TheSamba.com :: View topic

Tue Jul 23, 2019 10:21 pm

Hey all!
I am usually on the 68 and up part of the site, but today I moved latterly to the Oval section. I am no stranger to Ovals. My first restoration was a 1955, which I purchased at the age of 14. Love Oval window Bugs!

Table of Contents (Updated - Intro is below)
Page 1
* Found and purchase of the Bug
* Assessing what is what.
Page 2
* Continuing to assess.
Page 3
* Hood cracks repair.
* Start to disassemble.
* Birth Cert.
Page 4
* Engine removed
* Heater baffles removed
* Door panel removed
* Pan separated from body.
* Measuring seat rails
* Measuring pan holes
* Engine disassembly
* Body sag. Installed bracing.
* Driver’s side pan removed.
Page 5
* Driver’s side pan welded in.
* Modified WW pans
* Spring plate removal
* Bottom of tunnel opened up.
* Cable conduit measurements.
Page 6
* Cable conduit measurements.
* Rear lower driver’s quarter panel R&R
* Removal Driver’s side heater channel
Page 7
* Welded in adjustable bracing.
Page 8
* Brake line retainers
* Donor rear clip
Page 9
* Driver side rear quarter panel install.
* B pillar metal.
* Welded in adjusters for the bracing.
* Welded in the driver heater channel
Page 10
* Pass side heater channel
* Pass side quarter panel
* Pass B pillar repairs
* Disassembled pass door
* Removal of upper luggage shelf
* Removal of lower luggage shelf
Page 11
* Install lower luggage shelf
* Repairs to rear interior drivers quarter panel
* Disassembled the rear clip
* Pass side rear interior quarter panel
Page 12
* Door gap at pass side
* Panel at rear wheel well
Page 13
* 1st attempt at pass door hinge pin
* Pass interior quarter panel area
* Removed hinge from the door
Page 14
* Metal patches at lower luggage
* Hinge pin install
* Old bolt removal from hinge nut plate
* Rivet hinge onto door
Page 15
* Front apron R&R
Page 16
* Front apron seal channel
* Checking semaphores
* Front inner fender panel
* Gas tank supports
Page 17
* Hood reinforcement
* Inner fender panel repair
* Windshield frame lower corner R&R
Page 18
* Windshield frame lower corner R&R
Page 19
* Driver’s side rear wheel well removal & rear apron removal & engine shelves removal.
Page 20
* Front clip disassembly.
* Pass side rear wheel well R&R
* Pass side B pillar repairs
Page 21
* Fitting the trunk floor into place
* Welding in new B Pillar Pass side
* Measuring out rear apron & welding in new steel.
* Checked rear end panel fitting.
Page 22
* Pass rear wheel well R&R
Page 23
* Noise complaint bullshit!
Page 24
* Pass side inner rear wall repair
* Front beam disassembly
* King and link pin rebuilding
Page 25
* King and link pin rebuild
* Front seat disassembly
Page 26
* Arrival of the ragtop clip & rust hunting
* Prepped luggage shelf for welding in
Page 27
* Squeezed top of luggage shelf into place.
* Rear apron adjustments.
Page 28
* Removed the rear vent louvers
* Repaired some rusted steel at this area.
* Started to weld in the luggage shelf
Page 29
* Luggage shelf welded in 100%
* Engine shelves installed
* Purchased heart tail lights
* Started to open pan to access cable conduits.
Page 30
* Cable conduits accessing, measuring, removal & replacement.
Page 31
* Welded jack points and seat tracks on the pan
Page 32
* Finished welding in the pan accessories.
* Installed body onto the pan
* Laid out ragtop hole.
* Cut hole and clamped in ragtop assembly
Page 33
* Repairing the rusty ragtop clip
* Repairs at rear window
Page 34
* Repairing the rusty ragtop clip
Page 35
* Repairing the rusty ragtop clip
* Clip ready to weld in!
Page 36
* Rag Top welded in
* Engine vents welded in
Page 37
* Trans disassembly
Page 43
* Front Bumper Mount
Page 52
* Vent wing channel R&R
Page 53-54
* Lower door panel
Page 67
* Hood & decklid seal channels
* Rear seat supports
Page 68
* Vent wing channel
Page 69
* Hood fit check
* Front seat frame restore
Page 70
* seat frame welding
Page 71
* Seat frame welding
* Front left fender repairs
Page 72
* Front seat slide/adj install
* Seat frames done
Page 73
* Rear seat dimensions
* Getting parts ready for the blaster
Page 74
* Blasters
* Removal of rear torsion bar from spring plate
Page 79
* Front beam bushings
Page 80
* Steering boxes disassembled
Page 81
* Steering box rebuild
Page 82
* Front brakes
* Pedal disassembly & rebuild
Page 83
* Engine case cleaning
Page 84
* MCM visit transmission rebuild start
Page 85
* Transmission case Chromated
* Head rebuilding
* Case oil galley plugs
Page 86
* CC’ing heads
* Rear spring plate rebuild & install
* E-brake cables install
* Install Choke, throttle, heater cables
Page 87
* Engine case Chromated
* Rocker arms rebuild
Page 88
* Engine case stud install
* Fuel pump disassembly
Page 89
* Engine rebuild
* Fuel pump rebuild
Page 90
* Heater box disassembly
* Short block assembly
Page 91
* Long block completed
Page 92
* Heater Boxes rebuilding
Page 93
* Nothing to note
Page 94
* Heater Boxes rebuilding
Page 95
* Engine tin repairs
* Axle tube boot install
* Transmission rebuild
Page 96
* Cross shaft bushings
Page 97
* Transmission install
* 4 wheels on the ground!
* Rear brake install issue.
Page 98
* Starter motor & Bendix rebuild
* Fan shroud rebuild
* Clutch package install
* Generator rebuild
* Found & purchased a rear seat base

Me in back of the Bug and my younger sister bugging the crap out of me.
It was my very first, body off restoration. Took me 4 years to complete! Sold it after Momma died from breast cancer, to afford a security deposit for my own apartment, at 19. Did not get my money out of the sale, but did get enough to buy a cheap car, put a security deposit down and have some breathing room while I started at a local VW independent garage in Chino, CA. It was called Dick Roy’s at that time. Good stuff!

So, here I am, at 48, reliving my teenage years and regaining a car which I have regretted selling for 30 years!

Picked it up today for $4500.00. Had to get tires on the rims before I dragged it home, so another $400.00. But, I got me an Oval in the garage tonight!

Here are the starter photos. Looks like original color was Ultra Maroon.
Enjoy! I know I am!

Onto the interior, looks to be Red.

Horn button still a part of the car!

Looks like a stock radio and uncut dash!

Hella headlights!

Lighter. Not stock, right?

54 front seats. It has the rear back portion, but the bottom is MIA. Dammit!

Mouldings, levers and passenger ice pick! Found them on the passenger seat!

More tid bits,

Now the not so good. Looks to have been through some wet times. With the Washington plate hanging out in the interior, makes me wonder how long it sat for. Luggage shelf is shot.

Bottom portion of doors and quarter panels rusted through.

Interior at B pillar, behind semaphore location, rotted through.

It will sit for a few months in my garage, not getting any attention. I have to finish building a 1600 SP for the 70 and then install a stock tranny and the rebuilt engine and sell it.

But, I am so happy to have an Oval again!

Wed Jul 24, 2019 11:01 pm

This is going to be fun :popcorn: Congratulations Jimbo.

Thu Jul 25, 2019 1:18 pm

Subscribed, congrats! :popcorn:

Thu Jul 25, 2019 7:01 pm

Congrats! Looks like it's in good hands.

Thu Jul 25, 2019 8:02 pm

This is awesome! Imagine how much nicer you will make this car with your knowledge now vs. 14 year old you! This is exactly what I've done with my bus.
My 55' is Ultramaroon also, and my doors and dash look exactly like yours!! Another one out of the woods. Let's see that WA plate. Might be able to decipher where it was hiding to get that rusty. Congratulations!! Let the early oval part hunting start....

Thu Jul 25, 2019 8:21 pm

Disaster06 wrote: Subscribed, congrats! :popcorn:

Thanks brother! You need to get by and have a peek.

Thu Jul 25, 2019 8:30 pm

motofly196 wrote: This is awesome! Imagine how much nicer you will make this car with your knowledge now vs. 14 year old you! This is exactly what I've done with my bus.
My 55' is Ultramaroon also, and my doors and dash look exactly like yours!! Another one out of the woods. Let's see that WA plate. Might be able to decipher where it was hiding to get that rusty. Congratulations!! Let the early oval part hunting start....

That cool! Yeah younger me knew nothing! Now, with the wrenching experience behind me, the sheet metal work behind me, the welding and body work behind me. I am all set up to restore cars! Plus, now I have a couple of pennies more!

Here you go! One plate. Order up!

Let’s see that Bus!

Thu Jul 25, 2019 8:35 pm

'64cal lookdub wrote: Congrats! Looks like it's in good hands.

Thanks! Time will tell. Man, parts have gotten out of control, ridiculous crazy!

I am having a hard time looking for a back seat! And 500 dollars! Damn!

Thu Jul 25, 2019 9:40 pm

Closest I can find on that plate is Greys Harbor....you're lucky that's the extent of rust if that's where it came from!! Pics of my bus are under my profile in My pictures. It's a nasty original paint/ logo'd bus. Everything new underneath.
Better get your checkbook ready for the seat bottom, luckily you have most of it!!!

Fri Jul 26, 2019 8:29 am

motofly196 wrote: Closest I can find on that plate is Greys Harbor....you're lucky that's the extent of rust if that's where it came from!! Pics of my bus are under my profile in My pictures. It's a nasty original paint/ logo'd bus. Everything new underneath.
Better get your checkbook ready for the seat bottom, luckily you have most of it!!!

Thanks for researching it for me! Really cool of you!

Your bus was really bad. I am assuming you are referencing the 63. WOW! But I bet it was fun! Gotta have a project going. The alternative is sitting around getting older and stiffer - not for me!

Fri Jul 26, 2019 9:12 am

Sooo... you're in California & you couldn't find a better example of an Oval for that kind of money?

Fri Jul 26, 2019 10:52 am

TDCTDI wrote: Sooo... you're in California & you couldn't find a better example of an Oval for that kind of money?

I could, but I did not want to spend the kids college fund. Just wanted another project!

Plus, I had to have semaphores and wanted all of the details as part of the deal. Most of them for sale are missing the horn button among most everything else. This one had all of it, except the seats. Those, I may have to manufacture.

Fri Jul 26, 2019 11:08 am

I just expected that would be a much cheaper car in "The land of the plenty". It looks like the typical Southeast car that was abandoned 30-40 years ago. It makes me feel better about my cars.

Good luck, I'll be watching.

Fri Jul 26, 2019 4:37 pm

TDCTDI wrote: I just expected that would be a much cheaper car in "The land of the plenty". It looks like the typical Southeast car that was abandoned 30-40 years ago. It makes me feel better about my cars.

Good luck, I'll be watching.

That’s what I have been telling you guys since I have been on this site. California has plenty of rusty Bugs. They are cheaper than the nice ones. So, since I like my money, and I like restoring Bugs, I tend to buy the ones that would normally end up at a junkyard. I enjoy the challenges during the process. Like the seats. No way am I shelling out that much money for three seats. But I am fully willing to spend over that to produce them myself! I like figuring it out and knowing that I can do it.

Thanks for the luck. I will take it all! Maybe I will find a bag of money hidden down in the rust flakes in the front quarter panel! Or the rust flakes will really turn out to be gold! Fingers crossed!

Sat Jul 27, 2019 7:20 am

Jimbo, if you ever need a second hand to help with anything, let me know. I’m just minutes from you.

Sat Jul 27, 2019 7:50 am

Ricksurfin wrote: Jimbo, if you ever need a second hand to help with anything, let me know. I’m just minutes from you.

Thank you! Right back at you. I am always willing to lend a hand.

Sat Jul 27, 2019 9:39 am

No work today!!!!!!

Time to update. Had me a full week of getting the car registered. Fun stuff - not! Why are government agencies so F’d up! Y!

Enough negative, let’s dwell on the positive, as that is where I like to live!

So, with the registration being 5 years out, and uncertain how much I would need to spend, I decided before I get to far down the road, I would need to get it registered. So, off to AAA to see if I can easily transfer title. Walked into their office and was called up in 5 minutes. Sat down with their appointed agent, who started the process, then....you guess it. A giant hurdle that I was not expecting! I know, I am a stupid ass! One should be able to assume, after a few decades of dealing with this state run agency, that one would know all the “I’s” to dot and the “t’s” to cross. But oh no, there are more!

AAA could not transfer the title due to it being 4 years past due on registration fees. 3 years would be easy, but 4 is like the Berlin Wall! Go figure! So, she handed me a paper that needed to be filled out, stating that the car has sat in a building and has not had it’s tires on any public road, for the pst 4 years. So, instead of just giving up, I showed her the pictures and asked if that sufficed. She said that was a great picture and that it is quit a project, but unfortunately, “No!”

So, I got in touch with the previous owner and asked if they would be willing to fill out a form and sign it, simply stating the car was in fact undrivable and never touched any government property. They agreed. Got that taken care of and returned to AAA to finish. Sat down, went back through the hoops and was denied. Apparently AAA is not able to reregister cars more than four years out. Damn it! She stated I needed to go to the DMV. That’s like the kiss of death!

So, 4 days later, I had an appointment cancel on me. I immediately went by and picked up my file on the car and drove to the DMV. It was 10:30. There was a line of 22 people formed on the exterior of the building. I got in it and baked in the sun! 45 minutes later I was at the front door and a representative asked what i was in need of. They reviewed my paperwork and said go sit in the waiting area. Watch the monitor for (she handed me a piece of paper with “B098” on it) B098 and the station you would need to go to. 1 hour and 22 minutes later B098 showed up on the screen with “Window 12” attached to it. Off to window 12 I proceeded, file in hand. Explained to the representative what I was in need of and what I have completed. She took it all over to a supervisor. They went back and forth for 20 minutes. She returned and stated that the car was more than 4 years past of title fees and taxes and that i was now the responsible party for them. Lucky me!

So, $848.00 later I am the proud owner of a sticker, which I will continue to pay for every year!

My car is now legal to place its tires onto public domain! I feel so special.

Sat Jul 27, 2019 10:03 am

Now, the updates on what has been discovered in and regarding the Bug.

Here is the front body tag. I took a green scrubby pad and tried illuminating the embossed items. Those are now much easier to see, but the stamped numbers are still hard to read. Any suggestions on how to further clean, without destroying the plaque?

While looking at that, I noticed a bracket, bolted to the floor of the inset within the trunk. Never seen this thing before, that I know of. Any ideas?

Went ahead and took a close look at the front beam and emergency cable connection, since the cover is MIA.

Looks like one of the cables is either too long, too short or horribly adjusted!

Picture of the body stamp.

Noticed the headlight lenses have an actual VW logo on them. Cool! Never took the time to notice that before on any other Bug.

Looks like there is evidence of someone bumping something up on the drivers front side. Will need to iron these out!

Drivers door have been over extended and horribly screwed the door skin up, next to the hinge entry point.

Further review unveiled some extensive body decay at the lower hinge point.

Got me some more body panels to cut and paste!

Decided to take a peek at the frame head and bottom of the fuel tank. Bottom of the tank seems okay!

Frame head looks to be in great shape. No wrinkles, so that front bump was minor!

However, the trunk floor is in need of some patching.

Also, the front apron will require some new metal!

Sat Jul 27, 2019 10:33 am

Any signs that the car has had front apron work? I'm curious why the body tag is in a different spot. Only time I've seen that is because the car has been "clipped" and it was moved when the work was done. To make the VIN more visible, you can rub over the numbers with a sharpie, let the ink dry. Then go over it lightly with a paper towel soaked with brake clean. The black ink is left on the depressed numbers.
That's not the correct fuel tank, but I'm sure you already know that.... I'm really glad to be in a state that doesn't have back fees that ridiculous. We have our issues too...but they don't seem to care as much about older cars, yet. That's a good feeling having some paperwork...even if it was a royal pain in the ass!

Sat Jul 27, 2019 10:41 am

The mystery part on your spare tire well shelf could be a Telefunken or similar power supply mounting bracket. The power supply would convert 6 volts to the high voltage required to operate the early tube-type radio. Good luck with the project!