Volkswagen Type 171 SchwimmBeetle. Finished Pics pg 6

[scooter]

Wheels on.
Schwimmbeetle WIP 19-2-26 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
Working on the fiddly bits - prop, lights, mirrors etc.

I could see that running around Island Beach State Park, Wildwood, or somewhere in the back 9 of the Pine Barrens.

[buzzbomb]

Good to see you have the aircon set to full, I.e. windows down all the way at this stage

[NARSES2]

That does look "tasty" 

[su27rules]

          

[Old Wombat]

Very cool!     

[kerick]

That's so cool!

[Rick Lowe]

Yup. 

[zenrat]

Thanks folks.  Been busy with other stuff the last few days (invasion of the rellie monsters) but have made a little progress on the fiddly bits.  I hope to get some decent time in at the bench tomorrow and get the prop assembled and primed.

[zenrat]

Nearly there.  Head and tail lights are painted and the prop assembly has the first colours on it.
I've switched back to the kit spare wheel as the Hilux spare was just too wide and seriously obscured the drivers view ahead.  Wheel is painted but the tyre needs some black on it.
And i've started fiddling with what is left of the RFM Beetle to see what I can come up with.  Seeing as I only took the roof off it'll probly be some sort of topless Mad Max gun buggy type contraption.

I could probably get it finished this weekend if there wasn't the small matter of a family wedding to attend.  It's at the zoo*.  I'm looking forward to it.




*No Rick.  Not because my family are animals** but because my Nephew works there as a Ranger. 
**Not all of them anyway.

[su27rules]

      

[Rheged]

And i've started fiddling with what is left of the RFM Beetle to see what I can come up with.  Seeing as I only took the roof off it'll probably be some sort of topless Mad Max gun buggy type contraption.

I could probably get it finished this weekend if there wasn't the small matter of a family wedding to attend.  It's at the zoo*.  I'm looking forward to it.

...................................and here was I, expecting the remnants to become a staid, suburban  Convertabeetle. A gun buggy sounds much more Zenrat!    Enjoy the wedding!

[Rick Lowe]

*No Rick.  Not because my family are animals** but because my Nephew works there as a Ranger. 
**Not all of them anyway.

I. I would never. (Weeell, given that they are Aussies...NO! Bad Rick!) 

And Free! entry to the Zoo? Not a bad thing. 

What about the Beetle becoming something used in the Western Desert?
A counterpart to the SAS Jeeps? An MG34 to be used by the Co- Driver and a Twin MG34 on a pintle in the back...

[zenrat]

Volkswagen Type 171 SchwimmBeetle.

SchwimBeetle - 23 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

The Volkswagen Type 171 featured a Type 1 Beetle roof mounted on the lower body and robust chassis of the four-wheel-drive Type 166 Schwimmwagen.

SchwimBeetle - 19 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

SchwimmBeetles were four-wheel drive in first gear and reverse gear only and had ZF self-locking differentials on the front and rear axles.  They had rear portal axles, which provided increased ground clearance, while at the same time reducing drive-line torque stresses with their gear reduction at the wheels. The SchwimmBeetle had a top speed of 50 miles per hour (80 km/h) on land.

SchwimBeetle - 25 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

When crossing a body of water a screw propeller could be lowered down from the rear deck/engine cover. When in place a simple coupling provided drive straight from an extension of the engine's crankshaft.  The SchwimmBeetle had a top speed of 10 km/h (6 mph) in the water.  The front wheels doubled up as rudders, so steering was done with the steering wheel both on land and on water.

SchwimBeetle - 8 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

The SchwimmBeetle had no doors and was accessed by climbing through the windows "Hazard County" style.  Very few RHD models were produced.  Most estimates put production in single figures.

SchwimBeetle - 10 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

The vehicle pictured has been customised by fitting modern wheels and tuning the engine to run on today's higher octane petrol.

The Model.

Tamiya 1/35 Schwimmwagen Type 166 with the roof from a Rye Field Models 1/35 German Staff Car Type 82E grafted on.
Wheels from Meng 1/35 Toyote Hilux.

SchwimBeetle - 3 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

[PR19_Kit]

Totally EPIC Fred! 

[Weaver]

Lovely job - nice one.

Can't help feeling it needs some hippy/surfer passengers and surfboards on the roof...