Trick For Removing Foam From "C" Pillars

[Clatter]

My Fastback has that yellow foam in the rear pillars.


Anybody have a trick for getting it out?
It's a tight fit in there!
Somebody here has to have a sweet trick I coulda never thought of...
_________________
Bus Motor Build

What’s That Noise?!?

[vlad01]

coat hanger wire, air gun.
_________________
The best of VW engine development!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BROWqjuTM0g

71 Aussie notchback, the money pit
92 VP vacationer, old faithful never die
95 VR executive, Restored beyond factory
92 VP S Pack, bought it new old

[VWCOOL]

yep I have used coat-hanger wire...next time I might try a blow torch or acetone/thinners (not at the same time!!)

[Jason37]

I would cut an access hole and blast. That stuff retains moisture so there s bound to be rust in there.

[Yabbadubbadoo]

Someone said the magic word.
_________________
Sydney, Australia.
66 Type 3 Fastback

[Dfasty]

I use that stuff in other parts of my life. carb cleaner will soften it or dissolve it but that might make it worse.
_________________
70 fastback automatic 06 invader

[Mike Fisher]

A torch will burn out the foam and any/all the paint you probably want removed anyway.
_________________
https://imgur.com/user/FisherSquareback/posts
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

[Clatter]

OK, trying to understand...
How do you use a coat hanger wire to remove the foam?
Make a twisted "egg-beater" thingie and put it in a drill?


Was really scared to use fire.
I could see that stuff being hard to put out once it gets going.
It might burn hot and warp the metal?
Make a goopy, stinky mess?

An issue with fire, that is also my main fear with using chemicals, is this:
When the car was new, it got a phosphate dip, right?
And capillary action carried it into all of the seams.
There it sits, (at least some of it) protecting hidden metal.
When you use paint remover, you have to tape up any seams,
because if you get any in there, you will never get it back out,
and it will ruin paint.
That's also why dipping cars in a stripper bath is considered a bad idea by some people.

It will also remove/damage the phosphate, and cause water to easily enter and attack at the seams, from the inside out.

So, that's why i was scared to use chemicals or fire;
because it might remove some of the rust protection the factory put in.

How's about using a frayed old speedo cable?
Anyone ever try that one?

I'm going to try a couple of these, and put it up here or in my build thread.
_________________
Bus Motor Build

What’s That Noise?!?

[Brent]

Here's the coat hanger one:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=480886
_________________
69 Fastback Build
Berg5 Build

[ClockRoach]

Once you get the old foam out, is it worth trying to replace it with something new? I'm wondering about noise and water infiltration.
_________________
1971 Squareback daily driver, "Ada"

[Bobnotch]

I just left in my wife's 70 Fastback, as it doesn't have the vent slots in the "C" posts. I haven't seen any rust bubbles or anything like that, and the car got painted back in 1990. Now, IF it were a 71 and later, I'd definitely remove it, as it'll get wet and cause rust (the reason I cut the roof off my 71 Square). But the earlier cars don't really suffer from this sort of problem.
_________________
Bob 65 Notch S with Sunroof
71 Notch ...aka Krunchy; build pics here;
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=249390 -been busy working
64 T-34 Ghia...aka Wolfie, under construction... http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=412120

[KTPhil]

Looks like the C-pillar foam is pretty far forward in the fastbacks-- forward of the bulkhead piece? Not sure what that hole is for... sunroof drain maybe?
You can see the foam's "shadow" here after they peeled the roof off my '71:

[vlad01]

do notchback 71+ have this foam?

I have seen them in fasty and square but their pillars are much fatter, never cut open a notch in that area to find out.
_________________
The best of VW engine development!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BROWqjuTM0g

71 Aussie notchback, the money pit
92 VP vacationer, old faithful never die
95 VR executive, Restored beyond factory
92 VP S Pack, bought it new old

[Nate M.]

Whatever you do, do NOT burn it out. . . That will introduce it's own set of problems.

Once you get the OEM stuff out with a coat hanger or frayed clutch cable, you will want something in that void to block the noise from getting into the car's passenger area. I would recommend using a zip-lock freezer bag and expanding foam (in the freezer bag). This will effectively block the noise while keeping moisture from being a problem and you'll be able to remove it if need be.
_________________
Regards,

Nate M.

Squarsche build
Heavy Metal Affliction feature

For heaven's sake, put a type4 and a Porsche 5-speed in there. . . It's the right thing to do!!

[vlad01]

noise is good. i would leave them out.
_________________
The best of VW engine development!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BROWqjuTM0g

71 Aussie notchback, the money pit
92 VP vacationer, old faithful never die
95 VR executive, Restored beyond factory
92 VP S Pack, bought it new old

[Bobnotch]

[vlad01]