mark m uk

A genuine, part restored 166 surfaced in Germany and has been offered for sale - It was (in my opinion) a lot of money, By the time I figured I would make an offer and see what happened, it was sold. Here are the pictures of it, and for a bit of fun, some pictures for comparison of the replica that I am building. That last picture, of the captured 166 was taken in 1944 at a USAAF airfield in Italy. The picture illustrates just how small and unlike the 166 wheels my 4 studs are. I have bought some pre'66 drums with wide 5 studs, and intend to spend next week trying to get them on the 69 axle, but the wheel bearings are all different sizes. This is getting to be a real challenge ! Regards Mark.

I painted the nose art on Sally B, the B-17 flying fortress, seen here with my Jeep. As a bonus I got to fly in her ! On the subject of Aviation, and flights, I also got to ride in the P-51 that featured in Saving Private Ryan - Big Beautiful Doll. A breathtaking experience that is hard to top. If anyone wants a flavor of a trip in a P-51, and hasn't been as lucky as me, try this link - its pretty close, but you dont get the smell and taste of fuel, or get that 'light' feeling when you first get airborne - the greatest single impression is the noise - absolutely deafening ! http://www.clipwings.com/index.php?command=show_video&video_id=718 Anyway, I hope you agree, they are nice pictures. Regards Mark.

Me too, exactly that. I first learned to drive in a Jeep and it was my first 'car' that I used on the road, and thats all I had for several years. When I first started out in business in the building game, I bought a Jimmy. Mostly just used the jeep for backwards and forwards, but used to Jimmy for scaffolding etc...........Its true, the locals called my fledgling business 'White star construction' - one customer, having returned from a holiday in florida, bought me home a custom No plate embossed with 'A-team builders' - Then, a few years later I had a couple of ex USAAF Dodge power wagons. But alas, it just ain't the way it was - and now have Ford transit, just like every other swinging dick at the coffee machine.:coffee: Life has lost a lot of its flavour, :-( ..............and that is just in my life time, my old man used to buy jeeps £20 each, and use them on demolition sites. Our yard always had a couple of jeeps in it. Diamond Ts were used for the heavy work. I have pictures here of a Diamond T pulling a house down with its winch, clearing houses out the way for the 'new' A-12 road from London to Yarmouth - must have been the 1960's, .........when you could buy a Jeep for £20, and you walking away from a Dodge ambulance for £30, ( 'cos it had an iffy back axle) A different life.

Thank you Christian, That is enormous help - put my mind at ease. It is always helpful to have an insight into different dealers 'OM' as it were Thank you.

Some excellent and very useful comments . Thank you very much to all those that have, and continue to contribute. This is regarded as a prototype, a feasability study I guess. Second generation Shcrapwagens may well have four wheel drive. I figured I have enough issues without getting bogged down with that............slowly gently catchee monkey! On another note, I took advice from the forum, and contacted Vladimir at Lehar, he did send me a price on some parts, but since I confirmed I'd like to buy them - I havn't heard from him ? ? ? has anyone had emails from Vladimir in the past few days ? Regards Mark.

Thanks for the very good replies chaps, very helpful indeed. Yes, the originals were four wheel drive. Although I have been told that they were only able to be used in fourwheel drive mode in 1st and reverse. I am not certain of that, and it would be really good to hear from someone that knows. This one will be two wheel drive - I have thought long and hard about making it all wheel drive and the issues are enormous - I figured this first one will have enough challenges without the added complication of a driven front axle - making that decision early on has been quite 'liberating'. The MKII TYPE VW 166 Schrapwagen may well have fourwheel drive, if I can figure out how to do it in a cost effectrive way. It is an enormous challenge to do this without spending too much money, and not losing sight of the main goal - which is to see if a 'fair' representation of a 166, can be built for a reasonable cost. It is important to use parts that are plentiful and cheap. Any future owners can use these vehicles without fear of running out of spare parts. This concept was born because I find it really frustrateing to have a vehicle that is too 'nice' and too 'valuable' both in historical and monitary terms to use as I would like. I know someone (who shall remain nameless) that had a nice GPA, Having agreed to sell it, he took it out to sea for a final play befor delivery. I am fortunate to own what I (and others) consider to be one of the best and most original GPAs - I cannot bring myself to put it in any water, god forbid salt water. I have a very good pal that has owned a DUKW for years. He invited me to crew on it during the famous crossing of the channel trip on the 50th anniversary of D-Day. A splendid thing to do, and enormous fun - but reskinning that DUKW a few years later was the real cost ! Thanks again for your comments and help guys, Regards to all, Mark.

Thanks for the great replies chaps, very useful contacts regarding the Czech reproduction parts. I have emailed an enquiry. Could anyone here with experience advise me as to the likely cost of import duties ? Thanks again for your continueing support and help. Regards Mark.

Wasteing my time indeed !.........or am I ? Found some reproduction seats for the type 166, Only about £150 each, but it is plus shipping taxes etc - I guess it could nearly double ? ? ? Anyway, The whole idea was to enjoy the build - so I made some. And here they are fitted in the body. Anyone following this thread will know that this is not an attempt to slaveishly copy 100% a 166,- but more an attempt to build a full scale replica of a 166, working from a model and photographs. The whole idea is to use standard Beetle and available VW parts. Here are three pictures, one of the model, one taken from a book of a real 166, and of course my replica. Give us your opinions boys - how is it shapeing up ! I know it ain't a real one, and likely to get sneered and laughed at by the guys that like their stuff 100% - but don't forget, it is just a hobby. I got nothing against 100% accurate restoration - ask anyone that has seen the attention to detail on my GPA, but there is room for us all. Regards Mark.

Thank you Andy, And thanks to all you guys for the interest and comments. Those links are quite fantastic, cant believe trhe price of some of that stuff, It seems expensive but considereing the quality and complexity of the parts , vwery reasonable - beginning to realise I am wasting my time with this project ! thanks again guys...........regards Mark.

Thanks John, I have PMed my direct email address to you. love that rear light unit too. please get in touch. Regards Mark.

Thank you for the replies chaps, No, I have absolutely no intention of building a spot on replica that could be passed off as a genuine period piece, and yes the prime objective is to enjoy the experience and entertain myself. The prime reason to explore if anyone may be interested in buying these is because I wondered if it is worth making tooling, and keeping the patterns and templates. ...........I had to laugh at the assumption that I had some good metal working tools and a workshop. Not a pi$$ taking laugh, but a little chuckle to myself. Y'see, I have a vice with only one jaw and the handel falls out. The bench has advanced woodworm and the top is so worn It doesn't have a flat surface. I have a hammer with a shortened handle that is loose. I borrowed a mig welder from a friend that said it was so $hit "I don't want it back" he added "if you mend it, you can have it" In place of a metal folder I have a rusty bar with a hacksaw cut in the end. My 4" grinder has a jammed switch and you switch it off and on at the socket. I also have, a 9" grinder, a few clamps (some are tennis table net clamps) a few old spanners, some odd sockets..............and a lot of enthusiasm. I am not a metal worker, The only formal training I have is as a bricklayer - But that has been enormously helpful with making the many curved patterns from the model. The principle is very like the way I make wooden formers to support brickwork arches over doors and windows. First I bend wire around the model to find the shape - then draw it out on paper - next draw multiple tangents on the curves, bisect and draw perpendicular lines against them - that finds the centres of the curves and a quick calcalation will reveal the radius. Next, transfer all that to real scale, and make templates. I take those templates to a company that rolls steel tube for making metal park benches. They convert the plywood shapes to steel tube and box. When I get the bits home I weld it up with the hot glue - that will form a basis like a skeleton to bend, beat and fix panels to. I of course realise that this is not the way that a real 166 was made. But I don't care, I just want an affordable look alike that can be used and have fun with. Regards Mark.

Thanks,..............and thanks to all those for the encourageing and complimentary comments. Yes, I had the pleasure to meet and chat with Reggie at Beltring this last year. I had a good look around the replica he built and have to say I was knocked back by the quality of his work - outstanding. I will not get into a useless debate about wether he should or should not get a prize for the vehicle at Beltring - people will always have their own view, and rightly so. To me, it was an outstanding contribution to the hobby and really did deserve acknowledgement. Beltring has provided me with several trophies over the years, and I am used to the bitching that can take place. Several years ago, having spent 3 years restoring a GPA, I took it to Beltring. As I had seen so few GPAs at that time I deceided it would be a more interesting exhibit if I left off the foredeck and floor so as the inner workings could be seen. Only to be told it did not qualify for judgeing because it was 'incomplete' :nono: ...............never mind, cleaned up the following year . Back to the Schwimmmmmm project. Reggie made a damn fine job of that, and he tells me it cost $$$$$.££££££.EEEE x loads........Also 3 long years of graft. Reggie also told me he had enquiries about making more - he also told me he said "yes, as long as they can pay my wages for three years"! I was taking a slightly different approach, and would really value forum members opinions and views. The way I see it. If I had 100k + tied up in a 166, I'd be scared to take it in the water - the last thing you do is dip a valuable car made of mild steel in water. I have never swum my GPA for that very reason (I can hear the jeering) having got one of the best, and original GPAs I have a duty to preserve. So, to enjoy a 166 at its best, I personally would be more 'comfortable' with a replica. .........I can thrash it around, splash about in the water, dent it a bit - let the reenactment boys jump all over it and generally have fun. If, a reasonable representation of a WW2 VW166 could be made, would it sell ? is there enough interest in these replicas to make it worth produceing ? As a guide, it should be considered that an empty fibreglass body shell can be bought from the 'states for approx £8,000 + shipping + duties + VAT, etc, etc. Then you have to find and build all the mechanicals, wheels, seats, suspension, steering, brakes, electrics. lights, instruments, etc, etc, etc. Or a really nice all steel body can be bought for approx £25,000 + shipping + duties + VAT + all the mechanicals, etc. So, there is no cheap and cheerful way to a VW166, Not real or repro ! How much would people pay for an all steel look-a-like, driving VW166, that had engine and mechanical parts that were cheap, available, and off the shelf. Your Thoughts, Regards Mark.

Hi Chaps, new guy here on the forum. I read with interest the not uncommon idea of building a 166 useing a beetle as a donor. The idea has been around for some while. really nice repro bodies and parts are available - but as one would expect they are expensive. There are a few real 166 available, but also very expensive. The only affordable reproduction is a fiberglass one from the 'states - made by panzerwerks. So I decieded a couple of months ago to build my own, starting with a beetle. I know it is not a real one, and it has no historical value. In one way that is exactly the attraction. I will not have any worries about useing this on the water, and it matters not if it rusts out from under my backside - at the end of the day it is only a tired old 60's beetle. I don't have a real one - and lets face it, I'm not likely to borrow one either, so I am copying a model. Yeah, yeah, I can hear you all laughing. Fact is, this is not ever going to be a real 166, so there is not much point getting bent out of shape to keep it 100% 'authentic' - 'cos it will never ever be authentic ! Still early days, What do you guys think ? Regards Mark.

Thanks for the kindly welcome boys, Regards Mark. p.s. lord burley, I also have a Laramie ! small world eh ?

Hi Chaps, figured it would be good manners to introduce myself. My name is Mark, I live in Suffolk. have been collecting military vehicles and other related stuff since I was about 18 and started with a GPW. 50 now, and still have that same GPW, also joined by a GPA, and MB. Also have an international halftrack with maxon turret, Oh, and a Hummvee - an uparmoured 1026 slantback. I guess I will know a lot of you guys on here, and some of you may know me. Had a heap of jimmies and dodges etc in my time, but not at the moment. Only project I am working on beside maintenance of the little fleet is a replica VW 166. Thats all for now, like I said "Hi"................Regards Mark.