Grandma Mildred's 73 Automatic Perpetual Restoration

[Ceckert64]

I’ve watched the thread for a while, keep up the good work! It’s looking good! The rocker is a bummer though.
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1964 sunroof Beetle Restoration "Herbie"
“Joann” 1970 Elm Green Squareback
1972 Yellow Tin Top Westfalia -Sold
“Fitz” 1971 Westfalia Poptop EJ22 swap
“Rome” 91 Syncro

[jlrftype7]

In lieu of Master Series, I sometimes use this Pettit product- unfortunately it's showing out of stock at Jamestown Distributors, my usual source. Other downside is Quarts are the smallest container they offer, so waste from curing in the can is a bigger risk too.

https://www.jamestowndistributors.com/product/product-detail/6758
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'68 Westy- my first VW and vehicle/Bus- long gone.- sold it to a traveling Swiss couple....
'67 Type 3 Fastback, my 2nd car- gone
'69 Semi-Auto Stick Shift Beetle-gone
2017 MINI Coopers, our current DDs
‘84 Tin Top - Hilga....Auto

[orwell84]

Thank you.

Master Series has become my go to product for treating the inside of assemblies and the underside of the bus. This bus has become a rolling rust experiment since I’ve owned it for so long. I think epoxy primer with a urethane topcoat would work just as well over rust free metal. Weld through primer for welded areas.

This is the removable inner rocker on the other side 7 years after it was replaced. The outside is painted with Rustoleum. The inside with master series silver with grey top coat. I took the rocker off to have a look.

Some dust and dirt in there to blow out, but it’s held up well.

Also got a look at the inside of passenger side rear quarter. I think that repair was done 15 years ago. Thought I’d check it out before, not after painting it.

As expected, the slider side was worse than expected. But since I’m in there, I’m going to replace anything questionable. It’s really not bad, since the slider track is in good condition and aligning a new one is the hardest part of the whole job. I will be replacing a length of the inner section right below the track. It’s just a long 16 gauge rectangle.

Making the inner rocker removable is kind of a strange idea and will take some time to work out in a way that won’t compromise the strength of installing it that way.

[orwell84]

Work slowed down over the holidays and we have had a lot of really cold weather. Filler work is done on the rear quarter and it’s ready for primer. Just waiting for a couple warmer days to get it done.

Lots of random rusty bits and pieces were cut out of the middle section. Made up a bunch of 16 gauge bits to replace them.

These bracket things will get welded to each of the top hat/outrigger ends. The inner rocker will be bolted to these in sections. Sort of a complicated way to do it, but it will make sense when it’s done.

[orwell84]

I’ve had an AFR gauge and O2 sensor in my parts stash for years. While I’ve got the welder out, I figured I should install it. I think this is probably the best place for the exhaust I have.

[orwell84]

Slow progress, but I’ll have some time next week to finish up the repairs on the sliding door track. Making parts of the inner rocker removable has added some time in making up a bunch of pieces. Then it’s back to body work and paint.

The flanged brackets are made of 16 gauge metal and are welded on where the top hat sections meet the inner section. The inner rocker gets bolted to the tapped flanges of the brackets with M4 or M5 nuts. It should provide enough strength and still look mostly stock.

This section is the most complicated. Red dots are where it will be tapped for bolts.

[soissisc]

In case I missed it, why are you making that part removeable? Just curious.
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Mark

68 Westy
92 Jetta (oh it is retired)
99 Eurovan
05 NBC
06 Audi A3
72 Westy (I am going to fix it up)

[orwell84]

[soissisc]

That is what I thought. It is a good idea.
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Mark

68 Westy
92 Jetta (oh it is retired)
99 Eurovan
05 NBC
06 Audi A3
72 Westy (I am going to fix it up)

[orwell84]

Trying to figure out how the c-pillar went together originally. When I removed the (old repair) inner sill, this is what I found:

Not sure whether the section with the hole in it was part of the original middle sill or whether there was an additional layer of metal capped the c-pillar and the middle sill went over top of that.

I’m thinking that the c- pillar was flanged on each side and capped by the thicker middle sill. I removed the capped part with the hole because it was rusty.

Not worried about originality. I’m just trying to avoiding building up a bunch of metal layers in a rust prone area. Grinding out the rusty part sucked, but otherwise, most of the original c-pillar is solid.

Thanks.

[orwell84]

So, to answer my own question, it looks like the back of the c-pillar is capped off by the inner sill. Some photos from the Samba:

I obviously was in here and repaired some of the original c-pillar. I’m going to try to repair it to be something like it was originally depending on what I can get to with the welding gun. Just had to be sealed and sturdy, so anything goes.

[orwell84]

Ok, I figured out the C pillar goes together, just in case someone else is confused by this and absolutely has to repair it as per factory.

The C pillar is only welded to the middle sill at the bottom. Above that, the c pillar is closed off by a piece of 20 gauge metal.

The middle sill has a stamping in it to make room for the c-pillar. It looks like this:

Some repro panels seem to have this shape, others just an angle.

I’m just gonna have to fudge it. It sucks welding in here.

Won’t be able to see it anyway once it’s done.

I’m going to have to add a small piece to join with the part of the middle sill that goes to the rear of the c pillar.

[orwell84]

Got the rear middle rocker welded to the c pillar and welded in place. Not a lot of space to work around the C pillar.

Fitting the support for the inner rocker.

[orwell84]

Making some progress now that the inner sill is repaired.

Making the inner rocker sections removable has added some time, but not as much as I thought.

The sections that join to the top hats and cross members will get welded in. First, the whole inner rocket section will be removed so that captive nuts can be welded in where there are now pop rivets and panel holders. It will also get tuned up on the bench to get rid of gaps between the rocker sections and the homemade brackets.

Hope to finish it up soon so I can get back to body work and paint.

[orwell84]

Should be buttoning up this repair soon. No pictures that would visible progress.

I have mentioned my leaky brake booster a few times. Still have that to deal with. I’m not 100% convinced it’s the booster itself. A few things left to check in the system. Such as the metal tube between the long and short sections of rubber line and the seal between the booster and MC.

While I’m futzing around, I have a used MC and booster on the way “pulled as a working unit”. Always a crapshoot with used parts, but so far I’ve never been burned for big money. I might test it when it arrives or just turn it around and have it rebuilt by one the shops recommended on this forum. So far, I’ve had really good results from refurbished original parts done by old school shops. At the end of the day, cost is about the same vs new aftermarket, but results are always way better.

[lil-jinx]

the check valve in the booster line should hold vacuum in the booster,giving you a brake application or two in the event of engine shut down,if you don,t have power assist after shut down, the leak will be from the check valve forward,or the valve is faulty.
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https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620186
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=668799
1974 Bay Westfalia. she likes to be called Ethel.
1968 Dune Buggy sold dec 2024

1974 parts bus
A smart man learns from his mistakes,a very smart man learns from other's mistakes.

[orwell84]

[orwell84]

Took a chance ordering a used booster and it’s totally unusable. Looks like it was removed with a crowbar and a sledgehammer. I figured I could turn it around and send it for rebuild. Oh well. In the meantime I have a Brazilian booster on the way. And I will send out my original for rebuild once it’s off.

[advCo]

Glad to see you're still at it.

FWIW I'm planning to install a booster in my '70, I grabbed a used one from the classifieds and called Steve at Bush Power Brakes at the recommendation of others here, he told me he keeps rebuilt boosters in stock and you just send in yours as a core.
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"He pulled the mirrors off his Cadillac ‘cause he doesn’t like it looking like he looks back"
'70 Westfalia Restoration
A bunch of vintage motorcycles
'73 Moto Guzzi Eldorado Restoration

[orwell84]