a nice streetable bug that I can use with my family, as my other 60 turbo bug is I suppose a bit of a selfish affair... hope is that my wife & kids can come along and enjoy some of the fun with this one.

Basic plans (some of which I've now done) are simply to drop the front end a little, get a change of wheels and tyres on it and fit something a little less weedy than the stock 1200cc fire breather in the engine bay. I have parts for a super mild 1641, and I've also got parts for a 2110. I'm guessing the 2110 will end up in there  ;D. I also have some basic transmission upgrade parts that will find their way onto the car just to help it cope with any increase in power. And no matteer how streetable it is, its bound to end up on the dragstrip  :D so it would make sense to sort that. Its also riding on stock drums all round at the moment so that will come in for some changes as soon as I can afford it.

Anyway, here it is as-bought. The colour is mexico beige, and its had a pretty decent external repaint at some point. Under the bonnet and everywhere else is all original paint. Nice to see factory spot welds well preserved under the arches, but have to say the mexicans certainly liked using the seam sealer! Having heard some negative info about the mexi built bugs I don't know whether I'm one of the lucky few or if the naysayers were just talking BS about rust problems etc. Bearing in mind the car is 32 yrs young, it needs no welding at all, and is certainly better than some of the german built cars I have owned that were (at the time 15-20 years ago) of a similar age. I suppose it is more likely that a car of this age was enthusiast owned from new though and so better cared for? I dunno, but it is what it is.



Gave the underbonnet a quick clean up looking for rust. Glad to say I found none! Anyone got an idea what I could use to get that horrible glue that holds the tarboard in place (the big splodges on the under dash panel)?
 From this:


to this:


I also had a part set of Sprint Stars knocking about that I decided to put on, but thought a darker silver would suit the light colour better than the bright silver they woudl have come from the factory with. Got to be honest, I rushed the detailing and will have to redo them at some point.


They're equipped with 145 Firestone f-560's up front and Barum 165's at the rear. I have a single 165 XZX that as soon as I can drop on another for a reasonable price will find their way onto the wheels.

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kaferboy

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Re: 1980 Mexical Look...
« Reply #1 on: August 01, 2012, 12:37:02 pm »

It took me nearly a full week to drop the front beam out to lower the damn thing, thanks to working outside on the driveway, dodging rain storms in what must surely be one of the wettest summers we've had in the UK for years.

Anyway, its done now, but I need shorter shocks to drop the front end just a little more - I'm not after 'slammed' but another 1-2" lower would be ideal I think.









kaferboy

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Re: 1980 Mexical Look...
« Reply #2 on: August 01, 2012, 12:40:33 pm »
Since the above photos were taken I've fitted some Moroso CE 90/10 adjustable shocks, set them to 60/40 and bolted them up. They actually ride really nice! Its also dropped the front end a little more as it was sat on the stops.



And then this afternoon I took it out for a spin to cheer myself up a bit (I have terrible toothache still... not yet found a dentist willing to do the job without swapping my teeth for a kidney) and decided to fit my Porsche steering wheel and the old tacho I used to have in the Oval.



And thats where I am right now!