Floor Pan questions

[Duner]

I picked a buggy up 4 or 5 years back and I'm just getting started on it. The chassis is a type 3 that someone has butchered up to look like a type 1, this was not really a problem as I bought new pans and was just planning on cutting out the originals and shortening the new pans like normal. I have not pulled the body from the pan when I noticed some strange problems like the front tires rub the pan when fully turned (stock vw wheels P185 tires) I checked the wheelbase measurement and its approx. 76" I didn't use plumb bob just eyeing it. The body is a Minivolks by Dunbar the chassis is a type 3 1966 with the type 3 torsion bar front and disc brakes along with the wider swing axle rear end. I noticed when I got the car that the body fitment is not good however I thought the this body belongs on an 80" wheelbase. Is there any way to determine the length the chassis should be from measuring the body?

[David O']

From the middle of each body lip at the bottom, at the front and rear where it bolts to the pan. Measurements need to be taken from the tunnel mounts.

[Duner]

Thanks thats a starting point, when I get the body off the pan I'll look to see if they did anything else funny to the frame head and decide if I will switch everything over to a more conventional type 1 suspension.

[GregR]

found this on the DBA. http://www.dunebuggyarchives.com/MiniVolks Hope this give some good info.

Here's their pics http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b372/dunebuggyarchives/Dune%20Buggy%20Models/MiniVolks/
while they don't specifically say. it looks like it ought to be on an 80" chassis...might be time to call Hawkeye

[Duner]

Ok, I took some cursory measurements at the tunnel. Front firewall to rear firewall measures 57" along the tunnel, front lip is 2" deep and rear firewall is behind the bolting lip about 4". Rear has arched cutout for the access plate so its difficult to measure but it appears to be about 52" to 53" bolt to bolt hole. The chassis looks like it is at least an inch short in the front and this would probably explain why the passenger tierod rubs the body on that side. In general I think they shortened this pan too much.

[Duner]

Ok,

First let me say thanks to Chris K. for letting me come by the house and take some measurements of his stunningly detailed chassis. His buggy is going to be something to see when finished.

Now for the bad news although the type 3 cars share the same wheelbase as the type 1 cars there appears to significant differences from the frame head forward. Chris's pan measured 13.5" from frame head to torsion tube center. My type 3 measures about 10" this would explain why my wheelbase is about 4" to short and the long tierod rubs the body.

Now the big question do I fix this mess or just get a proper foundation to start with?

Skill says I can make this work but experience says to start over with the right parts. I like the type 3 adjustable front torsion and it already is equipped with disc brakes from the factory.

Oh well I'll take a few days to ponder this one.

[MURZ]

I would find another chassis---type 1

[Bill K]

I agree with Murzi.

[blackthree4me]

you might be able to strip the type 3 chassie and just get a type one and bolt all the type 3 stuff on it. should fit
I know all of my ghia stuff fits a bettle chassie
the only diferance I can tell is the width I think the ghia and thing have comen intrest
not to sure about the type 3 though
do some searching and look at the mounting places for type 3 and bettle
chassies are cheap about 100 bucks with a title in some cases

If I remeber correctly chris had one he was striping for the rail
just might be up your ally

[David O']

Sorry guy, but type 3 stuff will not fit any other types.
The torsion assembly bolts to the car with three bolts, and the front end has no beam like the bug and ghias.
The type three vehicles were a true uni-body as far as the rear ends go.

[Duner]

Ok after going to Buggy Blast I came home and got busy photographing and measuring the mess.
http://s162.photobucket.com/albums/t253 ... e%20Buggy/?

I have mistakenly decided to salvage this chassis due to the unusal nature of the this type 3 build and the fact that I passed on an excellent 73 std beetle chassis with trans and title for $150 just because I did not want to drive to Dallas. My car obviously ran and drove before given the numerous flaws in the original build.

First the biggest issue is the chassis has been over shortened the wheel base measures 76.5" axle center to center. the most difficult problem will be overcoming the frame head dimension of 11" versus 13.5" but if I add the 1" to the pan and the 2.5" to the framehead dimension we arrive back at the 80" wheelbase as advertised by Dunbar for the Minivolks body.[url][/url]

[blackthree4me]

Duner
looking at the picks its hard to tell if the chassie is short to the body
rear apears to be in the correct placement
front a little hard to tell to see if the center section chassie hump is to far forward or backward
here is the bisness end of what needs to be done to correct the length

strip it down cut those pans out leaving a bare bones chassie
(skill saw with mettal blade from bottom, then go back with air chisel to remove last bit)
cut that rear torsion out at the weld seam the PO made.
get new IRS torsion (your gona wish you did later on)
tack in to proper length with body on
remove body weld up solid.
I think it would be kinda neat to have a type III front end
definatly a class winer at next years blast. LOL
I would love to come by some time and look it over with ya.
oh and dont wory about those pans some of our cars dident even have pans.
PS could you get us a side shot of the car with the body on it
I believe this whole thing started due to you saying the front wheels looked a littel far back in the wells correct?
blackthree4me

[Duner]

I'll shoot some pics from the side next time I pull the car out. You can see that the front is back from where the body is clearanced for the shock towers and the body measured 1-7/16" out to out longer than the bulkhead to bulkhead measurement of 53" my "how to build a buggy book" indicates this should measure 54.4" hmm that would match the body correctly.

You also never know it this is the body that was originally on this car or if it had been changed sometime during its life.