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slack874 Samba Member
Joined: July 04, 2013 Posts: 5 Location: Whitchurch, Hampshire, UK
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Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2017 5:24 am Post subject: Trying to get the body off |
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Hi all
I have a 1970 bug called Dave and I need to get his body off..
I have undone all the bolts apart from the two on the shock things at the back which are just blobs of rust - I'm thinking of angle grinding them off, unless there is a better way?
Also, it looks like the previous owner welded the body to the chassis at the front and I cant figure out where to cut - does anyone have any photos of the body as it comes off the chassis so I can see where to cut?
Thanks |
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andk5591 Samba Member
Joined: August 29, 2005 Posts: 16754 Location: State College, PA
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Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2017 5:40 am Post subject: Re: Trying to get the body off |
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Pictures of what you are talking about would help. The rear is easy to understand, but not sure about what you meam about the front. What you do in the back depends what you are doing for the repairs. If the mounts are bad and need replaced, then just cut. But if you just want to separate it, a sawzall between the pan and body mount would be good. There was a rubber cushion in there at one time, so you should have room. Obviously you will need to drill out the bolt from the pan. _________________ D-Dubya Manx clone - 63 Short pan,1914.
Rosie 65 bug - My mostly stock daily driver.
Woodie 69 VW woodie (Hot VWs 7/12).
"John's car" 64 VW woodie - The first ever
Maxine 61 Cal-look bug - Cindy's daily driver.
Max - 73 standard Beetle hearse project - For sale
66 bug project - Real patina & Suby conversion
There's more, but not keeping them... |
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theKbStockpiler Samba Member
Joined: July 07, 2012 Posts: 2316 Location: Rust Belt
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slack874 Samba Member
Joined: July 04, 2013 Posts: 5 Location: Whitchurch, Hampshire, UK
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Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2017 3:33 am Post subject: Re: Trying to get the body off |
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offshores Samba Member
Joined: February 08, 2012 Posts: 1085 Location: So Cal
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Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2017 11:50 am Post subject: Re: Trying to get the body off |
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If the bolt on the back is rusty you can put a socket on it and break of the head pretty easily.
Is the other side of the front welded? If not, lift up on the front and follow the seam to where it ends and cut. Or lift up the back and follow along heater channel and cut if both sides in front are welded. |
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Mike Fisher Samba Member
Joined: January 30, 2006 Posts: 17963 Location: Eugene, OR
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Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2017 12:51 pm Post subject: Re: Trying to get the body off |
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Better to cut bolts/welds with your sawzall/grinder where necessary than lifting too high and bending up the body/pan metal for no gain! _________________ https://imgur.com/user/FisherSquareback/posts
69 FI/AT square Daily Driver
66 sunroof,67,70,71,71,71AT,72,72AT,73 Parts
two 57 oval ragtops sold
'68 Karmann Ghia sold
Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up you end up with a lot of scum on the top! - Russ_Wolfe/Edward Abbey |
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offshores Samba Member
Joined: February 08, 2012 Posts: 1085 Location: So Cal
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Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2017 1:54 pm Post subject: Re: Trying to get the body off |
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That's the point, to cut the parts that are welded, but he doesn't know what lines to cut. By lifting up you'll see real quick where you'll need to cut. You don't need to lift that much and risk bending anything. |
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theKbStockpiler Samba Member
Joined: July 07, 2012 Posts: 2316 Location: Rust Belt
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Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2017 2:58 pm Post subject: Re: Trying to get the body off |
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I'm not seeing evidence that the heater channel is welded to the floor pan.
Use map gas in a plumbers (turbo torch); has fins in the nozzle, to heat the top of the bolt up. If this does not break it free heat the bottom instead. If you can find a 'jewelers torch' which can make a small precise flame it will make tearing down a rusty car much easier. I use one on brake lines quite often. Anytime you feel you are pushing the strength of a fastener, hit it with a torch regardless in a safe manner.
If you round off the top of the bolt in the back, hammer the next sized smaller socket on it. _________________ My beetle is not competing with your beetle. I have the yellow beetle in my town. There is a red one, a green one ......
Use all safety devices including a mask. |
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slack874 Samba Member
Joined: July 04, 2013 Posts: 5 Location: Whitchurch, Hampshire, UK
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Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2017 4:00 am Post subject: Re: Trying to get the body off |
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My plan was to get the rear bolts off first, then try and lift the rear and see what happens - there is so much crud there I cant see what line to cut. You are right, the heater channels arent welded so hopefully I will see the gap easy enough
The rear bolt head is just a blob, cant get a socket on it at all.. If I cut the head off, how easy or hard is it to get the bolt body out? Drill? |
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CiderGuy Samba Member
Joined: December 23, 2013 Posts: 1351 Location: Bucks County, Pa
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Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2017 7:39 am Post subject: Re: Trying to get the body off |
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slack874 wrote: |
My plan was to get the rear bolts off first, then try and lift the rear and see what happens - there is so much crud there I cant see what line to cut. You are right, the heater channels arent welded so hopefully I will see the gap easy enough
The rear bolt head is just a blob, cant get a socket on it at all.. If I cut the head off, how easy or hard is it to get the bolt body out? Drill? |
A better idea might be to pick up a set of those sockets which will grip just about anything. They saved me hours of time and frustration. _________________ ----------------------
Cars Currently Owned:
1970 Karmann Ghia Coupe
1973 Karmann Ghia Coupe - Project car for sale
1970 Karmann Ghia Convertible (Body off restoration)
Timing is everything |
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slack874 Samba Member
Joined: July 04, 2013 Posts: 5 Location: Whitchurch, Hampshire, UK
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Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2017 7:47 am Post subject: Re: Trying to get the body off |
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Those ones with loads of pin heads on? I tried one of those, didnt work unfortunately Maybe I'll try again with heat |
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CiderGuy Samba Member
Joined: December 23, 2013 Posts: 1351 Location: Bucks County, Pa
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Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2017 9:16 am Post subject: Re: Trying to get the body off |
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slack874 wrote: |
Those ones with loads of pin heads on? I tried one of those, didnt work unfortunately Maybe I'll try again with heat |
Those are available also, but the ones I used were 12 sided sockets and gripped anything I put them on. Mine are made by craftsman. _________________ ----------------------
Cars Currently Owned:
1970 Karmann Ghia Coupe
1973 Karmann Ghia Coupe - Project car for sale
1970 Karmann Ghia Convertible (Body off restoration)
Timing is everything |
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bobbyblack Samba Member
Joined: May 21, 2015 Posts: 4333 Location: United States, Iowa
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Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2017 9:32 am Post subject: Re: Trying to get the body off |
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From memory, my gas tank had to come out for me to find some of the bolts up front. Got a picture from under the tank? _________________ '87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch |
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slack874 Samba Member
Joined: July 04, 2013 Posts: 5 Location: Whitchurch, Hampshire, UK
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Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2017 10:16 am Post subject: Re: Trying to get the body off |
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offshores Samba Member
Joined: February 08, 2012 Posts: 1085 Location: So Cal
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Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2017 1:01 pm Post subject: Re: Trying to get the body off |
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If you have a chisel and a sledge hammer you could shear that rusty head off too. Or cut it. It's only a 10mm bolt so getting the head off shouldn't be too hard.
As for the remaining bolt that's left in the hole, get some drill bits and a tap set. I start out by using smaller bits and working up to larger ones, and making sure I drill down the center. Centering is important and using a punch and a hammer first to make an indent for you drill bit is essential.
I'm pretty sure the bolt size is a 10x1.5 so you'll use whatever size tap and chase the threads once you've drilled the bolt enough.
I've also drilled enough to where the bolt shaft was so thin that I was able to bend it toward the center of the hole and remove the rest not even needing to use a tap. Some are super easy to get out while others are a pain. Drilling down the center is key though. Check YouTube if need be. |
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BotanyBandit Samba Member
Joined: February 13, 2013 Posts: 224 Location: Kansas City
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Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2017 6:04 pm Post subject: Re: Trying to get the body off |
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My 2¢ is to soak all bolts in PB blaster or nutbuster for a day or two . When separating my body from the chassis I sheared off atleast 3 bolt heads before I realized that drilling them out would be a huge pain. I soaked them all per some advice on here and not a single bolt fought me after that. I eventually replaced the heater channels but the PB blaster saved me a lot of work. If that doesn't work the other ideas are all on point. Good luck |
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mac2881994 Samba Member
Joined: February 03, 2011 Posts: 17 Location: Woodlawn, TN
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Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2017 5:45 pm Post subject: Re: Trying to get the body off |
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Don't forget the two bolts on the front side of the gas tank opening. They go into the top of the front beam and should have rectangular rubber pads on them. |
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volksbug70 Samba Member
Joined: August 22, 2005 Posts: 126 Location: Tallahassee, FL
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Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2017 5:52 am Post subject: Re: Trying to get the body off |
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slack874 wrote: |
I have a 1970 bug called Dave |
Ha! I'm Dave and I have a 1970 bug! _________________ ~Dave (Brother of Matts70Bug)
1970 Beetle
Undergoing Full Restoration as of February 2017! |
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jeffinohio Samba Member
Joined: February 02, 2017 Posts: 197 Location: Scio Ohio
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Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 10:15 am Post subject: Re: Trying to get the body off |
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The 64 I am working on had similar repairs tying the body/frame together.I used a cut off wheel on a 4 inch angle grinder to cut thru the old repairs and remove the body.SUCKED,but got it. _________________ 64 Sunroof
73 Standard
70 Convertible
67 Cougar
3 Subarus |
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