In the last issue of VW Trends we started to shorten a '60s-era Type 1 VW pan for a Manx-style buggy or 'glass 356 Speedster. That story covered removal of the pan halves, and what you have to look for in prepping the center spine to be cut in half.

We showed this as an overview, without exact measurements, because of the variety of fiberglass bodies and their respective wheelbase needs. But the stock wheelbase on a '67 Bug is 94.5 inches (2400 mm), a Manx-type wheelbase is usually 80 inches (2032 mm), and a stock 356 has a wheelbase of of 82.67 inches (2100 mm). Whether your buggy or 356 manufacturer followed those measurements was up to them.

Brian Washburn from Washburn's Metal in Orange, California, has a unique approach to how this pan work should be done. It's by far the cleanest method we've ever seen for a shortened pan that looks like a factory stamping — something severely lacking with hacked-together pans people have made do with in the last few decades.

Washburn's perfect pan shows no discernable modification or weld marks. He uses newly-stamped shortened pan halves that are manufactured by Flat Out Customs in England and are the right size for most Manx-type applications. With some minor modifications, they'll fit most fiberglass 356-style bodies, too. Washburn expertly spot welds these pieces exactly as Volkswagen did in the 1960s and, since these photos were taken, has built an automated jig that keeps the cut pieces perfectly aligned for a flawless seam and a finished product that you won't have to hide from your friends.

We opted to have a Washburn Tunnel Plate Kit installed in the pan to easily gain access to the tunnel's pedal section for easier clutch or accelerator cable repairs in the future.

One additional note to remember: You're have to shorten the shift rod (between the shifter and transmission). VW put a mild bend in the middle of some later rods to clear some of the items inside the tunnel. You won't know how much to shorten the rod until the pan has been cut and welded back together, and you shouldn't try to straighten it or make the needed cut on the bend (Washburn sells shortened German-made shift rods if you don't want to mess with it).

We left off in the last issue midway through the spine modifications, which is where we start here to wrap up the work on this '67 Type 1 pan.