Transplant ALL convertible stuff to a sedan?

jure-slo

I'm not so familiar with bugs and up until now i have been working mostly on buses but i know how to do bodywork.
Maybe thinking a little out of the box here, after buying a quite rusty 1500 convertibe. How hard would it be to transplant all the necesary body parts from a rusty convertible to a not so rusty sedan? What body parts are different?
Is this crazy thinking?
_________________
'79 Bay-window, 2.0, duals solexes, automatic
'76 Triumph spitfire 1500
'86 Polski Fiat
'72 Mercedes W115, 200D

grandpa pete · Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 8:41 am Post subject:

I love thinking "out of the box "

If you have both bugs of the same year ;
The only things that are different besides the windshield frame and rear view mirror ; are the obvious doors ; and the not so obvious bracing under the heater channels . The doors will fit the hinges but no top frame to keep out rain .
If you have been reading this forum this week there is a discussion about making a " Hardtop " postless bug out of vert parts ; are you up to a challenge ?
CAUTION ;for illustration only ; the photoshop guy forgot the lugnuts Very Happy

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

I have read that swapping out bodys between pre 63 and post 63 there are differences under the back seat and around the front suspension
_________________
63 two fold rag
66 sedan delivery Type 6

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=569619&highlight=sedan+delivery

RareAir

jure-slo · Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 12:40 pm Post subject:

Yes, they are the same year. I've been looking at both of them today and there is a number of panels and sheet metal parts on the convertible that the sedan does not have....will investigate further.

I've seen the topic gradnpa pete, but i want a convertible Smile

_________________
'79 Bay-window, 2.0, duals solexes, automatic
'76 Triumph spitfire 1500
'86 Polski Fiat
'72 Mercedes W115, 200D

grandpa pete · Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 1:01 pm Post subject:

What year ? .....I'm a 66 guy .
_________________
63 two fold rag
66 sedan delivery Type 6

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=569619&highlight=sedan+delivery

hitest · Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 9:45 pm Post subject:

Sounds like what you want to do is duplicate what Karmann did- convert a sedan to a vert. You have to carefully examine the 40+ differences between two similar bodies in order to do this. I mean two '73 and up superbeetles, two 58- 62 cars, etc. Cut away all the good vert metal and stitch it onto your cut up sedan- but without the benefit of several linear of overlapped seaming. Oh, all this while bracing both cut up cars so they don't simply fold in like tacos on the sawhorses. Anybody on here that describes this project as easy is not only lying- they will have no photographic proof of their success.

If you are truly gifted- you can do it- but it's a lesson in bodywork saved for graduate-level bodymen over here. You will likely end up with two undriveable car piles. If you price your own work at a paltry $8 an hour- you'll end up paying twice as much for your convertible than anyone else in your country.

Other than that- I say go for it.
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andk5591 · Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2014 3:48 am Post subject:

I think you need to say exactly what you are wanting to do. Convert sedan to vert? Use some panels frm vert to repair sedan or what?

In either case, get hold of the 61-65 BIG Bentley manual. Has a LOT of detail on dissecting and repairing both bodies. Will show you all of the differences.
_________________
D-Dubya Manx clone - 63 Short pan,1914.
Rosie 65 bug - My mostly stock daily driver.
Woodie 69 VW woodie (Hot VWs 7/12).
"John's car" 64 VW woodie - The first ever
Maxine 61 Cal-look bug - Cindy's daily driver.
Max - 73 standard Beetle hearse project - For sale
66 bug project - Real patina & Suby conversion
There's more, but not keeping them...

garrick · Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 7:38 am Post subject:

This might be handy info here:

http://www.chucksconvertibleparts.com/vw-trivia/convertible-differences

VOLKSWAGNUT · Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 8:18 am Post subject:

jure-slo · Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 2:10 pm Post subject:

yes... I've compared the two cars now and there are quite some pieces on the convertible that don't exist on the sedan. It will be easyer to fix the rust on the convertible than transplant all the parts. So the sedan is going to donate the complete chassis, rear apron and a bunch of other things...
_________________
'79 Bay-window, 2.0, duals solexes, automatic
'76 Triumph spitfire 1500
'86 Polski Fiat
'72 Mercedes W115, 200D

andk5591 · Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 6:00 pm Post subject:

Just a reminder that the jack points need to be cut off the sedan pan.
_________________
D-Dubya Manx clone - 63 Short pan,1914.
Rosie 65 bug - My mostly stock daily driver.
Woodie 69 VW woodie (Hot VWs 7/12).
"John's car" 64 VW woodie - The first ever
Maxine 61 Cal-look bug - Cindy's daily driver.
Max - 73 standard Beetle hearse project - For sale
66 bug project - Real patina & Suby conversion
There's more, but not keeping them...

jure-slo · Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2014 10:58 am Post subject:

Thanks for the info, it saved me some scratching on my head today Smile

_________________
'79 Bay-window, 2.0, duals solexes, automatic
'76 Triumph spitfire 1500
'86 Polski Fiat
'72 Mercedes W115, 200D

jhicken · Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2014 5:33 pm Post subject:

Also, unless you plan in transferring the VIN from the vert to the new sedan, when it comes time to sell this car that you are going to put a lot of energy into, a sedan VIN is going to get a lot of head scratching.

-jeffrey
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Der Kleiner Kampfwagens


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