Amateur versus rusty bus

[Nor_AL_67]

Thought I would post some pics of my 63 corner repair using ww repair panel. The fit is pretty bad and I know I should have used Gerson, but I like a challenge. I'm a noob when it comes to body work/metal repair and welding....but gotta learn some how. I bought a small lincoln mig welder and started burnin. Also bought several metal cutting tools and it seems for me my fav is the dremel.

Here's what I started with. The metal structural piece under the corner was rotted pretty bad and no one makes it so I fabbed one up. PM me if you want the pattern.

Cut the panel about an inch above the tray.

New piece welder on.

New ww panel has a big ole smile. It fits crappy on top but bottom seems ok.

WW panel doesn't have the 'L' shape to fit in the channel so that had to be fabbed.

This is where I'm at now, needs much more cleaning and grinding and will need a little filler. Anyone know if the Gerson panel has the 'L' shape built in?
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63 Sedan
61 Rag
67 Type 1 Sedan
63 Type 2 Standard Walk-thru
69 Ghia
68 912

Amateur Versus Rusty Bus!

[arthurnugen]

Holy smokes! Nice job!

Arthur
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[Saint76]

That is outstanding....

I gave up on the WW corner..Just got so frustrated trying to hold it in place..

I have the magnets now, but didn't then.. Maybe would have made life easier..

I went with the Gerson corner after and was able to line it up a lot easier..

You are a magician..

[Eric&Barb]

Great work!!
Future note though, a must to remove rust, and zinc primer/paint in those areas exposed before adding in new sheet metal.
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In Stereo, Where Available!

[57palm]

great work. I have done extensive metal repair to my 57 standard bus. I appreciate the time it takes fab all that stuff, great job. As far as people saying clean and prime all bare areas before welding new metal over them here is my take. For one, none of the metal already in you bus has been primed between the seams. If it was the factory spot welders would not work. For two if you have ever tried to spot, tack, plug weld around or through primer (even weld through) you would know that it does not work. The weld are messy, often don't take and have a general lack of quality. If you look at most pros. posting (eg Metal wizard) you will notice that none of these steps are taken and that is why. It is a great idea but does not work. Please people, quit telling people things you do not have first hand experience with. I followed these forums and tried a few primers. Same result, welds messed up all the hours I spend fitting the metal parts properly.

again, great job,


Reuben

[Pierre G]

[Nor_AL_67]

Thanks for the props guys. I appreciate all comments. You probably can't tell from the pics but I used IES self-etching weldable primer on anything exposed. My welds are so messy right now I can't tell if it made them any worse

Fabbing that structural piece took the most time, but I can mirror the pattern for the other side now.

Anyone know where or if I can get a can of rattle-can turkis paint to cover the repair until it gets real paint?

Next project the right corner... will have to teach myself how to use the hammer and dolly for some of the dents. The battery tray is toast.

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63 Sedan
61 Rag
67 Type 1 Sedan
63 Type 2 Standard Walk-thru
69 Ghia
68 912

Amateur Versus Rusty Bus!

[gerg]

No comparison in my opinion.

I am actually cutting the WW corner out I did and putting a Gerson in place of it.

Your WW came out much better than mine. I was doing a truck though, so maybe there are some differences that may matter.

Nice work so far though!!!

Did some of that fabbing stuff too . . . .time consuming!!!!!

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Gerg

. . . I got 99 problems and my bus ain't one . . .

'65 Sunroof Beetle
'65 Vert
'60 Singlecab

[Dave24]

[Campy]

I can't believe that W.W. is still selling the "grinning" Brazilian corner panels. I bought one about eight or nine years ago that was adveretised in their catalog to be ten inches in height. The one that I got went down to six inches in height in the middle. I cut it so it was six inches in height all of the way across.
Remember when the packing primer is removed, the metal has to be conditioned before painting.
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Don't worry; be happy. (Baba)

[Reverend Jim]

Thought I'd chime in as I did the same job recently on a Single Cab. Sorry for the gaps in the photo time-line but suffice it to say that WW panel was a BEAR. I had to cut, beat, bend, fab, and grind the hell out of it to get it mated up. Obviously this is the pass. side w/battery tray and the whole corner was in WAY worse shape than it first appeared. whole thing is bodyworked and sealed now so i'll post a pic of that soon. Addl. seam seal in the tray area was a customer request. - Jim

In the beginning...

Cut out the rot...

Traced and ground down, repaired small interior bits prior to corner/tray...

Terrible pic but this is the interior. Put a 90' in the metal below the lowest vent instead of single-wall, for some extra strength. Can't tell from the outside.

Ready for the body guy. Customer was really happy so I guess that's all you can ask for!

[Eric&Barb]

[David Raistrick]

[j.pickens]

[Campy]

All he must mean is that the corner panel fits over the pillar; there is a gap at the bottom between the edge of the corner panel and the bottom of the pillar.
The pillar has to be clean and coated with something to protect it (before the corner panel goes over it). Use weldable primer (not SEM) on its edges where the panel will be spot welded to it.
Both of my corner panels were straight (not bent) on each side, I cut the old ones off near each edge, leaving the bent portions on the body, where I, then, trimmed the corner panels and welded them to the bent edges left on the body. Both corner panels look good, especially with the bent, overlapping edge left on the mud flap.
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Don't worry; be happy. (Baba)

[rjonas]

Yep, I used a POS WW corner on my old '59 standard too. It was before the funky green panels were available. I also formed a bend on both ends using wood forms with "C" clamps wound tight and hammered the corners over. The WW corner was not long enough to have the "splash pan" mounting holes so I salvaged the old one and welded it on. The WW corner is shaped real close but the metal was very "hammered" and not smooth. I think I spent 10-15 hours making the WW corner look like this picture. Just another reason to buy the funky green stuff = money well spent.

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1979 Type-2 Westfalia “Sandy”
1973 Type-181 Thing "Velma"
1956 Type-1 Beetle Patina Project “Rosie”

www.azbusclub.org

[Nor_AL_67]

[Gerson]

How much do you reckon 10 to 15 hours of your time costs?????, let's say for arguments sake it costs $40.00 per hour......shit, that's $600.00 someone will have invested in labor alone, never mind, the actual cost of the part, shipping, plus what that person could have been doing during those 10 to 15 hours it took to modify this "wonderful" piece of metal.... kind of makes you think......
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that's not patina, that's fucking rust man!!!!

we (klassicfab) make the funky green panels...........

[Nor_AL_67]

[Gerson]

you are right about the learning experience, that alone makes it worthwhile....
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that's not patina, that's fucking rust man!!!!

we (klassicfab) make the funky green panels...........