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pops711 Samba Member
Joined: December 01, 2005 Posts: 66
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Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2017 5:26 pm Post subject: My '59 rag restoration:) |
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***Back Story*** Back in '96 I had a (fast) '64 bug I used has my daily driver. Then one day a truck who's driver was not paying attention rear ended me. It totaled the body. I pulled the body off the pan and got a '59 rag top (just the shell). The plan was to build the fastest, nicest riding, most comfortable daily driver on the road. I got most of the bodywork done and then I got married. Now being a newly wed, I didn't have anyplace to work on the car (apartment life), and it had to go into storage. It went from my Grandparents house, to a friends side driveway, to a friends parents side yard, to my in-laws side yard to another friends back yard to (it's current location) my back yard. In that time I was saving money and started buying parts, a BUILT Berg 5 speed, disk brakes, air ride, ect... Then the inevitable happen, my girls were born and I became a stay at home dad:) Then after a few years of just making sure it stayed cover and almost selling it once to make a house payment, I came to the realization that I was never going to be able to build the car I wanted. Then, after a few months of kicking the idea around I decided to sell all the HP parts I had and go stock (with a vintage speed twist). So, I set out to find a late '59 pan (not as easy has you may think), and after a few months I finally found one. The only problem was it was WHOOOOOOPED, and it was and 8 hour drive away.
I did get for a good price and I found a guy (Ryan at ELR Vintage in San Bernardino) not to far away from where the pan was that could do all the repairs. So, after talking with the sell, he was nice enough to deliver it for me to Ryan. Then after 9,999 texts, with Ryan, talk about everything I wanted done on the pan Ryan set to work.
Then after Ryan put in a couple of few hours and had everything ready to weld, he found something really BAD. Both of the rear shock towers were cracked and bent.
So after another 9,999 texts and a lot of thinking I decided to replace the shock towers. So Ryan built a jig
And got to cutting.
It turned out great and I was happy:) With that out of the way Ryan was able to finish it up.
When I drove down to get my pan, and saw it for the first time, I could not have been happier with the finished product!!! Then after I got it home I got it powder coated.
Now this is where I am today. Now I just have to find a boat load of nuts, bolts and washers to bolt on all the suspension that is currently out being powder coated. I hope to have an a lot more updates for you soon 
Last edited by pops711 on Sun Aug 06, 2017 4:31 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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TinCanFab Samba Member
Joined: April 04, 2006 Posts: 2743 Location: Waterford, California
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pops711 Samba Member
Joined: December 01, 2005 Posts: 66
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Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2017 9:38 pm Post subject: Re: My '59 rag restoration:) |
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roachdub58 wrote: |
I didn't see any mention of you wanting to shift with your left hand. I had to double take your pics of the pedal cluster.  |
Yes you are correct it is a RHD, or will be. When I bought the shell the dash was trashed. So, with my first plan I just smoothed it out, but now that i am going stock and have to replace the dash anyway, so I figured why not.
Here's the fab work Ryan had to do.
Last edited by pops711 on Fri Jun 30, 2017 3:18 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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gt1953 Samba Member

Joined: May 08, 2002 Posts: 13907 Location: White Mountains Arizona
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Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2017 6:36 am Post subject: Re: My '59 rag restoration:) |
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So much work involved that you are involved with. Looks professional to me. _________________ Volkswagen: We tune what we drive.
Numbers Matching VW's are getting harder to find. Source out the most Stock vehicle and keep that way. You will be glad you did.
72 type 1
72 Squareback
({59 Euro bug, 62, 63, 67, 68, 69, 73 type ones 68 & 69 type two, 68 Ghia all sold}) |
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pops711 Samba Member
Joined: December 01, 2005 Posts: 66
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Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2017 3:42 pm Post subject: Re: My '59 rag restoration:) |
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Today was a little bit like Christmas Day. I got all my suspension components back from powder coating. Now I just need all the nuts, and bolts, and washer, and... that hold all this stuff to the pan. Anyone have a bucket of bolts laying around?!?!?!?
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pops711 Samba Member
Joined: December 01, 2005 Posts: 66
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Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2017 9:33 pm Post subject: Re: My '59 rag restoration:) |
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One thing I have come to realize when putting this car together from just the body, is there is A LOT of little crap that I need to find. Then to make matters worst, trying to do a stock restoration makes it even more fun. Since my last post I have been able to find a few of those items and were able to get them powder coated.
Also today I got an order from Wolfsburg West, so I have a few more parts that I need, and that is getting me that much closer to actually being able to start bolting things to the pan.
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pops711 Samba Member
Joined: December 01, 2005 Posts: 66
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Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2018 3:07 pm Post subject: Re: My '59 rag restoration:) |
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I know it has been awhile, but life and trying to find all the right parts has been a challenge. To start with, back in Oct. I took my wives car for a drive (A '05 Passat Wagon) and found it was running and driving like crap. So after having all 3 motor mounts replaced, both axles, timing belt (it was time), and a few of the injectors, the $5000 bill pretty much ate up my bug fund. Got to love life and the twists it throws at you.
The other challenge has been to try and find all the right parts to do a period correct restoration. The thing that has been the most fun has been finding all the correct (Kamax) nuts and bolts. After doing a lot of searching I found all the bolts to bolt everything to the pan and I had them re-zinc coated. (sorry no pics available at this time)
Then I set my sites on the rebuilding the steering box. When I pulled it apart, everything looked OK, except the bearings.
This was after cleaning it up.
So thinking finding a bearing would be no big deal, I set to searching for a set of new ones. Well after a few dozen phone calls and emails, I came to the conclusion that, it was not going to happen. so I set to searching thesamba for another steering box in the hopes of finding a box with a usable set of bearings. That's when I found them.
Someone with a set of NOS ones.
Then after finding the seals and an NOS gasket I had everything I needed to start assembale.
Now after 30 minutes of working on it this is what I came up with
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Tuttle'62 Samba Member
Joined: February 03, 2018 Posts: 7 Location: new york
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Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2018 7:02 am Post subject: Re: My '59 rag restoration:) |
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follwing this build for sure |
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stale air Samba Member

Joined: August 23, 2007 Posts: 5451 Location: Senoia Ga, formally NorCal
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Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 11:28 pm Post subject: Re: My '59 rag restoration:) |
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Nice work on the box, it looks sweet. _________________ WANTED: Henry Veale Santa Rosa plate frames
WANTED: Brittsan Motors Fresno plate frames
WANTED: Any Georgia plate frames
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pops711 Samba Member
Joined: December 01, 2005 Posts: 66
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Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 11:53 pm Post subject: Re: My '59 rag restoration:) |
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stale air wrote: |
Nice work on the box, it looks sweet. |
Thanks  |
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63Ragtop NZ Samba Member
Joined: December 04, 2007 Posts: 895 Location: West Auckland
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2018 6:31 pm Post subject: Re: My '59 rag restoration:) |
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Nice work so far, keep it up! _________________ If you can't join them, beat them! |
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pops711 Samba Member
Joined: December 01, 2005 Posts: 66
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Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2018 5:26 pm Post subject: Re: My '59 rag restoration:) |
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So now that school is out and I have a little more time, and now that the weather is getting better, I can finally do something to my bug. I got the front beam all put together. I also just sent out a bunch of stuff to the powder coater (hope to get it back soon)!!!!!
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scrivyscriv Samba Electrician

Joined: October 04, 2011 Posts: 3234 Location: Memphis
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Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2018 9:50 pm Post subject: Re: My '59 rag restoration:) |
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Great work so far and I like the attention to detail. Did you get a pro shop to plate your hardware, locally or otherwise? _________________ Robert in Memphis
Dünkelgrügen 1967 Java Green bug thread
Engine rebuild thread
If you're ever in the Memphis area, you are welcome to stop by for advice and help. |
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pops711 Samba Member
Joined: December 01, 2005 Posts: 66
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Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2018 8:01 am Post subject: Re: My '59 rag restoration:) |
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scrivyscriv wrote: |
Great work so far and I like the attention to detail. Did you get a pro shop to plate your hardware, locally or otherwise? |
Thanks, I got the hardware zink coated at a place about 30 minutes from where i live. It was a little pricey, but i feel it real make it look so much better. |
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pops711 Samba Member
Joined: December 01, 2005 Posts: 66
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Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2018 10:51 am Post subject: Re: My '59 rag restoration:) |
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Well it has been 2 1/2 months and I have got a lot done. The front end is on, but I still have to work out the tie rods (LHD and RHD are diffrent). However, the front brakes are all together. My last few cars have had disk breaks up front and I have forgotten how much I do not like putting front drum breaks together
Also found a good splitcase that I will have rebuilt. I had the case chem treated (Thank You Mr. Okrasa). Also all the hardware retreated (Black Oxide), and everything else powder coated.
I was even able to find a set of NOS e-brake cables.
Now it is off to Rancho for a rebuild. Thanks for reading. Hope to have more for you soon. |
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Chickensoup Samba Member

Joined: January 06, 2018 Posts: 5394 Location: Good Hope, GA
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Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2018 10:34 am Post subject: Re: My '59 rag restoration:) |
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so it seems like you said that you powder coated the whole pan? correct me if im wrong but how much did it cost to do this? I WOULD LOVE to do this for mine. |
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pops711 Samba Member
Joined: December 01, 2005 Posts: 66
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Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2018 6:21 pm Post subject: Re: My '59 rag restoration:) |
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I want to say it was around $900. |
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