1975 convertible heaters channels

[Kaferlago]

Hi Everyone,

I bought a very tired convertible super beetle 14y ago for little money, I did some minor fix to it, drove it a couple of times myself. My sister drove it few more times during her university days. Since then I left it sit in a garage for 10+ years.

I decided to fix it, maybe not for good, but just so I can get by with MOT and have a decent weekend car.

I thought, "well a couple of patches and some bondo is all it needs" until i discovered the heaters channels are, at least to me, beyond repair.

I think I have all the tool required for the job, the only thing I'm relly short of is space. Mi garage is very tight. very very tight.

This is going to make this difficoult DIY project a nightmare. I rented a space were I can store all the loose parts though.

I never tried to do anything like this before, I watched Bug Me video n#6 and #7, searched the forum for heater channel replacement and, thought I'm not convinced, I doubtfully decided... I can make it!.

I'm starting this thread in hope of getting some of your help on the subject. Some say you need plenty of breaks and a couple of extra eyes, I can take my breaks but I need your eyes before I do something very stupid.

Here is the passenger side rocker panel, to me the entire heater channel needs to go.

Agree?

I apologize for my English, cheers from Italy.

[Air-Cooled Head]

Totally agree. There is no "fixing" that; time to replace.
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[Mike Fisher]

Cut the rusty 1/2 pans out first with grinder/sawzall. Leave 10%+ of the front & rear 1/2 pans, so you don't have to pull the body off the chassis. Cut out rusty & weld in your replacement heater channels & then weld in the new 1/2 pans. You need a MIG welder with gas shielding for the welding. You can temporarily bolt up the new pans to the new heater channels to ensure that they align while welding them in. Brush on www.MasterSeriesct.com silver and/or black chassis/pans coating to finish the pans/chassis/beam/inner fenders etc.
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https://imgur.com/user/FisherSquareback/posts
69 FI/AT square Daily Driver
66 sunroof,67,70,71,71,71AT,72,72AT,73 Parts
two 57 oval ragtops sold
'68 Karmann Ghia sold

Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up you end up with a lot of scum on the top! - Russ_Wolfe/Edward Abbey

[Kaferlago]

Thank yous:

Air -Cooled Head
for the confirmation.

Mike Fisher
I was up to cutting the 1/2 pans when i thouhgt that was jus I needed to do. I'm now on a different mindset. Bugme video #7 shows you can lift the body from the chassis high enough to replace the heater chennels without complete separation. I think that's what Ill do, probably in this order: lift the body, replace 1/2 pan aligned with the old heater channel, replace the heather channel aligned with the new pan. Hope it make sense.

I have a 220V MIG welder, plenty of 0.26/0.30 wire, auto darkening helmet and the ArCO2 cylinder is on the way.

I doubt I can get masterseries stop rust in Italy, but I'll give it a try.


A little update:

So I decided to do one side at the time starting from passenger's side. Every time I do something for the first time on a car I start there, so in case I meke a mess I will not see it every time I get in to the car.

I started drilling in the front wheel arch, I drilled through the top row of spotwelds , I made a terrible mistake that was the gusset that needs to be reattached later, so I 'll have to figure the best way to fill those holes but I don't see too much of a problem, just a PITA.
I've ordered the inner wheel arch patche panel, so I will decide how to proceed later on whe the part will be delivered.

Then I started and cutting the gussets inside the car I'm jumping from one area to when I start to get unconfortable with my body position.

Any comment or suggestion is welcome!

[beetlenut]

It may just be the pictures, but I don't see any bracing in the door openings or even across the back side to side to keep everything in it's proper orientation.
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scrapyards are for quitters
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[Kaferlago]

beetlenut
You're right, no bracing yet. I've some 1x1"-ish square tubing as well as some 1x1" angles stock, my plan is to cross brace the door opening from the inside so I can still put the door in place any time.
I'm currently out of shielding gas so my fabrication is on hold.

I'm drilling the spotwelsd and cutting the gussets and the quarter panels from the heater channels but I haven't touched A and B pillars.

Bugme video say I should be fine without bracong until I lift the body, also the convertible already has a transverse brace between the rear quarters.

I will make sure door openng is correct before bracing, put brace in place, remove the door, cut the A and B pillar, lift the body.

let me know if this will work or I need more body support. Also what is the best method to attache the braces? Screws or weld?

[beetlenut]

First thing I would have done even before drilling out any spot welds was to brace the doors. Once you open the doors and start cutting spot welds, that opening can start to spread, ask me how I know!
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scrapyards are for quitters
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[Kaferlago]

Thanks for the advice, my door is still on and it seems that it has not moved significantly, just a bit tight if anything.
The weld shop just called me cuz the gas bottle arrived so next thing will be bracing.

I would like to be able to have the door in there along with the brace and still have some room to work inside the car. The body will be lifted only few inches from the pan.

I'll search the forum to see if there is any design advice.

[Kaferlago]

The brace is in, I'm planning to add a second leg to form a Y prior to body separation. I need clearance to cut the posts now.

Do I really need to brace it also from side to side?

I could weld in the brace in the deriver's side and join the two with a square tube, or even cross brace it but I don't want to spend time in unnecessary fabrication. Also it gets really difficult to work with all those braces in the way.

[Kaferlago]

Little update.

The passenger's side heater channel is out, there is some minor rust damage on the body and napoleon's hat, that's perfect for a beginner like me.

Getting this far was not easy, I used many tools but worked best for me are:

- Cordless drill
> spot welds, brush wheels, carbide burs

- Angle grinder
> 1mm cut off, large brush wheel, grinding disc

- Air chisel
> when you're bored of dremmeling ot the thing just hammer it down! This tool saved me a lot of time. Must must have.

- Long screwdriver / Sharp chisel & Hammer
> to remove seam sealer and pry spot welds, difficult to reach areas

- Air grinder
> cut some difficult areas

- Dremel
> cut some difficult areas, I have a knock off it's suche slow process to cut thick welds maybe the original tool is faster (more powerful).

- Patience
>is what you really need

[Kaferlago]

And while still in the learning of mig welding, after some patching, grinding cutting... finally last sunday the new heater channel is on, still not completely welded but it's on.

The door fit betther than before, I hope it will stay the same whe I'll cut off the bracing.

[Kaferlago]

Looks like I'm almost done, it took almost two years..

[Kaferlago]

Well I'm making progress, the car is painted and beigin reassembled. I made a lot of small improvements, mst noticeably i finally have front speakers and clean electrical wiring

[Mike Fisher]

Looks Good! "If you want something done right you have to do it yourself".
_________________
https://imgur.com/user/FisherSquareback/posts
69 FI/AT square Daily Driver
66 sunroof,67,70,71,71,71AT,72,72AT,73 Parts
two 57 oval ragtops sold
'68 Karmann Ghia sold

Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up you end up with a lot of scum on the top! - Russ_Wolfe/Edward Abbey

[Tvättbjörn]

Nice door gaps. Great job !! The worst part is done!

[Keithinky]

Nice work. Great patience. 👍👍

[Kaferlago]

Hi everyone, just to close this topic...

Took me 4 years, but finally back on the street!

[Q-Dog]

Congratulations.
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Brian

'69 Dune Buggy
'69 Beetle Convertible
'70 Beetle