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jays58s Samba Member
Joined: August 23, 2004 Posts: 2133 Location: Nor-Cal
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Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2017 10:59 am Post subject: Re: My new April of 1955 oval |
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Riff Raff wrote: |
What a gem!
Amazing it could survive that long in so close to stock condition knowing what indignities were sometimes inflicted on these cars over the past few decades.
Your hideous shifter is an amputation of a 356B shifter.
Good on you for wanting to return it to stock condition. |
I still have a hard time believing how it stayed in such good shape as well. I’m waiting for the 3rd owner to get me the number of the 2nd owner so I can try to track down more information, but I know it’s lived in California at least since the 60’s. So the shifter is a 356b upper, and original lower half? Is it even worth anything? I have an original straight shifter on its way, I’m going to only restore and replace what actually needs to be restored or replaced, I just don’t have the heart to take away all of its originality. Restored cars just don’t have the same feel as one that’s been preserved. |
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Riff Raff Shivering Sambian
Joined: October 25, 2004 Posts: 3096 Location: Alberta
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Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2017 11:10 am Post subject: Re: My new April of 1955 oval |
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I like your philosophy regarding originality vs restoration.
The top half is amputated from a 356B. The shifter itself is likely worthless, but those original knobs were often tossed in favour of a Porsche logo'd knob.
It won't be worth much, but it is an original 356 knob, so should go back on a 356 - and someone who is missing one would want it.
The lower half of the shifter is likely the original.
A replacement straight shifter will be just as un original as a repaired straight shifter I think - but....
Consider bolting in the shifter you have on the way, and then see if you can find a worn straight shifter to use as a donor section for the part of your original that has been amputated.
You can weld on the missing length, and then decide which shifter is best suited for the car. _________________ The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance, but the illusion of knowledge
- Daniel Boorstin |
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jays58s Samba Member
Joined: August 23, 2004 Posts: 2133 Location: Nor-Cal
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Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2017 11:21 am Post subject: Re: My new April of 1955 oval |
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Riff Raff wrote: |
I like your philosophy regarding originality vs restoration.
The top half is amputated from a 356B. The shifter itself is likely worthless, but those original knobs were often tossed in favour of a Porsche logo'd knob.
It won't be worth much, but it is an original 356 knob, so should go back on a 356 - and someone who is missing one would want it.
The lower half of the shifter is likely the original.
A replacement straight shifter will be just as un original as a repaired straight shifter I think - but....
Consider bolting in the shifter you have on the way, and then see if you can find a worn straight shifter to use as a donor section for the part of your original that has been amputated.
You can weld on the missing length, and then decide which shifter is best suited for the car. |
I’m definitely going to use the original base and spring from my original shifter, but I don’t think I’ll mess with trying to repair what’s left of the original shaft. I’m crazy about keeping originality to a car, but some things just aren’t worth dealing with really. |
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motofly196 Samba Member
Joined: June 01, 2008 Posts: 1467 Location: Eastern WA
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Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2017 12:26 pm Post subject: Re: My new April of 1955 oval |
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This car has so much potential! ! I tried paint stripping my Ultramaroon 55' a few years ago. There wasn't any metallic left in the paint, and after reading through some paint threads, it seems that probably happened in its first few years, as vw experienced problems with its metallic colors. Your car also seems "flat" in the areas you've stripped.
Do you have the egg tail light shells yet? I remember seeing some Strato silver ones listed before on here. Maybe a wtb ad could get them to resurface? |
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jays58s Samba Member
Joined: August 23, 2004 Posts: 2133 Location: Nor-Cal
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Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2017 12:36 pm Post subject: Re: My new April of 1955 oval |
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motofly196 wrote: |
This car has so much potential! ! I tried paint stripping my Ultramaroon 55' a few years ago. There wasn't any metallic left in the paint, and after reading through some paint threads, it seems that probably happened in its first few years, as vw experienced problems with its metallic colors. Your car also seems "flat" in the areas you've stripped.
Do you have the egg tail light shells yet? I remember seeing some Strato silver ones listed before on here. Maybe a wtb ad could get them to resurface? |
I’m working on the paint now, I’ll post pictures of the progress as I go. There are some strato silver taillights for sale right now, but they have the wrong brackets and probably need lenses. I emailed him already, but no response. I’d definitely rather have original ones, but I just don’t think it’s worth it to spend $6-700 on original taillights that have incorrect brackets, cracked lenses, rusty or pitted housings, and bezels that need to be rechromed. I’ll probably end up with repops, unless I find a really good deal on an original set of just housings & brackets since everything else would probably have to be replaced. |
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jays58s Samba Member
Joined: August 23, 2004 Posts: 2133 Location: Nor-Cal
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Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 6:40 pm Post subject: Re: My new April of 1955 oval |
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This is such a time consuming process, but bringing the shine back to this old paint will totally be worth it. The first two pictures are just the light wet sanding pictures, the last one is after buffing out the A pillar.
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jays58s Samba Member
Joined: August 23, 2004 Posts: 2133 Location: Nor-Cal
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Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2018 9:10 pm Post subject: Re: My new April of 1955 oval |
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I did some more polishing today, and took a picture of the drivers only AAA seat belt and "fasten seat belt" decal.
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motofly196 Samba Member
Joined: June 01, 2008 Posts: 1467 Location: Eastern WA
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Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2018 9:42 pm Post subject: Re: My new April of 1955 oval |
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That's paint porn right there! I'm really liking the fasten seat belt sticker, haven't seen one that ornate! |
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jays58s Samba Member
Joined: August 23, 2004 Posts: 2133 Location: Nor-Cal
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Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2018 9:55 pm Post subject: Re: My new April of 1955 oval |
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motofly196 wrote: |
That's paint porn right there! I'm really liking the fasten seat belt sticker, haven't seen one that ornate! |
I’m so happy with how it’s polishing out. I like that sticker too, I almost removed it, but then I came to my senses and realized that would be dumb lol. |
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Busstom Samba Member
Joined: November 23, 2014 Posts: 3790 Location: San Jose, CA
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Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2018 1:19 am Post subject: Re: My new April of 1955 oval |
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Awesome.
Too bad it lost its smoothies along the way, but at least the spare is there for evidence of the paint scheme.
Hopefully if you search long enough, you will find some correctly dated wheels. |
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jays58s Samba Member
Joined: August 23, 2004 Posts: 2133 Location: Nor-Cal
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Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2018 8:16 am Post subject: Re: My new April of 1955 oval |
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Busstom wrote: |
Awesome.
Too bad it lost its smoothies along the way, but at least the spare is there for evidence of the paint scheme.
Hopefully if you search long enough, you will find some correctly dated wheels. |
I was super bummed about the wheels, and finding date matched ones will be next to impossible. |
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jays58s Samba Member
Joined: August 23, 2004 Posts: 2133 Location: Nor-Cal
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Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2018 8:53 pm Post subject: Re: My new April of 1955 oval |
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The paint is slowly coming back to life...
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René R. Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2015 Posts: 1705 Location: No. Calif.
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motofly196 Samba Member
Joined: June 01, 2008 Posts: 1467 Location: Eastern WA
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Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2018 9:00 pm Post subject: Re: My new April of 1955 oval |
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That is looking really nice! It's hard to tell in the pics, but is there any metallic flake left in the paint? |
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jays58s Samba Member
Joined: August 23, 2004 Posts: 2133 Location: Nor-Cal
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Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2018 9:46 pm Post subject: Re: My new April of 1955 oval |
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motofly196 wrote: |
That is looking really nice! It's hard to tell in the pics, but is there any metallic flake left in the paint? |
There actually is, I was surprised lol. |
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Busstom Samba Member
Joined: November 23, 2014 Posts: 3790 Location: San Jose, CA
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Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2018 9:55 pm Post subject: Re: My new April of 1955 oval |
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It looks sparkly to me...at least on this phone's screen. That's what was so great about those VW metallics, they had such fine particles, almost pearly. |
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jays58s Samba Member
Joined: August 23, 2004 Posts: 2133 Location: Nor-Cal
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Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2018 12:09 am Post subject: Re: My new April of 1955 oval |
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Busstom wrote: |
It looks sparkly to me...at least on this phone's screen. That's what was so great about those VW metallics, they had such fine particles, almost pearly. |
Yup, it’s always harder to see finer details through pictures. I can’t wait to be able to stand back and see the fully completed results. |
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lovethatconvertible Samba Member
Joined: August 22, 2008 Posts: 1434 Location: Las Vegas N. V.
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Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2018 7:12 am Post subject: Re: My new April of 1955 oval |
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Yep, I Love that color. Keep em coming. _________________ 1960 Convertible |
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ZENVWDRIVER Samba Member
Joined: November 07, 2008 Posts: 3340 Location: N.E. Oklahoma
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Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2018 7:42 pm Post subject: Re: My new April of 1955 oval |
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i'll bet your score was one of the last to have semaphores... does have a mix of later 1955 parts, like USA bumpers... much nicer without bullet fenders... there are a couple of strait shifters in the classifieds right now... pretty car. have fun _________________ 5/50, pastel green 11G - SOLD
8/50, gray 11A Beetle
6/52, pastel green 11C - SOLD
11/4/52, black Zwitter - SOLD to my little bro.
1954 Porsche, pre A, with VW 36 horse- SOLD
1/54, black 11C Beetle - TRADED
2/55 Iceland green Beetle, on a 1965 pan
3/55 113 Beetle, stratos silver
1955 Messerschmitt KR175 - SOLD, sadly
1960 single cab
1962 SO33, with SO 42 interior
9/63 Pacific blue, Ghia
'87 Toyota MR2
'02 WestFORDia E-150, GAVE TO OUR SON
All super-heroes, wear a MASK |
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jays58s Samba Member
Joined: August 23, 2004 Posts: 2133 Location: Nor-Cal
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Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2018 8:15 pm Post subject: Re: My new April of 1955 oval |
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ZENVWDRIVER wrote: |
i'll bet your score was one of the last to have semaphores... does have a mix of later 1955 parts, like USA bumpers... much nicer without bullet fenders... there are a couple of strait shifters in the classifieds right now... pretty car. have fun |
It could be one of the last semaphore/egg cars. It was built the first week of April, so I’m not sure how many were built after mine. I found the shifter and semaphore switch already, I just need an ignition switch, taillights, and a headlight harness for it. |
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