Jimmy V's 54 Oval Project

[sportin-wood]

Very nice, Jim! Thank God you're correctly placing the taillights height-wise. I love that!
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Dave

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1966 Bug project
1973 Thing project
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"Relax, all right? My old man is a television repairman. He's got this ultimate set of tools. I can fix it." --- Jeff Spicoli

[VW_Jimbo]

[VW_Jimbo]

[VW_Jimbo]

[VW_Jimbo]

[VW_Jimbo]

[MACJELLY58]

[VW_Jimbo]

[67rustavenger]

Congratulations on you daughters nuptials.

The pic you posted of the "Kombi-Keg" looks like the reception was well taken care of.

Both of my SIL's are great men and take good care of their wives and children.

Enjoy the times with family and future grandchildren. It's a blast!
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I have learned over the years.
Cheap parts are gonna disappoint you.
Buy Once, Cry Once!

There's never enough time to do it right the first time. But there's always enough time to do it thrice.
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo!
2003 Astrovan? GFYS again, Xevin!
Don't let your bad ideas remain, ideas!

[VW_Jimbo]

[VW_Jimbo]

[VW_Jimbo]

Been a hot minute since I last worked on the Bug. Got some free time yesterday and spent it with the Bug!

Back onto the rear pass fender. Only have an a few hours before other life pressing things need my attention, so……

Got the work space set up and then 36 grit sanded the fender. I had hammer and dollied it for a few hours last time out. It is really down to just a few small ripples and old holes from rust. Plus, I need to seal up the weld pin holes I cannot see. And with that last thought, I mixed up some fiberglass resin and smeared it into the fender at those welded up repairs.

Tape is in place to try and keep the filler excess in check.

I then sanded that down. After which I spread some Rage Ultra over those same spots on the fender. And sanded that down with 36 grit.

Followed that with a full coat of Rage over the entire fender surface, then sanded to a rough close shape with 36 again. Skimmed it with another coat, really thin and finished it all off with 80 grit.

That is super close to done. Just one detail I need to iron out first. The shape of that lower edge. I need each fender on the rear looking the same. The driver side rear fender is sitting at 14 1/2 inches across the widest area, I could find.

I then went over to the passenger side fender and measured 14 inches. I will need to reshape the passenger side fender to mirror the driver side. So, with the fender mounted to the body, I wedged in a wooden stick in between the inner wheel well and the fender, pushing the fender out, past the tire by about 1/2 inch more, obtains the same 14 1/2” measured on the driver side of the car. I then laid down on my creeper and tack welded the segmented fender edge to hold the shape!

Removed the fender for next time.

That was it! Time is up!
_________________
Jimbo

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

[VW_Jimbo]

Wrapped up the rear fender yesterday. Took it off and set it up to work on.

I then cleaned up the segment edges and welded it all up.

All welded up.

Ground that all down.

Then onto an old weld through hole. Same process.

I then fiberglassed all the welded up areas.

Followed the glass up with a skim coat of Rage. Sanded it all. Then back on the car to check it all out!

Then the beer bell went off! Time to walk over to Flashpoint brewery, to meet with some great friends and have dinner and a few beers!

That was an AWESOME weekend!
_________________
Jimbo

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

[VW_Jimbo]

Soooo......

I got the fender on, yep. Back out to the Bug yesterday and while I am shaping the fender I hear a "POP" noise. Start looking the fender over and find.

A CRACK! Damn thin steel!

Off came the fender. Set it up on the dolly, ground the filler and what not off from the area of the crack and welded it up.

Ground that down and moved onto extending the location of one of the fender mounting holes, as the fender does not line up right there. Set it up on the dolly, then cut out the area with the offset hole and welded in new steel with a relocated hole.

Marked it and drilled holes at the corners.

Fabricated a patch and outlined my cut out.

Cut out the steel.

Clamped in the new steel with a copper backer. Welded it in.

Ground it down.

Reinstalled for a test fit.

Yep! It lined up and is secure!

Back off for some sanding and a priming job.

Then back on the car!

Then I installed the rear bumper, again.

Close enough for the moment. It looks like the fender tapers up more on the passenger side. I have chosen to ignore that for the moment. Lets see how much it bugs me!
_________________
Jimbo

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

[VW_Jimbo]

Onto a different spot with it's own issues. Seems that someone (Hmmm) removed the headliner retaining grabber bars at the B pillars and did not weld them back in, before sending the car off to the blasters. Dude! So.....

Here it is, the passenger side B pillar missing the grab bar.

I then went and located the piece, which I purchased several months ago from Autocraft. It does not come shaped, so that is the first step.

Over to the Stretcher!

I stretched it here and there. It got really close. I was going to keep going, but realized that I had to remove the coating from the piece, so that I could weld it onto the body. That is when I noticed that the size is too big to fit into the blast cabinet! Damn it! No biggie. I own a welder, so....I cut it just past the half way point!

I then placed into the blast cabinet and removed the coating. It was onto stretching and shrinking the edge metal of the piece, until each portion fit the curve of the body and wrapped around the lock plate location. It was then clamped onto the cleaned up body. Next, I set up some anti sparky shields (Recognize that shield? That was the steel top cut out from the rag top), and clamped the top piece into it's home!

Drilled out some 3/16" holes.

Then welded away!

Followed that up with the grinder.

Then ran a wire brush over the area a few times to get the soot and shitola off of the new steel. I got a tiny bit too close to the teeth portion of the steel, while using the wire brush. Ended up with a decent cut across my thumb! OUCH! Then primed it!

It was after priming that the new bride blessed the wife and I with her presence, plus she had a shit ton of laundry to do, from having spent time in Hawaii for the honeymoon! So I dropped working on the Bug, cleaned up and we walked over to the watering hole for dinner and a few brews! Great end to a very good day!
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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!

[sportin-wood]

Looking good, Jim! And congrats on getting through your daughter's wedding. Hopefully you'll be blessed with grandchildren you can take for rides in your finished Oval, and in true grandpa fashion, sit them down and tell them all you went through to get to the beautiful finished VW they see in front of them.
_________________
Dave

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1966 Bug project
1973 Thing project
.
"Relax, all right? My old man is a television repairman. He's got this ultimate set of tools. I can fix it." --- Jeff Spicoli

[Jhp212]

X2 congratulations on the wedding! And as for future grandchildren, be sure to point out how much work went in those damn fenders EVERY SINGLE TIME they get in the beetle for a ride!
Anyway that bug is looking great to me. I feel ya on fenders as I had a drivers front in particular that needed a ton of repairs but as a first timer with not nearly the welding experience as you I did it the best I can with mine. I’m happy with my results but I know it’s not perfect and mine is a 71 driver. I totally get you wanting it perfect being it’s a holy grail oval especially with your knowledge and experience with these cars. We can all say it looks great and it definitely does but only you know what you see and what will bother you down the line. I think this is the most detailed and helpful build on here. Keep up the great work! You’re getting there!
Jim
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1971 Super Beetle

[VW_Jimbo]

[VW_Jimbo]

[VW_Jimbo]

Got a few hours in on the Bug this morning. Little bit of work. I welded up the extra threaded fender bolt hole in the rear fender, along with the tiny tear in the rear apron. Took longer to pull the tools out and clean up then it took to weld the tear up, grind it smooth and prime it! But that part is done!

See that tiny spot with the word “weld” written. That’s where the tear is.

Now it is gone! Crossed it off of my list!

_________________
Jimbo

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