Need help deciphering previous body work

[CowtownVW]

I'm just about finished removing the paint and bondo from my '70 convertible and could use the expericence of the group here! I'm trying to figure out what might have been the need/movitvation for this previous body repair and also some advice on how to put it right?

Here's some background:
- the body has been tack welded (looks to be a lap joint) from just below the A-pilar and above the body crease following a line toward the front and then cuts in at a right angle extending into the trunk (through the channel for the trunk seal).

- there is also the same tack weld/lap joint from the front between the headlight and grill extending up then cuts in at a 45 degree angle into the trunk (again through the channel for the seal).

- of course both lap joints were buried in about a 3/8th inch thick layer of bondo.

- at first I thought it was a replacement panel, but the welded panel has the same original factory orange paint as the rest of the car.

-I started looking for evidence of a wreck that would have required these repairs - as you can see from the pics, the nose has been dented but doesn't appear to be anything more than a minor nose crease and that's the only dent I found.

What do you guys think happened? what do do about it? my initial thought is to cut the tack welds then realign the panel and mig weld it back in with proper butt joints. I really need some advice here and don't want to make a mistake! Thanks!

Pics:
seam below drivers side A-pilar (with all the bondo and only a tack weld you can see the inevitable rust damage)


seam between headlight and vent (drivers side)


another view of same seam from above


Here's the nose damage for reference:

[swhitcomb]

Not sure on a cause, but the seam around the nose is in almost exactly the same place as the Karmann factory put it.
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[ovghiaguy]

I think the L/H side would have pewter on the joint at the A pillar if it was factory. look at bottom of fender next to door gap for evidence of fender replacement as spot welds would have to been broken.

[CowtownVW]

I'm almost certain this is the original fender. it had the exact same layers of paint as the rest of the body so it appears to be the original fender (black respray, primer, original orange factory color, primer, etc).

[gregmporter]

A couple things stand out... This was a repair. If it is the original fender, it could not lap over the A-pillar or nose. The factory butt welded everything and if it was cut off, it wouldn't have enough material to make a lap.

I would throw out the matching paint idea... There were only a few colors each year and a fender cut off a donor is about 1 in 10 to match what you are putting it onto. The black respray was done after the fender was installed.

My guess is that it was in an accident maybe a headlight hit. Those are tough to pull and it is easier to make two cuts and weld a new one on.

That said, if it were me repairing this; I would do the following:
-Check the fit as-is. Is the door gap straight, is the fender straight with the body, does the inner fender and seals look good?

-If everything lines up, I'd make a handful of reference marks, carefully cut the welds, trim the flanges/laps off and butt weld it back on.

-If there are things out of alignment, straighten them while the fender is still on. If you have to cut the welds, then do so and get the fender 100% before you cut the flanges.

You want the butt seams as close to water-tight as you can get them BEFORE you start welding. The better the panel fits up, the less likely you are to blow holes in it and warp it by chasing holes. TAKE YOUR TIME WELDING!!! And when you grind, do so with small tools and move around a lot. If you build up heat when you grind, you'll shrink the panel and draw in the welds.

After you weld, metal work the seams the best you can. I would run a bit of tigerhair/duraglass on both sides of the seam, then use filler to level it up. 1/8" is MAX thickness for filler. Then prime, paint, etc.
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[CowtownVW]

Greg, the more I look at it the more I think you're right about it being a replacement fender that happened to come off of another groovy orange donor ghia. there's no way it could have that much overlap and be the original fender without the body being all racked to one side, which it isn't. thanks for the help...

[bugpowered]

Wow...I had to take a double take at your photos. If it were not for the garage doors in the frame I would have sworn someone was in my garage taking pics of my Ghia. There are almost exact repairs performed on my Ghia that I found under a mountain of body filler. I am sure a shop had performed the repairs in the early '80s because of brazed panel repair. I am sure at one time or another the front was smacked pretty hard and this was the easiest repair. I even face almost identical nose repair. I am going to take precise measurements to ascertain how close the panels opening are to original. I am going to adjust if necessary then slice the affected areas open and then butt weld them back together. I plan on finessing the body to use as little filler as possible. I will send you some pics if you like..pm me.
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[bugpowered]

I am adding to this post because as I have stated earlier repairs performed on my vehicle are nearly identical to repairs in the beginning of this topic.






The fenders are cut just ahead of A pillars on each side at an angle leading to the opening of the hood. There are also cuts leading from the hood opening leading down the either side of the nose ending under the front of the body. The nose has been bumped hard and I have been working it out a bit at a time. The car is actually not rusty, this is left over orange paint with some ruddy brown primer. I am going to make some reference points and cut open the bodywork and weld it properly. My hope is too bring it nearly as close as possible to original dimensions so I can use the least amount a body filler as possible.
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[CowtownVW]