Advice on Bodywork

[58Sleeper]

Hello,

I'm restoring a split window bus and after measuring the thickness of the paint, I realized there was too much going on on the engine lid. After creating a sand storm in my shop, this is what was under the 3/8 cake of filler and paint. I want to save it, because the price of a replacement is insane.

How would you go about trying to repair this mess? Would you try to re-skin the lid or would you pull it high with studs and then try to shrink it back down flat?

Let me know your thoughts. Any advice would be appreciated.

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[skills@eurocarsplus]

[58Sleeper]

I thought about this... Lord knows I like the easy route most of the time. But when the car is mostly complete, it means you already shelled out a hefty penny. Since time and money are proportional, I want to take the time and keep my money. I have more time than money.

This project is about learning, more than saving time. The thought of patching in a new skin doesn't seem that hard or time consuming. The metal shrinking I never did before, which is why I am asking what would other more experienced people would do.

Mostly looking online, this lid is in better shape than most for sale.

[CanadianBug]

I've been a bodyman for 30 years... there is no way I'd waste my time trying to straighten that mess.
Spend some money on a new or better one and devote your time to somewhere else.
No matter what value you put on your time, you'll have more time in that lid than it'll ever be worth, and at the end of the day, you'll have a repaired panel that you might not be happy with.

*my two cents worth*

Mike
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[58Sleeper]

Mike,

No disrespect, but I understand your point. Professional body repair people never spend too much time on a customer's car, in a lot of aspects. I'm not saying this your case, but saving time on insurance jobs makes a lot sense.

My question is, can you repair the engine lid? If so, then this is what I am trying to gain from it. I've seen people completely fabricate fenders for roasters, rebuild door skins etc. This is the craftsmanship that is lost in today's quick fix world, with fixed price insurance configuration that places time vs money. This is not the case, I'm restore my car for fun.

Anyways, I am taking the advice offered, but while I am trying to find a new lid, I'll see how easy it is to fix. This lid on my 57 only ran for 1 year. In the same year, there was a version that had another light hole above the license plate. My 57 came later in the year and shares the same deck lid as 1958 and only half of 1958s came with this lid.

The suckers are hard to find. There is only one being sold on the Samba right now and it might be as dogged as mine. My biggest fear is, I'll buy a good used lid, and I'll sand it down and it will be just the same or worst. Here is the condition of my lid when I got the Bus. I had no clue this was going on under it.

I do appreciate your advice and I am almost certain I will be following it if I like or not..

[58Sleeper]

First hour..

[panicman]

Kinda happy to see you're rolling up your sleeves. Double cool that you already have a pic posted. Keep up on the progress pictures- I'm tuning in!
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Plate of shrimp

[58Sleeper]

Ok Panicman, I will do that. I can keep track of the hours, as I am only allowed 1 to 2 hours a day, 3 days per week on my car. I have a big boss at home. So, it will be easy to track the time it took.

If I fail, I'll know that I tried. I don't just want to chuck it, original VW parts are vanishing.

[skills@eurocarsplus]

[CanadianBug]

[Westy Steve]

Would it make more sense to cut out the worst of it and replace with truer panel where you can?
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Have nice 914, want nice Bug

[58Sleeper]

Westy Steve,

Yes, I've come to this conclusion on my own. This was my original question. I'm going to re-skin the whole lid. I was thinking save the license plate area (the pressed area) and weld it into a new flat piece and re-wrap it.

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[58Sleeper]

I am going to measure the area and have it cut on order.

[58Sleeper]

After removing all the primer, I realized the whole lid is jacked up..

[58Sleeper]

Ok, ordered the correct size metal to replace the surface. I should have in a few days and the restore will begin. Nervous, but the worst I can do is have to pay 500 bux.



Live and Learn. And education is never free.

[Danpa]

Since you have to remove the outer skin anyway, could you split the two pieces to get the entire backside of the panel and just hammer and dolly it back to shape? That's what I would try, along with some "grinding disc put on upside down metal shrinking" if necessary.

The rear apron on my 70 was similar with about a 1/2" of bondo from a previous owner. I removed the inside panel, ground off the bondo, and just worked it back to shape in a few hours.

Just a thought....

Dan

[58Sleeper]

Ok, I got the sheet metal cut down to the correct size. Going to Canada this week, so I'll pick up the project when I get back.

[58Sleeper]

[Danpa]

Is it an actual flat panel or does it have any crown? If it does, do you intend to use a English wheel to put the crown in it?

Dan

[58Sleeper]

That is a good question. I am going to have to check the surface of a good lid. My lid was so damage, I couldn't get that information. If it has curvature, I guess I'll have to figure that one out. Never used an english wheel before.


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