'73 Super Salvage Project

[67ctbug]

Eastwood mig 135 is 110v and fantastic.
_________________
'67 Beetle L41
'74 Westfalia
'69 Plymouth "Adam-12"
'63 Ragtop
'73 914
'72 Dodge Wrecker
Go Cubs!
World Series Champions 2016

[vamram]

Alright, between you all, Dan, and Youtube, you convinced me. I'm returning the flux welder tomorrow.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...more joy from the driver side rear fender. Multiple sheared fender bolts, and yes there were 3 tiny self-tapping screws taking their place.

_________________
Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!

[Tim Donahoe]

Ouch.

Tim
_________________
Let's do the Time Warp again!

Richard O'Brien

[vamram]

Small progress today in non-body areas.

Picked these up for $10 at Buggy Man. A "big-time" seller on here wanted almost $50 for this.

Also replaced the right-side spring plate and torsion arm bushings. Discovered in the process that I will need to replace the rear wheel cylinder and the shoes are ok, but I may as well do them while I'm there.

The bolts in the picture where temporary starter bolts to get the spring plate flush so that I could then raise and put the plate on its shelf. Then I removed them one at a time in a diagonal pattern and replaced the stock bolts. Quick reminder to all, the Bentley manual has a typo in the steps for the illustration of the spring plate that says they get torqued to 87lbs. THIS IS WRONG. The correct torque for the spring plate cover bolt is 25LBS!

Word to newbies who want to replace these bushings. You will save a lot of pain and headache by completely disconnecting the trailing arm, including removing the pivot bolt attached to the frame. [EDIT] I did NOT need to remove the parking brake and brake line as I did on the passenger side. Instead, I supported the drum w/the jack enough so that the assembly wouldn't hang on the brake line and e-brake cable, and was able to move it out of the way enough to remove and replace the spring plate w/little effort. Much faster and easier this way. Had I determined that I needed to replace the pivot bushing, I would have removed the backing plate and drum.

While there, I also cleaned and repacked the outer CV joints with molly grease. I'll do the inner CVs when this project is much further along.

I did the driver side today, so rear suspension - check.
_________________
Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!

[vamram]

Well my salvage just took a huge hit. The guy who was going to do the welding for me backed out this weekend and none of the body shops I've contacted do anything other than insurance work. F#$@k.
_________________
Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!

[AlmostHeavenWV_VW]

[vamram]

Ok, I've been going back and forth about how to best approach the major metal repairs that the car needs.

Option 1 - I found a business that will do auto welding repairs at my house, tentatively scheduled them for 7/14. $100/hour. No idea how long everything this car needs will take.

Option 2 - which I've gotten signoff on from the boss - is to take the chance and buy my own MIG welder for $300, either the Eastwood 135 or the Lincoln that I can pickup at home depot. Take my time, learn to weld on my own, and then do the work myself.

I decided to brave option 2. [EDIT] I should say BUT FIRST I found a MIG welding 101 class thru a meetup group at a local DIY/STEM lab and signed up for it, $65 for a 2-hour session, only 5 spots. Worth a try. If I feel after the class that it's something I could do, I'm pulling the trigger on the welder. If not, i'm not out much and can re-schedule option 1.

This one is for the long haul....I guess.
_________________
Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!

[Dark Earth]

[vamram]

Dark Earth, I ordered my Lincoln welder a couple of days ago, supposed to arrive on Tuesday. Not the fancy one you have, but the lower end d$299 home depot variety, free shipping, I can return it to HD if something's off. My brother is *supposed* to come up to work with me on this the weekend of the 21. He's notoriously sketchy for coming thru on travel, *but* if he makes it, we should have the welding repairs done that weekend. VEREMOS. Either way, I will be welding on this car.

In the meantime... I've done a couple of other non-body things. Checked and adjusted front wheel bearings. Front disc pads look good, lots of surface rust on the rotor since the car has sat for 2 years. And I disconnected everything needed to drop the engine and undid the four engine mount bolts. In the process, I discovered this - for 100 points, who can tell me what's missing? (other than the tin I removed to allow take this shot, and it's not the thermostat or its components). And why is there oily residue around the base of the #1 cylinder...?

Could it be that I'm looking at my 1st ever engine tear down after owning 7 Bugs over 33 years????

_________________
Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!

[Rome]

What's missing? GAWSH- the under-cylinder air deflector! Is it also missing from the left cylinders?

[vamram]

WINNER!!! MIssing from both sides.
_________________
Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!

[vamram]

Quick update - engine's out and will soon clean up and repaint engine tin. Tearing down the engine to inspect and *hopefully* not have to rebuild will wait until I finish the metal repairs.

Btw, i did buy a welder for this purpose and hope to have the bulk of the repairs done this weekend. Stay tuned.

Also, since the car is basically stripped at this point, I've decided I'm not going to keep the green. I'm going to go w/something similar to saturn or sun yellow.
_________________
Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!

[Rome]

Suggest Saturn Yellow, the color of the 1973 Super Beetle-based SportsBug. Then you can have your rusty bumpers sandblasted, prime them and paint them flat black just like on the SportsBug. Find a set of 5.5" ET26 sport wheels and you're almost all set "from the outside" for a SportsBug clone.

[vamram]

[vamram]

In case you're wondering, I haven't given up on the car, just on doing the exterior body welding repairs myself. I have a guy coming on Saturday to fix the c-pillars and fender mounting bolts - i purchased a bunch of the captive nuts from Aircooled.net for this. I did weld the passenger-side floor repairs myself, but that's as far as I'll go. I tried a couple of spots on the c-pillar and it was a disaster that will likely have to be cut out this weekend and redone.

I did move on w/the floor - master series silver on both pans followed by a couple of coats of Rustoleum glossy black brushed on. Before brushing on the rustoleum, I used jb weld steel stick to close the pin holes I didn't weld shut. Those are the gray spots on the floor.

I had to cut the wiring harness on the driver side to pull it out of the fender well. I'm pretty sure it would have been burned up by the welding. I also just got the seat covers from JBugs so will be redoing the seats, engine tin, sanding the body down for primer and paint, etc. Lots to do to get this project going again.
_________________
Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!

[hotsam]

Great project as always - and I'm following with great interest as I have just moved into your area.
_________________
1968 Beetle

[vamram]

[vamram]

Began my seat rebuild/restoration over the last couple of days. These post-'72 frames are much easier to work with than their predecessors. To remove the back rest, you just need a 10mm stud socket (not sure of the correct name for it) to undo this bolt on either side, then the back rest just slides off the bottom.

No need to remove any of the springs or other mechanisms.

Ok, this was kind of cool - an original factory inspection sticker.

Anyone know if this padding is factory? I don't think it is but it sure was stuck together well.

Next pics will be the seat completed. WWest horse hair pads all around.
_________________
Eventually, "we are what we pretend to be.’”
Give peace a chance - Stop Russian-Soviet Aggression!!

'74 Super 9/16 - present, in refurb process.
'73 Super - 6/18 - Present - Daily Driver!
'75 Super Le Grande...waiting it's turn in line behind '74.
Click to view image
Save the Supers!!

[Rome]

ID tag: VL would be German for front left (vorne links). "rechts m.K." I'm not sure; might be "right (side) with vinyl" (K could be Kunstleder, artificial leather).

[TDCTDI]

I hope that you’re replacing this area rug soon...