Jims 1952

Jimone · Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2024 7:04 am Post subject: Re: Jims 1952

Windows are in! i did not have any luck with the piano wire method. kept ripping rubber. 4 unsuccessful attempts later and on my second set of rubber i decided to change it up. i wedged them in with a little pry bar. worked great.

i broke one of the back windows. i was hitting it with a rubber mallet. im still not sure what i thought was going to happen. anyway i got a replacement from sgmalt46 super fast. thanks Steve for saving the day!

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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november 1952 ragtop
november 1954 single cab

VW_Jimbo · Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2024 9:13 am Post subject: Re: Jims 1952

Very nice updates! The car looks ready for a road trip! Where are you going on the first voyage?
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Jimbo

There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!

Jimone · Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2024 12:31 pm Post subject: Re: Jims 1952

esde · Posted: Mon Mar 18, 2024 6:05 am Post subject: Re: Jims 1952

Excellent work Jim. Sucks about the back glass, but you got it done. I tried a number of things for the glass over the years and did eventually settle on thin weedwhacker cord.
The first few trips are always nerve wracking, I always have a tote with a full assortment of tools on the passenger floor, to fix the little things that pop up. The first big smile and wave you get from a stranger as you drive by is the most rewarding.
SD
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modok wrote:
Bent cranks are silent but gather no moss. I mean, ah, something like that.

western auto · Posted: Mon Mar 18, 2024 6:14 pm Post subject: Re: Jims 1952

best method i have found for vw window installation is silicone spray on the body and outside of the rubber- a helper to push in in the hole and hold light pressure on it/ best rope is weed eater pull start rope not the crappy plastic string for grass the actual starter rope - the high quality black stuff that looks like paracord

Blue Baron · Posted: Mon Mar 18, 2024 6:18 pm Post subject: Re: Jims 1952

I like everything you're doing. Stick with it!

As for the old case, throw it away. It's junk. You also have plenty of replacements!

With all the parts you have, you could probably barter for some of the work!
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We are striving for perfection, to make our cars run forever, if possible.

Heinz Nordhoff

Jimone · Posted: Tue Mar 19, 2024 6:24 am Post subject: Re: Jims 1952

ddutch · Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2024 6:07 am Post subject: Re: Jims 1952

Jimone · Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2024 7:42 pm Post subject: Re: Jims 1952

put the door panels and handles in

dont forget the little dampeners. easy to forget.

looking like a car. that cant stand

better take it apart

the beam was sitting 2" high on the drivers side

get to rework the leaky steering box while im in here

got it clean enough to see teh number finally. looks like this was an original part.

looks like the link pins are pretty toast

fun stuff

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november 1952 ragtop
november 1954 single cab

Jimone · Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2024 4:38 pm Post subject: Re: Jims 1952

got the beam clean and lubricated. everything moves fine. i think the trailing arms on the driver side has frozen up from some hardened grease.

started getting ready for king and link pins. pulled them off the brake backing plates

got the link bushes out. i dont have a press so it was time for some precision work with the sledge. king pins are still being stubborn.

new seals for the steering box. this one is dated 1960. no biggie from my perspective.

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november 1952 ragtop
november 1954 single cab

Jimone · Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2024 6:00 am Post subject: Re: Jims 1952

i took the front beam off of the car because the drivers side sat several inches high. i couldnt install the shocks or the torsion snubber. after pulling everything apart and lubricating the beam it snapped back to place. it was stuck from dried up grease. i ran it through with solvents. the seals are fine. the bushings are fine. im not going to re-bush it at this time. it - shockingly - doesnt need to be done.

as i have gone through the front it seems someone had done some but not all of this work previously. this car was flat towed from wyoming to kansas city in the 1980s. i think it got some front axle work right before that. for instance it has new wheel bearings.

anyway...i blasted everything up with my handy dandy soda blaster.

masked up the beam

i spritzed it with some paint as a rust preventative.

all the shocks and snubbers fit. hooray!

and here are the brakes starting to get assembled. im still working through the differences between november 52 brakes and the 1954+ stuff thats available on the repop market. at this time im building something with 54+ pads because they are readily available. im going to wear this set out anyway. all the technically correct stuff will be saved and sorted out at a later date.

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november 1952 ragtop
november 1954 single cab

esde · Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2024 6:31 am Post subject: Re: Jims 1952

Great work Jim.
I've found very few cars that need inner bushings, but the bearings will get wrecked if not greased.
Kudos for keeping momentum on the project!
_________________
modok wrote:
Bent cranks are silent but gather no moss. I mean, ah, something like that.

ddutch · Posted: Mon Apr 15, 2024 1:55 pm Post subject: Re: Jims 1952

The work on the front beam and the brakes is looking good. The finish on the beam looks very matte, what kind of protection did you use for it?

Jimone · Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2024 8:22 am Post subject: Re: Jims 1952

thanks guys-

i used a rustoleum high heat paint. i just wanted to put something on it to keep the exposed metal from rusting. should be fine. looks kinda cool. shows grease with great contrast. obviously not stock at all.
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november 1952 ragtop
november 1954 single cab

ddutch · Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2024 4:15 pm Post subject: Re: Jims 1952

Thanks. It seems very appropriate.

Jimone · Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2024 6:04 pm Post subject: Re: Jims 1952

Made more progress.

i pulled out the heater boxes and started working on them.

the top set are the ones for the bug.

there arent many things ive cleaned up that were dirtier. the little tabs on the J tubes are one of the small unique features of the early parts. the 3 holes across the front are another.

this goo is like the size of a plum. i think i ended up with maybe a cantaloupe or so

they came out pretty nice. they are a bit beat up so they still need some fine tuning but not to shabby.

picture WITH return springs... the one i posted earlier didnt have them

took a fun picture of some engine bits getting sorted out

oh...and cranberry sauce. like a lot of cranberry sauce.

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november 1952 ragtop
november 1954 single cab

Jimone · Posted: Yesterday 5:47 am Post subject: Re: Jims 1952

cleaned up my seat frames this week

here they are back in 2021.

i blasted them up and detail cleaned them last year. claned them a bunch and hit them with some paint

kept the maker tag

pulled the steering coulmn while i had the steering box out. cleaned up the horn contacts

painted it gave it new rubber

updated cabin pic

also we got added to the Hoffman Registry. Smiley is car #34.

fun fact about hoffman splits - there were just over 2000 split bugs imported to the us by hoffman. there are estimates of as many as 2200 split bugs in the us today. the split bug is more numerous in america today than it was at the end of production in 1953.

the turn signal housing wants you to have a nice weekend!

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november 1952 ragtop
november 1954 single cab


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