Finally, we're on the right road again, as our beloved Super Project '71 is safely in the hands of the trusted folks at Deuce Kustoms, a well respected auto restorer and customizer not only in the Volkswagen community (they just finished Clyde Berg's latest drag car) but also in the Hot Rod, custom trucks and classic car arenas. If you need it done, they can do it, and they can certainly handle a stock-color, no frills paint job on a mild resto Super Beetle.
But first, a little side job to do before we get to the actual color on metal parts. Since the guys at Deuce Kustoms are considered perfectionists, they would only shoot the paint if the body and pan parted ways. The side benefit is an excellent opportunity to show you the procedure on a Super Beetle, as there are some differences from previous years--namely the struts--that must be contended with.
To do this properly, you'll need a few different size wrenches, specifically the 13-, 14-, 15- and 17mm. As well, jack stands and a floor jack will help keep the pan from buckling once the strut towers have been unbolted, and don't plan to start this without eliciting the help of a couple of friends to help with the actual separation.
If you are working with a complete car, there are a few things you'll have to do first (that we don't show you here) in order to remove the body from the pan. Specifically, you'll have to remove the seats (front and back), the fuel tank, the cable from the back of the speedometer and the battery. Though you really don't have to remove the engine, but if you've got dual carbs, odds are good they're too big for the engine compartment to slip over them, so you'll have to remove them. If you do or not, don't forget to disconnect the wires to the starter and the accelerator and clutch cables. While you're back there, pull out the front engine tin so it won't hang up.
With all of that peripheral equipment out and set aside, the remaining steps are easy (and they don't have to be done in this order), and we had a naked pan and an empty body in as little as a half-hour. Enough talk. Get your tools and let's get started.
Conclusion:
Everyone reading this now has one less parking spot in their garage, and it wasn't too difficult. Next on the list of things to do is some last-minute bodywork, and we'll take this time to clean up the pan, order a new seal and hardware for when the two shall meet again. Until next month, stay Super.