1975 Super Beetle/ Help with Fender Removal and General Advice

[SupBeetle4Zaid]

This is the first time Iv tried to restore a car, not many resources or knowledge at hand yet but my heart is in the right place and I really want this to work.
I started with mechanical work and the car is running well, engine and carb are in good condition now.

Then I started removing (or trying to) the fenders hood and doors.. Heres some problems with pictures that i ran into.

Its worth mentioning that using flash due to low light conditions makes rust look worse although it is pretty bad.

Fender screwed not to budy but what seems to be an unremovable metal square, any suggestions?

Screws holding door are painted over and very stuck

Spare tire well one push away from being a hole

Rear left quarter crumbled under screw driver

Floor was repaired with fiberglass, dont know what im looking at ir what to do with it

Plate welded into an otherwise rust free chassis beam, does this mean car not worth saving? I really hope not

Pretty sure filter supposed to be at the back with engine (Edit: now I know its not)

Crumbly rusted metal under FG on passenger side bottom right corner all the way through to next to fuel tank

Sure there are more issues, help with any of the above mentioned is greaaattllyyy appreciated.

Thanks for taking the time guys

Zaid

[Mike Fisher]

You need a 4.5" angle grinder or smaller Dremel grinder to carefully grind off the rounded off bolt heads & then use Easy-Outs to remove the broken bolts. I use a Big #4 Phillips head bit & 1/2" drive breaker bar to remove door bolts on squarebacks. Sometimes you'll have to drill them out with Easy-Outs drill bits & extractor bits too! Gas filter is best near the gas tank rather than close to the Hot engine! So Zaid, you are in the desert or mountains of Jordan?
_________________
https://imgur.com/user/FisherSquareback/posts
69 FI/AT square Daily Driver
66 sunroof,67,70,71,71,71AT,72,72AT,73 Parts
two 57 oval ragtops sold
'68 Karmann Ghia sold

Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up you end up with a lot of scum on the top! - Russ_Wolfe/Edward Abbey

[SupBeetle4Zaid]

[theKbStockpiler]

From the images posted, the car looks like it has substantial rust issues and its best prospects are going to be as something you obtained welding and metal working skills with.

If you need it to get around ,I would weld up the structural places that you don't have to tear the car down to preform first then maybe the cosmetic places if the more involved areas can hold off on the work.

The car really needs to be cleaned up and the rust removed from the effected areas. Small wire brushes , a scraper and phosphoric acid used safely will go a long ways. Grinding the end of a old flat blade screwdriver so the end is flat (90 degrees and not like a knife) works really well. Brushes used to clean copper fittings (inside) work well. Using a Automatic Center Punch is great for removing heavy scale if the panel was thick to begin with or it's good to determine how rusted an area is because it will punch a hole in it.

Phosphoric acid is a great/cheap rust treater/remover. Use it safely and search on how it is best used and learn it's problems as well. The vapors will actually accelerate rust so it can't build up around electrical parts (speedo's) etcetera. I like to mix it 50/50 with water (called phosphatizing) and have good results that way.

If you don't weld all ready expect a steep learning curve at first.Good luck.
_________________
My beetle is not competing with your beetle. I have the yellow beetle in my town. There is a red one, a green one ......
Use all safety devices including a mask.

[SupBeetle4Zaid]

[theKbStockpiler]

Cosmetic means it's only purpose is for looks. Structural is stuff like the chassis or anything that would make the car unsafe or break in half.
_________________
My beetle is not competing with your beetle. I have the yellow beetle in my town. There is a red one, a green one ......
Use all safety devices including a mask.

[SupBeetle4Zaid]

[theKbStockpiler]

It's a good idea to get a coat of primer on the bare metal that has some zinc in it to protect it from rusting again. I don't know whats available in your locale but I use Rustoleum Cold Galvanizing Compound. Chain link fence paint is about the same.It's not really durable but after you get a layer of paint on it, it's okay. I use Rustoleum Self Etching primer over it which has zinc in it as well or which could just be used alone.

I wipe the Zinc Primer off gently with a rag to get the soft residue off before I cover it with the Self Etching.

I use
-Could Galvanizing Compound spray first
-Self Etching Primer over that
-Primer Sealer over that (which is reduced regular Primer) or you can buy it in a can ready to go.
D Don't forget that zinc is toxic!!
-Than some sort of paint over that.

RustBullet has a test where cheap zinc primer is second best to their product and is relatively inexpensive. I cover it with ZeroRust paint but I don't know if that is available outside the U.S.
_________________
My beetle is not competing with your beetle. I have the yellow beetle in my town. There is a red one, a green one ......
Use all safety devices including a mask.

[SupBeetle4Zaid]

Hello again guys,

I Have worked on cleaning the car a bit, I am still stuck on removing the fenders though. the bolts seem to screw into a square nut on the inside of the body, the problem is most -if not all- of these nuts have come loose, and just spin in place. I have tried cutting one off which worked, but some are in very hard-to-reach areas in the car. what would you suggest for removing them baring in mind I have no welding machine to just weld them to the body.

an example:

[Mike Fisher]

Buy a small set of extractor bits With matching drill bits like shown on the below page. The 10 piece Easy Out Screw Extractor Left Hand Cobalt Drill Bit for $13.00 looks good to me for your use. Towards the bottom they also list a small set of Irwin Hanson Bolt Grip sockets @ $24.32 for rounded off bolt heads. I have not used Bolt Grip sockets, but this is what they are designed to do without drilling. Bolt Grip sockets would be easiest if they work. You don't have to grind the bad heads off before drilling them to use the extractor bits. The right tools make the job doable for even the beginning mechanic.
https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=eas...wd8yj0my_e
_________________
https://imgur.com/user/FisherSquareback/posts
69 FI/AT square Daily Driver
66 sunroof,67,70,71,71,71AT,72,72AT,73 Parts
two 57 oval ragtops sold
'68 Karmann Ghia sold

Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up you end up with a lot of scum on the top! - Russ_Wolfe/Edward Abbey

[SupBeetle4Zaid]

Thanks Mike ! I feel like the nut grip is the way to go, as there is no space to grind/ cut the bolt heads in a lot of areas, but unfortunately where I live it would take a month for this kit to get to me and Im sure I can not source it locally.

The nut is the only thing holding the bolt onto the body, the hole is wide and not threaded, if only I grind off the bolt heads it would be done, but its located in spots that are too tight for many of them, however, for the whole restoration project, I am going to need the extractor/ drill bit set, many thanks for recommending them as well.

[Mike Fisher]

The nuts are welded to the fenders on the opposite side and they are definitely threaded. You can order Easy Out bits & extractors and Bolt Grip sockets from Africa or Europe if you look around for them. Note that extractors come with left or right hand threads, so determine which is best for you. Usually the bolt heads are the easiest to access, so you'd want left hand extractors to pull the threaded bolts back out towards the bolt head.
_________________
https://imgur.com/user/FisherSquareback/posts
69 FI/AT square Daily Driver
66 sunroof,67,70,71,71,71AT,72,72AT,73 Parts
two 57 oval ragtops sold
'68 Karmann Ghia sold

Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up you end up with a lot of scum on the top! - Russ_Wolfe/Edward Abbey

[SupBeetle4Zaid]

Yes your absolutely right, the nuts are threaded but no longer attached to the other side, I have read that they are originally pressed not welded, either way they are loose now so spinning the bolt also spins the nut. The bolt heads are more accessible so I will grind them off and use the extractors where neccisery. Thanks a bunch for the help, ill update with results.

[SupBeetle4Zaid]

Hello guys,

I went to ACE hardware store to look for screw extractor and I, instead, found me some OSPHO, I never thought id find it here in Jordan. The demand for it is so low that its displayed at the buttom shelf at the back of the store with clearance sale, so i grabbed one for 6$ very excited about it, but need to learn how to use it. Next ill work on sourcing epoxy primer or primer with zinc in it.. If both get the job done ill go for whichever is cheaper, im guessing zinc primer. Is one better than the other??? Ill google how to best use ospho and go junk hunting for my floor pans and replacements for my other rusted out spots! Wish me luck. Zaid

[SupBeetle4Zaid]

Hey guys,

I have successfully removed the front fenders by cutting bolts and using easy out, was a tough task. I have almost removed the left rear fender but one bolt is behided a welded bumper bracket, space is tighter than it looks.

The fender would have to be replaced as its very rusted out, and I have serious death foam rust.. Just an update and any advice would be great.

[Mike Fisher]

Use a sawzall to cut that last bolt. I use my sawzall with 12" metal blades & a 4.5" angle grinder to cut up squarebacks & ship solid repair sections worldwide. theKBstockpiler made a good point of you not disassembling Everything if you don't have the money/parts to put it all back together quickly.
_________________
https://imgur.com/user/FisherSquareback/posts
69 FI/AT square Daily Driver
66 sunroof,67,70,71,71,71AT,72,72AT,73 Parts
two 57 oval ragtops sold
'68 Karmann Ghia sold

Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up you end up with a lot of scum on the top! - Russ_Wolfe/Edward Abbey

[Dodgy]

'75 Supers are worth saving! (OK I'm biased as I have one too!) I see yours is late enough to have R&P, a big bonus.

You have a lot of work ahead of you, so I hope you are up for a challenge! Looks like the car has been substantially bodged in the past. Good luck!
_________________
'75 1303 (current project) owned since 1989!
'72 Squareback - full resto completed 2008 - now sold
356 Speedster kit, completed 2005 - now sold

[SupBeetle4Zaid]

[Dodgy]

1975 Supers (and later cabrios) have rack & pinion steering, a massive improvement over steering box found on all other models
_________________
'75 1303 (current project) owned since 1989!
'72 Squareback - full resto completed 2008 - now sold
356 Speedster kit, completed 2005 - now sold

[SupBeetle4Zaid]