Replica Kubelwagen - putting your money where your mouth is

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Pine
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Replica Kubelwagen - putting your money where your mouth is

Post by Pine »

It was at a braai in Bloemfontein one cold Saturday winter's evening a few years ago that a very good mate, Danie, and I started discussing - over a few glasses of eish - the possibility of building a replica Kubelwagen. OK... it's all being done before, I hear you say, but it was at a time that Danie just completed an Eagle kit car with a fully functioning hidraulic roof and he felt like a new challenge. Elsewhere in Bloemfontein some members of a Second World War memorabilia club were converting two perfect 181 Things to 'Kubelwagens' - a sin in my eyes - and so we started throwing a few ideas around.

Building a replica Kubelwagen shouldn't be too difficult, we reckoned, as it has mainly angular, straight lines and the mechanics are all basically Beetle. If one doesn't try to build it a perfect replica, and if your main idea is to make it a FUN vehicle, it should be well within the ability of anyone with basic mechanical skills.

A few days later, Danie phoned me and invited me over to his place - for some more 'eish'. He showed me a cardboard model of his planned Kubel project that he built at a scale of more or less 1:8. Taking an unassembled Tamiya Kubel plastic kit with a scale of 1:35, Danie carefully measured all the dimensions and built the cardboard model. And that was the last I heard of the replica Kubel.. Danie got an Aqua buggy soon after that, and it changed into his new project (read: bottomless hole for money and time) but he has since completely rebuilt an sold it. Anyway, I moved from Bloem to Gauteng and we basically forgot about the whole Kubel clone idea.

Till yesterday - when I received these 2 pics via MMS on my phone, clearly showing that Danie is indeed building his Kubel! Apparently, while being bored at home while on leave, his fingers started itching, and I think you would agree it is looking GOOD so far. Will keep the Forum updated from time to time, but expect a wicked FUN 'Kubel' with more than a healthy dose of tricks up the sleeve of the designer/builder/owner/driver in the near future :twisted:

Heil Danie! *Nazi Stormtrooper/Surf's Up salute* You are walking the talk, and have put your money where your mouth is! :wink:

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flatfourfan
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Post by flatfourfan »

Nice, you should tell him to check out the guy on the SAMBA who's building one from scratch, some damn good ideas on there.
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Post by Pine »

Got these additional pics as well today! Looking GOOOOOOOOD!!! :lol:

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Post by Blitzkrieg »

What a project!!!Personally i'd build a Type 92 in Military Colours to go with the Kubel
If it's too low, you're too old :twisted:
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Post by Pine »

and... another pic!

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Pine
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Post by Pine »

Update: Painted in green primer

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Trial fitting of the body panels:

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flatfourfan
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Post by flatfourfan »

man that looks nice........looks heavy though, do you know what he's got suspension wise?
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Post by Blitzkrieg »

When you have the time, anything is possible...
If it's too low, you're too old :twisted:
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Post by Pine »

Some more pics I got the past few days... :wink:

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Post by Pine »

...painting in progress :wink:

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flatfourfan
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Post by flatfourfan »

Thanks some nice skill, he should have looked into getting the side panels stamped, that way they'd look the part.

Still a HAWT car non the less....
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Post by Pine »

I believe he is going to have the ridges on the side panels 'glued' on. No skilled craftsmen in Bfn were able to have the panel pressed to Danie's satisfaction...
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Post by Pine »

UPDATE: I went to Bloem last week and saw the Kubel for the first time with my own eyes - it is a work of art! Still far from completion, this earlier pic should give you an idea of the craftmanship...

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I'm writing an article on it for Volksworld, but the Kubel will only be completed by the end of the year.

In the mean while, Danie sent me this pic by MMS of the chassis with the tyres he had specially made:

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Post by SUZIE »

Pine that is realy some awsome work,
have nothing on the cards now, but have a red beach buggy in sight that I want
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Post by Bugger »

All I can say is F@k n well done

We South Africans have on only Skill :hangloose: :hangloose:

But IMPROVISATION Skills Talking about the side Pannels (eill glue them On)
Adapterplates Available for Rotary in Beetle and others aswell
And Special Boxes built for Rotary Conversions and Scubies
Pierre
082 600 8663

CLick on Banner Below to be routed to the Web site

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