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jordirg
Samba Member
Joined: May 11, 2014
Posts: 32
Location: Barcelona, Spain
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 Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2014 3:03 pm Post subject: Best option to change a front clip crashed |
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| Hi frinds someone can say what is the best option to change a front clip crashed, I can't a front clip in good conditions. Thanks. |
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Bruce
Samba Member
Joined: May 16, 2003
Posts: 17290
Location: Left coast, Canada
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D-train
Samba Member
Joined: January 08, 2007
Posts: 1455
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rich caramadre
Samba Member
Joined: August 22, 2014
Posts: 145
Location: United States
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| Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2014 5:37 pm Post subject: |
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| I picked up a 56' that was hit pretty good in the front. Two VW guys said to cut it off and find a donor clip. I found out that finding a front clip for an oval is not easy. The ones I found ran between 3 and 6 hundred dollars. And those usually needed alot of work. Plus paying someone to weld it on. So I took it to a good body shop and they were able to pull it back on a frame machine. They got it back to where fenders and hood fit really well. It cost me $400.00. Now I have a straight body with original metal. It's not show car quality but that's not my goal with this car. |
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Brian
Samba Moderator
Joined: May 28, 2012
Posts: 8340
Location: Oceanside
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kielbasa
Samba Member
Joined: November 28, 2007
Posts: 1443
Location: Garbage Grove, CA
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| Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2014 7:44 pm Post subject: |
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Best post ever.
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Gotta give my props to:
Wolfsburg Motorsports
Dubbers Toy Box
Jeff's VW Speed and Fab
4inbore.com
Kielbasa Industries |
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wcfvw69 
Samba Purist
Joined: June 10, 2004
Posts: 13389
Location: Arizona
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| Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2014 8:46 pm Post subject: |
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| rich caramadre wrote: |
| I picked up a 56' that was hit pretty good in the front. Two VW guys said to cut it off and find a donor clip. I found out that finding a front clip for an oval is not easy. The ones I found ran between 3 and 6 hundred dollars. And those usually needed alot of work. Plus paying someone to weld it on. So I took it to a good body shop and they were able to pull it back on a frame machine. They got it back to where fenders and hood fit really well. It cost me $400.00. Now I have a straight body with original metal. It's not show car quality but that's not my goal with this car. |
You read my mind. I see so many folks cutting off front clips that could easily be pulled out on a frame machine. When i worked at a body shop decades ago, I watched some very talented frame guys do some amazing work on those frame machines. They'd pull it to get the measurements back to factory spec. Then fire up a torch and use hammers and dollars to reshape the inner front quarter panels back into original shape. After primmer and paint, you couldn't tell the bug ever sustained a front hit.
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Contact me at [email protected]
Follow me on instagram @sparxwerksllc
Decades of VW and VW parts restoration experience.
The Samba member since 2004.
**Now rebuilding throttle bodies for VW's and Porsche's**
**Restored German Bosch distributors for sale or I can restore yours**
**Restored German Pierburg fuel pumps for sale or I can restore yours**
**Restored Porsche fuel pumps or I can restore yours**
**Restored Porsche distributors or I can restore yours** |
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jason
Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2002
Posts: 3444
Location: Garage
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| Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2014 11:19 pm Post subject: |
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| I would think that would be one of the first aftermarket pieces reproduced. I have only seen a hand full of cars that didn't need some type of front end repair. |
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calibob
Samba Member
Joined: February 19, 2006
Posts: 137
Location: Pinon Hills Ca aka BFE
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| Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2014 5:38 pm Post subject: clip |
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heres what I had done
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57 oval project ( og diamond green )
67 Baja
64 Manx |
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nlorntson
Crazy VW Lady
Joined: March 13, 2004
Posts: 3783
Location: Twin Cities, MN
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| Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2014 8:43 pm Post subject: |
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| wcfvw69 wrote: |
| You read my mind. I see so many folks cutting off front clips that could easily be pulled out on a frame machine. When i worked at a body shop decades ago, I watched some very talented frame guys do some amazing work on those frame machines. They'd pull it to get the measurements back to factory spec. |
This is what we do at our shop precisionframe.com |
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wcfvw69
Samba Purist
Joined: June 10, 2004
Posts: 13389
Location: Arizona
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| Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2014 9:00 pm Post subject: |
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| nlorntson wrote: |
| wcfvw69 wrote: |
| You read my mind. I see so many folks cutting off front clips that could easily be pulled out on a frame machine. When i worked at a body shop decades ago, I watched some very talented frame guys do some amazing work on those frame machines. They'd pull it to get the measurements back to factory spec. |
This is what we do at our shop precisionframe.com |
That's great. It's the way to do it. Bug's front sheet metal pulls out so easily. Get the pull under tension and you can reshape it back to how it looked pre-accident as you pull it. Sometimes ya need some heat in doing it to shrink or reform the contours but the results can be fantastic. What people don't realize is, it's MUCH faster doing it this way then do cut off the damage and welding in new panels.
_________________
Contact me at [email protected]
Follow me on instagram @sparxwerksllc
Decades of VW and VW parts restoration experience.
The Samba member since 2004.
**Now rebuilding throttle bodies for VW's and Porsche's**
**Restored German Bosch distributors for sale or I can restore yours**
**Restored German Pierburg fuel pumps for sale or I can restore yours**
**Restored Porsche fuel pumps or I can restore yours**
**Restored Porsche distributors or I can restore yours** |
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sunroof
Samba Member
Joined: October 06, 2006
Posts: 1774
Location: Winnipeg
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| Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2014 10:12 am Post subject: |
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I'm not an expert panel beater, welder or body man of any kind, BUT: I love air tools and welders all that jazz. I looked at pulling out the front end of my beetle and the tools needed and the expertise required to deal with the secondary damage and felt it was beyond me. The primary damage is fairly straight forward I have found, but the secondary damage can be much more subtle and difficult to deal with. So this is what's going on in my garage. Wish me luck, I have no idea what I'm doing, it's all guesswork.
So far so good:
Don |
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Schwing
Samba Member
Joined: May 10, 2009
Posts: 2506
Location: Centreville, MD
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| Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 7:26 am Post subject: |
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I did mine the same way many years ago. I used a 56 clip on my 57.
I actually did this my own way since I couldn't find a whole lot on the Samba and no one would answer my PMs. So I cut the old clip off making sure I left at least 1" extra metal all around. I then installed the donor clip overlapping. I hung the hood/installed fenders and adjusted with clamps until I was happy with how it closed. The fender bolts really serve as a good fixed measurement. Next I marked my cut where it overlapped. Then I made the cut. During final fit I only tacked it in a couple of places until everything felt right. I hope this helps.
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Shadetree Westy
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=657279&highlight=
Single Cab - BBXXVII Long Distance Winner
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0 |
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Schwing
Samba Member
Joined: May 10, 2009
Posts: 2506
Location: Centreville, MD
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| Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 7:37 am Post subject: |
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Reading back at your original post I see that my post might not be helpful. Its actually easier to find another oval shell then it is to find a front clip thats already cut and for sale.
By now you see that there are tons of ways to fix your problem. My dad and I once fixed a front clip by chaining the front end to a tree and then pulling the whole vehicle with a tractor. Sounds completely ridiculous but when the metal is under tension it does hammer easily back into original shape. It all depends on how bad it is, what your skill level is, etc.
Let's see a pic of the damage and go from there.
_________________
Shadetree Westy
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=657279&highlight=
Single Cab - BBXXVII Long Distance Winner
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0 |
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motofly196
Samba Member
Joined: June 01, 2008
Posts: 1467
Location: Eastern WA
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| Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 4:57 pm Post subject: |
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You're post was EXTREMELY helpful! I'm about to "Un-Baja" my 56' ragtop, and I have a 56' body with a nice front clip sitting right next to it. I have been making marks for a few weeks, and deciding how I'm going to go about doing it. Your method is exactly what I've been thinking about, instead of doing a full clip job. Thanks for posting this!!!
Last edited by motofly196 on Tue Dec 02, 2014 10:32 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Schwing
Samba Member
Joined: May 10, 2009
Posts: 2506
Location: Centreville, MD
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| Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 5:27 pm Post subject: |
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| motofly196 wrote: |
| You're post was EXTREMELY helpful! I'm about to "Un-Baja" my 56' ragtop, and I have a 56' body with a nice front clip sitting right next to it. I have been making marks for a few weeks, and deciding how I'm going to go about do it. Your method is exactly what I've been thinking about, instead of doing a full clip job. Thanks for posting this!!! |
Thats great glad I could help. I forgot to mention, you can also attach the new clip to your front axle using the existing body bolts. This also serves as another way to line it up. I'd recommend not having the hood hardware installed because you don't want it to get stuck closed 
_________________
Shadetree Westy
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=657279&highlight=
Single Cab - BBXXVII Long Distance Winner
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0 |
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motofly196
Samba Member
Joined: June 01, 2008
Posts: 1467
Location: Eastern WA
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| Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 10:33 pm Post subject: |
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| Schwing wrote: |
| I'd recommend not having the hood hardware installed because you don't want it to get stuck closed |
So says the man who's probably experienced this! Good point!!!  |
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ZENVWDRIVER
Samba Member
Joined: November 07, 2008
Posts: 3340
Location: N.E. Oklahoma
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| Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 9:21 am Post subject: |
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I found this '55 that was being parted out in 2012 and got the remains for $100...Found a 1958 front clip for $50, a set of posts for $150 and a 1962 rear clip for $55 and put it all together...taking shape, these days. Of coarse, spare parts are more readily available here in NE Oklahoma...
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5/50, pastel green 11G - SOLD
8/50, gray 11A Beetle
6/52, pastel green 11C - SOLD
11/4/52, black Zwitter - SOLD to my little bro.
1954 Porsche, pre A, with VW 36 horse- SOLD
1/54, black 11C Beetle - TRADED
2/55 Iceland green Beetle, on a 1965 pan
3/55 113 Beetle, stratos silver
1955 Messerschmitt KR175 - SOLD, sadly
1960 single cab
1962 SO33, with SO 42 interior
9/63 Pacific blue, Ghia
'87 Toyota MR2
'02 WestFORDia E-150, GAVE TO OUR SON
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