Dash pods

[Gustav_t]

I´m about to restore the dash pods of my 51 deluxe split.
To my surprise one was black, one ivory but badly painted black.

Taking the pods apart represented no problem until I wanted to take out the small coloured lenses in front of the oil/generator lights. I also want to take of the switches for lights/wipers.

I dont want to ruin the damn thing. Please help.

G.
_________________
1951 deluxe
1967 razoredge
1964 panelvan
1967 fastback TL
1967 callooker
1972 Poba camper conversion

[johnshenry]

My Zarwerks partner Jim restores pods and tells me that taking the lenses out is tricky. And often an original lens is very brittle and will crack.

I believe they a tapped out with a small wooden dowel (rod).
_________________
John Henry

'57 Deluxe
'56 Single Cab

[Brezelwerks]

We're about to actually release perfect reproduction crimped brass barrel housings in each lense color. This has been a growing problem here for us as well, and we're tired of having to cannibalize lenses from our stock of original pods to restore other pods to have nice original lenses. We were running out of the originals so I decided to just make them. Expect to see the ad in the next week or so.

To paint your pod and have nice results, the lenses should really come out, so you can get a nice crisp border around the lense, with no bleed through onto the lense caused by masking issues. Best way to take these lenses out, if the lenses aren't chipped and you want to try and reuse them, is to try and get a wooden coffee stirrer and snip it down to about an inch in length, so its stronger, you can use it as a tapping tool, tap the top with a small hammer like its a tiny punch tool.

You want to then get just under the perimeter of the opening with the tool, almost prying it under the lip around each opening. The lenses are grasped by a rolled over brass lip. So, you want to tap on that lip so you don't snap or break the lense out of the brass barrel. The lenses often break because folks tap on them until they hit the crimp dimples that you see on the brass barrels, and then they are usually no good, or you might be able to glue them back in too. So, instead tap all around that outer edge evenly a little at a time so you don't bind it up in the tunnel, try to tap on the brass only, and be patient. Don't forget to bend out the little metal tab stop that acts to tighten the lamp barrel assembly to these tunnels, the lense assembly won't come out until you actuate them out of the way.

I've modified a plastic clay working tool implement for this specific reason, you can pick up a whole set at your local craft store for $3 and its money well spent having plastic implements around that you can modify as needed.

Also keep in mind these lenses have been in place for 50 years, the edges can be caked up pretty well and work like glue. If you have the pod in hand though you can sponge in some hot water around the lens hole first and use a toothpick to take out as much crud as you can first, and that should provide some lubrication to also make them easier to remove. If you break one though don't fret since we'll be able to offer you the color you need for about $15 each. Good luck!

Gary

[Brezelwerks]

To remove the pod switches, its a bit tricker, but you can remove them by drilling off the top of the rivet head on the reverse side, they drill off easy with a large drill bit, just take a little off the top and the switch should pop back off without much force since they are spring loaded.

Putting them back on is trickier since they were riveted. Depending on their overall condition, you can get yourself your own M2.5 tap and drill set down at the local hobby store for about $6 and then drill and tap a hole about 3/8" down the middle. Its not too bad a job really if you take your time doing it. Then you reattach them with M2.5 machine screws with a washer under each head, and using loctite helps, you tighten down until there is a credit card gap between the pod switch and the actual pod surface, in fact you can put a credit card in there as a shim so you know when to stop tightening.

A few of us out there do this regulary so if you get stuck just contact any one of us for help or for the hardware.

Gary

[twinwindows]

These pods can be a pain in the hoodride to restore, Take your time and with the correct tools anything is possible I just restored these for a samba member here BTW Gary your felts are very nice and adding the tacky glue to them really helps. I dont like painting the pods myself its better to just find original Ivory molded ones like these but that's kinda hard. Gary I would be interested in those dash lenses when you have them ready.

I had to kill one dash pod to make this one a survivor.

_________________
CRG
My builds
BAD TEMPER 11
CHRISTINE
GFK LIFER!

[[email protected]]

If you have a early deluxe split the pods are solid cream/white plastic and only need buffing to bring them back. vw never painted the early pods. I think they had some problems with the soild cream/white pods as many I see are cracked., Vw must have switched back to the Brown plastic as it was stronger and just painted them for deluxes.

[Gustav_t]

Thanks for the great advice. I´ll give it a go. My car is a 51 deluxe but one pod is solid black, the other ivory but painted black with a dead cat.

G.
_________________
1951 deluxe
1967 razoredge
1964 panelvan
1967 fastback TL
1967 callooker
1972 Poba camper conversion

[noheb]

Yes, I agree. Gustav, for your 51 the pods should be black bakelite, painted ivory white (Not quite as white as the white bakelite pods)..

Do you plan on using the pods that you've already got or are you in the market for a black bakelite pod?

Strange mismatch of pods, how about your speedo? does it have the red gear shift markings? and the "Flat top" inner circle?


Here are a few different split speedos, oldest first...

ROUND inner circle, , NO gear shift markings:

ROUND inner circle AND red gear shift markings:
I believe the gear shift markings appear in early april 1951.

FLAT TOP circle AND gear shift markings:
?? Medio 1951 ?? Anyone... ?

Note: it seems MPH speedos do not get the gear shift markings until AFTER the flat top circle:

noheb.

[Bruce]

[Gustav_t]

Mine is "flat top, gear shift markings".
As i got more in to the project i realized that the pods were indeed both solid black, but one was painted first white, then black.

I also got puzzled by the fact that the switches were black?

I have to say, Garys advice rocked! Everything came apart beatifully without a scratch, and i´m not a carefull guy.

Now the dashpods sit in the den, looking ivory and ready to be installed.
Great!

G.

By the way Noheb - do we know eachother? I´m danish to..
_________________
1951 deluxe
1967 razoredge
1964 panelvan
1967 fastback TL
1967 callooker
1972 Poba camper conversion

[Brezelwerks]

You could put the switch knob back into the pod to hold the shaft securely, you'd have to take the spring and contact plate first, and then you have to hold the knob so it doesn't turn while you are drilling. But doing this could be a little awkward while you are trying to see what you are doing while balancing the pod and holding the knob.

My suggestion, if you are fairly familiar with using a cordless drill, is to just cup the face of the knob in the upper palm section of your hand, and grip it with the brass shaft of the knob being squeezed firmly between your forefinger and middle finger. There should be at least another 1/2" or so that protrudes out from your closed fingers. Then you can simply take your time and drill out the center of the brass shaft. BUT, you should take a simple spring actuated hand punch and dimple the center end of the brass shaft first, so the drill won't "walk" off the surface when you start, thats an important trick in starting this. Keep in mind the shaft is brass, so its soft, if you use a new drill you should have no trouble quickly drilling out the hole.

As you start to drill just check every few seconds that you are drilling as straight as possible, stop drilling every 5 seconds or so and unwrap your fingers, let your eye study if the drill is going in nice and straight. Rotate the knob slightly each time you stop so you can study the angle of the drill going in. Let your eye study the line of the drill down through the shaft, then adjust how you are holding the drill. Keep drilling but keep checking as you go. Its seems more tricky than what it really is, but take your time, don't try to drill the hole all in one shot. If you go off angle slightly its not a problem, just adjust the angle so its straight as possible and keep going, down about 3/8" or so, thats about all you need.

While it seems that the hole in the shaft needs to be straight, it just needs to be relatively straight, since the knob is kept square by how its held in the pod hole, which is like a long tunnel. So, when you add the screw back on the back of the knob shaft, when you tighten the screw its just going to pull the front knob closer and evenly to the face of the pod.

Its really not too bad. I'd love to see more and more people do their own pod restorations, there isn't too much to it really, after you've done one you'll agree. But, for whatever reason if anyone ls reluctant to modify their knobs, they can send them to me after they get them off, stick in $15 and I'll drill, tap, polish the knobs, and include the screw/washers if you want, ship it all back to you 2 days after I get it, but I really think its good experience to try it!

Gary

[Beetle1950]

[johnshenry]