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July 51 Type 15A Karmann Kabriolet – it’s a bit of a project
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bally
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 1:20 pm    Post subject: July 51 Type 15A Karmann Kabriolet – it’s a bit of a project Reply with quote

Introducing my July 1951 Type 15A Karmann Kabriolet – it’s a bit of a project!

I’ve got my work cut out with this beauty but have the vision to how it will look in the end. It’s a car I’ve always dreamt of owning so I’m obviously delighted to have one (or some parts to start building one from). It is missing most parts so I have a massive parts hunt on for pre-52 parts, especially the Kabrio only parts - I need to create a parts list I need so watch this space…

The big question is where to source the best, most accurate repair panels from?

I’ll be ordering pan halves and heater channels from Klassic Fab as opinion seems to be that these are the most accurate representations of the original available. I’m not made of money unfortunately so cannot afford to seek out NOS repair panels throughout so need to buy the best panels I can, be they original panels cut from a donor car or top quality aftermarket repair panels. I know Wolf, Virtanen, Hooky and AutoCraft all make excellent panels but not necessarily all the panels I need so where do you suggest I source panels from?

The front end’s had at least one knock in its life so needs a bit of work there (I already have a Wolf front panel) but I have concerns about repairing the area the fuel tank sits in – does anyone make such a repair panel or will I need to source that from a donor vehicle? How about rear quarter lower repair panels – these are readily available but which ones fit the best? The same question goes for the front inner wings and outer lower quarters.

The corners of the parcel area behind the rear seat will also need addressing – does anyone make a decent repair panel for these areas? How about the heater pipes under the rear seat?

I’m keen to retain as much of the original vehicle as possible and use genuine VW panels as far as possible so don’t really want to buy a solid saloon shell and transfer all the Kabriolet parts to it. Let me know if you have any og metal that would help me on this project please – don’t worry about how we’ll ship it at this stage; just let me know what’s out there and I’ll try and figure out how to get it shipped.

I don’t have the welding skills to tackle this myself but do have a skilled welder on board to undertake the bulk of the work and I hope to improve my welding along the way.

Have a look at the following pictures to see the scale of the project. Progress will be slow and hence updates will not be daily but I will post updates as and when I have something to add. Stage one will be to install the pan halves and put a rolling chassis together. Stage two will be to repair the doors (the bottom has rotted out of each door) so we can install the body on the chassis, install the doors and get them aligned before fitting the heater channels and other panels as and when I can afford to buy them and pay for them to be fitted.

Dash repair needed around semaphore switch hole:
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Fuel tank surround has been altered:
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Doors are crusty but repairable - I have my eye on Virtanen's door botom repair panels for these:
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Last edited by bally on Sat Apr 28, 2012 6:52 pm; edited 1 time in total
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bally
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 1:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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bally
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 1:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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mdvanderploeg
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 2:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow, that's a gutsy project! Glad to see it's being tackled. Looking forward to seeing your progress.
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g4rfy
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 2:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I certainly take my hat off to you Mr Ball! Applause

Look forward to being a passenger in this along the sea front!

Any help you need, as ever, give me a shout although I think this is way beyond my tool box full of hammers!

G Dancing
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peter schepens
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 3:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice project.
Could you send me the nrs please to add it to the registry at www.karmann.1952.de
Thanks Peter
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bally
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 3:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

peter schepens wrote:
Nice project.
Could you send me the nrs please to add it to the registry at www.karmann.1952.de
Thanks Peter


Thanks Peter,

it's a known car, it's on the registry already but there is a mistake so I'll update it.

Cheers,

Dave
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silvertonguedevil
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 4:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

While that baby looks rough, I'm glad to see you've got the car you've always wanted and also that you're willing to take this one on. The best advice I can give you is just tackle it one project at a time. Work on one section and then move onto the next one once it's completed. You'll get there! Good luck!!
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ZwitterND
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 5:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dude....sweet patina!
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laneven28
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 9:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You've definately got your work cut out for you, but what a great project! I'll be watching this one closely.
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[email protected]
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 9:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I got my floors for my 50 vert from Gerson they are perfect.
I think he is the only one making pre 55 floors right now.
I planing on having my 50 back together this spring/summer also.


Last edited by [email protected] on Sat Apr 14, 2012 6:24 am; edited 2 times in total
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Rich's 50
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 10:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I remember they were selling that from spain on the samba...Nice project
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bally
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 2:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

silvertonguedevil wrote:
While that baby looks rough, I'm glad to see you've got the car you've always wanted and also that you're willing to take this one on. The best advice I can give you is just tackle it one project at a time. Work on one section and then move onto the next one once it's completed. You'll get there! Good luck!!


Thanks, that's the plan. Slowly, slowly catchy monkey. Floor pans first - then get a rolling chassis.Then doors, fit the body to the chassis and work from there checking alignment all the way...

Whilst it does look rough, almost all the Cabrio only metal is there and looks to be in good condition. The only bits that are missing are the bracing panels that go under the rear seat:
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Having said that, anything that could be unbolted has been unbolted over the years so that is quite a mission to find all the parts again. But that's half the fun Smile

Dave
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bally
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 2:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

[email protected] wrote:
I got my floors for my 50 vert Gerson they a perfect.
I think he is the only one making pre 55 floors right now.
I planing on having my 50 back together this spring/summer also.


Thanks,that's good to know - exactly the feedback I'm after!

Dave
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bally
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 5:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rich's 50 wrote:
I remember they were selling that from spain on the samba...Nice project


This one has come from Germany Rich but I know the Spanish one you mean - I dithered too long thinking about that one especially as I could have driven about 50 miles from my house to the ferry to Spain and then it was only a short drive from the Santander Port to the Spanish one - it was great two day road trip to pick this up with my good friends Mike and Nick (thanks guys)
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

We set off Friday afternoon, stayed in Bruge on Firday night and headed for Liege on Saturday morning to collect a bonnet, seat base and trim from Christian and check out his lovely ragtop 51 with a Judson. Stunning. We then headed north for Hamburg. Unfortunately the van was playing up a little so instead of heading all the way to Hamburg and returning with our cargo to Bremen for the night we opted to stop at Bremen first. This meant we had a very early start on Sunday to go and pick the cargo up and once loaded an 8 hr drive to the channel tunnel. This revised schedule meant we couldn't make our planned pilgrimage to the Karmann Factory in Osnabruck (now VW Osnabruck).

All in all we had a great trip Smile

Dave
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LANGEBERG
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 6:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.griebel.blogspot.com/2012_04_01_archive.html

The one from spain is now in my garage in denmark
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bally
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 9:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

LANGEBERG wrote:
http://www.griebel.blogspot.com/2012_04_01_archive.html

The one from spain is now in my garage in denmark


That's a great score - well done - I love the road trip too!

It looks to be in so much better condition then mine and so much more complete - a right result for you Smile

Thanks for sharing. I hope we can go cruising together some time in the future...

Dave
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Rich's 50
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 10:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry for the confusion on my part...Bally if you need any parts i might have a couple of pieces left over so please pm me and congratulations o such a rare VW
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 11:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I can supply you with a pair of chassis rails to 50s spec. Looks like yours are missing,

Gutsy project if i may say... Good luck.
I have a rear tack strip section from a 58 if its any good to you.

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bally
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 11:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Robert,

you will be supplying the support rails - I just haven't got round to emailing you yet. I recall your sister lives not too far from me so we should talk about any trips you have planned down this way if that might save me a bit on shipping Wink

Cheers,

Dave
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