CJ from South Africa.

[kgj]

Continuing my journey round the car picking off the bits that need cutting out and replacing. Now on the final straight along the right hand side.

This bit was filled with lead.

Half way through melting it off.

This bit, like the part above seems only to have rusted through where the 2 layers of metal were touching.

Thanks for looking
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1958 coupe

[kman]

Good work. I'm impressed that there didn't appear to be continued corrosion where the lead was after it was filled.
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71 vert build. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=572951&highlight=dead

[advCo]

Looking great so far. I'll be doing some similar repairs on battery tray and inner fender wall/fresh air ducts, your pics are very helpful.

Did you fabricate your fresh air duct from sheet stock?
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"He pulled the mirrors off his Cadillac ‘cause he doesn’t like it looking like he looks back"
'68/'70 Ghia Coupe Project
'70 Westy Project - Champagne I Wannabe
A bunch of vintage Japanese motorcycles
"Much ingenuity with a little money is vastly more profitable and amusing than much money without ingenuity." -A. Bennett

[kgj]

I’m thinking the lead was filling a ding and the rust came later, from the inside. Maybe?

-I too love step by step photos.
My fresh air duct was a part I purchased but I have seen a home fabricated part on at least 1 other thread on here. It’s not that complex, give it a go.
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1958 coupe

[c21darrel]

[kgj]

Thanks. Slow and steady. And following the lead of others before.
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1958 coupe

[c21darrel]

kgj wrote:

Thanks. Slow and steady. And following the lead of others before.

Good one.
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GhiaBuild
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=481184
1967 DC build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=693583&highlight=67+dc
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

[kgj]

Ah, the English language. Thanks for pointing out the pun.
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1958 coupe

[kgj]

Update.

Continue to cut out and make good.

Also bought a set of these wheels. Yes, it’s been done before, but not by me.

Searched the forum for info but could do with some help.
The wheels won’t fit these original drums.

So I got these.

But with the wheel on the end of the drive shaft and nut stick out through the centre not allowing the wheel centre cap to fit.

I need to have some of the drum nut face milled off and re drill the shaft for the pin further down. I measured about 8mm to take off the drum. Does this solution sound about right?

Thanks for looking.
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1958 coupe

[c21darrel]

I took a little more than that off mine...between 1/2 and 3/4 inch. Fit is good, no cap interference.
_________________
GhiaBuild
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=481184
1967 DC build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=693583&highlight=67+dc
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

[kgj]

Perfect.
Thanks c21darrel.
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1958 coupe

[kgj]

Getting someone lined up to paint this thing has been a bit of a challenge. Ok, it’s not like I’m ready yet but my original painter has packed up and gone to the USA to paint superyatchs. I’ve not quite finished the cut out and replace job yet but another guy near by with good recommendations has a slot I could fill for a bit.
My plan is to get the paint done in a couple of hits. I want to run and debug the car before final exterior paint but that means having the engine, fuel tank and wiring in working order.
Also, with so much original factory paint under the car I’m not going to paint the whole shell, hence my remount to the pan before paint.
For example, the engine bay has perfect factory paint on the firewall and wheelarches, all be it under old glue etc. This is going to be covered again with new tar board so why strip and paint?
All that needs painting here is the flat part.

So a space appeared for my painter and I dragged over there.

So for this trip to the painter it’s for engine bay, bonnet area and fuel tank only.

A few days later some 2 part epoxy has been spread around.

Painter got the fuel tank dipped to strip it.

Thanks for looking.
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1958 coupe

[kgj]

i`ve hit a bit of a roadblock. Aerosilver paint. VW code L248.
there is much written on here about the colour and that Glasurit has a code. After a couple of conversations with Glasurit UK I have discovered that the code they have is for what they call their 90 line paint, water based. No formula available for the 55 line solvent based paint.
So, not wanting to use a water based paint my options are, take a sample to a paint supplier and match it, or copy what someone else has done.
As recorded elsewhere on thesamba a Mercedes colour, DB261 is a good alternative. I might run with this.

Thanks for checking in.
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1958 coupe

[kgj]

So did a bit of vw archaeology to uncover a good sample of the aerosilver on the car from new.
Passenger door scraped off well on the inside where subsequent paint jobs were not well prepped.

And hinges.

Got this paint mixed from the colour on the car. The hinges are just cleaned off original. The Mipa solvent based paint code is on the tin.

Fuel tank.

Bought some more treasures. This time from Hoffmann Speedster in Germany.

Thanks for looking.
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1958 coupe

[Tall Bloke]

How big is your grin? Looking good.
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-------------------
All of 30 horses !

[kgj]

Bingo!

after endless looking I managed to find an ignition switch for a little bit less than $350 plus shipping.

This one came from Germany, so relatively cheap postage.
Evidently NOS.


Yesterdays tinkering.

The engine I had built last year.

Had to take bits off it to get it in.

ready for a test fire up.

Thanks for looking.
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1958 coupe

[kgj]

Update. The last few weeks progress.
The very last bit of rust cut and replaced from here. Done!

Removed all the old wiring.

Made myself a new loom, located the battery under the rear seat and ran all the engine connection wires through this route too.

Thanks for looking
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1958 coupe

[xzener]

Dang... Looking good. What battery did you go with??
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My 70 beetle was totaled Now to build the Ghia I always wanted. Rest in peace Ruby, I will miss you. Hello <insert Ghia name here>!

[kgj]

Battery, Good question. There is a lot written on here about using a small optimax battery. The trouble is they are very expensive.
I took my original battery to a battery supplier and asked for something similar only smaller. I measured the space under the seat and the only battery that fit the bill was also the cheapest in stock. I’ll get the detail when I pop by the car later if you like. The price for the battery, 2 battery clamps and 2 x 1 meter lengths of the heavy red and black cable with those end things crimped in place was £68. More or less all the stuff you need to do an under the seat conversion. Some sort of fibreglass drip tray to sit under the battery is still on the shopping list then a clamp arrangement to hold it down as well.
Now I’m no auto electrician but how hard is it to rewrite one of these cars? There are only 10 wires running back to front. Then a bunch of wires to run the front services. I bought enough cable to do all on this for £70.

New wires pulled through under the hood.

Rear light cables in place

This is where the cables run from the rear rocker forward. The right side bunch run past my battery, through a grommet, up to the starter then on through the firewall to the engine. Coil,oil, pos to voltage regulator, charge light.

Some cloth tape to hold it together. It’s all bound now the above was during the fit.

Thanks for looking.
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1958 coupe

[kgj]

Big day.
Lovely weather. Dry roads. I need to get the car out from home and back to my garage at work for a bit.
For the first time in over four and a half years I drive it!
Put in one seat.
Fired up my mini stroker engine and put 2 miles on it.

Looking like this.

Looks cool to me though. And it felt fabulous

Thanks for looking
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1958 coupe