My new ride !!!

Tech · Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 8:21 pm Post subject: My new ride !!!

Ok Ok I know she needs a little TLC but this is a first hand rust free (50 years in Arizona) 57 ragtop, she rolled four times in a accident in 91. The pan seems to be straight and the body too. So two solutions, I find a body but like I said this one is almost rust free, or I just change the roof (the best)
She's going to come in my garage in a few days and I'm going tu put her in parts, the real diagnosis will come after that.
What do you think ?

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iaccy · Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 9:03 pm Post subject:

wow, a rolled beetle! the car looks mint. too bad about the roll over otherwise that would have been a sick oval...If it were mine I'd be nervous about getting the metal straight again. like the windshield for instance, but it definitely has potential. however like you said, there may be hidden surprises you find when you start tearing it down.

Post some pics after you do the teardown Twisted Evil

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eth727 · Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 9:13 pm Post subject:

cut it up for for other surviving ovals. it will take alot of money and time to bring it back if it will ever come back straight.

BBSquarebackChick · Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 10:27 pm Post subject:

capeoddboy · Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 10:57 pm Post subject:

I like your idea of replacing the roof. If you can do it or get it done, then I think it would be a very cool car to have. They don't make them anymore so if you can save one, then you are OK in my book.

Major Woody · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 11:09 am Post subject:

I love ovals too but I am not a retard. That car is a total loss. A 57 is not worth the effort it would take to straighten that. That is a parts car. Plenty of better body shells to put those parts on, and that would likely be less work than trying to fix all that wasted sheet metal.

Tech · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 4:46 pm Post subject:

that exactly what I was thinking, I'm going to put this poor ovale in parts and I will see if there is any posibilities to save her. But that's right, the body is F..up, if it is still straigt i can try to just change the roof, this is not a big operation to do, or i can find a good body to put on the pan. I'll see. I did not pay too much for it and the resale of the parts can easily cover the cost of it. I just think it is a shame to destroy an other car just for those damn parts. Evil or Very Mad

Major Woody · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 4:54 pm Post subject:

It seems there are quite a few shells available that had been stripped at some point in the past that would be a lot better to work with than that one. If it was 54 or older, I might feel differently. 55 and down ovals are hard to find but I wouldn't say they are rare...splits are rare. But VW made a LOT of bugs in 56-57. They aren't rare. Worth saving, but not rare. Don't make life excessively hard for yourself. Looks like you have a good front clip, good rear clip, firewall, maybe heater channels, some glass (amazing) good hood (a big deal), bumpers look savable (need parts but look pretty decent)...pan MAY be good but I would check the alignment given the wack those wheels took...you have the entire interior...you have the original pan, can always swap the ID plate behind the spare tire and nobody would ever know it wasn't the original body and the numbers would still match.

It would just be a real bummer to get all that work done on the roof of this shell and then not have the doors line up, you know.

Tbone · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 5:52 pm Post subject: New ride !!!

As the late John Candy once said so well ......

" Well, this isn't so bad.
I thought it would be a lot worse than this.
They'll be able to buff this out.
Oh, yeah."

But seriously...heed the advise given by Major Woody and save yourself some time, trouble, and money.

Ted
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Right between the U and X.

OvalTeenAZ · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 6:25 pm Post subject:

id pull the fenders out get the the glass in and the doors to open and close and drive it...

iaccy · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 6:56 pm Post subject:

Tech · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 9:43 pm Post subject:

the most wonderful rat of the world, no rust but really rat...

Well you know I was thinking doing this too, maybe for a few years, for the fun...and the discussion too...

bugman1955 · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 10:41 pm Post subject:

It's much too clean to cut up. I would swap the fenders and look around for a replacement roof. The drivers door looks like it's bent, so that may need to be changed if it can't be straightened.

wildman1 · Samba Member Joined: December 30, 2003 Posts: 674

Bend, build and drive!

2332cc, 4:12 and some 165's with W5 discs. Run that bitch the way Jesus intended you to run it! AS IS!

or...buy my 55 3 fold and combine th etwo! Wink

EMPIFLAKE · Samba Member Joined: April 16, 2007 Posts: 1493

Listen Ive been around vws for along time and being from the east coat most of our cars are usually rusted bad. And I can tell you bad rust repair sucks bad I would have died back in the day to find a car like that! to fix. Dude honestly its up to you sure theirs more 56 57 bodys out their but nobodys selling cheap and the work to swop a body and all the crap involved is TIME bro. Fix the car big deal people section in rag clips for fun these days so you roof is nothing trust me!!. The only thing to investigate is straightness and find another drivers door before you begin and make sure it hangs right. Other than that roof and door I see no big deal and that car done.................!

GET STARTED AND STOP ASKING OPINIONS!!! PEOPLE HAVE PLENTY TO OFFER!

54 VERT
MIKE Wink

Ninamashr · Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 7:17 am Post subject:

Whoa, can you imagine what the driver looked felt like when he was rolling over 4X!!! No seat belt and a hole in the roof, bet he's was like... Shocked

_________________
1957 Karmann Kabriolet "Franky"
1957 Allstate trailer

johnshenry · Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 8:12 am Post subject:

6Speed · Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 8:24 am Post subject:

heck yeah, replace a couple fenders, get the windscreen to fit and drive it! Does the sliding top still slide ok?
_________________
'57 Beetle

Tech · Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 12:23 pm Post subject:

No the sliding top is not sliding, well it is not too bad in here, I will post more detailled pictures later, I'm going to pick it up this afternoon...more push it to my garage because I found her four houses from mine...it is just like she was waiting for me... Smile

desh · Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 12:37 pm Post subject:

Appears to be a lot of work getting her back on the road but oval ragtops must be getting rare now, try and save her if you can.
_________________
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Kind Regards
Des


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