Restoration thread: my 60 strato blue coupe

[xzener]

Whoa! <--- Nuff said.
_________________
My 70 beetle was totaled Now to build the Ghia I always wanted. Rest in peace Ruby, I will miss you. Hello <insert Ghia name here>!

[TRS63]

Thanks xzener

Well, some updates are now ready to come

Let' start with one more step on the pan: the passenger side now can have a seat
First step was taking care of the seat position adjuster:

Positioned:

Welding phase:

Then it was time to weld the rail on the pan:

Then adjusting the second rail using the seat:

Welding:

Checking.. it fits

Now in primer:

The missing rail for the driver's side arrived yesterday so will be welded in two weeks..next week is a "break" on this project, as I am having a 4 day english wheel class
Stay tuned, I can make some more updates in the next few days!

Antoine
_________________
Antoine
My 62 ragtop daily driver:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728873
My 914 restoration&lightweight project :
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9698432#9698432
Resurrecting a 60 ghia : https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=713906
My 52 Standard Zwitter :
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=10086685#10086685

[TRS63]

My plan is to build as much body parts as I can but I still use some repro parts I bought in the past or I thought were/are beyond my skill level. One of them are these air channel:

But as with every repro part, they are not really fitting well..On the bottom it's not that bad:

But the top misses quite a huge part:

Which would let the air fly away:

You can see the difference compared to original:

So I made a paper template:

Cut it in metal, made a few welding points to fix it:

And finally welded it:

I just have now to grind the weld/metal finish the part but it's already way better

Stay tuned

Antoine
_________________
Antoine
My 62 ragtop daily driver:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728873
My 914 restoration&lightweight project :
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9698432#9698432
Resurrecting a 60 ghia : https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=713906
My 52 Standard Zwitter :
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=10086685#10086685

[xzener]

Love how you're taking time out of your build to learn how to recreate parts to weld on. Can't wait to see what you make with an English wheel.
_________________
My 70 beetle was totaled Now to build the Ghia I always wanted. Rest in peace Ruby, I will miss you. Hello <insert Ghia name here>!

[Evil_Fiz]

[KGCoupe]

[TRS63]

Wow, I did not expect such messages and I am honored and over happy that my humble thread can wake up interests and motivates I will try my best to keep it updated and with detailed pictures if it can help other ghia lovers!!

@xzener: the class is now over, I will update some (non ghia) pics if you are interested, we built a motorbike fender and a motorbike tank (well, the biggest part of it 4 days were too short for the full completion) and I learnt a lot..keeps me motivated for the ghia!!

@Evil-Fiz:thanks a lot and really happy if it gives you motivation! Keep at it, it's worth it and don't hesitate to ask if I can help!

@KGCoupe: I don't even know what to answer..thanks so much!! I dreamed about my ghia some years, and there will be some years until I drive it but the motivation is high and as you see, we have/had the same dream.. I started "some" years ago taking metalshaping class, buying quality tools everytime I had a bit of money, collecting informations, readings books on the topic, and last year was the "dream come true" year when we managed to buy this historical barn and set up everything for the ghia restoration. Now there is a lot to do but motivation is high, support from the family is there, the success can only depends on me I guess

Well, I think you really deserve an update. Not so much to show but that will bring my thread close to the actual condition

While waiting for the driver's seat rail to complete the pan, I decided to work on the front. First with the right side. I had bought the repro parts as basis, knowing that they will need work but I thought they could make a good starting point for their (cheap) price. Positioned and it doesn't look soo bad:

Until you look in detail..
The front opening is not bad:

But the top where the fender sits wasn't matching at all

Same thing on the bottom:

And this "dent" isn't on the repro part:

For the top I draw the correct profile and corrected it using hammer/dolly:

I then draw where to cut to keep as much original metal as possible, keeping the non reproduced indent and still have only good metal:

After a lot of notes, measuring, checking with the front part, the hood and the other side, I jumped on the big decision and cut both parts:

The new front part is really well adjusted and fitting:

I will just have to transfer all the small elements into it:

I did not welded it yet as I should first work on the metal I now have easy access to. Teaser pic:

Stay tuned

Antoine
_________________
Antoine
My 62 ragtop daily driver:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728873
My 914 restoration&lightweight project :
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9698432#9698432
Resurrecting a 60 ghia : https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=713906
My 52 Standard Zwitter :
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=10086685#10086685

[kgj]

Nice.
Love the photos. Especially having done a little of what you are tackling here on the front end.
I too noticed the missing indent on the replacement panel you are working with here.
One of the best bits of advice I took note of was to keep as much original metal as possible, which is what you are doing here.

I am watching and enjoying your work. Thanks.
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1958 coupe

[Mellow Yellow 74]

I used the repro panels without the dent - does anyone know what it is for?
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1962 Karmann Ghia
1974 Deluxe Microbus
1985 Caravelle (Vanagon)

[halbug]

WOW!!! I am very impressed with the nice sheet metal work you do

I pass Stuttgard every Sunday and Friday on my way to and from work

Cheers
Lars
_________________
Stealth Ghia Transformation: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=7226044&highlight=#7226044
My Berg5: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=730276&start=0

[TRS63]

Thanks so much guys!

@kgj: you are right, that' what I am trying to do, saving as much as possible but taking no short ways to eradicate rust..what is rusted goes out!!

@Mellow Yellow 74: no idea to be honest..

@halbug: coming from you, those nice words are really appreciated!! We should plan at once that you stop on your way to work so that we can meet!

Update following the "teaser" pic from last time

So the part in front of the tank is rusted, deformed and it will be better to replace it. I will keep the middle art where the body number is but replace the rest. Now you know me, not going the easiest way so I decided that I will be building it. I am then sure that it's rust free and I can learn more on the way.
First step was measuring all the parameters and transfering them on my metal sheet:

Then I decided to start with the beads and thought about doing them with my bead roller. Had a friend doing some rollers for me:

And the first test wasn't bad:

But then something unwanted happened while working on my part:

After discussion with other metal shapers, I will be doing it in another way, not started yet, the beads have been put on hold. I will keep you in touch in a nexz update!

This issue with the rollers did not reduce my motivation so I worked on another part of it: the triangles connecting to the middle.
Made a paper template:

And then first tried building a hammerform:

The first trial was ok but not as sharp as wanted:

So I made a trial using only the bead roller:

Better but the curves where with a radius too big so I made a mix with bead roller/hammering and then I was satisfied:

I then made it like that on what will become my new front part:

Stay tuned,
Antoine
_________________
Antoine
My 62 ragtop daily driver:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728873
My 914 restoration&lightweight project :
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9698432#9698432
Resurrecting a 60 ghia : https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=713906
My 52 Standard Zwitter :
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=10086685#10086685

[GHIA]

Antoine les deux triangles que tu veux essayer de refaire ne semble pas en mauvais état sur la voiture, mis a part peut être celui coté passager. Est ce vraiment utile de refaire toute la pièce car a la vu des photo je semble qu'une partie est tout de même sauvable. Tu peux détailler ?

[sputnick60]

[GHIA]

My translated text
Antoine the two triangles that you want to try to remake, doesn't look in poor condition on the car, except for the passenger side. Is it really useful to remake the entire parts, because following the photos it seems that some part is still recoverable. Can you detail?

[Mellow Yellow 74]

I thought the same thing (but not in French). The lower panel (with the hole in the middle for the shift rod) doesn’t look great but you can get repro panels for that.
_________________
1962 Karmann Ghia
1974 Deluxe Microbus
1985 Caravelle (Vanagon)

[sputnick60]

[TRS63]

Hi guys,

Yes you're right, the triangle are in great shape. But for the rest: the right side (when you are in front of it) is ok in shape but quite heavily pitted from rust on the back side, and the left side is (additionally to the pittings) deformed from the previous accident. The top part where the tank lies is deformed/with some fracture. I am pretty sure that I could remove and patch it to keep everything that is good, but I also think that sometimes just making the whole piece makes more sense in terms of both work and finish. Let's see how it turns out:
-if I do not manage to create the piece in a satisfying quality, I can always patch the original (or start again..once again, this project also has the goal of improving my metal shaping abilities!)
-if I do manage it, I can always decide then if I change at a whole or if I use it partially to patch the original
As mentionned before, the central part with the body number will be definitely kept, just sandblasted to remove all surface rust
What I am in any case doing is letting the part on the car until I took a decision so that I can always measure, check,...

Thanks a lot for your questions/feedbacks, really appreciated!

Antoine
_________________
Antoine
My 62 ragtop daily driver:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728873
My 914 restoration&lightweight project :
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9698432#9698432
Resurrecting a 60 ghia : https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=713906
My 52 Standard Zwitter :
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=10086685#10086685

[GHIA]

[Basketcase]

fantastic metal skills! It's great that you have the attention to all the details going on.
_________________
'72 Karmann Ghia Coupe (the Boss's)

[TRS63]

What?! I really waited so long for an update?! Sorry guys! But no worries, the work on the ghia did not stop at all!
Let's start with a small update on the air channel. I finished welding and grinding the passenger's side:

and positionned:

and did the driver's side:

I also did collect some more 60 parts, thanks to Lee:

and locally this 60 steering wheel:

Stay tuned for more metal work in the next few days

Antoine
_________________
Antoine
My 62 ragtop daily driver:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728873
My 914 restoration&lightweight project :
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9698432#9698432
Resurrecting a 60 ghia : https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=713906
My 52 Standard Zwitter :
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=10086685#10086685