TheSamba.com :: View topic - inner front

Sun Feb 26, 2023 1:35 am

next. I have rust through as shown on the markup. Is this something you guys reckon can be fixed with the body still on the pan? 1969 Beetle

thanks

Sun Feb 26, 2023 3:23 pm

Depends on your welding skills. If you can cut it out and make (or get) a new piece you should be able to fit it in ok except:

1. How to cut it out? Grinder probably can’t fit. Reciprocating air saw or Dremel.
2. Does rust include the flange? You wont be able to weld the flange section in the horizontal area underneath obviously. No big problem.
3. When welding back you’ll have to deal with not burning the rubber pan seal between that section and the Napoleon Hat area.
4. You’ll have to remove all the rust otherwise it will just continue. Get some anti rust paint in there like cavity wax or Penetrol or lanolin spray.

It’s hard to advise because you haven’t shown a picture of the damage on your car.

What IS possible is to partly lift the body up at the front by releasing the body bolts. Much more work but you don’t have to take the body off. One of the Bug Me videos shows how a block of wood placed under the dash and jacked up after releasing the front, rear and heater channel bolts can lift the front up enough yo break the seal on the body.

But I’d try and repair it in place if I could and there was no other reason to lift the body.

Sun Feb 26, 2023 3:25 pm

In addition is the rusty area including the front attachment point if the heater channel?

Sun Feb 26, 2023 4:12 pm

thanks mate. I popped the tank out to fix a leak there and spotted this. I'll try and get a picture uploaded, but certainly not looking forward to this bit. I strongly suspect the rest of the a-pillar bottom is cactus too, but I didn't really want to open that up just yet. This was supposed to be a quick tidy up for a Vic RWC - ha ha! should have known there was no such thing :)

Sun Feb 26, 2023 4:22 pm

:(

there is no obvious paint bubble from the outside of the fender area, so I guess I miiight be lucky, but this is the LHS. This was very obvious so dodn't have much choice but to fix it up.

I might just go for the RWC and see if the tester spots the firewall area. I'm in the middle of a body off Ghia resto and can't really take the time to do the same on the beetle. The beetle has been on Vic permit for 10 years, but we stuffed up last year and didn't renew. that's why we need a RWC this time

Sun Feb 26, 2023 9:14 pm

Mate that rust on the firewall is insignificant for a RWC IMO!

I’d just treat the rust, bog it up, paint the whole firewall and make it a point of repair when you do the body off! I doubt most inspectors will look there. They normally Jack the car up and look for rust from below.

The front mudguard area of course needs work.

Sun Feb 26, 2023 10:59 pm

sounds like a plan!