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tikitime Samba Member

Joined: December 12, 2006 Posts: 447 Location: New Westminster, BC, Canada
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Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2016 11:11 am Post subject: Vert Convert |
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Well this should cover some past history and the current rebuild of my 'Vert.
30 years ago - The Beginning.
First a few sketches, being a commercial artist everything is usually figured out on paper - I was going for a kind of a pseudo Heb-Cal-Look. This is the sketch I drew for inspiration, similar to the style of a speedster kit, except I didn't like in those kits how high the deck comes up and blocks your rearward view, so I made up my own.
In 1986 I found a '74 sedan in the Buy & Sell for a decent price, quit cigarettes, and spent the next 8 years knee-deep in sunflower seed shells. In a small, hence the choice of a bug, old drafty one car garage I proceeded to "Chop, Cut, & Rebuild".
Of course after diving into it there was way more rust than anticipated, out with the torch! Off comes the front hood, fenders, apron, next the roof, and 4" from the windshield, Then body off the pan to replace pan halves. In the meantime many trips to: California Import Parts, Calif meets, Seattle meets, etc. to aquire the part$.
First a plaster buck was made on the car to shape the rear section, then a mold was pulled from that, and subsequently a final piece was made from the mold.
Re-assembly, not quite as fast as taking it apart, although I managed to do it all completely by myself, fiberglass, body, paint, mechanical, and engine rebuild. The money saved on labor covered the cost of more TOOLS!
Mocked up a MGB folding top too!
A one-piece glass front-end was modified, 1 1/2" added to each fender width, inner fender wells, and extra bracing for street use. New pans and body patch panels welded up. Body and pan mated up.
Bodywork is very time consuming! Painted Light Jade Green, ( a '74 Ford truck colour) inside and out.
Four inches were removed from the windshield and the doors got cut down also.
The interior has Tercel seats and custom door panels I made to match. I took a piece of 1/8" aluminum to make the dash. It has upholstered inserts inthe same gray naugahyde as the door panels. I made the door pulls from wood covered with nauga and aluminum inserts to mimic the curve of the door panel. Found an English-made steering wheel, made my own custom adapter & horn and re-polished and covered the wheel with gray leather. While I was making the adapter I thought I would turn some other interior items on the lathe, dash, window winder & shifter knob, e-brake handle & button, and roller gas pedal.
I rebuilt the engine into a 1641, mild port/polished heads with a three angle grind, 009 distributor, and an Engle 100 cam. Currently has a 34 pict on it but I have a pair of Kadrons waiting to go on. Since there are less air vents I added extra air cooling via a marine bilge blower through the firewall.
_________________ Click to view image
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far rider  Samba Member

Joined: August 30, 2005 Posts: 900 Location: Rutland, VT
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Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2016 3:28 pm Post subject: Re: Vert Convert |
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Nice work. And a lot of it. Great looking car. _________________ 67 zenith blue sunroof
Contentment; when what you have is what you want. |
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tikitime Samba Member

Joined: December 12, 2006 Posts: 447 Location: New Westminster, BC, Canada
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tikitime Samba Member

Joined: December 12, 2006 Posts: 447 Location: New Westminster, BC, Canada
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Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2016 11:38 am Post subject: Re: Vert Convert |
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So all was going well. We were enjoying a fabulous GCVWS weekend (Aug 19-21 2016), great people all around, awesome. Unfortunately, shortly after leaving the Sunday show, I heard a POP then flames coming from the back. Two fire extinguishers later, to no avail. Firemen arrived within 8 minutes and put it out. It appears to have been an air cleaner/carb/fuel issue.
BUT, I am more overwhelmed by the response from the VW community, within hours, 2 clubs (DVKK & LGK), had each promised funds to rebuild it! Many others have offered up cash, parts, upholstery, paint and endless help!
Thanks so much!
WHAT A GREAT BUNCH ALL YOU VW PEOPLE ARE!!!!! _________________ Click to view image
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EverettB  Administrator

Joined: April 11, 2000 Posts: 70931 Location: Phoenix 602
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far rider  Samba Member

Joined: August 30, 2005 Posts: 900 Location: Rutland, VT
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Posted: Sun Oct 30, 2016 3:43 am Post subject: Re: Vert Convert |
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OH NO! Sorry. But glad to hear you've had good offers of help. Keep going! _________________ 67 zenith blue sunroof
Contentment; when what you have is what you want. |
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tikitime Samba Member

Joined: December 12, 2006 Posts: 447 Location: New Westminster, BC, Canada
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Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2016 2:29 pm Post subject: Re: Vert Convert |
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Openroad VW - Aug 18, 2016:
Leaving GCVWS - Aug 19, 2016:
I just can not believe the numerous offers of help to resurrect my car! So glad I belong to the VW community!
Well, so now that I have been challenged by DVKK to have this car back for next years show, I guess I have lots to do!
After dealing with ICBC insurance, I believe they gave me a settlement that was fair, and gave me the opportunity to buy the car back (salvage for parts only).
The first order of business was to examine and determine extent of fire/water damage. Pulled the engine, stripped it down and pulled heads to check for water, as I found some when draining the oil, dried out cylinders and sprayed WD-40, in case, until rebuild. Stripped most of the burnt damage from the body. What a dirty process this was, soot everywhere!
Since the car was a write off, the chassis needs to be replaced, I found a 69 with about 6" of rust where rockers and pan should be. Stripped down the body and only saved a couple of pieces of tin, engine, tranny, seats and spine. Only about 6 bolts holding the body to pan!
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tikitime Samba Member

Joined: December 12, 2006 Posts: 447 Location: New Westminster, BC, Canada
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Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2016 4:10 pm Post subject: Fibreglassing time! |
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o\!/o
Fortunately being a vw hoarder, I had stored the mold I made 30 yrs ago under my deck, still in great shape (overbuilt, haha).
Now that I have the chance to rebuild this car there are some changes (that I had wished I did first time). Couple of changes will be to the mold. First I moved the rear cowl back 2".
My friend Geoff Perterson, who built the famous Hebrod, told me once that my car was part of the inspiration for the Hebrod. The first time I saw the rear of the car, I said to myself "I should have put the indents in the rear decklid"!
Well now I have the opportunity. I managed to be able to cut out the indents, then glassed them back in, recessed about 3'16". Smoothed it out with a little bondo, a shot of black paint, parting wax, and parting film and already to make a new piece. This time I stepped up and used heat resistant resin. 2 layers of gelcoat, mat, roven, and mat, for now.
This mold creates one piece that has to be cut apart for decklid and upper panel/cowl. I used a cowl section as a mold to finish the underside incorporating rain drainage.
Pieces cut apart and cowl drainage molded in.
Making a couple of filler panels with shrinker/stretcher.
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brettsvw Samba Member

Joined: November 22, 2007 Posts: 2155 Location: Florida
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Jacco Verveer  Samba Member

Joined: February 11, 2010 Posts: 399
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Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2017 11:26 am Post subject: Re: Vert Convert |
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any updates ? you seemed to bounce back in a good way |
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shortwing Samba Member

Joined: August 18, 2006 Posts: 54 Location: The Sunshine State
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Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2018 7:44 am Post subject: Re: Vert Convert |
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bump _________________ "When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it." Henry Ford. |
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tikitime Samba Member

Joined: December 12, 2006 Posts: 447 Location: New Westminster, BC, Canada
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Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2018 11:15 am Post subject: Re: Vert Convert Update |
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Well a little late with the update but here it is.
Molded a new piece and mounted up.
Cut into 2 sections, cowl and decklid, then cut vents into cowl, added rain trough to cowl and attached hinges.
Engine restored, back in and running.
Thanks K-Roc for the rebuild.
Fitting a pair of skirts, just for kicks, may or may not use them.
Threw it back together just to drive it to the show.
Everyone was glad to see that, at least, I could drive it there one year later.
Then I took a year off to redo the bathroom for my very understanding wife.
Happy wife, happy life. _________________ Click to view image
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ach60  Samba Member
Joined: May 14, 2001 Posts: 4138 Location: Santa Maria
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Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2018 6:19 pm Post subject: Re: Vert Convert Update |
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tikitime wrote: |
Then I took a year off to redo the bathroom for my very understanding wife.
Happy wife, happy life. |
IF you took a year to finish the bathroom,THEN she is very understanding
Your work is great, is a color change in the car's future? _________________ Good Luck
Al |
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Enkiel Samba Member

Joined: October 21, 2004 Posts: 2771 Location: Quebec, Canada
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Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 6:47 am Post subject: Re: Vert Convert |
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talk about rising from the ashes....
great work, the indent are definately a nice touch, v2.0 is much better imho... just dont burn that one so you need a v3.0 ! _________________ 1964 Turkis Flipseat |
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oprn Samba Member

Joined: November 13, 2016 Posts: 14204 Location: Western Canada
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Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2018 5:24 am Post subject: Re: Vert Convert |
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Amazing car and great workmanship! |
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Jacco Verveer  Samba Member

Joined: February 11, 2010 Posts: 399
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Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2018 12:19 pm Post subject: Re: Vert Convert |
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looks great ones again  |
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tikitime Samba Member

Joined: December 12, 2006 Posts: 447 Location: New Westminster, BC, Canada
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tikitime Samba Member

Joined: December 12, 2006 Posts: 447 Location: New Westminster, BC, Canada
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tikitime Samba Member

Joined: December 12, 2006 Posts: 447 Location: New Westminster, BC, Canada
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oxsign Samba Member

Joined: February 19, 2006 Posts: 607 Location: Sanford, FL
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