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Cast Shock Tower Housing on Rear of Pan Broken...Any advise?
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Slik54
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 12:43 pm    Post subject: Cast Shock Tower Housing on Rear of Pan Broken...Any advise? Reply with quote

I just bought a 1954 Oval Rag Top and had it delivered from Florida. Got the car on the rack and the cast Shock Tower Arms are broken...pictures to follow. The Arm is essentially a cast piece that curves diagonally up and rearward from the pan that the top of the rear shock is attached to. Talked to a couple of local guys and nobody has ever seen this break. Some have said that the pan has to be replaced.

Does anybody have any idea how this can be fixed? Does it require a new pan? Will I have to remove the whole body and have the piece welded?

Frankly, I'm new to the VW community and bought a car I thought was bitchen, only to find out that I have a huge mess on my hands....

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slalombuggy
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 5:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You can weld them. They are not cast iron they are steel. Taking the body off would be the best way to get good welds but you could tack them with the body on to make sure very thing is lined up. Make sure you clean the pieces down to clean metal before welding. There is a lot of rust and any left behind will compromise the repair.

brad
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MotoMike
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 18, 2015 1:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bummer. I am in Van Nuys, I can help you weld them up. 818-667-2349
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txoval
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 18, 2015 4:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Weld it and add gusset plates to each side to strengthen it

Definitely odd though
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MotoMike
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 18, 2015 5:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looks like someone mickey moused it already, looks like some shitty tack welds around the body mount. Still fixable, just take some time to do it right.
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txoval
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 18, 2015 6:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It almost looks they tried to weld the body mount to the chassis mount...
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Jonnyla
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 18, 2015 7:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I could be wrong but it looks like a later pan. Not enough pics to confirm though. I know that on the earlier body when mounting them on later pans the rear body mounts on the body must be moved up. It sort of looks like they cut the shock arm (the broken part) so that the body mount on the fender well would fit.
Again, I could be seeing this wrong but I do know about this mount difference because I am currently considering putting my '55 on a later pan and actually have it sitting there now. There is an interference issue at the this mount point.
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bugman1955
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 18, 2015 8:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Did you talk to the previous owner about this? I sure would like to know what he was trying to accomplish by doing that. Jonnyla could be right though, might be a good idea to check the pan serial number to find out what year it's from.
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Jonnyla
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 18, 2015 8:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey guys, here is a link to Steven G's build form of his '54

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...p;start=60

flip through the whole thing for some great stuff but note the shock supports on the '54 pan. a little different.
Just trying to help out the mystery.
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MotoMike
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 19, 2015 9:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It does look like they notched out the shock tower, which would explain why it broke. I have (please forgive me) seriously abused stock VW's in the past and never seen that happen.
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splitjunkie
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 19, 2015 1:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

MotoMike wrote:
It does look like they notched out the shock tower, which would explain why it broke. I have (please forgive me) seriously abused stock VW's in the past and never seen that happen.


I see the same thing. That is pretty ridiculous. Which would be easier to cut? the body mount or the shock tower?

You have an early body on later pan.

As others have said, that tower is steel so it can be welded. You will need to relocate the body mount and then have someone fabricate a patch for the chunk they cut out then have it properly welded.
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thebucket
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 19, 2015 2:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

bugman1955 wrote:
Did you talk to the previous owner about this? I sure would like to know what he was trying to accomplish by doing that. Jonnyla could be right though, might be a good idea to check the pan serial number to find out what year it's from.
Ditto! I'd also have him refund some of your cash! His name wasn't Mario Gavazi was it?
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Slik54
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 19, 2015 6:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for all the input. I got in touch with Russ over at Old Speed and he seems to think the same thing. The title I got on the car was a 1954 title, which matched the numbers stamped under the seat, and the guy insists that it was a 1954 replacement pan. It appears as though its not right.
Bummer considering I bought the car off of this site. I have always liked bugs but don't really know much about them. I'm not sure what to do about the guy that sold it to me. I'm pissed, but I'm in California, and he's in Florida. Car looks great, but now I have to figure out what year the pan is and go from there.
Question though...Do I have to remove the body to get this job done right?

MotoMike - Thanks a lot man. I may take you up on that. Do you have a shop?

bugman1955-Thew pan # is 10872962

thebucket - Guys name was not Mario Gavazi. The add I bought it from was posted as #1735250

Thanks for all the input.
Tom
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OLDveedubs
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 19, 2015 6:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1735250
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MotoMike
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 20, 2015 9:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes. I have a shop right next to Van Nuys Airport, Wenco Ind. I build driveshafts for a living. I have may years of experience welding and fabing things together. Call me and maybe I can stop by and look at it in person.
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Slik54
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 20, 2015 5:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That's cool. I used Wenco to build a driveshaft for me on my old jeep about 15 yrs ago. I also have some property on San Martinez Road. Small world. Are you in tomorrow?
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jason
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 21, 2015 2:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Definitely the wrong pan if it has a balljoint beam. At least a 66 or newer pan if the frame head wasn't changed.
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txoval
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 21, 2015 6:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Where is the heater control knob? In front of the handbrake or behind? Actually, if it's a late model panel the knobs will be on each side of the handbrake. You have the proper seats, but from the for-sale ad pics you can tell the seats are sitting on slanted seat rails instead of flat rails like a 54 should have.

That's a nice looking car though. The VIN you posted is definitely 1954, but it has me thinking someone welded in the 54 VIN to the late model pan.

Usually when you hear "replacement pan" it means a pan from another car of the same year.

Whats the Body number? Located behind the spare and stamped into the body
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