May 1953 Ragtop

greek_tony · Posted: Tue Nov 26, 2013 6:27 am Post subject: May 1953 Ragtop

Hi, my name is Tony and I am living in Greece (actually half-greek, half-english) and crazy about old cars and specially aircooled vws.
Used to get SuperVW mag when I was a kid and thought "one day.."

Had a few classics over the years (1979 Celica, 1975 Celica) and recently a 1963 Karmann Ghia.

Few pics of the Karmann

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

But I've always wanted a Bug, and with 3 kids the Karmann wasn't very practical. As I live in sunny Greece, a ragtop would be great too.

So I put up the Karmann for sale in late 2012 and started looking for a Ragtop Bug. Turns out my mechanic had a car sitting in plain view (with a car cover on it) all these years. An oval ragtop with later "bits" fitted to it (which explains why I didn't realize it was an oval from the covered silhouette).

So fast forward to September 2013, the buyer took the Karmann back to France (drove it back) and I was in a position to start hasling my mechanic to buy the Oval. After he accepted, and I started digging around, the car turned out to be a May 1953 3-fold car!!!!

Its missing an interior (found in Portugal), ribbed doors (BBT Belgium) and is fitted with a 70's front and rear hood and rear wings (but my mechanic has the rear hood and wings and other stuff).

And today this arrived!!!!!

So the plan is to get the car sandblasted after xmas, fix any rust, paint it Pastel Green, lowered (not slammed) running a 1600 twin port (my mechanic is giving me it) and the interior from Portugal (black vinyl) with some mexican blankets on it.
Step 2 will be a full interior by Himmelservice or Marcus.

In the meantime I am still looking for a an early Oval front Hood and a set of heart tailights in Europe (anyone?)
_________________
1963 Karmann Ghia - Sold
May 53 Ragtop - Resto started
October 65 Fastback - Almost there.

Matthew Tolbert · Posted: Tue Nov 26, 2013 6:46 pm Post subject:

Very cool!!! My car was built the day before yours.
_________________
Matthew Tolbert
1958 ragtop
1961 doublecab
1965 Notchback S

AlteWagen · Troll Joined: February 23, 2007 Posts: 8503 Location: PNW

Is there any original paint left? What does it look like, Pastel or Atlantic?

Congrats!
_________________
Grapes of Wrath $200 Engine Rebuild
Official Dual Carb Thread
Cylinder Head Quick Reference Sheet

greek_tony · Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 1:31 am Post subject:

greek_tony · Posted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 1:34 am Post subject:

volksfahrer · Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2013 12:28 am Post subject:

Pic's please Smile

great these early ragtops

Dimitrios · Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2013 4:21 am Post subject:

Hmm I now this car...
Your mechanic is Andreas right ?
This car was bought from Pagrati some years ago...
Sandblasting should be avoided...You can dry ice or soda blast it instead...

BBT has the taillights...

Jim
_________________
Used Porsche 911 & VW 091 & 094 transaxles!!!

greek_tony · Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2013 7:28 am Post subject:

greek_tony · Posted: Sun Dec 01, 2013 7:35 am Post subject:

greek_tony · Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2014 8:56 am Post subject:

Woohoo!!!!!

The car is in the shop, ready to start. The following parts are waiting to be fitted during the build:

- Ribbed doors
- Rear wings (one ribbed, one oval)
- Correct decklid (with incorrect cabrio vents fitted, will fit SAM's nice ones)
- Correct steering wheel, starter button, and seat frames
- Semaphore replacements (but may be able to get some ribbed semaphores)
- Bumpers
- correct tank
- rear valence (may repair a butchered one or buy one)
- pre-55 Oval front clip
- pre-59 hood (until I find a correct 7 bolt one)
- Old script Bosch headlights
- Rev counter
- 3/53 Speedo Restored by Thorsten

A few nice accessories came with the Oval: grab handle and steering lock.

Still looking for:

- Heart tail lights (may go for SAM ones)
- Correct pre-55 front fenders/wings (looking at some that Bbt have)
- Door handles
- Ribbed window winders
- torsion bar (is it different?) and correct pre-59 spring plate and cover for passenger side.
- correct ignition lock and key (P key I think), unless I don't use it and use the steering lock and early Oval ignition button to start it.

Ok here are the photos, sorry for the light and quality:

The semaphore pockets are there, under a thick coat of bondo and with a metal plate spot-brazed in place, result!!

_________________
1963 Karmann Ghia - Sold
May 53 Ragtop - Resto started
October 65 Fastback - Almost there.

greek_tony · Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2014 1:34 pm Post subject:

Tiny amount of progress today... removed one of the long ragtop rails and found the OG paint.

Is it L11? I know the pic is bad, but I think it could be. The certificate said either L11 or L19.
_________________
1963 Karmann Ghia - Sold
May 53 Ragtop - Resto started
October 65 Fastback - Almost there.

greek_tony · Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 9:15 am Post subject:

More work today. Had an hour to kill after to work.

Took the other ragtop rail off.

Can anyone tell me where I can find the rubber seal that goes on the outside of the rail?

We then ran into some problems, as the rear plate which snadwiches the ragtop cover is rusted solid and the screws won't come out.

Looks like we need to apply some heat.

So I continued by removing the side and rear windows and later decklid.

Then the headliner (later one again) to reveal the old glue and some more pastel green

Now for the problems:

1. the previous owner fitted some modern seats and hacked the seat rails:

2. There is some rust (but very little)

3. My mirror base is split. Any ideas how to repair it?

Finally here are the garage mates to my Oval

_________________
1963 Karmann Ghia - Sold
May 53 Ragtop - Resto started
October 65 Fastback - Almost there.

BulliBill · Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 7:25 am Post subject:

Congratulations on your Oval, made just a couple of months before I was born. Have fun during the resto, and take (and post) a lot of photos so we can follow along. Bob at BBT will have lots of goodies to help get that Beetle back in shape! I have a June '55 Oval Sunroof, and they are great cars! Enjoy your restoration...

Bill Bowman
_________________
I'm looking for these license plate frames for my fleet:
Coeur D'Alene - Lake Shore Volkswagen
Mission VW - San Fernando
Thornton VW - Stockton

Thanks for any help!

greek_tony · Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 8:59 am Post subject:

BulliBill · Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 6:15 pm Post subject:

Actually, no, I don't have a build thread. I'm very lucky as my Sunroof Oval has never been restored. She is in original factory condition, original paint, original upholstery, carpeting, headliner, floor mats, original numbers matching engine/transaxle/front end, etc. Never, ever had a radio or any music mounted into her. Has only 72,000 miles on her since leaving Wolfsburg. You can see her in my "avatar" photo parked in front of the Wolfsburg factory building in 1999 during "the Return To The Fatherland Tour '99". By the way "she" is named Martha, after the only other owner, the original owner who drove her off the showroom floor in Stockton, Ca back in June of 1955. I bought Martha at the 1993 VW Classic event.

There is a few pictures of Martha towards the bottom of page #53 of the "Post your Ovals " thread in the sticky in the Oval section. Try this link if it works:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4393446&highlight=martha#4393446

I'll be watching your progress on your '53. I always wanted a birth year Oval, but luckily I found Martha instead! Looks like you'll need to keep an eye out for a interior light "without" the 3-position switch, you have a later one that has the switch in your car.

Bill
_________________
I'm looking for these license plate frames for my fleet:
Coeur D'Alene - Lake Shore Volkswagen
Mission VW - San Fernando
Thornton VW - Stockton

Thanks for any help!

greek_tony · Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 1:50 am Post subject:

greek_tony

A bit more work today.

Got the ragtop off, but still need to figure out a way of removing those stuborn screws

Took off the passenger side wings/fenders and found some rust. But still not too bad.
Front fender

Some cracked bondo there

Rear fender

All in all, not too bad.
_________________
1963 Karmann Ghia - Sold
May 53 Ragtop - Resto started
October 65 Fastback - Almost there.

greek_tony · Posted: Sat Apr 25, 2015 5:23 am Post subject:

Well, time for an update. The shell was blasted, the 70's nose was cut off, green heater channels welded in, new WW floor pans, virtanen rear cross members welded in, front inner fenders rot cut out and beaten back into shape.
Got some pre 55 fenders and bonnet (I know it's not the correct super early 7 bolt correct one, but I need all my organs Laughing

),a 54 (earliest I could find) front clip, a job lot of parts to rebuild the rag from vwsunroofs and going to order my interior from Marcus in the next few weeks.
Volksprojects 4 inch narrowed beam (fitting drop spindles and discs) and a few other goodies (Kochs pop outs, venetian blinds...)

And now some pics Cool

(please excuse the crappy quality)

ps: fenders were losely bolted on In the pics.
_________________
1963 Karmann Ghia - Sold
May 53 Ragtop - Resto started
October 65 Fastback - Almost there.

greek_tony · Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2017 4:41 am Post subject: Re: May 1953 Ragtop

Haven't posted in ages, progress is slow but steady. Been getting the missing bits and pieces, and hell, its expensive for a 53!!

Send the seats to Marcus (Beetlekey) to work his magic on them and got the rest of his stuff waiting.

So time for some pics!!! (bit dusty, sorry)

_________________
1963 Karmann Ghia - Sold
May 53 Ragtop - Resto started
October 65 Fastback - Almost there.

scottyrocks · Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2017 6:40 am Post subject: Re: May 1953 Ragtop

It's coming along beautifully.

Your KG was a beauty, as well.


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