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crocksvw Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2010 Posts: 35
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Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2017 7:58 am Post subject: Front clip info on quality of aftermarket parts |
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I've read several threads and they all say pretty much the same. That the aftermarket pieces are not a good option. I need to replace the clip on my 66 bug due to a mishap loading it on the trailer to transport it home. Car been in storage for 20 years in my dads barn and then it gets damaged. Pissed wasn't the word to describe how upset I was. But anyways I see where there are several companies offering aftermarket clips are any of them better than the other? I've been looking for two weeks now and haven't located a good donor car or clip. So I may have to go aftermarket. The body work cutting welding is not an issue for me just want the best fit and option possible. |
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67rustavenger Samba Member
Joined: February 24, 2015 Posts: 9767 Location: Oregon
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Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2017 9:28 am Post subject: Re: Front clip info on quality of aftermarket parts |
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https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1729646
Where are you located? The clip in the above add is 1K. But looks in good nick! If your in SoCal. you can pick it up.
Good Luck. _________________ I have learned over the years.
Cheap parts are gonna disappoint you.
Buy Once, Cry Once!
There's never enough time to do it right the first time. But there's always enough time to do it thrice.
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo! |
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crocksvw Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2010 Posts: 35
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Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2017 3:07 pm Post subject: Re: Front clip info on quality of aftermarket parts |
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Located in South Carolina. Just needing the front clip/apron. Mine is damaged on the driver side into the wheel well. Found a clip on jbugs website for 189. Didn't know if anyone had used any of their stuff. |
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widefivebug Samba Member
Joined: May 29, 2003 Posts: 330
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Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2017 5:20 am Post subject: Re: Front clip info on quality of aftermarket parts |
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I used a clip/apron from CIP1 because I couldn't find anything used and was running out of time to get something. If you can avoid using one of these, do it. The quality is just not there. These are manufactured to be generic and fit a range of different years so chances are it won't match exactly and there will be extra work fitting and matching things up. |
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crocksvw Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2010 Posts: 35
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Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2017 7:54 am Post subject: Re: Front clip info on quality of aftermarket parts |
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That's what I'm afraid of. I don't have to have it today but sooner the better. Plan on starting to fix all the body issues in a couple weeks. I am going to get the brakes back working and clean the pans good and paint them which won't take to long. The body will take the longest especially since I need to repair that clip now. I like having everything ready and In place so I don't have to stop repeatedly. |
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theKbStockpiler Samba Member
Joined: July 07, 2012 Posts: 2316 Location: Rust Belt
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Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2017 2:35 pm Post subject: Re: Front clip info on quality of aftermarket parts |
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http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=111805591B
WW sells the apron for up to 67. It has been reported that the bottom lip on the inside of later model ones is crumpled to shrink it instead of stretching the entire rest of the panel. _________________ My beetle is not competing with your beetle. I have the yellow beetle in my town. There is a red one, a green one ......
Use all safety devices including a mask. |
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67ctbug Samba Member
Joined: January 24, 2016 Posts: 3622 Location: CT
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Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2017 5:04 pm Post subject: Re: Front clip info on quality of aftermarket parts |
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1967 is crumpled too from WW
_________________ '67 Beetle L41
'74 Westfalia
'69 Plymouth "Adam-12"
'63 Ragtop
'73 914
'72 Dodge Wrecker
Go Cubs!
World Series Champions 2016
KentPS wrote: |
...or the PO envied the terrorists' bus in "Back to the Future". |
mukluk wrote: |
He's fine, just waiting for the dragon in winklepickers to move out of his lane. |
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crocksvw Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2010 Posts: 35
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Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2017 5:50 pm Post subject: Re: Front clip info on quality of aftermarket parts |
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Ok. So from the damage I see on my car it appears that I could do an apron and the small portion of the inner wheel well from ww instead of the whole clip like I assumed I'd have to buy. In the parts diagram in ww it's number 25. Is there metal a better fit than the others? |
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theKbStockpiler Samba Member
Joined: July 07, 2012 Posts: 2316 Location: Rust Belt
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crocksvw Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2010 Posts: 35
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Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2017 5:32 am Post subject: Re: Front clip info on quality of aftermarket parts |
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Thanks I'll dig into those threads and see what i find. I'm going to look a couple more weeks for a possible good clip close by. If I don't find one I'll order one or the pieces I need. |
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crocksvw Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2010 Posts: 35
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Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2017 3:37 am Post subject: Re: Front clip info on quality of aftermarket parts |
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Well may have gotten lucky and found a local guy with a couple 66 parts cars. He is going to check and see how the front clips are. Keeping my fingers crossed he will have a good one. If not guess I'll be going aftermarket still unsure which company. If it doesn't work out with the parts car I'll let y'all know who I go with and how it fits etc etc. thank you all for your input and help. |
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widefivebug Samba Member
Joined: May 29, 2003 Posts: 330
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Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2017 6:44 am Post subject: Re: Front clip info on quality of aftermarket parts |
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Just for what its worth, I know certain parts CIP1 sells comes from WW. Not sure about the sheet metal parts. |
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green1303 Samba Member
Joined: February 04, 2014 Posts: 748 Location: Alexandria, VA
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crocksvw Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2010 Posts: 35
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Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2017 6:41 am Post subject: Re: Front clip info on quality of aftermarket parts |
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Hey green1303, so the cip1 part will be a good one? Have had no luck on finding a good donor car. So I'm going to have to get a reproduction clip. I've been looking and shipping is high which I can understand it's a large item. But I see where cip1 has free shipping so I'm leaning that way but want a good part. Here's a couple pics of what's damaged.
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green1303 Samba Member
Joined: February 04, 2014 Posts: 748 Location: Alexandria, VA
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Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2017 12:58 pm Post subject: Re: Front clip info on quality of aftermarket parts |
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The $36 orange Estriguaru part is a repair panel for the front end of the quarter panel, it's not a full clip that runs from one fender to the other. The apron is a separate panel, and the spare wheel well is a third panel. You can look at your car to see how they fit together and which ones you need.
I looked more closely at the Autocraft front apron that WW is selling. They say that it fits through 1967 here:
http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/wolfsburg_new/body_sheet_metal/bug_sheet_metal/front_apron.cfm
The photograph is clearly the four-finger design that is correct through 1960, as they state here:
http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=111805591AC
You can get the correct front apron from the manufacturer here:
http://www.autocrafteng.co.uk/shop/search-Beetle-A...60-67_174/
The rub on sheet metal repair panels is that many reproductions use thinner gauge than stock and don't fit well, because of poor stamping. Some people do the work themselves, place no value on their time, and care more about price than quality, so they save a few bucks on low-quality Klokkerholm (Denmark), IGP (Brazil), or Zito Periera (Brazil) sheet metal. All three are painted black. If you pay someone to install the panel, then it never pays to go cheap on the part, because you will pay more in labor for the shop to get it to fit. In some cases those products are the only option, but that's not the case with your job. It's easy enough to do metal work yourself and very expensive to have someone else do it.
Please also note that CIP1 does not make any body panels. They are a retailer, so I refer to the manufacturers above. Autocraft and Estriguaru are the best reproductions available today for the two panels that you mentioned. _________________ 1973 green Super Beetle |
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crocksvw Samba Member
Joined: September 12, 2010 Posts: 35
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Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2017 1:06 pm Post subject: Re: Front clip info on quality of aftermarket parts |
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Oh ok I see what your saying. Yea the metal work is not an issue. I worked in a body shop right after high school for a few years. Also I'm a welder so fab work is a daily thing for me. Thanks for the help. |
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57BLITZ Samba Member
Joined: June 12, 2012 Posts: 2385 Location: DEEK - U.S.A.
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Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2017 2:40 am Post subject: Re: Front clip info on quality of aftermarket parts |
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I think that you would be much better off repairing your original steel that's damaged!
I have used some reproduction repair panels . . . I was not impressed!
Cheap "repop" parts have several aspects working against you being able to attain a quality, finished repair.
For instance , notice on the orange repair panel . . .
The "weld-nuts" for the fender bolts do not match what your car has!
Where's the "bulge" for the spar tire?
Is the repop bumper mount even close to looking like yours?
_________________ Jesucristo es mi Seņor y Salvador! |
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green1303 Samba Member
Joined: February 04, 2014 Posts: 748 Location: Alexandria, VA
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OvalinAz Samba Mini Tech
Joined: June 09, 2009 Posts: 1076 Location: AZ
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Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2017 7:13 pm Post subject: Re: Front clip info on quality of aftermarket parts |
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57BLITZ wrote: |
I think that you would be much better off repairing your original steel that's damaged!
I have used some reproduction repair panels . . . I was not impressed!
Cheap "repop" parts have several aspects working against you being able to attain a quality, finished repair.
For instance , notice on the orange repair panel . . .
The "weld-nuts" for the fender bolts do not match what your car has!
Where's the "bulge" for the spar tire?
Is the repop bumper mount even close to looking like yours?
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I would personally not use the orange panels. I used a pass side A pillar and it was GARBAGE. did not fit at all, metal was super thin, and had to cut apart to reshape and fit to the 62 i was working on. for a cheaper way go with the black Klokkerholm metal, its not great but it is workable. if anything buy original metal. and what 57blitz said, fix it! i have fixed several like that with a frame machine or just a chain and a lift pole. get it nice and straight. i usually replace the apron skin. easier to replace than to fix. _________________ Dad's 4/55 Oval
8/56 Oval
5/64 French Notchback
12/62 French 11 Window Bus
Wedge VW
Pandraggers C.C. |
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