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Tom K.
Samba Member
Joined: March 10, 2005
Posts: 1692
Location: Central Pennsylvania
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 Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2014 6:17 pm Post subject: Fixing Things After an Idiot |
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While attempting to remove the front beam on my '70 standard convertible I learned that the front (bottom) plate has been welded to the beam by some previous owner (had never looked carefully up there before). After carefully grinding away the metal to separate the beam from the bottom plate, I can now look up through the crack (between the beam and the bottom plate) to see another weld holding the beam to the chassis. Any idea why anyone would choose to do something like that? The surrounding metal is all good (no rust) and the 6 bolts that secure the beam are all in good shape. Anyway, to grind through this second weld I need to either completely remove the bottom plate (ugh!) or, maybe (depending on your advice) simply cut a wide channel along the front of the bottom plate to allow access and then patch the bottom plate and properly weld it to the chassis after I get the beam out.
The purists are going to remind me that the bottom plate is important structural stuff and replacing in whole is an absolute must, but I guess I'm hoping for something easier. Opinions?
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'91 Vanagon Westfalia
'70 Beetle Convertible
'71 Super Beetle Semi-Automatic: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=714131&highlight=
'65 Ghia: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=762478&highlight= |
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Mike Fisher
Samba Member
Joined: January 30, 2006
Posts: 18042
Location: Eugene, OR
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| Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2014 8:12 am Post subject: |
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Cut a wide channel and weld it back closed. That is a pretty ugly beam in there now! 
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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 |
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Tom K.
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Joined: March 10, 2005
Posts: 1692
Location: Central Pennsylvania
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