Ever replace the bulkhead WITHOUT lifting the body off?

[mkhanshaw]

Yeah...I know what you are going to say.

Quick story - Bought a 1954 and way overpaid the more I dig. Got a fast one pulled on me by the seller...who if I reach out I am sure will claim ignorance but the reality is he/his brother did the work.
Car was so low to the ground that I could not inspect under the front.

Get it home, put it on my lift and..... grrrrr

Front end took a hard hit as some point in its life. So much so that one side of the bulkhead was ever so slightly pushed rearward, and the steel cracked near the threaded sections.

Their solution? Just permanently weld a new aftermarket carcraft beam to that broken side and be done with it. Bolted as normal on the other side. What a mess.

I want to install a better front end. Spoke with Russ at Oldspeed. He is down to do it. I do not want to bring this mess to him to fix as it is.

I ordered a new bulkhead to be welded in. I have a fantastic fabrication shop near me fully capable of welding it in. I really only need from the hump forward....not the Napolean hat section.

My goal is to see if someone can do all the repair without having to lift the body off. Why? Most shops do not have room and it would double my cost.

If they cut the crapwork off the front, leaving just the existing bulkhead, there is room it seems like to weld in a new one, and even do more bracing.

My car will never be a show winner, original or even near perfect but functionally I want it to be awesome.

Anyway, just wondered if anyone has attempted such a feat.

Also - who did you purchase your bulkhead through?

Thanks!
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54 Oval

[fredybear]

Pics, we need pics.

Like this?

Daddy got suckered back in the day. But, I’m at it, 30 yrs later


Anything can be fixed.
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1955 Beetle
1960/63 Beetle
1968 Beetle
1971 Beetle
1973 Beetle
1971 Bus

[finster]

to be clear (maybe it's just me ) you seem to be talking about replacing the frame head with the body in situ. I've always thought of the body panel that sits on the naps hat as the bulkhead...

this is a new frame head (black part) ready to go on

the main issue I see is that getting the alignment right might be harder with the body on. plus the inevitable fact that once you open things up there's often more damage/rust than first thought.

quote - My goal is to see if someone can do all the repair without having to lift the body off. Why? Most shops do not have room and it would double my cost.

but you say you have a lift at home...so would you be able to separate the body/pan and take the pan to the fabrication shop?
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"we're here on Earth to fart around" kurt vonnegut

nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect...

[esde]

I have done it.
You need to tack the new frame head in place, and then make sure the pan is jacked up level on stands. Bolt a bare front beam to the new frame head, and make sure you have even measurements to the spring plate caps on each side, and make sure the beam level matches the pan. This way the car will sit square and even. Once you are sure it's good, weld it home, but alternate side to side so the frame head does n't get twisted from the weld heat.
If you doubt the fuel line, do it while the cut is open..
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modok wrote:
Bent cranks are silent but gather no moss. I mean, ah, something like that.

[mkhanshaw]

Thanks for the replies!

@fredybear - Body on though

@finster -
So yes, I mean the Frame head *the black replacement piece pictured*

The lift I have are quickjacks, and not a proper 2 post lift you probably imagined.

@esde - Yes great points. I ordered the replacement framehead (Heritage Parks in the UK had the one I need and in stock, so paid the freight and got it.) It is on the way, so my next step is to take it, and my 54 via trailer down to my local fab guys (@fullcirclefabrications on Insta) and have them do the dirty work. The replacement framehead piece comes without the Napolean Hat so I am hoping they can trim RIGHT UP to where the original hat is, then grind out the original and weld in and reinforce the new one.

Another reason I am fearful of pulling the body is truly finding more rust damage that I do not want to deal with, or stored energy that would contort the dimensions (since it was hit at some point in its past)

The tips you provided are invaluable as you are right....need to ensure its on center vertically, horizontally and diagonally lol.

Here is a short video I took of what I am dealing with. So heartbreaking but I am hoping can be fixed

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2pZy-EhuESM
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54 Oval

[mkhanshaw]

[Dan22]

Mkhanshaw,
You may have to cut out and swap that part of the front plate to match the needs of the 1954 model. Perhaps share a couple pictures comparing what you had and what your new part looks like. Of course the new part is probably based on late beetles only.

At least you want your original cover to fit. That extra front room is necessary for the brake cable mechanism movement.
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1-0900722 die langsame grüne Schildkröte
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=765074

[mkhanshaw]

[finster]

that photo isn't my car, just one from the gallery to show a replacement frame head.
as dan22 says, you - or the guys at the shop - will have to graft the old front plate/brake adjuster area into the new.
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"we're here on Earth to fart around" kurt vonnegut

nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect...

[Dan22]

I took a look at my '55 last night. The bracket that holds the ebrake rod is bolted on to the front. Enlarging the hole to the proper size (from round to rectangular), and then locating the weldnut locations, and installing rivnuts to accept the bolts might be all that is needed.

This assumes you have the support bracket for the cables/rod.
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1-0900722 die langsame grüne Schildkröte
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=765074

[VW_Jimbo]

[Loren]

I had to replace this section on my 57 Ghia pan and I made a bracket to align it. I installed a used section and it fit perfectly. This is a critical piece to replace and getting the body off is crucial. In hind sight I should have leveled the pan and used a level together with my jig. Making some sort of jig will help keep things properly aligned.

[VW_Jimbo]

Nice job!

A used axle beam is the way to go. Welding a section of 2 x 4 square tubing, maybe 1/4” thick, then tack welding it down to the top of the tunnel. The next step is to create an arm that welds to the channel and reaches over to a previously bolted up used axle beam unit. That way you have a fixture in place to align the new beam with.
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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!