Late inner front fender rust

electricmonk · Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 12:30 am Post subject: Late inner front fender rust

Hi guys, I have a 72 square. The rust I am concerned with is the reinforcing boxes in the top corners of the inner fenders. Mine are cactus so I either have to make up new ones or leave them out completely. I have heard from at least one person that has removed them and suffered no adverse effects. Has anyone else run for a long period without the reinforcing boxes? If I can get rid of them it will make the rebuild go a lot quicker.
Will post photos when I get home tonight to show what I mean.

On the happier side there’s a whole lot of front end parts on the way from ISP
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Russ Wolfe · Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 8:54 am Post subject:

You can run without those re-enforcing channels, but if you get in a front end collision, you have lost all the crash resistance of the front end.
Those are the main structural members of the "controlled collapse" front end.
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rovingmind · Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 9:14 am Post subject:

jmarkha1 · Samba Member Joined: March 18, 2007 Posts: 89

I removed those water catchers too. Early cars do not have them. I have not heard of the effect removal has on overall safety and designed crumple zone so interested in the thread. I really do not want to have to graft new ones on but certainly limited use if they are rusty...

Russ Wolfe · Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 11:15 am Post subject:

Yes, they were water catchers, but not if you maintained them and kept the drains and vento holes clean.
Problem was, that when the car was new, people got their cars coated with the tar type undercoating, and the drain hole got covered with undercoat and plugged.
But, there were vent holes also on the top, and those let road splash in, and it had no way to get out.
Also, most people do not wash under their fenders properly.
When I go to the pressure car wash, I spend more time doing the inner wheel wells than the outside of the car.
_________________
Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up, you end up with a lot of scum on the top!--Edward Abbey

Gary: OK. Ima poop.

electricmonk · Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 3:40 pm Post subject:

Thanks Russ, I kind of knew that VW had a reason for putting them in. It appears that mine were sealed with tar just as you said. I tried cleaning them out when I got the car but they were already falling apart. They were absolutely chocka full of dirt. The extent of the damage was not evident till I took the guards and front end off to rebuild. Now the car has to be back on the road ASAP so I may have to do a quick fix for now and replace when I get it painted. Anyone have both left and right sides they would part with? lol
Here are the pics:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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In his house at R'lyeh dead Cthulhu waits dreaming

Mike Fisher · Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 4:15 pm Post subject:

Both sides on my 72 square parts car look good! Anything else you want/need off of it while we're shipping? PM me.
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69 FI/AT square Daily Driver
66 sunroof,67,70,71,71,71AT,72,72AT,73 Parts
two 57 oval ragtops sold
'68 Karmann Ghia sold

Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up you end up with a lot of scum on the top! - Russ_Wolfe/Edward Abbey

electricmonk · Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 4:46 pm Post subject:

PM sent Mike. Thanks for the offer
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In his house at R'lyeh dead Cthulhu waits dreaming

KTPhil · Posted: Wed May 07, 2014 12:52 pm Post subject:

Just a follow up about Type 3 crumple zones. This pic is from a current ad parting out the car. But I was impressed that with all the crush up front, the door jamb appears normal. That heavy axle, greater overhang, collapsible column, 3-point belts, and those crumple zone reinforcements did their job!

eyetzr · Posted: Wed May 07, 2014 1:01 pm Post subject:

I feel safer in my square now. Man that is hit hard

Multi69s · Posted: Thu May 08, 2014 12:38 am Post subject:

Man that was a hard hit. Hopefully the people inside lived to tell the story. If that would have been a front engine car of that era, the engine and trans would be sitting in their laps.
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69 road Bug 2110
73 Squareback - 2L, T4, Automatic W/ AC
Gone, but many fond memories 69 Baja Bug 2010 - 5 Rib Bus Transaxle
Gone but not forgotten 72 Baja Bug 2010
My builds
T4 into Squareback http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=458944&highlight=
Auto Trans Rebuild http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=516066&highlight=
AC in Squareback https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...highlight=

vlad01 · Posted: Thu May 08, 2014 1:59 am Post subject:


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