2000 silver new beetle build thread!

Well guys I've been around the site for a little while now reading up on how to's. figured I'd make a build thread.

Got this car from my grandmother when I gave her my 2011 gmc terrain. The beetle needed help badly and she couldn't afford it, or a new car much less. So I am paying for the gmc and she gave me the title to the bug. It has 173,000 miles on the tdi, and its an auto.

So far I have replaced the mass airflow sensor, effective restoring power to the car. 4 brand new tires, a complete interior tear out and re install. Brakes, brake fluid, new passenger side strut, ball joint, lca, steering knuckle, inner and outer tierod. (Was t-boned last Friday). Need to do the other side strut and mount now, as well as ball joint and tierods. Then an alignment.

Spent a long time de-rubberizing the interior, and painting things. Pressure washed the carpet. Changed the oil and filter, the fuel filter, air filter, and cabin air filter.

Tomorrow I plan on removing the intake manifold for cleaning. I have a hotsy steam pressure washer so that should make it easier.

Future mods: exterior:

1. Darker tint.
2. New blue and white VW signs on front and back
3. Repaint hood and bumper.
4. A "Diesel" decal on the back
5. Do something with the wheels. They are hubcaps now but I'd like baby moons.

Maintenance: new timing belt

Go fast mods and or interior mods:
1. Gauges
2. Tune of some sort
3. Maybe more?

So those are the things on the agenda. It's come a long way in a month since I've had it and granny LOVES her new car just like I love this bug. Here is some pics

Granny and her new car (she had surgery on her nose for cancer)


The beetles air filter





Nasty interior pieces



Sticky mess


Cabin air filter new and old


Bent tierod from wreck


Bent strut


Up on the wrecker


Interior out

Interior out (try again)


Carpet


Interior after new silver paint and console painted black

Nice work. It's coming along nicely. Love the interior paint. It looks like it came that way from the factory, or should I say, "should have come that way from the factory".

Until you decide on wheels, you could always pop the hubcaps off, shoot the stock steelies with a nice satin black and roll like that for a while. It would probably look pretty cool with the silver body & tint you have.

Forgot to mention that it is very cool to do that for your Grandmother, man.
Stand up stuff.

Thanks man, I think I will try that satin black thing

Satin black. Yay or nay?

^^ That didn't take long to happen, LOL

Nice and inexpensive way to change up the look. I like it.

pretty cool of you to take care of your grandmother like that! The bug is coming along nicely! I also have a silver tdi beetle and have been wanting to paint the dash silver like that , but kinda afraid of the glare on the windshield . Yours really makes me want to do I now!

What / how did you get the silver centre console thing painted silver - I like the look of that as well (and have silver '00 bug, too. )

To the point above, how is the glare with the silver centre portion to the dash?

Thanks guys. The glare isn't bad at all, just some on sunny days. Its worth painting.

As for the paint I just removed them, used purple power and a scrub brush to remove the gunk, then sanded with 600 grit. Then I put on a few coats of build primer, then sanded again with 600, then sprayed the silver and the clear. All rattle can.

Changed the rear struts, and painted the calipers red while I was there. Need to change the passenger side wheel bearings as well as the timing belt...

Plus look at all the crap I fit back there

Plasti dipped the hood, trunk, and lower front valence where the fog lights are. Next I want to pull the amber out of the tail lights, get new fogs up front, a clear third brake light out back, and some hid's for the headlights.

I need to clean the intake, replace the timing belt and the thermostat. Just strapped for time!

need to plastidip the roof and the indented piece on the back bumper around the reverse lights. will complete the look.

nice thread you have going. car looks great!

Awesome bug,I've plasti diped my hood as well but didn't turn out to good ill have to re~dip it.

Thanks! Well it took me 2.5 hours to get the intake out of the car, but I did it without stripping any bolts! 178,000 miles or so

Used my hot water pressure washer to clean it as well as lots of scraping and purple degreaser. Got it all cleaned and back in. Wow! So much more responsiveness!!

Changed the thermostat.

How rusty were those rims before you painted them? I have a set I would like to re-new, but they have a decade of rust on them, and I've been looking for the easiest way of stripping the rust off to repaint..

s.pavel6 said:

How rusty were those rims before you painted them? I have a set I would like to re-new, but they have a decade of rust on them, and I've been looking for the easiest way of stripping the rust off to repaint..

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Find a plating or galvanizing company and have your wheels dipped in the acid bath. Clean them right up. Another option would be to have them grit or UHP water blasted.

They had some small rust. Use a wire wheel on a grinder! Then a few coats of filler primer, wet sand and paint!

Coming along nice! Diggin the black hood/trunk and the silver interior bits. Hat off to what you did for you gram, thats awesome!

Growler said:

need to plastidip the roof and the indented piece on the back bumper around the reverse lights. will complete the look.

nice thread you have going. car looks great!

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Agreed, love the wheels too.

Nice little project. Best of luck with it and kudos on the granny help.


Alex.

Thanks guys. I painted the indented piece on the back bout 2 weeks ago.

Ordering the timing belt kit from idparts today.

Tails came in. They look like really good quality!

glad you painted the lower rear valence. I hope those tails look right on the car.

you are doing good with it. enjoy~

Thanks!

It's great what you did for your grandmother and also pretty cool she gave YOU a diesel Bug! Is she a member on here?

Looking good!

next put tint film on the red marker lights to black those out but yet still be able to see them when they are turned on. maybe even the third brake light too. yes its a sickness..

can you tell i miss my old Beetle a bit?