Author |
Message |
lardawge Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2020 Posts: 355 Location: California
|
Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2023 9:40 pm Post subject: Re: Jimmy V’s 54 Oval Project |
|
|
esde wrote: |
markendee wrote: |
Howdy SD and Jimbo.
Amazing what can be learned here, loving it.
My body guy said he didn't think my bonnet (hood) was the original but I had no way of verifying its age.
After studying SD's photos it is much more like the older one but is still a bit different.
What do you guys reckon?
(I have changed my hinges to later spring supported hinges and not used my prop. When I was a school kid working my first job at a petrol station I shut an oval bonnet without breaking the prop - completely effed the bonnet - still have flashbacks!) |
Off topic but I'll bite cause I don't think Jim will mind.
Your hood is the earliest variation of the 4 tab based on
-separate forward bolt for the hood prop
-reinforcing tab for the emblem
I had actually thought the reinforcing plate stopped with the change from earlier 3 tab hoods (which are similar except 3 bolts for each hood hinge) but weird things happened around the zwitter years..
Yeah, the prop rod gets my thumbs down. I'll paint it and put it in the tool roll for some future owner |
The triangle shows up until early 55. I have it in my Jan 55. If I had an OG hood for my 54, it would have it as well.
_________________ 11/2/54 L227 Strato Silver Ragtop - Soon to be L41 Black - Build Thread
1/7/55 L275 Light Beige |
|
Back to top |
|
|
VW_Jimbo Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2016 Posts: 9950 Location: Huntington Beach, CA
|
Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2023 9:55 am Post subject: Re: Jimmy V’s 54 Oval Project |
|
|
Got another 2 1/2 hours in on the Bug, yesterday!
Last time, I ended with being much happier with the hood gaps. Well, walking out into the garage, I could see the edge of the seal area for the hood! Damn it! (This is an older picture as I had forgotten to click a new one)
Do you see it in that picture? To the left. Let me circle it.
I am sure that the latch can be adjusted to skew the hood over to the left, but how much and for how long before stress sets in and cracks something? So, let’s go down the rabbit hole! Can someone say OCD!
Thought for a few days, on how to move the body over. I tried a pry bar earlier with limited results. So, I recut the weld at the apron to the seal shelf (for the lack of a better term) and utilized a tool from woodworking, a pipe clamp. Love my pipe clamps!
I then screwed the clamp tighter and tighter, in conjunction with strategic hammer blows, to move the panel over. I cranked on this and beat on this panel until my comfort threshold was encountered. It seemed like ALOT of movement, and I was concerned with how the fender would mate up to the body at this point. Still feeling comfortable and lucky, I went ahead and laid a tack weld to retain my efforts. I then released the imprisoned panel and the area relaxed a tiny amount. Knowing I was at the edge of my comfort zone and I would not return to bend that point again, I went forward with closing this area up!
Closed the hood (not looking at that “edge”) and went about tweaking it to fit the new curve created by the edge pulling in, which causes the radius of the opening to tighten up. Lots of reshaping to take place - yippee.
Looking good!
Opened the hood back up and reshaped the connecting panels at the tacked joint.
I had to hammer down the panel to form to the seal shelf. Moving it over changed it a bit. With all of the bends in this area now matching, I cleaned it up and welded it into position. No more changing it now!
Ground the welds down and checked the curve again.
Much better than before, and the new curve of the body has helped in closing up the gap, a tiny amount. That is a sign shit is sliding the right way!
Really happy with the gap line! REALLY HAPPY! Let’s check the fender figment before having the “ better gap” party!
With that looking so good and feeling confident, I decided to see if Esde knew what he was talking about! He suggested that I remove and replace the seal channels due to there being a large amount of rust lurking under the weld flange. I would think there is, but not much to be seen (shocker - right) on the outside. So……I cleaned off the paint on the welded side of the channel, to locate the “spots” that need to be drilled out.
And then drilled them all of the spot welds out and pried off the channel.
Nasty! Thank you Esde!
Then the other side!
Ran a grinder over it just to see how deep the pitting is. Not bad at all!
Time was up! Time to meet the guys at the brewery! Cheers! _________________ Jimbo
There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!
TDCTDI wrote: |
Basically, a whole bunch of fuckery to achieve a look. |
67rustavenger wrote: |
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo! |
Last edited by VW_Jimbo on Tue Jan 10, 2023 2:25 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
Back to top |
|
|
lardawge Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2020 Posts: 355 Location: California
|
Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2023 1:23 pm Post subject: Re: Jimmy V’s 54 Oval Project |
|
|
I am sure you are planning on doing this but thought I would add my 2 cents. Have the car blasted with the seal channels removed. Then you have a nice clean surface to put new ones on.
Also, WW sells seal channel sticks that have a much better channel than Mika or others I have seen. They actually roll over vs just having a J bend. it means less banging on it when you install the seal. The downside is that they don't come pre-bent. _________________ 11/2/54 L227 Strato Silver Ragtop - Soon to be L41 Black - Build Thread
1/7/55 L275 Light Beige |
|
Back to top |
|
|
VW_Jimbo Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2016 Posts: 9950 Location: Huntington Beach, CA
|
Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2023 7:40 pm Post subject: Re: Jimmy V’s 54 Oval Project |
|
|
lardawge wrote: |
I am sure you are planning on doing this but thought I would add my 2 cents. Have the car blasted with the seal channels removed. Then you have a nice clean surface to put new ones on.
Also, WW sells seal channel sticks that have a much better channel than Mika or others I have seen. They actually roll over vs just having a J bend. it means less banging on it when you install the seal. The downside is that they don't come pre-bent. |
Thank you! Love you educating me and adding to the fun! This is why I am a student.
Plan is to blast the area that the seal channels will be welded to. Hit them with a weld through primer, then lay them in place, drill out for plug welds, plug weld them, grind flat, sand them for a pretty look and then hit them with a coat of cheap primer, to hold the moisture at bay, until I can get this thing to the blaster. That was the plan for today, but the work truck outside side mirror got ripped off. So, I had to install new mirrors today! Maybe tomorrow I will get some time. If not, next weekend is only a week away!
I will look into WW channel. I kind of wrote off WW. They sold me a internally shorted hazard switch for the 70 Bug a few years back and refused to take it back. I do not like supporting that kind of behavior. But I am also not cutting my nose off! I will get those on order. Thank you! _________________ Jimbo
There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!
TDCTDI wrote: |
Basically, a whole bunch of fuckery to achieve a look. |
67rustavenger wrote: |
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo! |
Last edited by VW_Jimbo on Mon Jan 09, 2023 10:39 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
Back to top |
|
|
VW_Jimbo Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2016 Posts: 9950 Location: Huntington Beach, CA
|
Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2023 10:31 pm Post subject: Re: Jimmy V’s 54 Oval Project |
|
|
Got another 2 hours in today! I was almost not going to take the 2 hours and work on the Bug, but then, well, the Bug just bite me!
Pulled the Bug out, rotated 180 degrees, for better lighting, and mapped out the spot welds retaining the seal channel.
Then, I started to drill them out.
Followed by prying it off. Look at the rust hiding from sight!
Up and around to the other side.
Last one!
Took my sanding disc and buzzed the large chunks of the rust off.
Then, had to shoot some primer over the newly exposed steel, you know, to keep it from rusting! Ha ha ha!
And that was the end of vacation! I gotta get to bed because work starts up again, tomorrow. Bye bye vacation! _________________ Jimbo
There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!
TDCTDI wrote: |
Basically, a whole bunch of fuckery to achieve a look. |
67rustavenger wrote: |
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo! |
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
VW_Jimbo Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2016 Posts: 9950 Location: Huntington Beach, CA
|
Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2023 10:51 pm Post subject: Re: Jimmy V’s 54 Oval Project |
|
|
VW_Jimbo wrote: |
lardawge wrote: |
I am sure you are planning on doing this but thought I would add my 2 cents. Have the car blasted with the seal channels removed. Then you have a nice clean surface to put new ones on.
Also, WW sells seal channel sticks that have a much better channel than Mika or others I have seen. They actually roll over vs just having a J bend. it means less banging on it when you install the seal. The downside is that they don't come pre-bent. |
Thank you! Love you educating me and adding to the fun! This is why I am a student.
Plan is to blast the area that the seal channels will be welded to. Hit them with a weld through primer, then lay them in place, drill out for plug welds, plug weld them, grind flat, sand them for a pretty look and then hit them with a coat of cheap primer, to hold the moisture at bay, until I can get this thing to the blaster. That was the plan for today, but the work truck outside side mirror got ripped off. So, I had to install new mirrors today! Maybe tomorrow I will get some time. If not, next weekend is only a week away!
I will look into WW channel. I kind of wrote off WW. They sold me a internally shorted hazard switch for the 70 Bug a few years back and refused to take it back. I do not like supporting that kind of behavior. But I am also not cutting my nose off! I will get those on order. Thank you! |
Hey man! I took your advice and dropped by Wolfsburg West on my way home from work this afternoon. I left the job site at 3:30 and was at WW at 5:00! Not too much traffic! I picked up 6 seal channels to weld onto the Bug and a door pin for a mirror. It is the 1st oversized. So, that ought to be fun!
Thanks for the tip! Truly appreciate it! _________________ Jimbo
There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!
TDCTDI wrote: |
Basically, a whole bunch of fuckery to achieve a look. |
67rustavenger wrote: |
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo! |
Last edited by VW_Jimbo on Tue Jan 10, 2023 9:51 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
Back to top |
|
|
lardawge Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2020 Posts: 355 Location: California
|
Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2023 9:29 am Post subject: Re: Jimmy V’s 54 Oval Project |
|
|
No problem! I spend a lot of time obsessing over getting the best parts. WW has the best parts for these older VWs so they will become your friend as you get closer to completion. There are some things I don’t go to them for because of price, but I make sure the parts are the same quality. _________________ 11/2/54 L227 Strato Silver Ragtop - Soon to be L41 Black - Build Thread
1/7/55 L275 Light Beige |
|
Back to top |
|
|
steven wardlaw Samba Member
Joined: January 13, 2012 Posts: 142
|
Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 8:28 am Post subject: Re: Jimmy V’s 54 Oval Project |
|
|
I've owned more than 25 VW cars, trucks and buses over my 61 years of living, and I'm always amazed at the people that can turn something that 30 years ago would have gone to the crusher into a fabulous car. Thanks to you and all those dedicated restorers that save these precious automobiles. Keep up the good work. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
VW_Jimbo Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2016 Posts: 9950 Location: Huntington Beach, CA
|
Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 8:45 pm Post subject: Re: Jimmy V’s 54 Oval Project |
|
|
steven wardlaw wrote: |
I've owned more than 25 VW cars, trucks and buses over my 61 years of living, and I'm always amazed at the people that can turn something that 30 years ago would have gone to the crusher into a fabulous car. Thanks to you and all those dedicated restorers that save these precious automobiles. Keep up the good work. |
Thank you! Thanks for going out of your way to express that feeling! That is the type of response that gets my head to turn.
Have a great day! _________________ Jimbo
There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!
TDCTDI wrote: |
Basically, a whole bunch of fuckery to achieve a look. |
67rustavenger wrote: |
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo! |
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
markendee Samba Member
Joined: April 30, 2009 Posts: 248 Location: Kyabram, Australia
|
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2023 12:35 pm Post subject: Re: Jimmy V’s 54 Oval Project |
|
|
Hey Jim,
is your car at the blasters?
looking forward to seeing the result.
Regards,
Mark. _________________ Member # 145244 |
|
Back to top |
|
|
VW_Jimbo Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2016 Posts: 9950 Location: Huntington Beach, CA
|
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2023 9:26 pm Post subject: Re: Jimmy V’s 54 Oval Project |
|
|
markendee wrote: |
Hey Jim,
is your car at the blasters?
looking forward to seeing the result.
Regards,
Mark. |
Nope. My work has allowed me no time. I am working 12 hours a day right now and Saturdays too! So much work! Good news is, there is no relief in site. Schedule is packed for 4 months! A nice problem to have! The bad side of it, is the Bug takes the back seat.
As an example. I had to take Friday off, this week, as my body was done. No more strength left. So, we decided to take Friday off. I was super happy! I figured I could rest on Friday and play with the Bug on Saturday. Instead, I did a rear brake job on the eldest daughters car, and chased an electrical issue on the youngest ones CRV. But I did manage to chisel out 3 hours on the Bug, after the CRV! _________________ Jimbo
There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!
TDCTDI wrote: |
Basically, a whole bunch of fuckery to achieve a look. |
67rustavenger wrote: |
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo! |
Last edited by VW_Jimbo on Sun Feb 12, 2023 9:53 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
Back to top |
|
|
VW_Jimbo Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2016 Posts: 9950 Location: Huntington Beach, CA
|
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2023 9:52 pm Post subject: Re: Jimmy V’s 54 Oval Project |
|
|
Got a few hours in on the Bug yesterday!
I managed to sand blast and prime the seal channel area of the hood. Followed that up with primer.
It was then onto the drivers door. It has dropped in the opening, just a tiny amount. I came out to the garage and had a flash back! Looking further into it, it looks as if the hinge has an issue. So, let’s get the pin out of the hinge and replace it. Pulled the door off of the Bug.
And there it is, the wonky hinge.
Decided to cut the head off of the pin, so that I could start with a flat surface.
I then hit the end of it with the welder, to break up the internal rust.
Hit it with a punch several times and the pin responded by moving.
So, I hit it again with the welder.
I then inserted an 8mm bolt into the bottom of the hinge barrel, and gave it a few good blows with the hammer. Gained a bit more.
So, again, I hit it with welder.
And when I went to hit the pin, I saw a huge tear in the structure of the door frame.
Do you see that crack? I do too! So, let’s change plans. Let’s cut the old out and weld in new steel!
So, onto cutting.
And out it comes.
The back side. NASTY!
And the hard bolts that just deformed, trying to push the pin out.
But after awhile and a 20 ton press, I successfully removed the pin!
Hopefully, I get back to a regular 30 hour work week soon! _________________ Jimbo
There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!
TDCTDI wrote: |
Basically, a whole bunch of fuckery to achieve a look. |
67rustavenger wrote: |
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo! |
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
markendee Samba Member
Joined: April 30, 2009 Posts: 248 Location: Kyabram, Australia
|
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2023 10:39 pm Post subject: Re: Jimmy V’s 54 Oval Project |
|
|
Crikey Jimbo, who did you kill in another life?
(Good pick up the the door. )
Are you going to replace the pin with a mirror pin? Wish I had before paint. _________________ Member # 145244 |
|
Back to top |
|
|
VW_Jimbo Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2016 Posts: 9950 Location: Huntington Beach, CA
|
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2023 11:06 pm Post subject: Re: Jimmy V’s 54 Oval Project |
|
|
markendee wrote: |
Crikey Jimbo, who did you kill in another life?
(Good pick up the the door. )
Are you going to replace the pin with a mirror pin? Wish I had before paint. |
A few bad dudes. But those should not count against me, right?
Thanks! Yep, that was the plan going into it! I already have the 1st oversized mirror pin, and a reamer! _________________ Jimbo
There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!
TDCTDI wrote: |
Basically, a whole bunch of fuckery to achieve a look. |
67rustavenger wrote: |
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo! |
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
VW_Jimbo Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2016 Posts: 9950 Location: Huntington Beach, CA
|
Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2023 12:52 pm Post subject: Re: Jimmy V’s 54 Oval Project |
|
|
Got in just over an hour of Bug time in yesterday. Hoping for more today!
I already had the door off, so no good reason to pull the Bug out. Well, except that I needed to get to the drill press! Chucked the reamer into the chuck and set the hinge leaf into the bench vise. With that in place and lined up, I reamed out the hinge leaf. I then repeated the process on the other leaf. I had to run a drill bit through the mounting holes of the door jamb leaf. They were elliptical. Hoping I can find the correct oversized rivet for this.Cleaned it all up and popped the pin into place, loose.
It was then onto the resting area, in which the hinge leaf attaches, at the door frame. I started out with measuring the sheet metal thickness.
Looks to be 22 gauge sheet metal. Let me see if I can find some! Yep! Found a remnant, from within the remnant bucket. Pays off to be a hoarder! Saved myself 20 bucks in fuel to get to Home Depot, the time it takes and the 12 bucks for a tiny piece! See wifey how much I am saving!
I then wanted to mark where the ends of the door skin end at the hinge area. Just in case something happens. Call it experienced or being careful. I just have a feeling that this may become valuable, but I might also be crazy!
I moved on to fabricating a template for the exterior panel shape. Since heat will be involved welding in the patch and the steel is going to expand and contract, we might as well be able to “reshape” it to its old shape and know it is close, instead of just guessing! Although that works too!
Finally, onwards to the patch fabrication! Set a remnant piece onto the door and drew some rough lines. Cut down to those lines and drew, what I believe to be the shape of the door frame.
Cut that piece until it fit into the void, I created, at the door frame. I then removed it and shaped a radiused bend in it, bent to a right angle, with a soft edge.
And then I measured the height of the frame and bent another eased 90.
Not bad! Then, it was onto the hinge screw relief cuts. I figured that making a template would be better than drawing freehand. So, broke out a paper plate and cut out the shape required!
I then transferred the template to the previously bent patch panel and scribed in the cut lines. Then cut the unwanted portions out and……
What cha all think? I think it looks f’n beautiful! That was an hour and one half. The brewery was calling, so the wife and I had to walk over there to visit our oldest while she tended the bar and for our 2 pints! Love my life! _________________ Jimbo
There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!
TDCTDI wrote: |
Basically, a whole bunch of fuckery to achieve a look. |
67rustavenger wrote: |
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo! |
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
VW_Jimbo Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2016 Posts: 9950 Location: Huntington Beach, CA
|
Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2023 11:02 pm Post subject: Re: Jimmy V’s 54 Oval Project |
|
|
Got in another 4 hours today! Would have gotten in a few more but my heart, NOW, needs regular exercise to keep it healthy. Man, remember when you were young and you ran around all day long. Who knew that you were exercising and keeping everything in great shape. Then you go and join in the “adult” world. Start drinking, sitting around, basically minimize moving around. Plus you have to get a stressful dose of money issues and WHAM! Your heart rate goes up and your blood pressure follows! WTF! No one tells you about all that shit! They did. I was just young enough and stupid enough to not pay attention. I was busy looking at girls! Duh!
Anyways, back to my time on the Bug. Thanks for indulging me with listening!
Started back up on the patch for the door frame, at the top hinge. I took the fabricated patch over to the drill press to bore out 4 holes for future rivets.
Got those drilled out and placed the patch onto the door. A tiny bit too big. Had to trim it down here and there to get it to sit correctly. It finally landed perfectly and I placed some bolts in place to align it to the door.
With it in place, I went about tacking it in.
I then realized that I had not sanded the crap off of the steel. So I broke out the disc sander and hit the edges.
I also found another stress crack near one of the corners. I sanded that steel as well. So it can be welded.
Once everything was cleaned up. It was all then welded! Copper bar came into play, as I had to keep the hinge cavity cleared of any weld blobs!
The joint was then welded and ground down.
Onto welding the door’s seal channel.
All welded and ground down!
That was followed with reinstalled the hinge.
Lined everything up and drilled out the rivet holes.
Then installed 4 screws to hold the hinge onto the door.
Then I transferred the door from the saw horses to the Bug!
Here it is! A functional door!
And now off for that walk! Which ended up at 4Sons brewery for 2 pints! Got to see the oldest daughter again! Yippee!
Until next time! _________________ Jimbo
There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!
TDCTDI wrote: |
Basically, a whole bunch of fuckery to achieve a look. |
67rustavenger wrote: |
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo! |
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
heimlich VWNOS.com
Joined: November 20, 2016 Posts: 6592 Location: Houston, Texas
|
Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2023 7:32 pm Post subject: Re: Jimmy V’s 54 Oval Project |
|
|
An hour here, an hour there, it all adds up to a car. _________________ www.vwnos.com [email protected]
Classic Brands. Classic Quality.
Not all parts are made the same. NOS OE/OEM parts made mainly in West Germany, Early Germany, and Early Brazil are where VW produced the best quality parts and best fitting products.
5% Off your order with coupon code: 5%OFF
Restored Distributors Available (<--Click here) |
|
Back to top |
|
|
VW_Jimbo Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2016 Posts: 9950 Location: Huntington Beach, CA
|
Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2023 9:55 pm Post subject: Re: Jimmy V’s 54 Oval Project |
|
|
heimlich wrote: |
An hour here, an hour there, it all adds up to a car. |
I hope so! Or at least something I can get a few bucks for!
I will agree. It is finally resembling a car again. Especially since the fenders, hood, doors and decklid went back onto the body. It is so close, but I just keep finding things! Maybe I just need to stop looking. _________________ Jimbo
There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!
TDCTDI wrote: |
Basically, a whole bunch of fuckery to achieve a look. |
67rustavenger wrote: |
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo! |
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
heimlich VWNOS.com
Joined: November 20, 2016 Posts: 6592 Location: Houston, Texas
|
Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2023 6:27 am Post subject: Re: Jimmy V’s 54 Oval Project |
|
|
VW_Jimbo wrote: |
I just keep finding things! |
Better to find it now than later. Maybe run through everything and do an inspection. Make a list from the inspection. On my 73 I inspected it and wrote on the car all the things that needed to be fixed. I would draw arrows to the areas for reference. That was before it was painted. _________________ www.vwnos.com [email protected]
Classic Brands. Classic Quality.
Not all parts are made the same. NOS OE/OEM parts made mainly in West Germany, Early Germany, and Early Brazil are where VW produced the best quality parts and best fitting products.
5% Off your order with coupon code: 5%OFF
Restored Distributors Available (<--Click here) |
|
Back to top |
|
|
esde Samba Member
Joined: October 20, 2007 Posts: 5967 Location: central rust belt
|
Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2023 7:47 am Post subject: Re: Jimmy V’s 54 Oval Project |
|
|
VW_Jimbo wrote: |
It is so close, but I just keep finding things! Maybe I just need to stop looking. |
I dropped my car at the body shop last week. We worked on it for a week prior, and were still finding little details that needed attention after dropping it off. Like a page and a half long..
It's hard to focus when you're the person that has touched and fixed everything. There are just too many details.
Nice work on the door. As you and I well know, door fit and operation is maybe the biggest challenge on these cars as it involves so many other factors.
SD _________________ modok wrote:
Bent cranks are silent but gather no moss. I mean, ah, something like that. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
|