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David Samba Member
Joined: June 29, 2004 Posts: 2027 Location: Raleigh, NC
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Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 4:41 pm Post subject: My '55 Ragtop (Updated Pics 7.26.06) |
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My '55 Project I recently acquired:
_________________ Cheers,
Dave
*October '54 Ragtop
Last edited by David on Wed Jul 26, 2006 6:02 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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VW Addict Samba Salesman
Joined: January 09, 2003 Posts: 3920
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Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 4:49 pm Post subject: |
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Wow.. Nice Car.
Sweet 49 Hubcaps. Did I notice Pop out windows? Sure, I will give you $500.
It looks customized too.. is it lowered? |
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David Samba Member
Joined: June 29, 2004 Posts: 2027 Location: Raleigh, NC
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Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 4:58 pm Post subject: |
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VW Addict wrote: |
Wow.. Nice Car.
Sweet 49 Hubcaps. Did I notice Pop out windows? Sure, I will give you $500.
It looks customized too.. is it lowered? |
Yeah, the popouts I didn't find out about until I picked up the car.
It came lowered all the way around. It's up to about mid chest on me, and I'm 5' 10". _________________ Cheers,
Dave
*October '54 Ragtop
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VW Addict Samba Salesman
Joined: January 09, 2003 Posts: 3920
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Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 5:01 pm Post subject: |
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Well, keep us up with the updates. Oh, and those hubcaps aren't original.... so if you want to sell them...let me know!
Take Care!
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bk63rag Samba Member
Joined: February 26, 2004 Posts: 883 Location: Martinez ,ca
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Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 5:21 pm Post subject: |
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Woah nice find i beileve that should be a 3 fold rag.I try to keep my eyes peeld for stuff like that .My girl friends parents have a neibor with a fastback ive been eye balling _________________ 63 rag under construction for 30 years and counting. |
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David Samba Member
Joined: June 29, 2004 Posts: 2027 Location: Raleigh, NC
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Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 7:58 pm Post subject: |
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Got some stuff done on the car in order to get it ready for shipping. I was going to California for a 2 day musi fest in Indio (Coachella) and to work on the VW.
After the music fest was over, on Monday I went to Pacific Customs for some hardware, and they gave me directions to Wolfsburg West.
Rich @ WW was super friendly and helped me out with the purchase. I was a total tourist when I got there and took some photos of the the front counter etc...
I saw an employee's 53 Zwitter Ragtop out front and got some shots of it as well.
Once it got time to start work on the car, I made a list of things needing done, and set out to accomplish them all.
I had to raise the car off the ground, install the windshield, get a locking T-Handle, install the door windows, and the major thing for shipping, get the brakes working.
The car was literally 1/2 an inch in the front and the engine case was like 2 inches from the ground in the rear.
When I went to adjust the rear end by turning the splines, I found that the previous person who worked on the car removed the torsion bars!
Thankfully when I was in Cali, I got onto TheSamba and bought a pair from Nick in Riverside (thanks again Nick!)
I ended up needing a brake master cylinder, the resevoir, and new
brake lines (all WW).
I started on the front end after I hit the dead end of no torsion bars in the rear. I disassembled the old front end from the torsion arms outwards.
The old front end was lowered old-school style - they narrowed the beam like 6 inches, and cut and turned the torsion leaves, then welded it all back together.
Thankfully, I found an adjustable narrowed one here on The Samba. It seems it was built by Trayle
I got the front end in all by myself (My buddy was at a funeral).
I then fine tunied the steering components from there.
Finished up by raising the front end, and hooking up the brakes.
By the time my buddy got home, I was ready to start the rear end, which was a PITA - The torsion covers were stubborn to get onto the splines, and over the stops.
Eventually enough hammering and cursing enabled me to get them installed. My buddy commented on how it looked like a Baja bug now compared to it's former state.
I didn't care, as long as it makes it onto the shipping truck
He helped me w/ the brakes by pumping them while I blead each wheel cylinder. A lot of air, and some rust colored brake fluid later, they were done!
At this point it was like 9.30 at night, and I had to man handle the window rubber onto the windshield...
I know next time I will *def* do it in the daytime & to lay the rubber out in the sun to soften it up first (worked ok w the Quarter windows.
We ended up cracking the windshield (modern safety glass repop, not Sekurit or Sigla).
I then secured the hood with a bungy cord, and that was it! Done!
I can't wait to get it here and tear it apart to start the rebuild process.
Some pics:
_________________ Cheers,
Dave
*October '54 Ragtop
Last edited by David on Wed Sep 26, 2007 11:57 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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rusty57 Samba Member
Joined: October 21, 2003 Posts: 2089 Location: Bakersfield,CA.
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Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 7:01 am Post subject: |
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You going to lower it again later? That looks like a dry car. Is it going to undergo a complete resto? _________________ 67 Ghia coupe, Retired military.
www.TagDefender.com |
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David Samba Member
Joined: June 29, 2004 Posts: 2027 Location: Raleigh, NC
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Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 8:21 am Post subject: |
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rusty57 wrote: |
You going to lower it again later? That looks like a dry car. Is it going to undergo a complete resto? |
Definitely gonna lower it again. Only not as low, cause I'd like to drive it around (crappy NoVa streets).
I might do a pan resto first so I can drive it this summer, then work on the body resto later. _________________ Cheers,
Dave
*October '54 Ragtop
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Skim Rants Master
Joined: April 15, 2001 Posts: 17082 Location: GFK 31 Year Vet
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Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 8:28 am Post subject: |
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Where was this pic taken, looks like the High Desert So Cal.
_________________ GFK
Samba since before the towers collapsed. Still here.
1953 Kabriolet
1954 Sunroof
1959 Lowlight Ghia vert
1960 Lt Grey Double Cab SMZ LEGIT
1963 Deluxe Turkis Walk Thru 15 Window OG Paint |
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eastcoast63 Samba Member
Joined: April 29, 2004 Posts: 1424 Location: Ft. Lauderdale
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Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 9:11 am Post subject: |
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nice car.....
one of my favorite years. what colors do you have in mind? |
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David Samba Member
Joined: June 29, 2004 Posts: 2027 Location: Raleigh, NC
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Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 11:08 am Post subject: |
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Skim wrote: |
Where was this pic taken, looks like the High Desert So Cal. |
Yupp, High Desert for sure - Lancaster area. The car is in my buddy's garage until the shipper's pick it up. _________________ Cheers,
Dave
*October '54 Ragtop
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Martin Henriksson Samba Member
Joined: September 15, 2004 Posts: 212 Location: Sweden, Europe
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Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 11:11 am Post subject: |
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Nice project, looks clean... _________________ MAINDRIVE GARAGE
restorations - paintjobs - bodywork - welding - suspension - surfboards - interiorwork
www.maindrive.org |
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David Samba Member
Joined: June 29, 2004 Posts: 2027 Location: Raleigh, NC
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Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 11:15 am Post subject: |
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eastcoast57 wrote: |
nice car.....
one of my favorite years. what colors do you have in mind? |
Thanks! I got really lucky to have found a pretty solid project car.
I'm going to send off for the birth cert, then paint it the original color.
My choices are:
_________________ Cheers,
Dave
*October '54 Ragtop
Last edited by David on Mon Jul 24, 2006 11:15 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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eastcoast63 Samba Member
Joined: April 29, 2004 Posts: 1424 Location: Ft. Lauderdale
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Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 11:44 am Post subject: |
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im a fan of green myself but those are some good colors to choose from.
ultramaroon is another favorite......
good luck |
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steven wood Samba Member
Joined: March 14, 2004 Posts: 1647 Location: Virginia, NOT West Virginia!
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Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 12:01 pm Post subject: |
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go with L227 Strato-silver blue. Now hurry up and get that car to Virginia |
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70 140 Samba Member
Joined: September 22, 2002 Posts: 8471 Location: Ontario Canada
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Posted: Wed May 10, 2006 12:52 pm Post subject: |
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ultra maroon! |
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Skim Rants Master
Joined: April 15, 2001 Posts: 17082 Location: GFK 31 Year Vet
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Posted: Wed May 10, 2006 1:19 pm Post subject: |
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V0LKSWAGENSRULE wrote: |
Skim wrote: |
Where was this pic taken, looks like the High Desert So Cal. |
Yupp, High Desert for sure - Lancaster area. The car is in my buddy's garage until the shipper's pick it up. |
HAHA I used to live in Lancaster. Looked familiar. _________________ GFK
Samba since before the towers collapsed. Still here.
1953 Kabriolet
1954 Sunroof
1959 Lowlight Ghia vert
1960 Lt Grey Double Cab SMZ LEGIT
1963 Deluxe Turkis Walk Thru 15 Window OG Paint |
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bill may Samba Member
Joined: August 27, 2003 Posts: 14160 Location: san diego,ca
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David Samba Member
Joined: June 29, 2004 Posts: 2027 Location: Raleigh, NC
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Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 6:02 pm Post subject: |
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Woo Hoo!
After many months of waiting, my Ragtop arrived safe and sound last night.
Crappy night time photos (I really need to get a better camera):
Time to start buying parts to get it running until the teardown/rebuild. _________________ Cheers,
Dave
*October '54 Ragtop
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ovalmark Samba Member
Joined: February 11, 2006 Posts: 178
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Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 7:15 am Post subject: |
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Good luck on your project. Did you ever get the birth certificate to determine paint color? I know someone trying to sell a pair of egg taillights if you're interested. Keep us updated! |
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