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panicman
Samba Member
Joined: December 18, 2011
Posts: 2660
Location: Canby, OR
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 Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2025 11:08 am Post subject: Re: Hazet Assistent |
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My 161 has arrived. I'm happy with it, but I will need to restore this one, versus preserve.
The braking caster has had the brake cut off. I'm puzzling over how to fabricate a replacement to attach.
Lots of rust. My plan will be to remove the rubber and strip everything. I will attempt to preserve the original Hazet logo, as I am pretty sure it can be cleaned and touched up.
The name badge I think I will strip and zinc plate. I can't tell if it was chromed or bare steel. I'd love to get a bezel for it, but I don't have the skills of rsbadura to fabricate one. Probably just tape the edges and then paint it blue.
RAL paint is ordered. However I ordered the light gray and now I see the 161's had the metallic finish. Debating just spraying with gray, or finding the metallic.
All the metal will get stripped and zinc plated. The uprights appear to have also been zinc plated. They are pretty clean, so I may just thoroughly clean and polish them.
The work top does have two broken rivets. I removed one to measure and I've ordered new aluminum rivets. I'll try using a rivet set and a hammer and drift to reattach the 'slide block'.
Also noticed that these older trolleys use a piece of heavy felt in the tool compartment slide component. Feels like it has been saturated in some kind of lubricant.
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rsbadura
Samba Member
Joined: November 30, 2009
Posts: 755
Location: Berlin, Germany
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| Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2025 3:45 am Post subject: Re: Hazet Assistent |
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Hello,
| panicman wrote: |
| The name badge I think I will strip and zinc plate. I can't tell if it was chromed or bare steel. I'd love to get a bezel for it... |
99% of the ones shown online are missing this clipped-on frame - or the complete name badge – it probably got lost quickly in the rough everyday workshop life.
On the later models with black upper deck from around 1982 onwards, the nameplate was completely omitted by Hazet.
My 166TS still had the original parts including the painted base plate, slotted screws, plastic window, chrome-plated frame. The chrome-plated steel with first signs of rust. I was able to polish it out, and the slightly more damaged upper side was turned down because it was symmetrical. This also has two wedge-shaped locking lugs on the sides.
before and after
On my 160, I only had the lower mount – dented, rusty, and weakened. I tried to polish it, but it was too damaged and unstable. So I just used it as a pattern, I filed a steel shape onto which the old one could be precisely fitted – also paying attention to the two wedge-shaped locking tabs on the sides. Then I formed a new 0.5 mm stainless steel sheet over it. Then I formed a second stainless steel sheet over the first one. For the window cutout, I roughly filed an aluminum frame as an insert so as not to cut too much out of the thin sheet metal.
left the auxiliary molds, in the middle the new stainless steel parts, right polished original part:
before and after
regards,
_________________
Rolf-Stephan Badura
1970 VW Karmann-Ghia Coupe
1979 VW Bus L camper conversion
1982 Eriba Pan travel trailer
2017 VW CrossPolo
HAZET classic tools collection |
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panicman
Samba Member
Joined: December 18, 2011
Posts: 2660
Location: Canby, OR
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| Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2025 11:51 am Post subject: Re: Hazet Assistent |
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| Beautiful ! |
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panicman
Samba Member
Joined: December 18, 2011
Posts: 2660
Location: Canby, OR
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| Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2025 6:13 pm Post subject: Re: Hazet Assistent |
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Busy couple of days. My plan for this cart is to get the top, middle, and tub all sandblasted. I will mask off the Hazet logo. All rubber is removed. I think it's all reuasable.
All of the metal hardware will or has gotten re-zinc plated. The swivel casters were torn down completely, zinced, and reassembled.
There are 2 sets of ball bearings, different sizes.
Last edited by panicman on Sun Aug 10, 2025 10:04 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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panicman
Samba Member
Joined: December 18, 2011
Posts: 2660
Location: Canby, OR
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| Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2025 6:16 pm Post subject: Re: Hazet Assistent |
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The uprights are pretty good. I will clean them, lightly sand them with scotchbrite and steel wool, and then use a can of cold galvanizing spray to coat them. This finish will work fine over the remnants of original zinc plating.
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panicman
Samba Member
Joined: December 18, 2011
Posts: 2660
Location: Canby, OR
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| Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2025 6:17 pm Post subject: Re: Hazet Assistent |
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| You may have noticed the brake on my braking caster is missing. I can't replicate it, so I will live with it non-braking until karma brings a nice caster my way. |
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panicman
Samba Member
Joined: December 18, 2011
Posts: 2660
Location: Canby, OR
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| Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2025 6:18 pm Post subject: Re: Hazet Assistent |
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I have ordered the RAL blue paint. For the silver top. I believe that rustoleum hammered silver is a very close match, and it's a very durable finish.
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panicman
Samba Member
Joined: December 18, 2011
Posts: 2660
Location: Canby, OR
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| Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2025 6:21 pm Post subject: Re: Hazet Assistent |
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I notice that the trim bead for the rubber bumpers is silver on the underside. Age, I think, has caused it to turn gold/brown.
rsbadura, anyway to clean this? I have tried mild abrasive, and it didn't bring back the silver at all. |
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panicman
Samba Member
Joined: December 18, 2011
Posts: 2660
Location: Canby, OR
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| Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2025 11:02 pm Post subject: Re: Hazet Assistent |
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I had 2 broken rivets. Replacement is 5M, solid aluminum, semi hollow.
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rsbadura
Samba Member
Joined: November 30, 2009
Posts: 755
Location: Berlin, Germany
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| Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2025 5:52 am Post subject: Re: Hazet Assistent |
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| panicman wrote: |
| I notice that the trim bead for the rubber bumpers is silver on the underside. Age, I think, has caused it to turn gold/brown. |
Some plastics yellow over the years – mostly due to UV radiation in sunlight, but not only that.
For PVC, some sources suggest 30 minutes in vinegar or citric acid solutions or caustic soda – but I would be very cautious with that.
Some use silver plastic paint color before remounting them.
In most photos you will hardly be able to tell the difference.
To prevent the silver color from rubbing off and becoming visible on the black rubber,
I would apply another thin layer of clear varnish.
Keep in mind - this silver trim is not available anymore in this small 5.5mm size.
(only in black e.g. by HAZET as spare part# 160-013 for the 166N - but also sold by the meter for seals on caravan windows etc).
regards,
_________________
Rolf-Stephan Badura
1970 VW Karmann-Ghia Coupe
1979 VW Bus L camper conversion
1982 Eriba Pan travel trailer
2017 VW CrossPolo
HAZET classic tools collection |
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panicman
Samba Member
Joined: December 18, 2011
Posts: 2660
Location: Canby, OR
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| Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2025 10:18 pm Post subject: Re: Hazet Assistent |
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The Hazet logo background and "Assistent" appear to be dark blue.
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rsbadura
Samba Member
Joined: November 30, 2009
Posts: 755
Location: Berlin, Germany
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| Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2025 11:43 am Post subject: Re: Hazet Assistent |
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| panicman wrote: |
| The Hazet logo background ... appear to be dark blue. |
yes, the logo background was RAL 5013 Cobalt blue (German: Kobaltblau)
Make your own decision for the "Assistent" inscription - maybe wipe it gently with acetone and decide what was on it.
INHO the "Assistent" inscription was black - as far as I found on my two and saw it on NOS or unpainted ones an some more detailed brochure images (e.g. this 1965).
Most of the brochure images are black and white, colorized, or too small. Even the HAZET history book tends to have too small images.
But at first brochures of the 160 in 1954 there are pictures of white "Assistent" inscription (this is not a real photo, perspective and shadows are not right) - but never saw one original in white (only some few repainted ones).
There are also many repainted ones in yellow and other types of blue.
regards,
_________________
Rolf-Stephan Badura
1970 VW Karmann-Ghia Coupe
1979 VW Bus L camper conversion
1982 Eriba Pan travel trailer
2017 VW CrossPolo
HAZET classic tools collection |
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panicman
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Joined: December 18, 2011
Posts: 2660
Location: Canby, OR
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| Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2025 2:46 pm Post subject: Re: Hazet Assistent |
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| Very interesting. Thank you for this additional history. |
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panicman
Samba Member
Joined: December 18, 2011
Posts: 2660
Location: Canby, OR
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| Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2025 11:33 am Post subject: Re: Hazet Assistent |
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Last things to plate with zinc are the wheels. I don't see any way to get them plated other than throw them in the plating bath and see how it goes. The current is pretty small, and the bath should be harmless for the rubber for the 15-20 minutes it takes.
I received my reproduction stool! Great work to Wout in Belgium, who communicated throughout the ordering and shipping process.
The tub, shelves, partitions, and caster bracket are all at the sandblaster. All paints are ordered (I found the RAL cobalt!) and I cant wait to reassemble this cart.
The only thing I am unsure of is when my rubber bumpers will arrive from Hazet. They don't provide a lot of order status info on their site.
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panicman
Samba Member
Joined: December 18, 2011
Posts: 2660
Location: Canby, OR
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| Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2025 1:41 pm Post subject: Re: Hazet Assistent |
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I think the wheels are turning out fine. Before and after of a front caster and wheel.
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EverettB 
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Joined: April 11, 2000
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Location: Phoenix 602
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70bus
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Joined: July 15, 2004
Posts: 1483
Location: P.O.
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| Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2025 12:15 am Post subject: Re: Hazet Assistent |
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I'm confused. Do you have two? Cuz the text says 'it's all at the sandblaster' but there's a SUPER nice Assistent (with a top tray full of newly-zinced parts) in that photo.
And when can I drop mine off for the treatment; I'm just up the road and any time is convenient for me. :)
_________________
Craig K
70 Neunsitzer
65 Pritschenwagen
"If Von Dutch was alive, he'd walk in there with a pistol and shoot these people." - Robert Williams
Raul the 65 singlecab
Karl the 70 nine-seater |
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panicman
Samba Member
Joined: December 18, 2011
Posts: 2660
Location: Canby, OR
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| Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2025 7:15 pm Post subject: Re: Hazet Assistent |
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Thanks Everett! No visible or palpable damage.
I did/am doing the larger wheels, the continentals, and they take a looong time to take zinc. Also, the water starts to turn a sort of reddish brown. I wish I had a dc supply with higher amperage, and that may help the process go faster. Have to think it is having some effect on the rubber. It is getting them clean though...? Before and after:
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panicman
Samba Member
Joined: December 18, 2011
Posts: 2660
Location: Canby, OR
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| Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2025 7:21 pm Post subject: Re: Hazet Assistent |
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Hi 70bus, I do have two now. The nice blue one is the 1979-era 162N.
It needed some zinc and touch up, but it was still in really good shape.
The one I just recently got is an early 1960's 161. It's more like what I wanted when I really started looking, but it was in rough shape. I am zinc plating its parts now, and the tub, shelves, and partitions are indeed off at the sandblaster right now. |
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panicman
Samba Member
Joined: December 18, 2011
Posts: 2660
Location: Canby, OR
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| Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2025 6:45 pm Post subject: Re: Hazet Assistent |
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The large wheels are just taking longer to strike with zinc, and I'm having to do them repeatedly, as I don't want to see flaws in this protective finish. I think the size may be the issue, these things are big for my small plating set up. Here you can see I have put the wheel in again, and let it plate for about an hour. The bath is turning dark, but the zinc is still coming out fairly bright.
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