[pookie]

My son will be 12 in a couple weeks. He loves cars and can rattle off more car stats than most of us. A few months ago I decided we needed a project so he could learn, and I could tinker.

Enter this

[pookie]

Dang. Second try

[cmartin]

Love it

[Jazzbass]

Nice! Four bolt wheels and old style fenders - 65?

[pookie]

Jazz- title says 71, but old bugs are kinda like Legos and you can build whatever you want.

After getting it home we stripped the last few parts from inside. (He’s already been warned about his footwear). And we cleaned it.

[pookie]

Then we took the body off the pan. Cleaned and primed the pan. And he learned how to use spray paint to attempt and abolish chrome.

[pookie]

Then we scrubbed, and used steel wool on the wheels. And I remembered what it was like to work on drum brakes

[Jazzbass]

Originally Posted by pookie

And I remembered what it was like to work on drum brakes

I had a 73 as my first car 30 yrs ago. I still remembering what a PITA the front drums were to work on. I have no idea if the rears were equally as difficult since I could never get the 36mm axle nut off to remove the drum. Engine died before it became an issue.

Nice work all around BTW. This is a great first project and he'll learn a ton of stuff that he'll remember for the rest of his life.

[pookie]

Then we cleaned and painted the drums. And tore the suspension apart.

That’s pretty much it for now. Waiting on all new suspension and brake parts to arrive.

[turkis_tii]

“Not that it will help all that much working on electric cars with unibodies, disk brakes (or pure electronic brakes), coil-overs or struts, and alloy/plastic/fiberglass/carbon fiber body panels...”

The reality! FYI, Montgomery County College (MD) now offers a course on EVs. Ford is downsizing dealers and mechanics who can’t muster skills and capital to switch to electric.