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  View original topic: Finally my 53
veskovici Wed Sep 15, 2021 1:39 pm

Well this is my 53 oval. I drove it , went to shows and gatherings collected small bits and parts as it was all with wrong parts, enjoying in it. I knew that when i start to correct and fix all bad welding and rotten parts joy is over for about one or more years. Also i never wanted new and shiny oval, but will see at the end what will come out.

This are some pictures of it when i drove on a daily basis.










Bad things are that body is welded to the chassis with no bolts at all :roll: and front frame is all rotted and badly fixed. ( some of bad fixes are my work done by laying under it and welding :lol: ), so i had to trace and acquire new correct year chassis. So I did.

Pictures of welded frame




and floor ( by the way floor has been made from 2mm sheet metal previously )



And new and already striped chassis





Then epoxy primer






First I started with front firewall as obviously mine will be cut of so I found not so good another one



And gave him a little love








First I thought ,well it will be easy done but now i know what I knew before, this is a beginning of a long road, but not without fun 8)

scarabee Thu Sep 16, 2021 4:40 am

Great work, Veskovici. I also like the contrast of the red Beetle with the background in your pictures.

VW_Jimbo Thu Sep 16, 2021 8:42 am

Very cool!

I will be, hopefully soon, dabbing up those same lower corners at the bulkhead wall. What did you use to make the recessed segment? Any tips?

Keep at it! Looks like a great project!

veskovici Sat Sep 18, 2021 1:45 pm

VW_Jimbo wrote: Very cool!

I will be, hopefully soon, dabbing up those same lower corners at the bulkhead wall. What did you use to make the recessed segment? Any tips?

Keep at it! Looks like a great project!

I just hammer it using half oval pipe and another straight smaller diameter concrete armature but first if necessary i bend half pipe , or just hammer it ;)

Ok. Next i started working from behind so I fixed engine bay right corner as I started from left passenger side. Someone had hard time installing bigger 1300 engine so he hacked corner of rear small firewall


Than started to work on rear apron and rear tails. couldnt find exact mach and right year bumper bracket so i use what i can find and another reason for using this tail section is because i have entire driver rear quater panel with same tail section


So vire holes are exact match to original so i used this holes to measure and cut new piece



inside is not too bad but it will need a lot of work.




This is rear driver side quarter panel which i maybe install if original is too bad. Shame I dont have pass side as well ;)





D. Haviland Mon Sep 20, 2021 7:51 am

serious shit man!

veskovici Mon Sep 20, 2021 10:54 am

yes serious business.

As I move along I had to consider either to buy new entire section behind rear wheel or to try to reconstruct existing one. So first I will try later and then if I fail, I always can cut and weld a new.

first I transferred curve and dimensions to new sheet metal and then welded original center piece to it




Then i copied bracket from already cut piece



than fixed truck area lip that welds to inner wing



Then assembled all together to make sure it sits well and marked metal where to cut


then installed inner sheet metal



Than straightener part welded trough holes aka " spotwelded"



And Voila... finished and satisfied . I let it sit a little higher 0,5 cm as I suspect to measurements .. easy fix.

VW_Jimbo Sat Sep 25, 2021 10:06 pm

Very nice!

veskovici Mon Nov 25, 2024 2:45 pm

After a while :) this story continues.

Meanwhile I had to complete westfalia 85 project, so back on a track.




Eric&Barb Mon Nov 25, 2024 3:18 pm

You will need to install the new axle boots with the seam turned downward to 3 or 9 O'clock position. With the seam up at 12 O'clock when the axle moves up and down that does not flex well in those directions, and will tear up the boot.
Also helps when you do install boots to tighten the inner side hose clamp and before tightening the smaller outer side clamp push the outer end of the boot inward about 4-5mm. That will keep the boots from getting torn up from being overstretched when jacked up off the ground.



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