63 Ragtop rotted rear clip, looking for advice

[Sunday!]

So my recent "cheap" Ragtop purchase is rougher than it originally appeared . The rear clip was cut like a Baja bug, but there was a lot of bondo covering some pretty bad rot under and to the sides of the vents. I bought a complete rear clip to replace it but haven't really done rust repair, so I'm looking for some advice. Do you guys think I should cut along the drip rails and underneath the rear window, above the vents? Or would cutting the bottom part of the window lip too be better? The layer underneath the vents feels fairly solid. Any advice or pointers are greatly appreciated!

[Sunday!]

Here's my replacement piece for reference

[57BLITZ]

I would get the "diamond plate" off of the ragtop's firewall to better assess the damage it is hiding . . . You might end up needing to cut the ragtop body to match the replacement clip . . . through the pillars and down through the quarters!
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Jesucristo es mi Señor y Salvador!

[beetlenut]

I would cut straight through the drip rails and sides of the back window (the "C" pillar). Stay away from the vent area. I had to do something similar, and I made cardboard templates of the side and rear window openings without glass, and used that to trim the replacement piece until it fit the cutout area and the templates. You'll also want to bolt on the rear fenders to the replacement piece and car to help it all align properly before welding.

my fun:

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scrapyards are for quitters
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[theKbStockpiler]

I would try to replace the whole piece including the window channel and not have a new seam. You could plan that method and then try to anticipate the issues with it.
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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.

[Sunday!]

So the rear firewall looks decent minus holes drilled in it, but I think I'm going to still replace the whole thing. I took measurements from the door jam to the fender bolts and end of the drip rail, as well as across the rear window. Do you guys have any other suggestions on points where I should take measurements? I'm going to try and start cutting this week

[theKbStockpiler]

Going beyond the single factory panel replacement has the benefit of what? I feel people have the false impression that it is much easier to align as a unit.
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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.

[Teeroy]

I would do the vent repair separate from the rear clip repair myself I would unroll the drip rails and only do the outer skin, and section just above lower window corners, easier to get lined up, less invasive to the rest of the body, less seams
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[Sunday!]

[TXHCBeetle]

How did this end up going? I need to replace the same section for different reasons..
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In Progress:
1958 Beetle Sedan - L243 Diamond Gray
1967 Beetle Sedan - L456 Ruby Red

[esde]

Well the OP hasn't checked samba since 2018 so don't hold your breath...
But I'll offer some recent experience for what it's worth. I had the inner panel (below the louvers, with the hinge mount) removed while doing rust repair on my 52. Also had the firewall removed. Once you take these out the entire back of the cars becomes very loose and flexible. I got everything back together and found that the curve at the louvers no longer matched the curve of the deck lid.
So took it all back apart and fought it for hours till I got the curve right. This is the seam you don't want to open unless you absolutely need to

I would prefer to make the repair across the window opening, where the OP has the repair section cut. And I would cut straight across the drip rail, and down to the fender beading. If you make the longer splice below the fender bolts it will be hidden from view so less worry about matching curves, etc. The short joints straight down from the window to the fender are easily accessible with the side windows out.
Just my .02
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modok wrote:
Bent cranks are silent but gather no moss. I mean, ah, something like that.

[TXHCBeetle]

I really appreciate your tips.
My internal rear louvered panel has been cut by a PO and the original firewall rain catch and drain tubes have been removed. The rear H-apron was replaced at one time with a non-H-apron and the rear bumper mounts are rotting so I'd like to just replace the whole rear section. I found a donor back half from a 1958, but I'm worried the seller didn't leave enough sheet metal to do this cleanly. Does this look like it could work out

?
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In Progress:
1958 Beetle Sedan - L243 Diamond Gray
1967 Beetle Sedan - L456 Ruby Red

[esde]

[TXHCBeetle]

[esde]

I'd replace the rear apron and bumper mounts together, cutting where the rain gutter ends. Thats an easier section to cut and weld accurately. The upper piece is difficult. You could just remove the inner part like I did, and be extra careful to get it back with the correct curve. Or maybe replace it with the outer louvers. Hide the top weld under the rear window rubber, and make the other welds straight down about an inch in from the rain gutter.
I wouldn't do the whole clip unless I had a lot of time.
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modok wrote:
Bent cranks are silent but gather no moss. I mean, ah, something like that.

[VW_Jimbo]

Just stumbled onto this thread. I like esde’s approach, he is accounting for a lot of variables, but it also adds in a few more. What if you used some poster board, laid it onto the clip and drew a line where the cut is. Transfer that cut onto your shell. Then take a look at where those cuts will be made. Scratch your head, go to bed, get up the next day and go over the work (in your head) that will need to be done to make those cuts happen. Anything stand out that is alarming?

Remember you will need to work smart to MINIMIZE the heat. Know that you will cut the clip, to align perfectly (you will need to fashion a jig for this) with the cuts on the body. You will cut an inch away from the final line and then SLOWLY trim away metal until you have perfect alignment. Once there, you will be welding SLOWLY! You are welding a couple of tack welds at a time, in separate areas of the clip and then immediately sponging them down with water. Should go something like, zappp, zappp, grab the sponge, psst, psst, zappp, zappp, psst, psst…….. then hammer, hammer, hammer, check alignment, maybe grind down some other areas previous welding, then back onto welding.

The biggest tool needed is patience! Don’t forget to use it!

FWIW. I also had to weld the bottom of the vents. Took me several days to weld and hammer it all together. It was the metal shrinking that put the largest fight up. As long as you make great template (I use 1/2” light weight MDF) BEFORE you cut, you have something to measure the curve with! But even at that my curve is slightly off. I still have a bit more hammering to go, but I also have bad tennis elbow, so can only hammer for so long.
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Jimbo

There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!

[TXHCBeetle]