A Schwimmwagen named "ilsa"

[54bugn]

Thanks for the comments Joe 20. I am glad you are enjoying the build as much as I am and appreciate your comments.

As a very small update I wasn’t happy with my straps on the right hand side interior for mounting spare MG barrels etc, so I brought the mounts I made and the straps with me up to work and made myself two buckles out of thick aluminum and reworked the straps. They now appear much closer to an original schwimmwagen setup.

I also tracked down a repro of original oil can for the car which mounts by the driver. Coming from Czech Republic.

You can see in this pic where it mounts and I am also producing an auxiliary fuel pump as seen in this photo of an original schwimmwagen along with the oil can.

Stay tuned for more in the near future when I get back home.

Cheers,
Mike
_________________
OFACK Founding member

"Schwing wrote:
You either have to be too cheap to hire a pro or determined to do it yourself, but it helps to be both!"

54 European Sedan deluxe
Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=414940

[Joe 20]

Your car is beautiful! I am amazed at the talent you have...and it's also my dream car you 're building. I look forward to each update.
_________________
"Someday the world is gonna be populated by nothing but Volkswagens'" Corporal Klairvoy

[54bugn]

Hello folks, so with my recovery from Pneumonia, being off work, I have been able to get quite a bit more work done on the schwimmwagen. First off I managed to get the passenger seat mount and seat assembled and installed in the car.

As well I started work on the rear seat framework and seat placement, early pic.

A few days later was able to get a lot more work done on the seat framework with hinged base and started working on the mounts for the intake plenum.

The intake plenum is close to where it will sit, but will need the engine installed to confirm the location for sure.

Heading back to work will update when I have more to show.

Cheers,
Mike
_________________
OFACK Founding member

"Schwing wrote:
You either have to be too cheap to hire a pro or determined to do it yourself, but it helps to be both!"

54 European Sedan deluxe
Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=414940

[54bugn]

Cyberdyne systems 101, couldn’t find my rifles lol.

So I Managed to finish the assembly and installation of the drivers seat.

Seat cushions have yet to be made.

Next up starting to work on the front passenger seat.

Cheers,
Mike
_________________
OFACK Founding member

"Schwing wrote:
You either have to be too cheap to hire a pro or determined to do it yourself, but it helps to be both!"

54 European Sedan deluxe
Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=414940

[cyberdyne systems 101]

[54bugn]

Thanks VW_Jimbo glad you are enjoying the build.

Another small update for you guys. I repost a picture of my lower rifle mounts that I restored earlier. I managed to use another warm enough day to bond the two mounts to the bottom of the car. I used pieces of steel tube to line them up.

I also got the alignment of the drivers seat figured out. I have two cross bars a steel seat mount and the seat all to align. It has to be shimmed up, but the photos show where it will live. Hope to have it bolted in place in the next few days.

Cheers,
Mike
_________________
OFACK Founding member

"Schwing wrote:
You either have to be too cheap to hire a pro or determined to do it yourself, but it helps to be both!"

54 European Sedan deluxe
Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=414940

[VW_Jimbo]

That is a really cool detail! I love your eye for it!
_________________
Jimbo

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

[54bugn]

Hello all, another update for you all. Another piece I acquired that was dug out of the ground in Russia was an ammunition holder for the MG34 machine gun. It was portable, and carried two machine gun drum magazines that held 50 bullets each. The holder was pretty rusted was missing 1/2 a rear leg and seized up. After a lot of cleaning filling and manufacturing I came to a point ready for paint. The photo shows it holding two original drum magazines that are in good shape that I’m purchased elsewhere.

Before painting I then fit the holder into its position in the schwimmwagen.

Next up painted the holder to match the magazines as per original.

Mounted it back in the car.

Next photo shows an original schwimmwagen with its camouflaged holder and magazine compared to mine now.

And finally as it sits in the car.

More updates to come soon.
Cheers,
Mike
_________________
OFACK Founding member

"Schwing wrote:
You either have to be too cheap to hire a pro or determined to do it yourself, but it helps to be both!"

54 European Sedan deluxe
Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=414940

[54bugn]

Hey folks a quick update to show my sewing handiwork on the lower original rifle mounts that I got done today. They are now ready to install in the schwimmwagen.

Working on another piece as well to add to the interior. Stand by for that.

Cheers,
Mike
_________________
OFACK Founding member

"Schwing wrote:
You either have to be too cheap to hire a pro or determined to do it yourself, but it helps to be both!"

54 European Sedan deluxe
Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=414940

[cyberdyne systems 101]

Great to see those original rifle mounts, they turned out pretty good considering there condition.
_________________
When I think of something to say - I'll be the first to know

56' Oval
71' Westy

[54bugn]

Hello all, another nice weather day made some more progress.

Managed to finish welding the passenger side supports smoothed them out and got it all painted. Next up is to fit the seat supports.

I also worked on the lower rifle holders that are original, I cleaned up the rust sprayed them with rust encapsulator, smoothed them out a bit and painted them. Now they are ready to sew the leather pieces to them.

Stand by for more progress.

Cheers,
Mike
_________________
OFACK Founding member

"Schwing wrote:
You either have to be too cheap to hire a pro or determined to do it yourself, but it helps to be both!"

54 European Sedan deluxe
Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=414940

[54bugn]

Thanks cyberdyne systems 101, happy to be getting back to working on it a bit, it’s my happy place.

The weather the last few days has turned nice and warm and my energy level has improved so was able to clean up my welding of the for and aft support, and break out the paint and got the vertical support and the lower part of the horizontal painted.

Then I measured cut and bent the upper 90 degree finishing rail on top of the horizontal support and got it clamped in place ready to weld.

Today was threatening to rain so spent the day doing some house work, but managed to start repairing the 2 lower rifle holders which are original and rusty. So spent some time cleaning them up and getting them ready to paint then leatherwork afterwords. The piece in the back is a piece of the original leather.

Stand by for more updates soon I hope.

Cheers,
Mike
_________________
OFACK Founding member

"Schwing wrote:
You either have to be too cheap to hire a pro or determined to do it yourself, but it helps to be both!"

54 European Sedan deluxe
Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=414940

[cyberdyne systems 101]

This is great progress, well done
_________________
When I think of something to say - I'll be the first to know

56' Oval
71' Westy

[54bugn]

Thanks cyberdyne systems 101, every day I feel a little bit better but taking time to recover for sure.

I did manage to try some welding this afternoon, felt good finally making some progress today. I managed to weld the vertical support on the passenger side in place and bond it to the side wall as well. Once it is dry I can paint it.

Once that was installed I clamped the for and aft vertical support in place ready to weld in place.

You can see the comparison to the drivers side in this pic.

See what I can get done in the next few days.

Thanks Mike
_________________
OFACK Founding member

"Schwing wrote:
You either have to be too cheap to hire a pro or determined to do it yourself, but it helps to be both!"

54 European Sedan deluxe
Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=414940

[cyberdyne systems 101]

I certainly wish you luck, not that you'll need it I feel. I've had pneumonia, it's not pleasant and certainly takes a good while to get your strength back, I wish you all the best.
_________________
When I think of something to say - I'll be the first to know

56' Oval
71' Westy

[54bugn]

Hello folks, sorry for the lack of updates but I managed to catch pneumonia and ended up in hospital, still recovering a month later, but starting to get some strength back to be able to do some small work on the schwimmwagen.

Based on actual upper rifle mounts I cut some leather pieces and stitched them onto the sides of each frame, as well found some rubber bumpers for the front side. The results are below.

I then purchased some webbing straps and installed them onto the spare equipment attachment points on the passenger side.

I know it’s kind of hard to see, but will show up in the future. I hope to get back to welding in the next week, wish me luck.


Thanks for following.
Cheers, Mike
_________________
OFACK Founding member

"Schwing wrote:
You either have to be too cheap to hire a pro or determined to do it yourself, but it helps to be both!"

54 European Sedan deluxe
Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=414940

[54bugn]

Hello all, once again a small update for you. While away I made some mounts for the upper rifle holders mid cabin, and some strap holders for loose equipment. When home first of all I cleaned up some work on the drivers side and mounted and painted the drivers side rifle holder.

Next up mounted the passenger side rifle holder and the loose equipment holders and painted them.

Next up continued on with the passenger side framing.

That’s all for today but will update soon.

Cheers,
Mike
_________________
OFACK Founding member

"Schwing wrote:
You either have to be too cheap to hire a pro or determined to do it yourself, but it helps to be both!"

54 European Sedan deluxe
Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=414940

[Two Glove Boxes]

Awesome keep it up!
_________________
1950 Deluxe Sedan Build

1951 Split Standard Hoffman Build

1960 Dove Blue Double Cab Patina Build

Two Glove Boxes IG

[cyberdyne systems 101]

Looking good there
_________________
When I think of something to say - I'll be the first to know

56' Oval
71' Westy

[54bugn]

Hello all, another quick update.

I got the machine gun rear support and the steel support underneath on the passenger side painted today.

I took the pictures when the paint was still wet thus the colour difference. Second picture is a comparison to an original schwimmwagen side by side.

Next time continue on the passenger side steel work and then the seat mounts.

Stay tuned,
Mike
_________________
OFACK Founding member

"Schwing wrote:
You either have to be too cheap to hire a pro or determined to do it yourself, but it helps to be both!"

54 European Sedan deluxe
Build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=414940