Junkyard convertible salvation project- in two deep

[thechief86]

Hey folks, I've had thrust upon me 2 beetles (I didn't pay for them, my buddy bought them and is overwhelmed by the rust)
One is a '68 Baja (cut up sedan) without the fiberglass, just cut up with no engine or interior, but a somewhat solid pan and heater channels, and a good (swapped in 4 speed IRS) trans and front beam and working brakes. And most important, a clean title.

The other is a '70 convertible, with a running motor, rotten floor pans and and passenger side heater channel, and the brace along the bottom is also weak on the passenger side, as well as the parcel shelf area being rusted out. It has decent fenders, doors, decklids, etc.
The top is fubar, but the frame is all there, but will need some serious cleanup and lubrication.

What I'd like to do is put the vert body on the good pan, and cut the passenger heater channel, and parcel shelf in that body from the not rusty Baja body and weld it all up.
Should I swap the heater channel and parcel shelf and weld in the bracing before I even pull the body off the vert? Should I weld in some cross bars to sturdy the vert body before I pick it up? If I do that, where do I weld those to so there won't be evidence of them when I cut them back out?

I more or less plan to just remove the top altogether until everything else is done, and just worry about that later. Would I be crazy to try building a removable hard top from the roof of the donor car?

When I'm done, I'll be scrapping the rusty pan, sans motor and tranny and front beam, and what's left of the cut up sedan body, rather than just scrapping both cars altogether. I feel like even if I do a shitty job of saving one of them, at least one of them will get put back on the road.

Do you guys have any advice? Is my plan stupid? The end product will be a ratty convertible at best, but from there I can improve it as I go and eventually graduate from "too far gone" to "still restorable" I realize I'm not saving a hebmuller or anything particularly desirable, but I think I'll have fun doing this,
And when I'm done the end product will be easier to sell than 2 junk bodies would be... Everything will be done with stock/used parts, so no custom stuff except the possible removable hardtop idea, and it most likely will get the front end lowered via cut and turn....
I'll post pics of the cars when I get them to my house...
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"A poor workman always blames his parts... Ya gotta have skillz to hang junk." -johnnypan

[mountainkowboy]

I'm into a challenge so I would save the vert and use the other one for the parts needed to fix it.
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Chuck in Socal
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71 Super Convertible...DD
78 Honda CB750K
06 Honda CR-V (wifes)
63 IH Scout 80 "Beater"

[jwp67]

You need to redo the poll so I can vote for "put the two together"

[thechief86]

That's what I meant for it to be, 3 options, one being put the two together to make one mostly solid convertible...
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"A poor workman always blames his parts... Ya gotta have skillz to hang junk." -johnnypan

[djkeev]

If you've got the time, the money and the skills, put together the convertible.

A much better investment and a greater chance of getting a good portion if your money back when you sell.

Use the sedan pan so you have a good title and forge ahead!

Dave
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Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473

Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537

Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert

[noah2burchell]

I say go with the option of putting together the convertible.
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Original flat window 1302 Super Beetle

[Q-Dog]

I would first try to get a title for the convertible. Then you can keep the convertible VIN with the car.

You can try to use the 68 body for parts for the convertible, but realize there are many convertible specific sheet metal parts that the hard top body will not have. I would put in new heater channels and new floor pans, since this is what keeps the car straight. (And trying to remove them from one car to put into another car takes too much time for questionable results.) You will need to buy convertible reinforcement rails since hard top beetles don't have those.

Sell the titled 68 pan, or turn it into a dune buggy!
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Brian

'69 Dune Buggy
'69 Beetle Convertible
'70 Beetle

[vamram]

I'm w/Q-Dog.
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'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
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[thechief86]

The 68 would actually be a pretty good Baja beetle, so I may try to save it, too.
I haven't touched either one yet, but I don't want to spend much money on this ordeal. I have a pretty good beetle already, this was just a last ditch thing before my buddy scrapped them both. I really just didn't want to throw away a good engine....
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"A poor workman always blames his parts... Ya gotta have skillz to hang junk." -johnnypan

[kdfwagon]

Save the convertible.
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Brianna's Grandpa

[thechief86]

Well, I have a buyer for the sedan, who is going to buy new front and rear aprons, fenders, and decklids, and wants to use the motor from the vert. So it looks like ill be parting out a complete '70 convertible pretty soon, or selling it outright if somebody else wants to give it a go.... Once I take inventory of parts and talk to the guy that wants the sedan I'll make some classified ads on here...
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"A poor workman always blames his parts... Ya gotta have skillz to hang junk." -johnnypan