Body Repair 57 Hardtop

[djkeev]

Hello everyone!

I need some help. In a wind storm a tree branch fell upon my 57 oval hardtop doing some fairly serious damage to the body. I have the skills to repair this damage and while I'm at it I will undertake a body off restoration of the pan and heater tubes. I've been putting this off for awhile.

I need dimensions. My Bentley Reprint (a great book, highly recommend it) has the dimensions I am looking for in it for the Ghia but not the beetle.
I am looking for factory specs for door opening sizes, window opening sizes, roof curvature and dimensions, etc. This book thankfully has all of the floor pan dimensions that are needed for the beetle.

Does anyone have or know where I can get these critical dimensions ? I want the doors to close and fit properly when I am finished ... about 2 years from now. (I'm probably being optimistic and it will most likely be three!)

Thanks a lot for any help you can give, I bet there are others out there who could use this same information.

Dave
[email protected]

[Ninamashr]

I don't think I've ever seen those dimensions anywhere, especially the curvatures. You could find someone with another oval sedan and take your measurements from them, but, the curvature will be the problem. Then you will have to make sure the gaps are right, etc;. I haven't seen the damage and it will be very labor intensive to get it back to the original shape, if it's even possible.
For the time and effort you will put in, I think it might be easier to find a top off another oval and splice it into yours.
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1957 Karmann Kabriolet "Franky"
1957 Allstate trailer