Rat look resto..

carchaeologist

I absolutly love this..what do ye make of it?Its a 1953 oval bug. There was a tag inside it from spooners garage in roscrea..anyone remember it,or is it still going?
As found..in southern ireland(the guy who bought it is in england)







During resto..


Rebuilt pan..




And the finished car..im a huge fan of the rat look,when its done properly like this.




Resto thread here.. http://www.eircooled.com/deforum/showthread.php?t=3274
All pics are by julian robertson.

Kevin_Herron

Cracking looking car. I had hoped this is how it would end up!

carchaeologist

Kevin_Herron wrote: »

Cracking looking car. I had hoped this is how it would end up!

Yes..iv havnt seen a car look so right in ages..it just wouldnt have been the same to shine up the paint!!

Gary ITR

I was only thinking about this one

http://vagdrivers.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=15094&st=0

carlosfandango

Wow!
I think this looks fantastic.
I lived with a RAT look aircooled for a couple of years and eventually made it shiny!


CFD

carchaeologist

Onkle wrote: »

I was only thinking about this one

http://vagdrivers.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=15094&st=0

Yes..thats class too,i dont know why i like ratty VWs,it seems to work best on them.That bus is from the tralee area..i remember it when it was standard! The HIP reg no always made me think HIPpy!lol!

Sids Not

You have to hand it to the Brits...they do things right..(most times)..Here that would have ended up shiny or crushed...;)

bugsntinas

does look nice.at the end of the day at least she was saved.wish i had the money to do mine

DarenO

i'm split on this, i'm glad an original Irish bug was saved but being so rare i'd much prefer standard or cal-look, pity it's not in this country though.

Darren

carchaeologist

DarenO wrote: »

i'm split on this, i'm glad an original Irish bug was saved but being so rare i'd much prefer standard or cal-look, pity it's not in this country though.

Darren

Catch 22 really,if it was left here it would more than likely be broken,maybe it will find its way back in due course!!

Cal-look is fine,its been done to death,id prefer standard if it was to be restored with paint myself.Cant be too many standard irish 53 ovals about?

Gary ITR

It's more or less perfect now though, underneath I mean. All it needs is a lick of paint if it was to be made originalish

DarenO

in terms of original Irish ovals, i know of about 10 so i'd assume there's probably 20 at most in the country. i know what you mean about Cal-look been done to death but i've been a fan of Cal-look since 1987 with Volksworld issue 1 and the turquis blue Oval on the cover and some of the DKP cars in the US are to die for.

D

carchaeologist

Onkle wrote: »

It's more or less perfect now though, underneath I mean.

Thats why i like it..its 110% mechanically and all the rot has been fixed..its not just a knocked together old yoke.

deckie27

Sids Not wrote: »

You have to hand it to the Brits...they do things right..(most times)..Here that would have ended up shiny or crushed...;)

Not all ovals in Ireland are made shiney




I seen this car in person at the weekend. It does look class
Its covered in WD40 instead of wax

Abelloid

deckie27 wrote: »

Not all ovals in Ireland are made shiney

Indeed, post a pic of yours Deckie.

carchaeologist

deckie27 wrote: »

It does look class
Its covered in WD40 instead of wax

Cool!I was wondering how he was keeping down the rust!

S.I.R

im not a beetle fan meself but that car is deadly. :eek:

deckie27

JustinOval wrote: »

Indeed, post a pic of yours Deckie.

PaulK_CCI

Lovely recreation!

When I see this car, I can't help thinking of a car that I know for sale at a vw guy close to me here in Holland...





66 Beetle, 1300 engine, slightly lowered, mechanically 100% sorted: turn the key and drive, lots of interesting accessories, some original, some 'recreated'. The rust is created by sanding down the paintwork to bare metal...no rot. 3,750, pick up here

Abelloid

Didn't realise Julian has another similar oval -

Big Nasty

Really like the rat look - it's very much a 'love it or hate it' gig. Very popular with Beetles, I've heard of dudes taking off panels and tieing them down on a beach to advance the rust! :eek:

Looks good on yank tanks too - here's one I saw at the NEC last year:

Abelloid

This has started a few heated debates.

carchaeologist

^Nuts...thats taking it to extremes!

L-M

I've had that as the background on me phone for months, love that pic.

L1011

...this is making me think dodgy thoughts about the old Ritmo back home somewhere.


No, I don't have anywhere to put it; must not even consider it *smack* *smack*

deckie27

In my eyes there is a hugh difference between a car thats been in a shed for 30 - 40 years where the paint work has aged and a car that has had the paint removed by sanding or wire brush

Abelloid

I agree, that '66 doesn't have the same (any?) appeal to me.

carchaeologist

JustinOval wrote: »

I agree, that '66 doesn't have the same (any?) appeal to me.

I thought the very same..imo it looks quite silly,the interior is fairly tidy even.
You cant get the patina of the oval in the first post with a wire brush and sandpaper.

thegen

Does this make it in?Bug.jpg

PaulK_CCI

deckie27 wrote: »

In my eyes there is a hugh difference between a car thats been in a shed for 30 - 40 years where the paint work has aged and a car that has had the paint removed by sanding or wire brush

I totally aggree here, as it's a completely different thing to use an as found beetle, and just rebuild the mechanics, and to maintain the battered and bruised look, as opposed to start from a half-decent bug, and make it look battered and bruised....
It's a bit OTT to be honest as to what they;ve done to it, the rear wheel spats make it look a bit silly tbh, but still for someone who wants something to jump in and drive, no questions asked, it ain't half bad...
I posted it only because I was standing next to the car about two weeks ago, and when I saw the pics of the Irish beetle being found and done up, this just came up in my mind...