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Sun Jan 12, 2020 1:04 pm

I will post in this topic all the details about the rebuild of my VW 1303S. Today I will start just with the story, and in the following days I will continue with the progress.
I am Radu, I am from Romania. I bought the car when I was 18 in 2002, for 1250$ and named her Cipica (It does not mean anything, but it gives me the feeling of small, nice car). It was my daily driver throughout University years and made some nice mileage around the country. Around 2007 I did a first rebuild, but it was on a tight (read student) budget and I had the car ~120km away at my parents house. So I worked only during weekends when I got home. Main problems were the chassis and bodywork: I can just guess that the car was once rolled, because the rain gutter and body above driver side were bent, the frame head was bent and somehow cut and welded in wrong, the whole front bodywork bent. Unfortunately I did not have all the correct parts to repair all damage, but at least I repaired the chassis, mechanics and engine.
I installed Porsche 944 brakes that I got out of a wreck yard, Topline front struts, grafted in a ragtop (I just dreamt about having one since I first rode in a ragtop Beetle), and gave some more life to the engine with an Engle W100, dual Dellorto DRLA 36, a 4-in-1 header with dual quiet pack and Megajolt ignition.
Gave it some paint and interior (thanks to my -now- wife) and just drove it till last year. With a change last year when I installed Porsche 944 turbo brakes, rear Porsche aluminum arms and Kerscher struts to match the spindles.
It is now time to address the bodywork where I have done it wrong and a fresh paint. But I am just at the beginning, with disassembly and small patching started. This comes along with many new parts, from glass to rubber and trim, new interior, rack and pinion conversion and new engine (2056 type4).
Here are the topics on engine build (sorry, STF):
https://shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=138151

and Porsche 944t brakes adaptation (several topics):
https://shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=150206
https://shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=150064
https://shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=150819
https://shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=150300

Mon Jan 13, 2020 1:05 am

I hear that topics are worthless without pics, so here we go.
This is how I got the car.

Some time passed, some repairs done:

And various pics from nice, relaxing trips around the country and abroad.

Mon Jan 13, 2020 1:14 am

Hello, Radu.

I’m glad you included photos, because your Bug looks very nice. I love the color, especially.

Tim

Mon Jan 13, 2020 2:22 am

Thank you, Tim. The color is Dragon Green from Dacia Palette. I had another color when I bought the car, I guess something from Audi range, but I could not reproduce it and this was close to it.
However, I intend to change the color. The original color was orange, but I would like to keep it green. So I am considering either L98B Viper Green Metallic or the newer LY6W Java Green Metallic from Audi. The reason is I want a lighter green.

Mon Jan 13, 2020 2:47 am

Nice car!

Great license plate!

Tue Jan 14, 2020 3:34 am

In my quest for a high quality rebuild, I have some topics that set my benchmark.
First, it is this guy from the Czech Republic that has an incredible attention to details and patience to do everything right. The site is only in czech, but google translate does a fair jot understanding the discussion.
https://www.flat4.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=12785&sid=0fac243c8a2d43c888c7753611873d1a

Then, two rebuild topics from here make me more confident I can get my car back into shape. The quality of bodywork that can be done as amateur restorer is amazing. In my country I really can not trust any "professional" to go to all details. It simply takes too much time and they are looking for fast repairs on newer cars. I can understand that, the money outcome is better. Going to a professional restoration body shop is also hard, because they all have long queues and the cost is, well, prohibitive. Somehow normal when 90% of the cars inside are 100kEur+ cars. So, it's up to me to follow my benchmarks!
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=507838&start=0
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=568163&start=0

Tue Jan 14, 2020 7:19 am

Nice vehicle for all that you have done to it.
I may add that your English is better then some here.

Wed Jan 15, 2020 7:04 am

Thank you! Unfortunately it is nice only from a distance or in pics. Up close, problems appear. This is why I started the rebuild.
So, damage assessment. As I said, I already know what I'm dealing with because I did the previous rebuild more than 10 years ago. At least I can not complain I was tricked.
1. Left side rain gutter. I guess that the car was rolled sometime, because the whole left side is bad (front and above). I have a piece from another car in very good shape.

2. Ragtop graft. Last ime I welded it above a cutout in the shell. It does not look nice and required some bondo. Plan is to cut it down, make an accurate hole in the roof and butt-weld the graft to give a factory look.

3. complete front end to be replaced. It is bent, rusted, good for scrap. Well, not scrap, but it will make a nice BBQ setup.

4. Firewall. I am totally responsible for the swiss cheese. I put a lot of holes in with various modifications: fuse panel, ignition coil, Megajolt, etc. Time to cover them all and THINK when I put a new hole in.

5. Right side foam of death repair. I don't have pics now, but they will follow. I took out the foam on the left side on the previous rebuild, and it shows: all ok on the left, holes on the right.

6. Other areas: splash wall on the "new front end" needs some grafts from the one on the body (I changed it with a new one 10y ago), floors front half(s) have some rust because of the bent front end which allowed water inside.

Wed Jan 15, 2020 7:13 am

And some pics from the disassembly. I know I have to work a bit on the order I post things, but I address several topics in parallel, depending on the time I have and temperature in the garage.

So, October 30th 2019:

October 31st:

November 16th:

December 13th:

And start of "new" front end repair and modification for original 1303 rack and pinion.

Remove front valance and spare wheel well reinforcement.

Assess damage to be repaired:

Otherwise very good piece to work with.

Wed Jan 15, 2020 8:03 am

Nice work - do you have any pics of how you restored and painted the dash?

Wed Jan 15, 2020 8:35 am

The dashboard was re-upholstered in vinyl by my wife and mother-in-law. However, this also looks good only in pictures. The vinyl aged bad and humidity also has some influence: it has many brown spots. All interior will be re-upholstered: door panels will be done by me, seats by some professional (the Porsche red leather has nothing in common with the rest...), and the dashboard again by my wife and mother-in-law in leather. I am not sure if cream or black. There is a series of VERY good videos on youtube. Look for "Leather Wrapping a VW Super Beetle Dashboard" parts 1-7. First part is unavailable but the rest are very detailed.
The source is TheSamba member Baxsie:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=640144
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=507838&start=500

Thu Jan 16, 2020 1:01 am

I forgot, some more areas to be addressed are the rear bumper mounting tins and the rear quarter panels. All at the right time.

Sun Jan 19, 2020 2:42 am

Yesterday I planned to make the modification for rack and pinion, based on this topic: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=517188 . So I cut open the steering box mounting area and, as usual, I found a lot of rust. Note that the outside sheet metal is very good and ith original paint... So instead of mounting the rack and pinion, I disassembled some more, the body strengtheners, so I can have access to cut all rusty areas and replace with clean steel. Fabrication time!

Thu Feb 06, 2020 7:11 am

now i just want to see you weld it back together :lol:

Thu Feb 06, 2020 7:25 am

Saving another Super! You and jeremy.g, and Buggee should form a club!
8) :D

Wed Feb 19, 2020 12:32 pm

Time for an update. With pictures. I built a sandblasting cabinet and worked on the pedal cluster. Blasted, painted, new bushings. I still have to blast and paint the brake rod and somehow repair the clutch cable hook, I welded it but I am not happy with the result. I am considering making the "update" (bolt connection). I took a good look on Jeremy's work so I got some good hints.

I also started to rebuild the vent windows. The frame had some rust, some rivets were broken and the glass is scratched. Blasted, painted, now how on earth do I get the glass in frame with new rubber? I searched videos but I did not find too much info on VW vent window restore... How do I fix the rubber to the glass to keep it still until I force it in the frame? I do not like to put scotch tape (is this the name? like duct tape but thin and transparent) from one side to the other. I can not get it out after.

Wed Feb 19, 2020 12:57 pm

I bought vent seals from westcoast metric. They're well made and fit properly into the channels but was tricky to install. I used a plastic upholstery tool, like a small spatula, to guide the edges into the channel.

Wed Feb 19, 2020 7:07 pm

Looking good, tzepesh!
Wow- some familiar looking rust you've got there. But that doesn't appear to frighten you so I'm sure you'll sort it out just fine.

Looking forward to watching your progress!

-Jeremy

Thu Feb 20, 2020 12:31 am

Vamram, I think we are speaking about different seals. I was referring to the last picture, how do I get the glass in the frame. I do not understand how a spatula would help me. For the other seals, yes it makes sense.
Jeremy, to be honest at first I was disappointed and a bit lost when I found such rot on the "new" front end. Everything looked perfect from the outside. But then I saw many restoration topics (yours included) of people addressing the same issues, most in worse condition than mine, so I am a lot more confident I can get the job done. I trust my welding skills, but I do not have the tools (I can buy those) or good skills on composite shapes in metal fabrications. Simple bits which require only bending are ok, but more complex parts I make from several simple bits welded together (or at least that is the plan).

Thu Feb 20, 2020 12:53 am

set the vent frame in that kind of jig, put the rubber on the glass and light duct tape the edges to the glass, where they won't slide into the frame so that the rubber does not move sideways. apply some lubricant .. love gel :lol: you know it will not enter if it's dry.. then whack the glass with a big steel hammer till it's in pieces! or... push it inside with the help of some ratchet straps... your choice.

AH! then send me the jig, i need it also for a pair of 65 66 vent wings...