Car for Mom: 1960 Ragtop

[MANNAXMAN]

It looks like you have a 64-65 steering wheel and horn bar, based on the part numbers. They are obviously not period correct for a 1960, but they will work. I have the same setup in my '61.

[lovethatconvertible]

Here's the skinny on Different steering wheels and horn rings,Great reference.
RareAir Wrote:
113415651D = 1960-61 Steering wheel
113415651E = 1962-63 Steering wheel
311415651A =1964-65 Steering wheel
311415651B=1966-70 Steering wheel
311415651D =1971 Steering wheel

113951531C = 1960-61 horn ring, Chrome
113951531D = 1962-63 horn ring, Chrome
113951**** = 1964-65 horn bar, Chrome
113951531E = 1966-67 horn ring, Chrome
311951531F = 1968-71 horn ring, Silver

The horn bar (no ring) was only used on 1964-65 Beetles, Ghias & Type 3s.
If the ring is painted Silver, it's 1968-later
The steering wheels with the downward notches are found on the 1960-63 wheels
Here's also a thread with some updated info:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...p;start=20
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1960 Convertible

[car_cursed]

So I need a few more opinions. I bought replacement doors to replace my hacked Cal style doors. I am starting to think it would be better to cut the necessary metal from the replacement doors ad have it welded onto the doors that are already hung. My thinking is that the gaps are good and I really do not want to drill out the welds since I do not think these have ever been off. The replacements need some work, a few dents here and there, but the ones already on the car only need a couple holes welded from when someone put mirrors on.

Here are some pictures of where the were cut for the Cal modification. as far as I can tell its just the vertical support that was cut. all he holes are still there.

Driver side

Passenger side

Replacements

[SBD]

The replacement doors look pretty good. Seems a shame to cut them up. Maybe you can find somebody with a trashed set of doors that would cut out the pieces you need and sell 'em to you cheap?
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"Just $99 down and $64 a month for 36 months buys you a brand new Volkswagen Beetle!"

[EVfun]

Are your replacement doors '60, or later? The original '60 door has the older style door stops and looking at the front jam you can see there are sheet metal differences. It would be good to keep the car as much '60 as practical.

The new doors look pretty nice and fitting a door generally is more about the car than the door. Some of the '61-'64 doors end up tweaked at the hinges though, in which case they want to sit too far forward in the opening, a direction where you lack adjustment. Changing doors is really no big deal once you get those screws loose the first time.
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[car_cursed]

I'll see if I can get some replacement metal. But I am not going to pull the doors.

[EMPIImp69]

Cut and weld those brace sections in. I'd rather do that too than remove and replace the doors. Cover the glass with a welding blanket.
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1963 Ragtop Bug

[car_cursed]

Gah, forgot about the vent wing channel. If for some reason that is still in the hacked doors I'll go forward with my plan if not I am going to need to try and hang the replacement doors.

[57BLITZ]

[car_cursed]

So, the currently installed doors will not work, the vent wing channel was cut out. I am going to see if I can unbolt them this week, drill the rivets and put the replacement doors on. I have to reuse these hinges because the replacement doors hinges were beyond repair. I bought the hardware to replace the rivets today.

[car_cursed]

Got the replacement doors on without much hassle. Need to tighten up the drivers side gap a bit, but I am happy otherwise.

While I was working I thought I would see how difficult it would be to recut the rear decklid for the taillight housing. I found a bit more bondo than I had hoped for. It's fortunately not coving any rust at least. I need to get the whole car media blasted soon to see where I am at.

[car_cursed]

JBugs had a 15% off everything sale, so went ahead and committed to the interior palette. Also ordered new exterior handles, wire harness. The Ragtop is special order and will get that soon. I also moved the car into a shed/garage from my barn to get it torn down for media blasting and epoxy primer.

[car_cursed]

So I started taking apart he front end. Having not really inspected it before I discovered that the narrowed beam had the shock towers cutoff. Since this is a car for my mom I would like to have front shocks. What are my options?

I think the easiest and quickest will be to just buy a new beam? I would like to just get towers welded on like these, but cant seem to find them in stock height.

Here is what I am working with.

[car_cursed]

After much hand wringing, I am going to leave the front beam as is. It's been this way for 20+ years, since this will be an occasional driver I'm not too worried about it. Taking apart the rear found some questionable fixes to the taillights so new parts are on the way from WW. This car is still coming apart really well (knock on wood).

Glass is out, rear fenders off, next step is to pull the engine. I want to get a stand to reseal the engine and a dolly to make dropping it easier.

[EMPIImp69]

I welded those towers on my beam, I thought they were stock height

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1963 Ragtop Bug

[car_cursed]

Started the engine beautification and reseal process.

Engine is a 1500 that I am backdating with some select parts. This will be a sunny weather socal car so no need for heat. New Items are the fan shroud, front and rear tins, pulley.

I bought a non breather oil bath and filler tube to help complete the look. The cylinder tin, pulley tin, oil bath, oil filler, generator backing plate were all original and powder coated a low gloss black. And the generator stand was media blasted.

The riser manifold and exhaust were ceramic coated in a shade as close to the Ford grey as I could find.

I degreased the engine, and cleaned up the ancillary parts.

This was not my original plan at all, but after I pulled the engine I noticed one of the pushrod tubes had a dent and well it went from new tubes and seals to where we are now.

Fresh and clean

Cleaned up parts

Beginning assembly

[car_cursed]

Modern Chinese manufacturing was no match for 50 year old German engineering.

A buddy is loaning me his 3/4 breaker we'll see if that's up to the job.

[jjohnson67]

Tin behing pulley is wrong for the other sheet metal. The current behind pulley tin you have is 68 and later. Easier to change outside the car.

[aaronr25]

The car looks better already with the new doors on. The 90s paint job was hard to look at.
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65 Bug
66 Landcruiser FJ40

Life's too short to drive a stock VW

[car_cursed]

Engine is mostly reassembled, still need to buy a clutch and a couple other items.

Next up is body and paint.

IN an effort to save a bit of cost and know what the body is like going in I am going to strip the body myself, I started with the hood. It's not too bad but I have no idea why the area around the emblem would be this beat up. Next will be a replacement deck lid and the fender before I move onto the body.

This was a mix if paint stripper and wire wheel. I will to be doing the wire wheel again as that thing shed like mad and I looked like lawnmower man by the time I was done. I will probably use a stripper wheel going forward.