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The weather over the last few weeks has finally dried out the track down to the workshop,so I got an evening in on the Baja and took the bus so I could bring the rear seat home to reupholster.

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I’ve done a final mockup of the lower framework now with everything pinned in place and tacked together.

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I removed the lower framework to weld it all together and have started welding in the heater channels. I ended up cutting out my O/S A pillar repair which I’d previously tacked in as it sat too low for the B pillar to sit nicely on the heater channel. Happy with the fitment of the drivers door, so just need to repeat this on the other side and then get everything welded in properly. This should give some much needed strength back into the baja.

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Both heater channels cut out, these were completely rotten through:

Heater channels, front bulkhead and rear cross members all bolted to the chassis ready for me to lower the shell back down and align it all before welding it in:

Back on the bug!

I decided to separate the closing panels from the heater channels to get some paint in there. It’s a bit more work but worth doing I think. The joins already had some rust starting to creep in:

Bare metalled and epoxied the lot:

And the front bulkhead while I had the paint gear out:

And all welded back up:

Say hi!

Everyone please say hello to Iris’ little sister and next resto project, Myrtle!

A ‘73 beetle, so a year younger than Iris. She’s destined to be our off-road Baja Bug rig.

I won’t be starting on this for a little while yet as I need to finish up Iris’ interior first, but watch this space.