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Wed Jan 14, 2004 12:44 am

Hi guys, good reading here!
I have been awarded the task of straightening out a disaster - 70 beetle convert which was attacked by 2 or 3 deranged monkeys. Lots of parts missing, put in wrong, new front quarters misaligned, new fenders bent & in the wrong place, worn out door hinges, most of the interior fasteners missing, etc. But of course it's all painted "Ready to put back together, you can do this yourself and save $600" he told the 19 yr old girl and her mother! So you'll be hearing from me for a while.
I have about 40 years experience doing mostly British cars, last VW I worked on was in 1973 -it was an auto-stick too! So I am not familiar with parts sources etc. Got catalogs from CIP, WCM, Chirco. Everyone seems to sell parts, nobody shows much in the way of the special fasteners thet hold them on. Like Chrome oval head 6mm screws for sunvisor/toplatch - guy at WCM told me to use sheetmetal screws and if I want them chromed to send 'em out! (but they sell the new brackets for a pretty sum) Anyone know a source for this sort of stuff?
Right now my big problem is that the front quarters are all goofy, hood sticks out about 1/4" on the left and 3/4" on the right, but only in the middle. It's OK at the cowl and top of apron. With fenders bolted only at the ends, I have about the same amount of clearance between fender & qtr as the hood is off. Needless to say, there is no hope of keeping water out. I think they managed to locate the stiffeners that the gas tank sits on too far in at the back, then sucked the qtrs in when they welded to the footwell panel. Can anyone give me measurements off a straight pref. original car, for the distance between these stiffeners? Right now I have 27 1/4 at the back, 27 9/16 at the front of the gas tank mounting hole.
Thanks in advance!

Wed Jan 14, 2004 10:48 pm

I just bought a yellow 70 convertible last december too, will try to do something in the near future. If you want to see a specific area of how thing should be put together I may be able to take some close up picture for you. My yellow vert is pretty much untouched and stock now.

About the fasteners, when I restored my 67 Karmann Ghia I order lots of screws from Karmann Ghia parts and Restoration with hope that I would get chrome screws, I got correct type of screws but they are not chrome though.

Wed Jan 14, 2004 11:54 pm

Thanks for the offer. I pretty well know how it goes together, but could really use the measurement I mentioned - but I certainly don't expect anyone to take his gas tank out to get it! Someone must have a straight car apart.
On the British cars I'm used to, nearly every special fastener is available, at least for the more common cars. There are a whole lot more VWs than even the most common Brit - 600,000 MGBs built vs like 20 million VWs. Maybe VW guys don't care! (that ought to get a rise!)
While I'm here, they didn't cut/drill the new qtr panel for the gas tank flap latch. Since I don't have the latch parts, and they seem to be expensive and scarce and only for about 2 years, what are alternative latch arrangements that could be used?