TheSamba.com :: View topic

Wed Apr 15, 2009 10:24 am

Since I'm just starting out on my latest project a 57 Convertible I figured I'd start a thread for folks to watch as it progresses and to also keep my motivation in full force.

The story of the car as I know it: It sat in a local VW junkyard on an IRS pan with some high back seats in it. The owner of the junkyard would never sell the car....fast forward, the owner passes the son get's the yard and sells the car. The new owner/s (feel free to post if you read this thread) got the car did a bunch of work to it, put it back on the correct pan, but the car was never a priority to it sat out back for about 10yrs....sold to a new owner who had it for about 18 months who did a bunch more work to it, bought a ton of parts for it ect trades it off to a friend of mine for another car. My friend knowing how long I've wanted an Oval vert then sells it to me. I was just going to keep on their path and put it together some more and drive it as a patina looker, but some events happened that have now allowed me to give it the full resto the car deserves...

First steps were to tear the car apart and pull it off the pan, next step is to cut out the rusted or twisted metal and put in some fresh clean metal....So I trailered the shell over to the only place in Sacramento that I trust to tackled a job like this "The Resurrection Project". Jason the owner/fabricator did some great welding and fabrication work and was also a huge resource in location some of those hard to find parts for my last show winning 53 Oval I just finished up. If your in and around Sacramento and looking for someone to do some welding or repairs to your car....this is "THE ONE" in my opinion 916 289 5972 incase you like what you see on this thread and need something done, we all know how hard it is to find a good welder, much less a fabricator who's main passion is VW's and has one as a daily driver.....anyways did I mention we are cutting in some semaphore sections too....won't give up the trade secrets on how it's done, but we have one in now and I'm getting ready to head to the shop to help put in the other one. I'll take some pics of the car as it sits today and post updates when I have them.

Here is the car as I got it:

Sitting in the garage waiting on it's turn for redemption

Upon delivery to Jason's shop...sitting next to the 53 like a before and after picture!

More pictures later today showing what's been cut out, cut off and already welded back in!

Wed Apr 15, 2009 10:30 am

Sick 8)

Wed Apr 15, 2009 11:30 am

Great color have fun with it Mr Hater

Wed Apr 15, 2009 4:07 pm

these pics dont do the car justice. Cant wait to roll

Wed Apr 15, 2009 7:12 pm

i love convertible bugs 8)

Wed Apr 15, 2009 7:12 pm

Lookin like a clean machine!

Wed Apr 15, 2009 7:16 pm

was the windsheild cut or rusted and bondoed?

Wed Apr 15, 2009 8:07 pm

vdubmax wrote: Great color have fun with it Mr Hater

x2 :D

Wed Apr 15, 2009 9:50 pm

Rich's 50 wrote: vdubmax wrote: Great color have fun with it Mr Hater

x2 :D

Well the GFK has a thread, the DBK has a thread...it's time for the JHC to have one too. I figure this thread will give people something to talk about..and keep me moving at a reasonable pace on this one.

Wed Apr 15, 2009 10:26 pm

Yustrn wrote:

This may help you out...

Convert your hardtop Sema's to vert..

http://web.telia.com/~u31614242/cabrio/sembuild.html

Thu Apr 16, 2009 7:17 am

Yustrn wrote: and keep me moving at a reasonable pace on this one.

It really does motivate you. Cause everybody's watching...

Thu Apr 16, 2009 7:40 am

right on!!! cool color too!!! look fwd seeing it get built =)

that yellow/black bug, i see it on hwy 80 once in a while, it motivates me working on my 56 =)

Thu Apr 16, 2009 8:03 am

Keep it up Y, Looks like a great start.

Thu Apr 16, 2009 8:14 am

jimmy1 wrote: right on!!! cool color too!!! look fwd seeing it get built =)

that yellow/black bug, i see it on hwy 80 once in a while, it motivates me working on my 56 =)

That's my buddy Tony, super cool guy and is a big help on building the 53 and is at the same pace on the vert...we are putting a 57 hardtop together for him you can see it in some of the pics...

Thu Apr 16, 2009 9:07 am

The JHC CONTROLA!!!!!!!!!!

Thu Apr 16, 2009 3:10 pm

Nice ride, it didnt look like it needed a resto, I would have rolled it out and enjoyed it as is for a bit at least vice the time and money to restore, but Im sure it will be a top notch ride when done. Clean oval verts are still hiding.

Fri Apr 17, 2009 2:20 pm

looks good man

i like the colour not even sure if i have seen it on a car before

Fri Apr 17, 2009 7:37 pm

What does everyone think...should I just weld up a piece of flat metal to cover up the radio hole....or should I replace it with an OG piece I cut from another dash....What would you do?

Fri Apr 17, 2009 8:08 pm

You got the piece...I'd weld it in.

Fri Apr 17, 2009 8:11 pm

Just weld up a piece of flat metal , Yeah that`s what I would do.