Orville Update

I recently had some new floor pans welded in to Orville. It is a bit more reassuring to not see the ground when you look down.

At the same time my welder modified my seat rails to accommodate the 911 seats I purchased this last summer. I was looking at refurbishing the old seats, but I found these on Craigslist and for the price $125 for the pair, I couldn't even get the fabric to re-do the old seats. Plus, now I have better seats. I also purchased some modern seatbelts which were military overstock...something like $20 (thanks for the #protip Samba posters!).

I started the wiring this summer. The old wiring was suspect at best and rotting out and rat-chewed in many places. (Because of teaching a course this summer that I was not expecting to teach, I didn't get nearly as far on the car as I wanted, but am reinvigorated after seeing the new pans and seats.) I am using a Watson Streetworks kit (which in retrospect maybe was not the best choice), and it has been a pretty smooth install right up to the turn signals.

Initially I had purchased some headlights with the LED turn signals in the headlight. I really did not like the turn signal lights that my '71 KG had, so we welded those over last year. But, after putting in the new signals, I was unhappy from an aesthetic standpoint. The new headlights were flat on the front which, to me, killed the lines of the car. So back to the old headlights.

But, what to do about the turn signals? After some muttering and contemplating, I opted to get some of the bullet turn signals from the earlier era KGs. The holes for install are drilled and ready. The only thing I need to get to do the install is the mounting rubber. The used signals I bought from the Samba forum had some old crusty rubber that needs replacing.

As can be seen in one of the pictures above, I also decided to move the battery and fusebox into the car. I picked up a gel-cel so the battery would not leak noxious fumes. We will weld in a battery tray to keep it in one spot and I will switch the fusebox and battery so the battery is behind the passenger seat and the fusebox is behind the driver's seat. (Should have done that from the start!)

I also added disc brakes to the rear wheels over the summer. The front brakes were already discs, but the back brakes were drums. While the disc brakes were not entirely necessary (the engine after all is only 1600cc), I figured if I were updating the car to something I like, why not do it.

The paint is a Volvo Blue, and I do not like it. I tried to go more era (and I wanted to try a blue), but the blue is too boring and light. I don't know which color I will eventually settle on. The VW Azure Blue is nice, but I miss the reddish orange that Orville used to have. I also like the Pearl White color of the old VWs...think Herbie.

Azure Blue

Pearl White

A KG in Pearl White

Orange