Yesterday I shared some iconic hood emblems of three classic cars. The Bugatti really stood out for me. I just love Bugatti! This beauty can be seen at the Franschhoek Motor Museum in South Africa.
You remember this one:
But it would be so unfair not to show the rest of the car as well…
1925 Type 23 Bugatti
And a short history of this beauty in English and Afrikaans…
Now this is truly a thing of beauty in my eyes…
Wordless… Just wish I owned any one of these three…
At the Franschhoek Motor Museum, South Africa.
I am not that familiar with the classic cars. Readers may enlighten me as to the model of this beautiful 1930’s Bentley. But in my uninformed eyes this is one of the most spectacular front ends of any car, ever… what a beauty!
It is residing in the Franschhoek Motor Museum, South Africa
One of South Africa’s best destinations for petrolheads is the Rupert family’s Motor Museum just outside the scenic town of Franschhoek. I had such a fun day with my eldest son, just enjoying the beautiful cars in this magnificent collection.
I would have loved to hear this car start up, and would be in heaven if I could drive it around the block! But seeing it in real life was already a huge thrill!
You can read all the technical data here at wikipedia. I will post one or two more in the coming days of this experience, maybe it will help clear my creative block.
Ailsa’s Travel Theme has the theme of “Edge” this week, open for interpretation. So here is my interpretation of “Edge”- the Cutting Edge of Car Restoration…
Today, I have seen this car in Lynnwood road. Pretoria. I just had to stop and take a few photos. it was one of the most beautiful cars I have ever seen. Unfortunately the only camera I had with me was my Samsung Galaxy S3 mobile phone…
But I love to share beauties like this on my blog with my discerning readers…
I have no idea what car this is- there is a Chevy engine peeking out. Who can help with more info on this car?
But thanks to the owner for parking it so majestically outside that people like me can admire it’s beauty!
After a lot of suffering I finally fitted the bracket for the Sony Sound system into the Beetle today. The bracket really does not look good. I had to alter it to close the cubby hole door ( glove box for my English friends- we only use gloves on motorbikes in South Africa!)
The bracket may be fugly, but the Sony sits tight and hidden, a good thing because you just dont display good sound systems openly here. We do have a lot of criminals in our country.
After connecting all the wires, and then looking if the car blows up or not, it was time to test the sound. I am still waiting for the door inner panels, which also has a Pioneer speaker in each. But in the rear behind the back seat I have two Alpine 6×9″ speakers.
So today I deviated from my usual Dire Straits Brothers in Arms CD to test the sound. No, I inserted my newest CD. Riana Nel is a Namibian musician, she is beautiful and has the voice of an angel. She is the sister of equally gifted Nianel. Riana sometimes sings in my mother tongue- Afrikaans. And this CD of hers is good. Beautiful words and beautiful music. One of the very best artists in Southern Africa in my view!
And what an experience we had tonight. The Beetle really has great accoustics, it felt as if we were sitting in the front seats of a Riana Nel concert… and Riana really gives excellent performances!
So what a way to initiate the sound system. Riana Nel rocks! And now I have seen on Twitter that she has a new CD out, will definitely buy one at the airport on Thursday!
Man, I just wish I could build better brackets!
Listen to the song and then buy the CD…
This week is extremely busy and hectic. The financial guys in church decided we must raise more funds with another mini fete next Saturday. So I am back to being a butcher- we have 3 large Bovines and 8 Porkers to get from the hoof into consumable sellable portions.. And it is my responsibility to get it done with a team. We are 2/3 rds through’ but it is really hard work.
Meanwhile, back at the Parsonage my eldest son passed his Driving License Test with flying colours on Monday. But the Beetle is not ready yet! I am still waiting for the upholsterer to finish the inner door panels.
Last night I began with the most important part of the project. According to 18 year olds. I would have said the engine, mothers would have guessed the brakes. But of course teenagers would start at the Sound system!
Yesterday evening I jumped into the Beetle with an angle grinder and a file. The hole for the stereo is much too small for the modern players. So I enlarged it. And the Beetle experts guessed it right. Smack Bang into the wiper motor.
So now the stereo has to go into the glove box.
I am using my minimal handyman skills to build a bracket to keep it in place. Here is another few hours’ worth of sweat and tears and arc eyes and burn wounds…
Yes, the Sony does fit into my bracket…
Will everything fit into the Beetle? That is a good question! For another day… off to bed…
http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/work-of-art/
I am not an artist. I do not have the ability to take up a brush, and paint a beautiful painting. I do not have the ability to weave words into a beautiful poem.
But the past few months I tried to bring some beauty out of death… My old VW Beetle was dying a slow death- Rusting in Peace. It did not move anymore.
This was it then:
Before we started to raise it from the dead…
But my son’s 18th birthday was nearing, so we tried to bring it back to life…
And after a few weeks it is better. I know, not really art… but we used paint in the hope to make it better than it was…
Yes, it is not art… yet… but it is slowly getting there- the 4th generation of our family behind this car’s steering wheel, that is art in my eyes!
So maybe this could be art?
It is nearing the finish line, but it is not there yet- watch this space soon…
I am very scarce on my blog at the moment. Sorry about that!
I am working quite hard at the moment in our church, we had the funeral today of the well respected man who died last week.
Tomorrow was my mental D Day for the Beetle project, as tomorrow is my son’s 18th birthday. But as all these projects go, it takes double the time and tripple the money to complete… at least the young man still has to produce a valid driving license before the gift can be taken into possession…
I am now building a fiberglass floor for the Beetle. I know that some internet sites says that it is not a good thing, and that only original VW Floor Pans should be used. I am in no way able to afford that at the moment.
So- I got some expanded metal from an engineering firm in our town. I cleaned it with hydrochloric acid, then rinsed it and bolted it to the floor pan. Every now and then I snuck off for an hour to work on this. Last night I put on the first Fiberglass layer on the floor, and just now the second layer. When it is completely dry, (cured?) I will put a layer of stone chip rubberizing on as a floor. I really hope it will not look too shabby!
Here is just an update on the state of the floor today before the second layer.
I hope the Beetle will soon be going like this one: 
I must confess… last night I would have given the Beetle away for free. But sorry- you are too late, I feel a little bit better today!
I stayed over at my mother’s house in Pretoria on Wednesday night. Yesterday morning I had to visit some of my critically ill church members in hospitals in Pretoria again. I also used the opportunity to buy my BMW a Givi Topbox, as I like to look like the pizza delivery guy!
Last night when I came home, I felt the urge to work some more on the Beetle… I peeled away an old floor mat of the Beetle. And saw that the damage that the rust has left, is much worse than I thought.
This is the sight that greeted me… ok, after I poured some Hydrochloric Acid on the rust…
Man, I was depressed!
So I jumped in with the angle grinder and the inspiration caused by the pain, and here is today’s result…
No, not really- I saw this “Beetle” at the place I buy my VW Spares…
Today I started early, like half past six. I sanded some last places on the outside that really irritated me, and then I used the last of my spray paint on the outside…
Like I said on facebook- The outside is done becaise the paint is finished!
I like the Arctic White and Matt Black theme on this car…
It now needs a very thorough cleaning, some sanding with 1500 grit paper and rubbing compound, and then a layer of good quality car polish.
A friend also came over to help me sort the electrics, and I am proud to say that the horn beeps again and the brights shine brightly again..,
I have been busy today, I also fitted the new Givi Top Box on the BMW…
There is still a HUGE challenge remaining on the inside of the Beetle. Although I had the seats reupholstered, the rest is still naked rusty 47 year old German steel…
I still need to fix the floor pan with fibre glass, and I will also have to engineer a new bracket for the petrol pedal.
Not bad for a total beginner with NO technical skills whatsoever… The car looks good from a distance, just dont look too closely at it…
Now, in my typical Friday fashion, the barbeque fire is burning, and I am chillaxing…
So that is why I am so scarce on the blogs at the moment, and in town, and in my friends company… This was a LONG Day!
Now, let’s BRAAI!
The Rider 