New project - 1954 VW Beetle Deluxe w/ VW Canada prodn plate

[VW_Jimbo]

You can use epoxy putty, the stuff off of Home Depot’s shelf. You knead it together and press it in. More like pack it in. I typically take the point of a razor blade and scrap out the fissure, so the area is clean down to fresh base material, then fill the opening by forcing the epoxy into the opening with a wood shim.

Once cured, sand, prime and paint! Works a treat!
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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!

[kintail]

Jimmy... have the epoxy stick and will be giving it a try as well. Thanks for the recommend!!

Went on a shopping spree at Kaefer Nostalgie. Fastest deliver to Canada with FedEx and standard shipping in 48 hours or less.

Door seal @ $68 US for both doors!

Heart tail light gasket. Thought I would try it.

Could not get myself to buy ABS glove box. This "paper" composites comes with interior flocked in black

Since swapping wiper bases with Don also ordered silver wiper arms and wipers!

So working on final disassembly of car door interior findings. Rust fight on with everything pretty much.... not happy at his point!! Penetrating oil, hammer, and heat...... plus too time taken up . Slow period of winning ... eventually.

SIDE NOTE: Had a good morning of everything falling off the car after... whining in this post

On positive note sold running 40 hp that came with the car locally. Going into 1965 Beetle Kabriolett.
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Scott

August 1954 Beetle Canadian Deluxe

[VW_Jimbo]

That is a great update! I needed that today!
Thanks!
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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!

[mkhanshaw]

[kintail]

All items and pics in my last post are from Kaefer Nostalgie.
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Scott

August 1954 Beetle Canadian Deluxe

[kintail]

So .....after a great day Thursday with parts easily coming off the '54.... The vent windows did not get the memo for Friday.

Starting with the drivers door, now have drilled out the vent window latch/plate screws to remove that for re-chroming.

Tried heat and long soak in penetrating oil for separation...... only caused the vent window glass to separate itself from the chrome with no breakage. That was accidentally easy.

So...being older I am somewhat less bendy and flexible .....and trying to loosen that nut will be a real problem. Hindsight moment - should have kept up the yoga practice.

Back to practical thinking along with dark thoughts. I know its an old car but the engineers over-designed this sub-assembly IMO. %$$#W*!

Back to the steering wheel for a break maybe...
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Scott

August 1954 Beetle Canadian Deluxe

[kintail]

So took a break of a couple of days. In the end it wasn't a big deal getting the quarter window out.

Managed to pry one edge of the lock plate slightly back. Hit it with the 14mm deep socket and it just came apart.... except for the "slip" joint. A couple of hits with the plastic hammer.... the quarter window glass popped out with no breakage... and then the joint. Interesting almost everything is rust free except for that joint!

Also cleaned up the drivers door regulator of grease and blue paint over spray. Re-lubricated and operates like new!
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Scott

August 1954 Beetle Canadian Deluxe

[kintail]

Decided to polish up the door hardware with Autosol and 0000 steel wool. Came out not too bad and retains some patina so will use.

The chrome on this car is pretty bad with the pot metal in particular being beyond repair.....door handles and factory installed locking deck-lid t-handle.
I will be using the repro Wolfsburg West handles in this build.

Got fantastic news when Cam texted me recently and said he will be taking the car in September to start the body work!!! So looking forward to the start

A photo of his recent work for another VW club member here. Heater channel replaced and both front and back clips replaced due to rust and collision damage.
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Scott

August 1954 Beetle Canadian Deluxe

[kintail]

Wolfsburg West delivery today!

Beautiful reproduction door handles and T-handle for rear deck lid.

Compared to my old ....

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Scott

August 1954 Beetle Canadian Deluxe

[kintail]

Cleaning and picking away at the small items.

Paint remover on rubber grommets and nuts to assist in removal.

Steering cover needs complete redo.

Power washed the car to see if over-spray would peel. A little bit and specks of ultramaroon began to appear.

Ordered a pair of semaphore lenses from Ryan Thomson for my SWFs.
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Scott

August 1954 Beetle Canadian Deluxe

[kintail]

Tackled the axle boots with a Dremel cutting disk.

The car was last driven a couple of years ago and interested in checking the oil quality. When the body is lifted this whole sticky mess will be cleaned up along with the standard blue over-spray.

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Scott

August 1954 Beetle Canadian Deluxe

[VW_Jimbo]

Man! That blue paint got onto everything! That is some seriously tenacious blue paint! It looks like it is stuck to greasy dirt!
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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!

[kintail]

The blue over-spray is everywhere! Light dusting on roller/brake/ clutch /pedal-assembly, painted blue emergency brake handle ..... could be worse.

Would have liked an all OG paint interior to play with!!

Scott
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Scott

August 1954 Beetle Canadian Deluxe

[kintail]

Speedometer taken apart and old original mummified grease was replaced with new. The red/green/blue cells were also replaced with new from WW.

Previous owner gave me some parts he had not installed including two new KYB rear shock absorbers. Removed drivers side and it was original now completely shot. Did a bit of an initial cleanup on the blues over spray .... again.

Took scotch pad and warm soapy water to remove blue on side walls... this is going to take awhile.

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Scott

August 1954 Beetle Canadian Deluxe

[VW_Jimbo]

Try Goof Off or even Softscrub! I have even used Comet on an old set of white walls I had back decades ago!
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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!

[kintail]

Jimbo

Good tip! I had Goo Gone so used it with stiff brush, hot water with soap and scotch pad. One white wall tire done in 10 minutes!!
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Scott

August 1954 Beetle Canadian Deluxe

[VW_Jimbo]

[kintail]

Compiled a list for Cam as to what repair panels he was getting for the work ahead. He had seen most of this but thought a printed list would be helpful for both of us.

Body Work To Do List

Heater Channels
Firewall
Drivers side rear floor
Drivers side door exterior interior
Drivers A Pillar
Parcel Tray - '54 Donor body
Door hinges - replace bottoms and repin top hinge pins for L/R mirror
Front apron - fill bumper support holes as well
Rear apron - spot weld in replacement
Misc - radio antennae holes, choke hole dash
Other - engine lid and general repair (ex. dents)
Adjust fender skirts to fit rear fenders

Sheet Metal

Virtanen Restoration Panels - Mika - Door Reconstruction - 6 pieces
Virtanen Restoration Panels - Mika - drivers side rear floor pan - 1 piece
WolfParts rear bumper mount replacement - L and R 2 pieces
WolfParts rear valence - 1 piece
CIP - rear engine lid rubber seal channel - 1 piece
CIP - inner valance - 1 piece (may not be used)
Neil Shaddox door bottom Hinges - 2 pieces
Klassic Heater channels / firewall - 5 pieces
Parcel Tray - '54 Donor body
Split Parts Unlimited - fender skirts - 2 pieces plus 4 clamps and rubber moulding

Total replacement panel cost approx. $5K plus Cdn with $US dollar conversion included

Got the correct semaphore replacement lenses from Ryan Thomson for SWF rebuild

Found a pair of old heat exchangers - awaiting their arrival to see if they will work.

Ordered a set of new WW push-rods to do the Okrasa conversion correctly.

Any recommendations for new cam that works well with the WW head conversion? Mild race cam that helps move it a bit quicker? I had one of these in my '59 Beetle Kabriolett but no idea were it came from.

And in the background fighting again with rusted passenger rear suspension
bolt.

And for further amusement the old garage door broke last night with a cable snapped and spring launched into orbit. No damage found yet!![/u]
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Scott

August 1954 Beetle Canadian Deluxe

[VW_Jimbo]

CIP - rear engine lid rubber seal channel - 1 piece

CIP sells a lot of Autocraft panels. They are good but a few pieces are not worth the work required. Change that to Mika’s channel. It is spot on!

The rest is doable. Will need a hammer on a few but that is par for the course!
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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!

[sunroof]