| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Spanish Flea
Samba Member
Joined: November 20, 2006
Posts: 1231
Location: So. Flo.
|
 Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 10:17 am Post subject: Leather Axle Boots |
 |
|
I would like to know more about the above. During the war leather was used for the axle boot.
I would like to know the dimensions of it's construction.
Length of the zipper.
Thickness of the leather, etc, etc.
Thanks,
Spanish Flea
_________________
Miami Vdubs
Alte Schule
Rare Vintage Air
"Mr. Ford, i don't think what we are being offered here is worth a damn!" - Ernest Breech (On buying VW, March 1948) |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Spanish Flea
Samba Member
Joined: November 20, 2006
Posts: 1231
Location: So. Flo.
|
| Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 11:07 am Post subject: |
|
|
200+ views and no replies, I thought i would have a little interest here by few people.
I know the pix above are for a half track. But VW did use leather as boots in the early cars.
Any info would help,
Thanks,
Spanish Flea
_________________
Miami Vdubs
Alte Schule
Rare Vintage Air
"Mr. Ford, i don't think what we are being offered here is worth a damn!" - Ernest Breech (On buying VW, March 1948) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ZwitterND
Samba Member
Joined: September 08, 2005
Posts: 1302
Location: Fargo, ND
|
| Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 8:15 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Looks like you stumped the panel.
_________________
52 Deluxe Zwitter
67 Sedan
67 Convertible
73 Camaro
I wonder how smart I would be if I didn't ask stupid questions.
Bill |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
KTPhil
Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006
Posts: 15805
Location: SoCal
|
| Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 9:10 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| With rubber in critical short supply during the war, it's not surprising. The use of a friggin' ZIPPER, though, is a real surprise! How does it contain the oil? It's not sealed! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ZwitterND
Samba Member
Joined: September 08, 2005
Posts: 1302
Location: Fargo, ND
|
| Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 9:18 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I assume it was installed wth zipper facing up. Possibly packed with grease?
_________________
52 Deluxe Zwitter
67 Sedan
67 Convertible
73 Camaro
I wonder how smart I would be if I didn't ask stupid questions.
Bill |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Bruce
Samba Member
Joined: May 16, 2003
Posts: 14428
Location: Honduras
|
| Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 10:59 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| KTPhil wrote: | | With rubber in critical short supply during the war, it's not surprising. |
That's not why they used leather. They used leather because that's what worked.
A few years ago, a local shop did the restoration on a 39 Alfa Romeo. It has a 2.9 liter straight 8, with twin gear driven superchargers. This was one of the supercars of the day. It's rear swing axle suspension was very much like a Beetle, and it had leather axle boots. Cost was no object for this car, and there were no shortages of rubber in 1939.
The original inboard axle boots on the front of a Schwimmwagen were leather. Last year I had the chance to see one of these cars in the midst of it's restoration. The original 70 year old leather axle boots were in PERFECT condition. They were still very soft and flexible. VW didn't use zippers. They are sewn together.
_________________
| Glenn wrote: | | ..... and like them better than Bosch. |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
dpeters60ghia
Samba Member
Joined: December 13, 2004
Posts: 161
Location: Western Canada
|
| Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 6:13 am Post subject: |
|
|
I don't have much to offer on this topic except this...
I had no idea that leather was used as a material for axle boots. So I Googled it...and to my surprise... Leather is STILL being used today on modern vehicles as an axle boot material.
just not on cars...
- Doug |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Spanish Flea
Samba Member
Joined: November 20, 2006
Posts: 1231
Location: So. Flo.
|
| Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 12:58 pm Post subject: |
|
|
dpeters60ghia, i think you mean to say "Just not our cars".
I'm only asking about the leather, because i would like to try it out on my car. So really design and thickness is really what i need to know. i was really intreaged by it that it was used on swimmers. But i guess the oil inside will keep the leather water proof and water tight. I will be taking a crack at making some in the next couple of weeks.
One question, does old flow through the boot down the axle tube to the hub?
Spanish Flea
_________________
Miami Vdubs
Alte Schule
Rare Vintage Air
"Mr. Ford, i don't think what we are being offered here is worth a damn!" - Ernest Breech (On buying VW, March 1948) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
VWKDF
Samba Member
Joined: March 17, 2011
Posts: 331
Location: NJ
|
| Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 1:12 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Spanish Flea wrote: | dpeters60ghia, i think you mean to say "Just not our cars".
I'm only asking about the leather, because i would like to try it out on my car. So really design and thickness is really what i need to know. i was really intreaged by it that it was used on swimmers. But i guess the oil inside will keep the leather water proof and water tight. I will be taking a crack at making some in the next couple of weeks.
One question, does old flow through the boot down the axle tube to the hub?
Spanish Flea |
I think he meant "not just on cars" as in on trucks and other machinery. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
a1steaksauce
Samba Member
Joined: September 23, 2010
Posts: 190
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2012 11:48 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Bruce wrote: | | KTPhil wrote: | | With rubber in critical short supply during the war, it's not surprising. |
That's not why they used leather. They used leather because that's what worked.
The original inboard axle boots on the front of a Schwimmwagen were leather. Last year I had the chance to see one of these cars in the midst of it's restoration. The original 70 year old leather axle boots were in PERFECT condition. They were still very soft and flexible. VW didn't use zippers. They are sewn together. |
actually they did switch to leather because rubber was in short supply.
early schwimmers were rubber, later schwimmers got leather.
and the leather was actually glued together originally, not to say that someone later on might have sewn it back together.
Bruce from kubel korp by chance? i was the co-pilot of Randy's rig running around. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Kapt. Q
Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2011
Posts: 180
Location: UK
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2012 12:38 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I have some original schwimmwagen leather boots, they are from the front differential to axle tubes joint. One has original dunkelgelb paint. They are constructed using 2 plys and are still in usable condition. There is stitching at the hem and a longitudinal seam on the outside of one of them but none on the inner ply of either, dunno how they did that? The plys appear to be glued together. They are of very high quality construction. The leather of one is thicker than the other. I was unaware that schwimmers ever came with rubber boots, and would like to see evidence of this. Personally I subscribe to the theory that they used it because it worked and was probably cheaper than rubber at the time, after all VW were building these things to make money, just like beetles.
I will dig them out tomorrow and post pictures.
Cheers! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Kapt. Q
Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2011
Posts: 180
Location: UK
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2012 1:54 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Sorry about the poor quality pics
The dark one is thinner but has no stitching. The other has a single row of stitches along each edge and a seam the length of the outer ply only.
Cheers! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ZwitterND
Samba Member
Joined: September 08, 2005
Posts: 1302
Location: Fargo, ND
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2012 3:04 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Sorry I have to say it but the only place zip up leather boots belong is on a long legged woman 
_________________
52 Deluxe Zwitter
67 Sedan
67 Convertible
73 Camaro
I wonder how smart I would be if I didn't ask stupid questions.
Bill |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
a1steaksauce
Samba Member
Joined: September 23, 2010
Posts: 190
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2012 7:42 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Kapt. Q wrote: | | I was unaware that schwimmers ever came with rubber boots, and would like to see evidence of this. |
let me see what i can turn up. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Spanish Flea
Samba Member
Joined: November 20, 2006
Posts: 1231
Location: So. Flo.
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2012 11:55 am Post subject: |
|
|
Kapt. Thanks for the pictures, can you get me a clear shot of the seam line.
It looks like they formed the leather over a mold to get the shape. Nice to shed some light on this.
ZwitterND- I agree.
Spanish Flea
_________________
Miami Vdubs
Alte Schule
Rare Vintage Air
"Mr. Ford, i don't think what we are being offered here is worth a damn!" - Ernest Breech (On buying VW, March 1948) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Kapt. Q
Samba Member
Joined: May 28, 2011
Posts: 180
Location: UK
|
| Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2012 2:43 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Spanish Flea wrote: | Kapt. Thanks for the pictures, can you get me a clear shot of the seam line.
It looks like they formed the leather over a mold to get the shape. Nice to shed some light on this.
ZwitterND- I agree.
Spanish Flea |
Sorry, been away for a couple of days, will post some shots today. I think that they are definitely done over a mold. Is there some way they shrink leather? How do you make a tube for the inner ply with no seam?
As a side note I am sure that if you are able to perfectly reproduce these you could sell loads of them, I'd buy front and back sets myself.
Jacek in Poland does a reproduction of the schwimmwagen outer front leather/rubber boot already.
Cheers! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Patty B.
Samba Member
Joined: July 14, 2005
Posts: 1672
Location: Brampton, Ontario, Canada
|
| Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2012 8:50 am Post subject: |
|
|
how do you make the shape---use a cow leg, it comes that way -Ossobuco  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Spanish Flea
Samba Member
Joined: November 20, 2006
Posts: 1231
Location: So. Flo.
|
| Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2012 11:31 am Post subject: |
|
|
Depending on the type of leather you use, After wetting it with water it can take a any shape by working. (most companies use presses, but you can get the same results by hand.)
I'm not looking to do a production run on this, but if i were, i would create a mold and form the leather over it. Trim and sew together.
i would suspect with the real boots, the inner layer is sewn, it's just not seen because it is covered in grease/gunk.
I am however looking to make a set for my project. I'll keep this thread posted with my progress.
Spanish Flea
_________________
Miami Vdubs
Alte Schule
Rare Vintage Air
"Mr. Ford, i don't think what we are being offered here is worth a damn!" - Ernest Breech (On buying VW, March 1948) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Spanish Flea
Samba Member
Joined: November 20, 2006
Posts: 1231
Location: So. Flo.
|
| Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2012 1:24 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Sorry, can you also give me the thickness of the leather.
Spanish Flea
_________________
Miami Vdubs
Alte Schule
Rare Vintage Air
"Mr. Ford, i don't think what we are being offered here is worth a damn!" - Ernest Breech (On buying VW, March 1948) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ww2vw.com
Samba Member
Joined: April 23, 2006
Posts: 8
Location: Poland
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
