Jimmy V's 54 Oval Project

[VW_Jimbo]

[VW_Jimbo]

Well, I managed to squeeze in 8 hours over the last few days! I need to roll the body over and weld in seat belt mounting points, along with weld nuts for the luggage rails. So, I redesigned the mounts to better serve my back!

I started on the rear dolly first. I chopped off the 36 tall 1-1/2” square tubing and welded in a 65” long square channel tube. I have purchased 2 cable winches to utilize as a crane, to lift the body off of the pan, instead of just using muscle.

I then welded in some diagonal supports at the bottom, a hand winch and 2 guide pulleys.

I then mimicked the same process and retrofitted the front dolly. Here is the pair, sitting at their respective ends. Maybe next weekend I can separate the body and get those nuts welded in!

This set up yields me about 30 inches of lift. That is enough to get it over the shifter! Here are the numbers.

See how the hood hits the front yoke? That will not work for me. Something has to change!

I could not wait. So this morning I attached the front dolly and quickly figured out the hood would not open with the verticals yoke arm. So, I redesigned the yoke, so that the hood could be opened up.

Now, I just need to do the same modification to the rear dolly yoke and then separate the pan and body for the last time!
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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!

[tomsbuggered]

Looking good Jimbo, can I borrow it after you're done.
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June 1956 VW Oval Beetle

[VW_Jimbo]

[tomsbuggered]

Slow but fairly sure

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June 1956 VW Oval Beetle

[VW_Jimbo]

Quick update! Life has been flying by since the wedding. So much still going on! My youngest is now in process of moving out, too. Going to be an empty nester here, very soon! This ol 4 bedroom house is going to seem really big and quiet! I think I can make up for the audio portion but not the spacial portion.

Anyways ….. got in another several hours. Finally got both Pop-Out windows in place and operational. That was not easy! I spent way too long screwing the screws in. Every lock plate had holes which varied from the other ones. It made for some fun lingo during the screwing!

No windows.

Now it has 2 windows!

Crossed that part off the repaint list! I do not want to have to drill any new holes!

Oh, I almost forgot. I have the body off of the pan once again and connected to the revised body Dollie’s. I added a winch to lift the body. Check it out. Raises up by 3 feet!

I am starting to raise it in this picture. I can do one full turn before the angle starts to bind the carrier, on the mast.

Look, the decklid and trunk can be raised with no interference!

Then up 4 feet!

High enough to roll the pan out, while on floor Dollie’s, with the air cleaner on!

Then I rolled the pan out and then back under. Just so I knew I could. Then lined up the body to drop it back down onto the pan!

Next up are the seat belt nut plates and a removable battery tray, that bolts to the pan. That’s for the next few weeks!

Until then, have a great week!
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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!

[matthew henricks]

Looking good Jim!
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1964 Original Owner build Thread. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=702135&highlight=

Ambulance Fan's. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=627707&highlight=

Parts i am looking for:
64 bug nice used front/rear Black LHD floor mat.

[VW_Jimbo]

[Jimone]

great lift setup jimbo! that thing is sweet. car is looking slick! keep up the good work.
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november 1952 ragtop
november 1954 single cab

[VW_Jimbo]

[VW_Jimbo]

Small update time. Been fighting a lull in my eagerness to work on the Bug! It is just that I keep finding little items that need to be completed before paint. It feels like a nonstop slide of stuff!

Okay. Glad I vented a bit.Had a few minutes, here and there, to get some stuff done.

Finished up the front trunk wire loom hold downs at the spare tire area. I had a grand idea of cutting a “U” shaped tab out of the sheet metal, just as they came from the factory. Problem is, if I screw one up, I will have to fix it, then retry. I am not that concerned with it, so decided to take the easier approach and weld some tabs into place!

I welded the first 6 tabs in, then ground down the welds. I then went to bend them down and snapped 2 of them off, because I ground a hair too much steel off, due to not being able to see! Once you get the tool, and your hands down into that spot. Well, you cannot see shit! It is just feeling, followed by checking. I ground the first one too much. So, the second ones are in and still need to be ground. But I may just file them or bite the bullet and get a small belt sander!

I then moved onto installing the rear luggage shelf rails. Found the rails and placed them on the newish upper luggage shel. Looks like the shelf is a little bit smaller than a 54 shelf would be. Oh well. Let’s get creative!

I had to shorten the height of the rail, by about an inch 1 1/2”. I then had to recreate the beveled end. Cut off the end and up the sides,then bent the end.

Then I welded the cut ends together and ground them down.

Perfect!

Then over to the Bug to weld in the retainers and the weld nuts at the upper luggage shelf. Rolled the shell over to the middle of the garage and rolled the shell 90 degrees. Mapped out the lower bolt holes and drilled the two holes. You can barely see the holes.

I then set up to install the 2 weld nuts. A big screw on one side and the weld nut on the other side. Then I clamped the ground to the bolt.

The back side.

Then welded them in.

Once ground down, I moved to the retainer hooks. These are ready to weld in!

All welded in!

I then ground those smooth and primed all of those spots. Moved on to installing the rails. 1st one in!

Second one n!

Then dropped the body down onto the pan! Until next weekend!
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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!

[Bruce]

Did you account for the thickness of carpet? Now is the time to verify.
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[VW_Jimbo]

[sunroof]

[matthew henricks]

Nice work as always.

So on early bugs was that metal bar exposed OVER the carpet? Like holding the carpet in place? Was that its only purpose? Why would it need to be removable? Curious...
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1964 Original Owner build Thread. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=702135&highlight=

Ambulance Fan's. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=627707&highlight=

Parts i am looking for:
64 bug nice used front/rear Black LHD floor mat.

[VW_Jimbo]

[Bruce]

[i55]

[Bruce]

Look on the underside of the package tray near the torsion tube. Does it have the threaded nut welded to the sheet metal?
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[kintail]

My current before picture....

Your parcel tray will serve as my inspiration to clean this mess up!! Great work as usual...

Any idea what these white "buttons" are?
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Scott

August 1954 Beetle Canadian Deluxe