TheSamba.com :: View topic

Tue Aug 11, 2009 5:51 am

I have been keeping all my pics and entries in my blog. I've been trying to figure out how to link my blog into a build thread but I have been unsuccessful. I have decided I'll upload sort of a "digest" version every few weeks. If you want the gory detail of my daily/weekly labors, you can check the blog out. The link is in my sig.

Here are the latest round of pics:

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Mon Aug 17, 2009 7:56 pm

Weekly update. Patches and prepping to fill in air vents. Gory details on the blog.

Wed Aug 19, 2009 4:46 pm

I'm curious to know what prompted you to cover up the fresh air vents rather than repair them?? and What type of grinding wheel are you using?? disk, flapper wheel ect..... ?

Wed Aug 19, 2009 7:31 pm

The vents are going away because I decided about 8 years ago that the ducts were too far gone to repair. I saw a ghia in Hot VW's a LONG time ago that had the vents shaved and I thought that would be a good idea (it was for sale on the samba a few month ago).

I started the vent removal about 5-6 years ago and drew dead trying to fab the covers because I didn't have the tools (e-wheel, planishing hammer etc) or the know how. Part of me wants them back, but when I got back into the duct removal recently I discovered there was all kinds of rot... I could repair it, but I want to drive the car this century and I work too slowly...

The whole car was/is a rusty mess, so it's just not in the cards to go stock.

The next project I do will be a low light, stock, killer car. This fat chick is my fun little learning project.

I use hard disks for 95% of my grinding. I use a 7" grinder where it will reach and a 4" everywhere else. I also use my cut off wheel to grind since the wheels are more precise. I use flap disks here and there, but I like to grind with the edge of the disk rather than the face, so the flaps don't do that well.

Thu Aug 20, 2009 2:27 pm

Well, I can agree that fixing the vents can be a pain is the ass,,, Its what I am doing right now. A PO had an accident and didnt want to fix it correctly and I ended up with the nose section and right fender cut off. Hopefully it will work out. I guess you'll just have to keep the window down for fresh air... Good luck on yours.. :D

Thu Aug 20, 2009 3:34 pm

The windows will never be rolled up!!! I've even played with the idea of not putting a fabric top back on. I plan on driving it in the sun only!

Based on how bad I want to drive it again, I'll probably have it drivable before I have time to restore the top, so as I get money, I'll add the top, nicer interior etc.

BODY WORK FIRST!!!

Sun Aug 30, 2009 4:06 pm

My first experiences with chemical stripper... WHAT A MESS!!!

Full writeup on the blog.

Sun Aug 30, 2009 5:34 pm

Nice Job!

Next time look for "aircraft" remover, it works MUCH better than BIX. Most FLAPS carry it. Wear gloves and eye protection, its mean stuff.

Bix is not made for car paint

Aircraft remover is made by klean-strip
Looks like this
http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/klsar343.html

Sun Aug 30, 2009 7:13 pm

Thanks BT. I had the Bix on the shelf, so I figured I'd use it. The Klean Strip looks like it's about 1/2 the price. I'll give it a go and see what happens. For $10 it's definitely worth a shot.

Mon Sep 07, 2009 7:45 pm

This week's update.

Anyone have some advice on how to weld patches into to tight curves of the ghia nose without causing the patch to shrink and go flat? I keep forming great fitting patches, then when I weld them in I have to hammer for 1/2 an hour to get the shape back close to what I had before I started welding.

Thanks for any advice. Check the blog link in my signature for the full write-ups.

Wed Sep 16, 2009 5:45 am

gregmporter wrote:

Did you butcher a hog right there on your fender? or did you just take care of the ex and your alimony payments :!: :?: :lol: Looks like Halloween...I like the work you are doing here :P Talk to John Kelly about your patch problems, he will have a solution...

Thu Oct 29, 2009 8:36 pm

I took the week off from work and finally got some stuff moving on my vert project again. I worked mostly on the driver's side rear arch and wheel well. I also got some stuff done behind the scenes and removed the engine bay sheet metal. As usual, you can find explicit detail on my blog listed in my signature.

Enjoy.

My wife's grandpa helping on the car (he's a machinist and custom fab guru!

Skip ahead a few days... The skin is back on.

Sun Nov 08, 2009 9:22 pm

I made some repairs to the sail panel (where the quarter panel meets the apron that stretches across the top of the decklid)... Sail panel may not be the right term.

I cut out a section where the PO's body guy beat 3 separate pieces of sheet metal together, overlapped them by a couple inches, welded them together and slathered 1/2" of bondo in some areas. While I had the panel off, I covered all the inner metal I could reach with POR-15. I made a paper pattern then rolled out a patch using the e-wheel, a number of pipes and home made post dollies.

I've got the full write up over the last few days of my blog.

the hack job

inside painted with POR-15

nice new panel butt welded into place.

Sun Nov 08, 2009 9:33 pm

Nice work ! Coming along great !

Fri Nov 27, 2009 8:59 pm

More progress made on the sheet metal work. I welded in the lower inner fender patch where the bumper mounts are. I also installed the sheet metal over the fresh air grill sections I removed (no flames please!!!) :D

My blog has more photos, video and the details.

Inner Fender Patch

Smooth Front End

Fri Nov 27, 2009 9:12 pm

If you really prefer the air grills, you can have them airbrushed back on. I considered doing that with a mumpy '68 I bought back in the late '80's.

These are all flat panels that have had grill/headlight detail airbushed on.

Sat Nov 28, 2009 12:42 pm

I got the idea of smoothing out the grills from photos of the prototype KG.

I have seen others shave the grills too. I probably won't paint them back on.

Didn't the Rodbuster Ghia have painted on grills? Sort of...

Wed Jan 06, 2010 8:57 pm

The work has been pretty tedious lately. Almost too confusing for me to figure out where the previous body guy went wrong. Both rear quarters are WAY out of square with the decklid. Hopefully I can work through it and things will line up in the end.

Rear engine bay stripped, then new metal being trimmed and fit. The string is to find the center line for the tins, decklid and apron.

I had to cut both rear quarters away from the body because the decklid gaps were WAY off. In the process I found some rot in the lower rear section of the quarter panel and the nearby section of the wheel well. I'm about 1/2 way done with the repair, then I will reattach the quarter and fit the gaps.

Thu Jan 14, 2010 11:08 pm

Nice work! it looks like you really have a lot of work there. You really have some rust compared to mine.. just briefly went thru your blog.. very nice.. how does the aircraft stripper work? do i just spray it on / brush it on and then wash it off?

Fri Jan 15, 2010 10:07 am

really nice work, it motivates me to wanna start on my quarter panel patches. my lower rear panels have a little rust at the very bottom, ive been putting it off, maybe i will start it in the spring. :wink: