Plenty of car projects start with a clean plan and a healthy budget. This one starts in a grassy yard with a worn out Audi TT, a rusty Volkswagen shell and a builder who cheerfully calls it a mad science project.

The idea is to take a 1969 Volkswagen Type 3 Fastback and place it on top of a modern Audi chassis, which is one of those builds that makes people stop and ask how it could possibly work.

The man with the plan is @leakyvws, who walks around both vehicles, points out exactly where the cuts will go and is refreshingly honest about the challenges.

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The two cars in the yard

Behind him stand a red barn and a red shed, and in front of him are the two cars. One is his 2002 TT 225 Quattro, which he describes as being in perfectly bad shape. The other is the 1969 Type 3 Fastback, which he says has pretty much nothing left of it anymore.

Body panels lean against the cars and the shells sit on the grass. It is the kind of scene that looks more like a salvage yard than a build site, and that is exactly the point. Neither car is being saved in its original form, so both are available as donors.

The plan, step by step

The plan for the Audi is to cut the entire body off and leave what he calls a skateboard chassis, meaning the floor, drivetrain and suspension without the upper body. The Volkswagen is cut differently. He will take everything from the cowl to the back of the car and place it on top of the Audi chassis.

That means the roofline and overall shape of the Type 3 stay the same. The result is a Type 3 that sits on the TT underneath, with the old shape on top and modern running gear below.

The big problem is width

He is open about the main hang up. The Type 3 is narrower than the TT, and by his own words he means significantly narrower. He says the bodies are actually fairly close in overall size, but the track width is where the difference shows up.

Because of that, he says it will not look like a stock Type 3. It is going to look like a restomod Type 3 of some kind. His idea is to carry the shape of the Audi’s fenders and arches onto the Volkswagen fenders so the two styles blend together. A reference image shows a lowered, widebody white Fastback as the kind of look he has in mind.

He also admits that he is not an automotive or bodywork wizard, so this will not be finished overnight. The goal is to start cutting both cars apart the same week, weather permitting, and give updates as the work comes together.

What it takes to build a body swap like this

Projects that pair one car’s body with another car’s chassis are old traditions in custom car culture, and they succeed or fail on the same handful of details.

• Measure early and often, including track width, wheelbase, door openings and the position of the seats and pedals.
• Plan how the original structure will be kept strong, because a body that was never designed for the new chassis needs proper reinforcement.
• Decide how steering, wiring, fuel lines, cooling and brakes will connect to the donor body before any cutting.
• Keep the safety systems in mind, such as airbags and crash structure, because removing them changes how the car protects people.
• Photograph and label everything, because a multi year project is easy to forget.

Cutting up a car and changing its structure is advanced fabrication work. Anyone considering something similar should consult an experienced fabricator and check local rules on registering a heavily modified vehicle.

Why the Volkswagen Type 3 is a good canvas

The Type 3 is a close relative of the famous Beetle that was built with a flatter, boxier shape and more luggage space, and the Fastback body is one of its best known variants. Because the shell is lighter and simpler than a modern body, it is easier to modify. The Audi underneath brings fuel injection, modern brakes and the all wheel drive layout that the TT Quattro is known for.

The appeal for many builders is obvious. You get the character of a vintage shape, and you can drive it without fighting a half century old drivetrain.

The takeaway

This build is still at the talking and planning stage, and that is part of the charm. He shows the cars as they are, explains the biggest obstacle and says plainly that it will take time. Whether the final car looks like a perfect blend or a happy accident, the process is the interesting part, and it is a reminder that most great custom builds begin with a plan that sounds a little crazy.

Credit for the original post goes to @leakyvws on Instagram.

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