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Thu Nov 07, 2013 5:36 pm

what did you use to pry up the skin? screwdrivers, pry bars? I am really curious to see it back together. I thought it would really wrinkle up things. HURRY HURY HURRY I wanna see LOL

Thu Nov 07, 2013 5:44 pm

Hey
I used a screw driver, a specially modified screw driver. I also had a hard plastic shiv that I've used to put rubber in around windows. Once I was able to begin to open the lip I used channel locks to grab the lip and open it up wider. Once it was open they simply fall apart. There were no spot welds, other than on the latch. And I think that re-assmbly will not be too difficult because it will fit only one way anyhow. I'll keep you up to speed as I move this forward.

Dave

Thu Nov 07, 2013 8:00 pm

was there much warpage when you went around the inside of the corner where the lid folds over the rear of the car?

Fri Nov 08, 2013 9:00 am

Good morning

No, there really was no warpage but it was more difficult to raise those sections because the metal would have to stretch. When I start to flatten the lip I don't expect a problem but then I might have to make some small cuts to get it to fold flat. I might also drill a couple of holes around the perimeter so that I can create spot welds to ensure that both parts are firmly back together.

Dave

Thu Nov 28, 2013 5:57 pm

Hi Folks
Well, I've been side-tracked sorting out the brakes on the notch but today I got back to the Ghia. I am preparing to take the car off the pan and put it on a rotisserie but first I need to get the seats out. So far, the passenger seat is out and that took a bit of work. There was lots of rust on the rails and it was a job to knock it loose - here's a pic of the floor.

There are some holes in the pan but part of the rocker on the inside seems complete. I'm hoping to keep the passenger side of the pan - the drivers side is shot. There appear to be some clips on the floor in front of and behind the seats. You can see them in the top picture where the insulation is cut out. What are they for?

Also, I was unable to knock the hinge bolts loose on the door. Any suggestions or will I have to drill them out?

Dave

Dave

Thu Nov 28, 2013 9:43 pm

Cant see the clips but only two things down of the floors. rubber mat points or seat spring points.
Impact wrench for door screws. If they strip it is chisel time.

Fri Nov 29, 2013 7:17 am

When I was trying to get the seats out of my '64 Square (they weren't budging at all) the advice I got here was to sit in the back seat and push on the bottom of the seat with my feet... Worked like a charm.

Fri Nov 29, 2013 8:01 am

Damn Dave, you're just moving right along with this one. :shock: I guess all that experience doing that rusty Notch is paying off. :wink: You're making great progress, and going about it with both feet in the fire.
Yeah, what you're seeing is probably the remains of the rubber floor mat anchors. Those are usually the first to go.
I see you're finding the same things I did when I did my T-34 Ghia, no paint in a lot of places, which means rust. :evil:
Keep up the good work Dave, I'll be watching this one too. 8)

Fri Nov 29, 2013 6:09 pm

Hi Bob
Glad to see you're here as well. I'm hoping to complete this one in less time than the notch - it's great to be retired. By the way, there's an update for the notch but that's for the other thread. Today I worked on getting the driver's seat out, yes, and cleaning up the floor so that I can get a look at what repair work will have to be done. Here's a few pics from today:

passenger side rear

driver side rear

looking forward

looking to the rear

the pedal cluster

There are some serious issues on the driver's side but less so on the passenger side. While to some these look bad you should remember that my notch had no floor - only the tunnel and some residual metal.

I noticed that on these cars the brake lines to the rear go around the pedal cluster whereas in my '65 notch they go under neath the cluster - an example of evolution I guess. And this cluster appears to have a grease zert - cool. I still have not been able to loosen any of the door hinge bolts - drat.

And what is it with Ghia rear deck lids. I got another one this week and its dented as well. These cars must have always been rear-ended and then driven their nose into the car in front.

My goal over the next couple of days is to separate this shell from the pan so that I can assess the next repairs. By the way, what is the sense in the Ghia community about replacing the rockers- is it best to do it while the car is on the pan or is it better (easier) to reinforce the car and do the repairs off the pan?

Dave

Sat Nov 30, 2013 7:54 am

Porschedave wrote: Hi Bob
Glad to see you're here as well. I'm hoping to complete this one in less time than the notch - it's great to be retired.

I still have not been able to loosen any of the door hinge bolts - drat.

My goal over the next couple of days is to separate this shell from the pan so that I can assess the next repairs. By the way, what is the sense in the Ghia community about replacing the rockers- is it best to do it while the car is on the pan or is it better (easier) to reinforce the car and do the repairs off the pan?

Dave

Yeah, but you're probably busier now, than before you retired. :shock:

You'll probably have to drill them out Dave. On mine, Russ got a couple to come out, then drilled the balance (mainly removing the bolt heads), so he could get the doors off. I ended re-tapping the holes, after I finshed drilling out the screw portion. I rebuilt the hinges while the doors were off too. :wink:

I believe most here re-inforce the body, then do the rockers while the body is off the pan. I've done it both ways, and it's really a case of which 1 you're most comfortable doing. One of the cars, didn't get pans replaced (only place it didn't rust out), so I used the pan mounting holes to help locate the rockers (the owner didn't want to seperate the body from the pan). Since you'll probably replace the left pan half, you'll be test fitting the body a couple of times anyway. It shouldn't be a problem for you, since you did the Notch body off the pan too. And you replaced a LOT of lower metal on that one. :D At least this time you have more metal to work with, rather than fabbing pieces just to have something to tie into. :lol:

Keep going with it Dave, you're kicking butt on it. 8)

Sat Nov 30, 2013 11:51 am

If you end up stripping the heads on the door screws try welding a nut or bolt to the screw. The heat from welding will loosen the rust around the screw and you can use a ratchet to remove it.

Here is a great post on removing rusty door screws:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5...p;start=40

This has to be one of the top 10 restoration posts on the Samba, even though it is in the split bus forum.

Sat Nov 30, 2013 12:20 pm

Great post, ^^^ Glideking's restoration of his single cab is absolutly one of the best.

Sat Nov 30, 2013 1:57 pm

I've done the heater channel pan on, it's easier but the front doglegs will be easier pan off.
Re the door screw, drill the head, remove door, slot drilled screw and remove with screwdriver and wd40 easy out oil.
That's how I done mine.
I was gonna weld but heat and alloy hinges.

Sat Nov 30, 2013 6:39 pm

Hi All
Today I spent a lot of time under the Ghia. I wanted to remove all of the pan bolts and so I had raised it up as high as I could. Then, will putty knife, hammer and a chisel I worked away at the heavy undercoat, rust and mud to clear all the bolts. At the end of a few hours this morning they were all out. The passenger side came out relatively easily but the drivers side were much more difficult. I had to cut some heads off with the grinder.

I then drilled out all but one of the passenger door hinge bolts ( 1 came out on its own), re-tapped the holes and then welded up this brace. Tomorrow I'll make a brace for the other side, after drilling out those bolts.

It was a pretty good day to be in the garage because the weather here in Vancouver is wet, very very wet.

Dave

Thu Dec 05, 2013 10:43 am

Howdy Folks

Did some more work on the Ghia, mostly removing stuff and found some good news. Here is a shot of the rear seat area without any covering and as you can see there is no rust at all. I am very pleased about that.

I looked into all the corners and such and the metal work looks good. It seems that the rust issues are really along the bottom edge. Also, you can see the yellow printing that was put on assembly. I haven't tried to read it but will.

I did find one funny thing. Here is a picture of two small packets. They came out of an area on the left and right sides. They look factory installed and I guess were to provide soem sort of closure on these areas. Has anyone else seen these?

This weekend I will complete the rotisserie and then next weekend call on friends to help with the separation of the pan.

Dave

Thu Dec 05, 2013 11:05 am

Porschedave wrote:
I did find one funny thing. Here is a picture of two small packets. They came out of an area on the left and right sides. They look factory installed and I guess were to provide soem sort of closure on these areas. Has anyone else seen these?

Yes they're sound-deadening items placed in body cavities (if you'll excuse the expression :wink: )...I've found a couple of long salami shaped bags behind the interior upholstery panels over the rear wheel arches.

I would also check out the car's birth certificate...if it was originally delivered to Morocco I'd suspect something different. :lol:

Thu Dec 05, 2013 1:07 pm

John Moxon wrote: Porschedave wrote:
I did find one funny thing. Here is a picture of two small packets. They came out of an area on the left and right sides. They look factory installed and I guess were to provide soem sort of closure on these areas. Has anyone else seen these?

I would also check out the car's birth certificate...if it was originally delivered to Morocco I'd suspect something different. :lol:

Perhaps this is the key to the M-code options that some of us have noticed on our cars' birth certificates come up as "Cannot Be Identified"...

M-473: Stash of Contraband

Thu Dec 05, 2013 2:15 pm

Those were also on my 57 coupe.

Do you still know were they should be fitted. I don't it it anymore and still have them as "left over parts"

regards
Patrick

Thu Dec 05, 2013 2:38 pm

pbaptist wrote: Those were also on my 57 coupe.

Do you still know were they should be fitted. I don't it it anymore and still have them as "left over parts"

regards
Patrick

Patrick, look here: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=223819&highlight=socks The brilliant red car in the photo is my original late 9/1957 Coupe. The "socks" were not touched from their original position.

Thu Dec 05, 2013 2:39 pm

The "pillows" were in my 68 too. Location?...Stuffed back over the wheel wells from the inside all the way back.

Edit after seeing Daves post. Looks like there are "socks" long and "pillows" small. Same general location socks lower on wheel well and pillows to the back.